Karyn, do you use the RM32 for Live recording as well as sound?

 
Please excuse the mess in the bottom of the rack....
Top to bottom:
Power switch/conditioner
Shelf for wireless mic receiver
Pull out storage tray (for laptop)
Blank panel (vented for heat)
RM32
2x stereo active DI  (phantom powered from RM)
Headphone amp
 
The laptop (MacBook Pro) sat on top is connected with firewire to the RM to provide monitor mixing from side stage and also runs Capture to record everything all the time.  It also runs the lighting control software.
I do main mix with an iPad.
 
If I want to keep and mix the recording I can either open the capture session directly from Studio One, or drag the individual track files into Sonar, grabbing only the channels I need.

Karyn I have got a question. (A bit off topic so sorry!) Is the Samson power conditioner OK? I have heard in some areas where there is a lot of solar installs the power voltages can fluctuate. I am moving to an area where this may be an issue not sure of course.  Would the Samson protect against voltages going high for example (not so much spike protection, more overvoltage protection)
 
I am looking into the Furman stuff as well. Seems they have got it under control as well. But it is more expensive. I believe Phonic make a power conditioner too. Do we know anything about them?
 
Personally I feel the RM32 is not really suited for studio. I asked the rep at the demo here if they are thinking of making a studio version and he said mybe later but not now. As mentioned above what they are doing is creating a new version of the StudioLive mixers instead.
 
Don't you need AVB if you want to hook up a whole lot of Presonus stuff to a hub eg a CS18AI, a Studio Live mixer, computer etc.
 
I agree with Mike after looking into the switchers they are not cheap! Although at the demo they had a nice small one. I might find out what it was.

Hi Jeff,
 
I can't comment on the performance of the Samson wwt over voltage specifically, I use it because a lot of the time everything will be running off hired-in generators where you can't be sure of the 'purity' of the generator output.
All I can say is that I've had zero issues.
The main reason I went with the Samson was because of price....  I admit it.
 
AVB....
 
If you want to use any of the audio I/O in the CS18ai then you have no choice but to use AVB, it's the reason I haven't/won't buy one.  In my opinion Presonus dropped the ball (again) with that one.  The could've easily incorporated the same option card system that the RM and SL units use, then we would have had a choice.
The "small" AVB switch you're describing is this Motu one.
If you're not bothered about the talkback or headphone output then I'd use Dante cards in everything and use the SC18 as a control surface only.  Dante does not require "special" switches and it works on any computer and all Dante gear can pass audio to each other by default regardless of manufacturer.
 
Back on topic....  I ordered a Dante card for the RM yesterday so I can record without the limitation of a short FireWire cable.

Jeff, I had a Phonic 16 channel board once (Was supposed to allow recording all 16 tracks individually over firewire as well as live sound).  The live sound part was OK.  It was all analogue.  The firewire had issues though so I sent it back and went with Mackie 1640 with firewire.  No issues there.  The Phonic was very cheaply made.  I guess that is why is didn't cost much.  The Mackie sounds better as well.
 
 
I can do a live show with this (analogue) mixer and capture 16 channels of audio on a PC with a single firewire.  Works great.  I just take a laptop with me (Dual Core with built in firewire).  Fire up Sonar, check all inputs and I am good to go.  I do an entire set capture (about 45 minutes to an hour) in 1 pass.  I split up the songs later.

Thanks Karyn for your response. What I have found is most power conditioners filter out noise well and that seems to be your main need there. There are differences between them though when it comes to other lines of defense.
 
Dante is the go as well I agree.
 
patm300e I was talking about Phonic power conditioners but thanks for your info just the same.

Jeff, I gave the info about the board because if it is the same company, it may have quality issues...
 
Karyn, please keep us posted about how the Dante works out for you.
 

Yes and thanks for that info too.  It confirms what I thought.  I say the Phonic would be the least well built and the Samson in the middle and the Furman build quality very worthy of the extra expense.  The Furman offers some extra line of defense as well with regard to preventing an over voltage input reaching the outputs.
 
I am moving into an area where there may be voltage fluctuations due to a larger number of solar installs.  I want something to protect the sensitive items in my rack.  I could be wrong too and the power perfectly normal.
 
I recommend the pdf on Dante networking, it is an interesting read.  Karyn is it possible for the CS18Ai to get Dante capability.  I see no expansion slot.  Can they just make it Dante compatible somehow.  Would not that be logical.  Then everything could go on a Dante network.  I see your point about as is being used as a controller.  In my studio I would like the new 16.4.2 live mixer as a permanent mix for 8 hardware synths plus the CS18Ai mainly as a surface controller and it can do that now. 
 
 

If Pat doesn't mind..  (it's all Presonus relevant)
 
 
It's often said the price difference between AVB and Dante is because of the extortionate licensing cost of Dante.  The reality is that Dante is provided on a chip by Audinate which manufactures build into their equipment.
The chip handles everything.  There are several versions of it, the difference being the number of channels it supports.
AVB is handled by the hardware directly, relying on the network interface with AVB ethernet extensions to work.
 
The only way to add Dante to the CS18 would be with an option card that includes a Dante chip, but the CS18 doesn't support option cards.
 
You are right Jeff, it would have been totally logical for the CS18 to have the same expansion slot that the SL and RM units have....  but since when has Presonus ever done anything logical?  Their individual products are great,  I have several, but there's someone high up in the product development chain that seems to be running around like a headless chicken.
 
Audinate has a whole series of videos about Dante (obviously) and digital audio networking in general which I recommend, especially the infocomm RU credit courses.  You don't have to register for the course, or apply for the credit,  but run through it and you'll learn a lot from it.

Yes they could have made it compatible with the CS18Ai.  The new StudioLive 16.4.2 will have Dante for sure.  I could also run with that mixing the 8 hardware synths and also the 192 interface for another general 8 analog inputs.  Plus its ability to take in another 16 channels digitally.  I have the 8 Mic Pres to ADAT to be able to do that.
 
They mentioned the 16 channel analog expander for the 16.4.2 which would also be nice.  32 channels of analog all up.  They also said it will have DAW control and I got the feeling pretty reasonable level of Studio One remote control.  Hopefully enough for me.
 
I have heard the 192 interface sounds really good.