PreSonus Forums

Hi, I have a StudioLive AR16 USB since April 2018 as the center piece in my studio connecting my gear with my computer and I am very pleased with its functionality and overall feature set.

Since some time now the mixer makes noises. Its a very high and annoying frequency that is present the very moment I turn the power on. The mixer has no other problem or malfunction but this bad noise.

What can I do about it? I am in Hamburg in Germany and the mixer was bought online via a shop in Slovakia.

Thanks, Jens

Probably a loose coil in the SMPS transformer. No harm in that but the noise won't go away anymore and probably will get worse over time. Have the transformer replaced for quiet operation once more.

Hello and thank you very much for your response. Yes, I also think its related with the power transformer/supply.

I have made a recording of the sound. I laid my Phone directly onto the mixer. The ambience it quite noisy but you can hear this tick-like sound. (like a high pitched Geiger counter)

http://render1.de/files/SudioLive_AR16_USB_noise.mp3

Here is one where you can hear the high frequency noise.

http://render1.de/files/SudioLive_AR16_USB_noise_2.mp3

I have moved the mixer to another room and the behavior of that noise is quite erratic. Sometimes it is present when the mixer is switched on, sometimes it stays perfectly quiet. I guess I will send it back to repair and I hope they can reproduce the problem.

Thanks, Jens

Hmm, that sounds like more than just a loose coil. Good to have it checked

Did you ever find a solution to this? I just noticed my AR16 is doing this too.

No. The shop that had sold it to me gave me a refund since they could neither repair it nor replace it since it was discontinued at that time and out of stock. So I bought a new one for the refund in a different shop. That one just gave up a week ago. It just made a terrible loud noise when I switched it on and now does not amplify any more and the superchannel is dead. I wrote to Presonus if they can tell me a shop where I can give it to be repaired:

"Thank you for contacting PreSonus Technical Support.

We are very sorry but your product has reached the End of Service.

This means that there are no longer any manufactured parts to repair these products."

My next mixer will be a Behringer. Bye Presonus.