PreSonus has introduced new StudioLive 328i loudspeakers, available in two cabinet versions along with companion accessories designed specifically for installation.
Available in white and black, StudioLive 328i models—based upon the company’s StudioLive 328AI Active Integration loudspeakers—have cabinets that are built for flown installations without handles and pole mounts. Internal grille cloth masks the drivers so that they blend into their environments.
A companion yoke mount is also available, as is an update to PreSonus’ SL Room Control loudspeaker management software that allows the user to turn off the front-panel blue power-status LED.
In all other respects the new StudioLive 328i-W (white) and 328i-B (black) are identical to the StudioLive 328AI. The compact, powered, 3-way loudspeakers rely on a custom-designed, 8-inch coaxial driver, a 1.75-inch titanium compression driver to reproduce the mid and high frequencies, and dual 8-inch ferrite con drivers for low-frequency reproduction. Triamplified, Class D power amplifiers deliver a combined 2,000 watts of power.
Also included is a USB Wi-Fi LAN adapter as well as the SL-Control-SPK option card to connect to SL Room Control software over a wireless network. SL Room Control is a system-configuration application for Mac OS X, Windows, and iPad that provides both individual and grouped loudspeaker control, along with graphic and parametric EQ, eight notch filters, muting, soloing, and level control.
SL Room Control also supplies performance monitoring (real-time temperature, click detection, and excursions). All parameters are automatically stored in the User layer onboard the loudspeaker. A network setup wizard is included to quickly connect each speaker to a wireless network. An included SL-Control-SPK option installed in each loudspeaker can be replaced with the SL-Dante-SPK Dante option card (available October 2014) or an AVB option card (expected Q2 of 2015).
I/O capabilities include a combo XLR/TRS line input and an XLR microphone input with an XMAX Class A mic preamplifier and 12-volt phantom power, as well as an XLR audio throughput. All enclosures are made of lightweight plywood construction and include M10 fly points.
The 328i-W and 328i-B will have a MAP price of $1,699.95. The SL-Dante-SPK option card has a MAP price of $199.95.
