PRESONUS VSL Quick Start Manual

VSL - Virtual StudioLive Quick Start Guide

VSL - Virtual StudioLive is a part of the Universal Control application. As with all FireStudio- and
StudioLive-family interfaces, Universal Control includes two windows: the Launcher window and the
Device window. For the StudioLive, the Device window is the VSL (Virtual StudioLive) application. VSL
provides bidirectional control of channel, subgroup, and main-bus levels; Fat Channel parameters;
aux mixes; effects; and the graphic EQ. It also provides a visual overview of your StudioLive settings
so that you can see, adjust, and organize them. VSL includes a librarian, allowing you to easily
manage your presets and Scenes.

Controlling your StudioLive with VSL is as easy as drag-and-drop. Load Fat Channel presets and
scenes by simply dragging them onto the channel or mixer overview. You can load Fat Channel
presets as a complete channel strip or as individual gate, compressor, or EQ presets. Through VSL,
you can back up all of the Scenes and presets stored on your StudioLive. These stored settings can
be loaded from disk or sent to, and stored internally on, the StudioLive. You can even drag presets
out of the browser and email, IM, or disk-swap them with other StudioLive owners.

Since the control is bidirectional, fader moves and parameter changes made on the StudioLive are
refl ected in VSL, as well. So, for example, you can set up the StudioLive the way you want it and
then save your Scene or other presets in VSL.

VSL also includes an auxiliary-inputs router to allow you the freedom to choose which additional
buses to route to the sixteen stereo auxiliary FireWire sends. It also lets you create a password for
your StudioLive so that you can lock out unauthorized users. From the Launcher window, you can
set basic parameters such as buffer size and sample rate. In addition, you can use the Launcher
window to confi gure your WDM outputs (PC only). Note that the Meter Style and Meter Decay

options in the Launcher window are not active when only a StudioLive is connected to a computer.

VSL Virtual StudioLive Quick Start Guide

Universal Control: Launch Window

Sample Rate Selector

Clocksource

Changes StudioLive Sample Rate.

Set the sample rate to 44.1 or 48 kHz from the Launcher
window when your StudioLive is connected to a computer.

A higher sample rate will increase the fi delity of the
recording. It will also increase the fi le size and the amount
of system resources necessary to process the audio.

To ensure the safety of the audio equipment connected to
it, the StudioLive will mute all post-converter outputs for
two seconds when the sample rate is changed or when
the mixer is connecting to a computer. This includes the
main and the control-room outputs, as well as the aux
and subgroup outputs. While this offers a good measure
of protection to your sound system, it could put the
brakes on a live show. Because of this, it very important
that the sample rate be selected and locked in prior to
beginning any recording or performance.

Changes the Clock Source for Chained FireStudio­family Devices

The StudioLive cannot slave to an external clock.
However, if you are cascading it with FireStudio-family
products that do feature digital inputs, the clock source
becomes selectable.

The clock source setting will determine where the device
chain is receiving word-clock information. This keeps the
chained devices in sync with other digital devices and
with each other. The menu options are determined by the
available digital inputs in the chain.

In general, you will want the StudioLive to be your Master
Clock, in which case set the clock to StudioLive-Internal.

VSL Virtual StudioLive Quick Start Guide

Universal Control: Launch Window

Operation Mode

Buffer Size Selector (PC only)

Changes How the StudioLive Driver’s Buffer Size is
Set

• Normal Mode. Input and Output buffers are both

identical to the Buffer Size setting.

• Safe Mode 1-3. Increases the output buffer size

for added stability.

Changes the StudioLive Buffer Size.

You can set the buffer size from 64 to 4,096 samples. The
buffer size determines the roundtrip time it takes audio
data to be converted from analog to digital and back to
analog. As a general rule, the higher the buffer size, the
better the system performance, but the less playable
virtual instruments and the like become. In general, 512
samples (11 to 12 milliseconds) will provide you with a
large enough buffer for optimum system performance,
but low enough to be unobtrusive. You should set your
buffer size and sample rate prior to launching your host
application.

Device Window Button

On the Mac, the buffer size is set from inside your host
application.

Opens the Device Window

Click on this button to open the VSL Virtual StudioLive
application.

To give your StudioLive a custom name, double-click on
the default label (StudioLive) to open a text fi eld. When
you have fi nished entering your custom name, hit the
Enter key.

VSL Virtual StudioLive Quick Start Guide

Universal Control: Launch Window

File Menu

Settings: Check Firmware

Opens and Closes Launch and Device Windows

From the File menu of the Launch Window, you can open
and close both windows, as well as quit the Universal
Control application

• Close Window. Closes just the Launch window.

• Show All Devices. Opens the Device window for

all of the connected FireStudio-family interfaces.

• Close All Devices. Closes the Device window for

all of the connected FireStudio-family interfaces.

• Quit. Quits the Universal Control application.

Scans Your StudioLive and Updates the Firmware

A fi rmware updater is built into the Universal Control
application. Periodically, a driver update will require that
the fi rmware on your StudioLive be updated. Whenever
you install an update for the Universal Control or add
a new FireStudio-family product to your system, you
should use this feature to ensure that the fi rmware is up
to date. If the fi rmware needs to be updated, the update
application will launch automatically.

Settings: Run at Startup

Launches the Universal Control Application
Automatically on Startup (Windows Only)

When this is enabled, the Universal Control application
will automatically launch each time you boot your
Windows PC.

VSL Virtual StudioLive Quick Start Guide

Universal Control: Launch Window

Settings: Always on Top

Settings: WDM Setup

Allows the Launch Window to Stay in View When
Other Applications Are in Use

When this is enabled, the Launch window will remain
in the foreground when other applications are active,
rather than being in the background behind the current
application’s window.

Opens the WDM Channel Mapper

The StudioLive features advanced WDM features. See
the next page for details.