ROAD
TEST
PreSonus Studio 24c Audio/MIDI
Interface & FaderPort USB
Production Controller
By Adam Gallant
P
Studio 24
reSonus released its first USB-C audio
interface midway through 2018, and
the unit has seemingly been earning
favour with the recording commu-
nity in the months since.
Geared towards home and project studio
recording, podcasting, live streaming, and
mobile musicians, the Studio 24c interface is
competitively priced with great specs and fea-
tures. Recording at up to 192 kHz with 24-bit
resolution, the unit offers two XLR and 1/4-in.
inputs, which can be used as instrument inputs,
line level inputs, and microphone inputs (with
optional phantom power toggled on the front
panel). For outputs, the unit has two balanced
TRS outputs and a stereo headphone output. The
rear USB-C 2.0 port is bus-powered, so there is
no need for a separate power adaptor. On the
back, we also have MIDI in and out via a pair of
five-pin DIN connectors. The case is rugged with
an all-metal chassis and knobs while the desktop
footprint is small and void of excess cable clutter.
In Use
The Studio 24c is a lot of bang for the buck when
you take the amount and quality of software
that accompanies it into account: PreSonus’s
own Studio One Artist (V4) DAW and the Studio
Magic Plug-In Suite. Included in the collection
are sought-after plug-ins like the MAAG Audio
EQ2, Analogue Lab Lite by Arturia, reverbs from
Lexicon, and much more from the likes of Brain-
worx, Klanghelm, and SPL. Studio One Artist also
comes with over 6 GB of samples and loops.
In terms of hardware, perhaps my favourite
feature is the ability to mitigate latency. On the
front panel, we have direct analog monitoring
via a mix knob that blends between the hard-
ware inputs and the DAW’s playback. This
makes getting a headphone mix a total breeze
22 CANADIAN MUSICIAN
and doesn’t deter me from putting some CPU-
heavy plug-ins into my overdubbing sessions.
The interface also ships with both USB-B to -C
and USB-C to -B cables.
Worth noting is that this box is possibly the
most rugged interface in its class. It also boasts
more features than a lot of other boxes compet-
ing for the same market share.
In all, the Studio 24c is a great addition to this
line of audio interfaces from PreSonus.
FaderPort V2
The trusted FaderPort – one of PreSonus’s most
popular products – has been refreshed and re-
introduced with the V2 distinction.
Over the past year, we’ve seen the release of
the Faderport 8 and 16 – great DAW controllers
with a big footprint. The FaderPort V2 is a small,
single-fader version of the same controllers. With
this redesign comes better integration with all
popular DAWs. When booting up the device,
you can select between different modes for
Studio One, Logic, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, and
Cubase, making the V2 much more versatile
than its predecessor. V2’s look is a big upgrade
as well. The text is easy to read and the buttons
are well illuminated and colour-coded for quick
identification.
In Use
I tested the unit in both music and audio-for-
video applications and it sped up and enhanced
my workflow in both cases.
This being my first fader controller meant
there were a few habits to break before I could
take advantage of its functionality. Part of what
makes transitioning from the keyboard and
mouse to the controller easier is the quality
of the fader. The motor is quiet and the fader’s
movement isn’t distracting. The unit provides
up to 1024 steps of resolution in all DAWs and
I quickly learned that a little movement can go
a long way, depending on the source material.
Aside from automating with the fader, the Fader-
Port delivers fast, tactile control over such tasks
as: scrolling through channels, scrolling through
the edit timeline, and zooming.
In Pro Tools, we can link the fader to the ses-
sion’s master fader for master volume control. To
speed up editing, the encoder knob can nudge
regions, drop in markers, and navigate markers in
a session. For hyper-accurate panning, we can flip
the pan from the big blue encoder knob to the
fader, which can be helpful for tedious panning
jobs like car-bys and footsteps.
Ultimately, the FaderPort V2 is a blast to use.
It adds a certain degree of enjoyment to the pro-
duction process and speeds up session naviga-
tion. I found it to be the perfect companion for
both music and audio-for-video applications.
Adam Gallant has worked in all facets of digital
audio production, from music composition to lo-
cation and post audio for television and film. He
currently owns and operates The Hill Sound Studio
in Charlottetown, PE.