The StudioLive AR8c is a hybrid 8-channel analog mixer, 8x4 24-bit/96 kHz audio interface with USB-C connectivity, and stereo SD recorder combined in a single compact unit, tailored for musicians, podcasters, livestreamers, and content creators who demand professional results without a complicated setup.

XMAX Preamps and Input Options

Four Class A XMAX microphone preamps deliver a gain range of 43 dB (+12 to +55 dB) with an equivalent input noise below -128 dBu and a signal-to-noise ratio of 94 dB, ensuring clean, ultra-quiet recordings even from low-output microphones with +48V phantom power support. Two high-impedance instrument inputs accept guitars and basses directly, while two pairs of balanced stereo line inputs accommodate keyboards, drum machines, and other line-level sources.

Stereo Super Channel

Channel 7/8 acts as a versatile Super Channel featuring Bluetooth wireless connectivity, RCA inputs, a 1/8-inch stereo mini-jack, and switchable SD/USB stereo playback. This makes integrating phones, laptops, tablets, or backing tracks into any mix straightforward and cable-free when needed.

Onboard Effects Processor

The integrated stereo effects processor provides 16 presets covering reverb, delay, and chorus, with a dedicated send and return plus a footswitch jack for hands-free bypass. Effects can be printed to the main mix recording or kept as a separate blend for post-production flexibility.

SD Recording and USB Interface

The built-in 2x2 SD recorder captures the stereo main mix as 24-bit WAV files at 44.1 kHz, supporting SD and SDHC cards up to 32 GB. The 8x4 USB 2.0 audio interface (connected via USB-C) streams all individual channels plus the main mix to a computer at sample rates up to 96 kHz, enabling full multitrack recording in any DAW.

3-Band Analog EQ

Each channel features a musical 3-band analog equalizer for shaping tone directly at the hardware level, along with a mic/line boost switch for bringing up low-level input sources and consumer devices without degrading the signal path.

Bundled Software

Every AR8c includes PreSonus Capture live-recording software, which auto-configures with the mixer for one-click multitrack recording, and a perpetual license for Fender Studio Pro DAW for Mac and Windows — providing a complete recording solution right out of the box.