I've been working to resolve an audio drop out issue since the first time I used my new SL3 32sc with NSB 32.16. For a while I blamed everything but the mixer. Now, I am into my 9th support ticket with Presonus and quite frankly have lost hope.
My issue is that during a live show, my Aux outs on my stage box drop out (for a second and then again about 10 seconds later). The mixer continues to receive and process audio. Drop outs are on my mains (Aux 15&16) and ALL monitors as experienced by the performers in-ears. The cable I bought is a UTP Cat6 Pro CO 125'. It has Neutrik NE8MX-1 ends which I learned early does not lock in properly to the Mixer because it uses a Amphenol brand jack. If you pull back it will disconnect before locking mechanism catches it. The stage box end works GREAT however. So... I remove the barrel of the Ethercon and use just the RJ45 on the mixer end. I can pull back on either end and pull the cable in circles harder than I am comfortable with and it doesn't disconnect. I can play MP3s through the PA for hours pre-show with no drops. Once the band starts up though, and I'm using 17+ channels, I just grit my teeth and wait for when the audio drops will occur. Sometimes only once in a show (typically 4 hour slot). Sometimes 3 times. Sometimes not at all (10-15%). IF I am side stage with the mixer OR run a 100' XLR so I can plug my amps in directly to the mixer... the drops in MAINS occur a single time (not the 2nd drop 10 seconds later). The musicians experience the 2 drops per occasion in their in-ears, because the stage box is feeding monitors. While the drops occur, my mixer never skips a beat. LEDs bouncing and view screen receiving input. Never a moment of visual disconnection (and I have been starring right at it when it occurs).
This has happened on a dozen different systems using a provided cable (walk on PAs I bring my presonus to) and on my own, trying 4 different cables, including the blue one that came with the mixer. I used the short blue presonus cable side stage at a corporate, plugged into the stage box because I need more channels than the physical mixer has inputs. It still dropped.
Presonus has repaired my 1st stage box by "adding a specific device to the power rail". Still dropped. Then REPLACED the stage box. Then, the entire mixer and stage box went in to Presonus. They replaced the main PCB because "that was the only thing that could cause the problem". Still dropped. Then they took it back again, said my jack on the mixer was the problem. Still drops. I reported the continued drop outs, and they say its the cable again. Now I'm supposed to try to keep the mixer side stage, use their blue short cable, and see what happens. BECAUSE I haven't tried using their short blue cable SINCE the latest new jack was put in. I'll repeat....I can pull on the cable ends and wiggle it around in full circles without a drop out ocurring.
The only way I can get this drop to occur, is if I power cycle the mixer, while playing an MP3. When the mixer boots up and connects, the music comes on, drops out, and then (usually but not always) drops out again while establishing the reconnection.
I do have the lastest firmware installed in everything.
I have even said to the support ticket that I have used so many different cables, in so many different situations, that all have dropped out. But only on my mixer. The owner of the PAs have never experienced the problem on their mixer (not Presonus).
The mixer has not yet been replaced, but I have requested that.
