Interesting icon... I don't think this problem was reported in the Forums before, so it will be interesting to get to know the result of the investigations.

The best you can do now is to contact support - or (I suppose you are living in Germany) contact Hyperactive immediately. They are still taking care for the service of PreSonus products, but this will end by October 31, 2018.

There are two things you can try: First, do a Factory Reset for both mixers. If some settings have become corrupt, this will really reset everything. You will lose any stored presets and scenes, so if there is anything worth to save, save it on your computer or tablet.

The second thing to try is to make the connection WITHOUT AVB switch, because you don't need an AVB switch in your configuration. This will show if the switch has a problem, or the mixer(s).

Hope this helps.

The icon is the ‘autostore settings’ indicator. Briefly after changing mixer settings the indicator lights up to show when the settings get stored away, to be available should you power down and power up again. Not giving the mixer time to store the settings before powering down will put you on the ‘before last’ settings on power up.

thanks for the info about the icon - auto store makes sense - it looks like a small floppy desk.
about the tipps from wahlerstudios: i´ll try it - the avb switch is needed for the earmixes...

I´ll send and email to hyperactive - and looking forward to find a solution... I´ll keep you inform - if I can solve the problem...

Why should "Auto Save" lead to audio drop-outs during a concert...? Usually saving data (scenes, presets) does not affect audio signals at all, but let's see if Hyperactive finds the reason, if they still accept the repair order.

Drop-outs during a concert might also have another reason. I haven't seen this during a concert, but BEFORE. It might take some time and effort to get the PreSonus SW5E AVB switch doing what it is supposed to do. The MOTU AVB switch was easier to handle. It has worked always and under any circumstances. The connectors/ports of the SW5E seem not be quality products. Sometimes they lose contact and you need to twist cables - or simply use another port. If a connection is established, it usually stays stable, but it can also vanish. You need to continously watch the flickering LED lights on the SW5E, therefore I have placed it at FOH, but this doesn't help if you need to use the switch on stage.

I can very well imagine the SW5E as the reason for your problem. It also causes problems when it comes to cascading RM/RM mixers.

Schöne Grüße an Dieter und seine Jungs...

I too have had dropouts. Rarely, BUT my last show about 20 or so half-seconds of silence, and one, probably 5 or more seconds. I looked at the guy at the helm at the time, he looked back, "bleep!!"

I have been using your exact setup, minus the AVB switch, quite regularly.

My last show was outdoors. My SL3 sound tent was 75 feet from the stage box. To protect the 100-foot UTP CAT5E from the audience, I put it inside a yellow Panduit (split plastic tubing).

We ran 100-foot 12-gauge power cord from my power distro, stageside, inside the Panduit with the CAT5E to the sound tent to power everything there. Not that much power needed in the tent but I did have an amp for some distant satellite speakers, so power surges to drive bass in them could introduce transients which could corrupt the data flow in the CAT5E. Eye-rolling now right!?

From enough to convince me that I can find to read about what we did, we did it royally wrong. Both us guys thought about interference but didn't share the thought. That had to have been the problem... we agreed after the fact.

Having said that, it's pretty impressive that the both the SL3 and 24R recover and stay in sync. But if recording the show, transient dropouts in the recordings would be permanently not cool.

So the rule has to be keep all power cables away by several inches from the CATxx, no matter what method of shielding if any. If they have to cross, keep the crossing perpendicular.

I've had other issues related to ethernet cables. Ethercon for me was totally unreliable. The connector wasn't held tightly enough in the port. The boxes kept losing sync. I modified the cable ends to hold the plugs out farther and jam them into the ports a bit more and that worked. I don't trust them so I don't use that cable anymore.

The weirdest problem I've had is... some number of the highest channel numbers, say 20 to 24 for example, were impossible to control. Mic gain levels were all over the place and nothing seemed to work... fat channels were copied from known working channels, etc. Reboots of both boxes didn't solve it either. Finally I replaced the ethernet cable. I went from a shielded CAT5E, 100-foot to a 75-foot CAT6. That solved the problem. I'd love to know but I can only guess that the data for all the channels is in one long packet and the clocking was getting jittery near the end of each packet and screwing up the data so the D to A conversion was corrupt for those high channels. Call me nuts.

Sorry for the long dump, hope it helps!

geo

I neglected to say the only mode in use, ever, so far, is stagebox mode. And the firmware in both boxes has always been the latest. BTW I didn't say "bleep!!", I wrote something else... haha.

geo

thanks for the feedback - I´m using der 24R in Stageboxmode - I know a similar effect with dropouts using rocknet - and there the clocking / snyc was the problem.

my first idea - if the problem comes - will the same idea with an unsync btw. SL3 and 24R.
I think - the AVB Switch will not ne the problem.

my cat4 cable ar running 50m - so I really think, that´s ok. the main cat cable should be an better one like the others (i use the other one to send the control to a nowsonic router in my stagerack).

I´ve switching the cheap connector from yongsheng (cheap neutrik) to neutrik ethercon connectors.

well - i will check the console, reset both units and update them, buy a CAT6 Cable - and hope, that solved the problem...

next week i´ve the next show with the setup, same band - hope, that the drop outs have fly away....

Hello everyone.

AVB Switch will not be the cause of the dropouts. Only issue you would see is NO audio (which a power cycle would fix, IF that happens).

I would suggest, re-assigning SB mode's if this issue occurs. Meaning:

1. Switch back to Stand Alone mode.
2. Remove any AVB Input stream connections.
3. Apply SB Mode again.

The console in this setup is the Master Clock device. If for whatever reason you are getting drop outs, it is possible that clock has not be established properly upon boot up. Doing the above would help ensure the streams and clock are re-connected. You can see the clock status in the Home > System Menu.

I would suggest doing this process with the Console menu's, not UC Surface, just to eliminate an extra layer of potential fault (UC is just a remote control software of the mixer anyway).

Remember, AVB Setup is Global, therefore you can undo and setup at anytime without those changes effecting your scenes.

update: yesterday new show with the same setup - but i´ve change my catcable from Cat5e to cat6. no problems, no dropouts... everything went well.

i´ve remember the show - where i become the audio problem:

situation: stagebox, amplifiers on stage with the stagepower, outputs from the 24R to the amps and L&R switched into a Midas 32 / DL32 Stagebox.

SL3 on FOH on a different Powersupply - on the same Line like the Main Midas M32. When I work with the SL3 - i often become a easily electric shock - the console have an electrical charged problem.

that could be an idea - that the snyc via the cat cable maybe have a problem...

I installed a new SL3 in my church along with the 24R Rack Mixer and after updating to 1.9 every service we have half way throug our Praise and Worship service the system starts cutting in and out and then completely goes out and both the FOH AND THE RACK MIXER HAS TO BE RESTARTED IN ORDER TO HET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING AND IT WILL WORK FOR ABOUT 5 minutes and go out again

The music store I purchased the Presonus equipment from replaced the Rack Mixer and sent a new professional Cat5E cable 75’

But still have the same problem
I have had a professional electrician come out and check our wiring and he said all was good

The second electrician said the Monter Pro 2500 power conditioner was the problem we removed it and thought we had the problem fix
At Praise and Worship practice tonight into the second song it started cutting out again

I wonder if the new Firmware update is causing this problem
The equipment is still under warranty and I have a Ticket started with Presonus Technical Service
So I’m hoping they will send me a new SL24 lll Mixer
That’s the only thing that has not been replaced

Anybody else having this problem

Thanks

The firmware 1.9 is a real solid firmware, it does not cause any drop-outs. BUT - it is known (and said by PreSonus) that there might be problems when you recall old scenes and presets. It is better to build them new, and you should also use the Zero Out scene often. On both mixers.

There is some information missing in your description, so let me ask a few questions:

1) Are console and rack mixer connected directly, or do you use an AVB switch? Which type of network cable are you using and how long is the cable? The cable and the connectors have no defect? Which AVB switch are you using (PreSonus or Motu)? Which kind of connectors are involved (the ones for home use or the ones for the use on the road)?

2) Which router is involved? Is it connected both to the console and the rack mixer? Do you use an Ethernet switch for connecting the two mixers and do you run two cables (one for AVB and one for remote control)? Which kind of IP addresses are involved? If you are using dynamic IO addresses, is it always guaranteed that the router boots fully before the mixers start booting?

3) In which mode are you running the rack mixer? Stagebox? Monitor Mixer? Stand alone?

4) Have you checked how the mixers act individually (without being networked)?

5) Is it always guaranteed that the console has enough time for the "Auto Save" before it gets switched off?

There are a lot of details to be considered when network technology gets involved. AVB is not that solid, as it is propagandized. It reacts to the slightest disturbance like missing IP addresses or a corrupt Auto Save. Connecting consoles and rack mixers seems to be especially critical. The rack mixer need to be fully zeroed out and the digital patching needs a Master Reset in order to enable it to switch the mode. And never (!) "toggle" between the modes. Each mode change needs a restart of rack mixer and console (console first, then rack mixer).

I am having the same problem. This was working great and just started sucking recently. sadly, I just dropped $3K to record a live video and the audio from the drum stagebox is dropping out. My AVB cable is a practically new Ethercon from Whirlwind. Needless to say, I am pretty miffed.

I've heard a lot of "solutions" but nobody has come to any conclusions and Presonus is not weighing in. Are the any real fixes that absolutely made the difference?

If you need technical help, ask PreSonus Support for assistance. They WILL help you when you ask. 😊

I always have a problem with understanding the "same problem", because configurations are so different and indivdual, that you really need to know EVERYTHING before trying to find an answer. You seem to use a Series III mixer and one of the NSB stageboxes, obviously in a direct connection (no switch and no other AVB network device involved). Cables MUST be CAT5e, CAT6 or CAT6A, but it is said that CAT7 cables also work. NSB stageboxes need a specific AVB input and output routing, in order to make the mixer the "clock" of the network. There are no (or should be) no dropouts when the blue LED of the stagebox is on all the time.

Here is the link to contact Support:

https://my.presonus.com > Support > Create A Ticket (orange "+" button)

Have you ever wondered why the AVB connector on the series III mixers and the AVB switch are upside down?
I'm convinced my network drop out issues are because I'm actually losing the physical connection from the Ethernet contacts because of the orientation of the connector. I believe because of the cable stress from gravity it is pivoting the connections apart.
Try rigging something to support the cable in an upward position and see if your drop outs go away.
I had a two day festival last weekend, the first day I was plagued with drop outs, the second day I supported my cable as to push the contacts together and no drop outs all day.
This most likely is not the answer for everyone's issues but wouldn't it be great if it takes care of yours.
I'm going to explore if my mixer can be modified to just turn the jack over.
I have also passed this info along to my Presonus rep. (I'm also a dealer) to get it to the right person at Presonus. We'll see if anything happens with this info.
Good Luck!

Hi and welcome to this forum

I don't think there's top or bottom on RJ45 connectors. I do know there's tight fit and 'not so tight' fit connectors and there's tolerances in the tools to crimp them on too, especially regarding how deep the contacts are pushed into the connectors. With good connectors you can move the cables in any direction you like without issues. Not so good connectors can cause interruptions.

So yes, solid connections (with or without Ethercon barrel) are essental. PreSonus issued a list of connectors and cables that proved to be good and it pays dividend to use those

Here's a link.