Reviewed Nov 10, 2020.
For multi-track recording, the StudioLive Series III mixers will require SDHC - Class 10 - U3 cards, however even with the Speed Class ratings that exist for SDHC Cards, not all cards of the same Speed Class are created equal.
While we officially require Class 10 U3 rated SDHC Cards for recording as a rule of thumb, we've found that two cards with identical ratings from two different card manufacturers can perform vastly different to each other. Since qualifying cards by class rating alone is not enough to ensure they will reliably record the maximum track count possible on a fresh format, we've decided to qualify a short list of cards that are affordable, and that we know perform well for multi-track recording. This list may be updated periodically.
We have had the best performance so far with Samsung SDHC cards, so at this time they are our top recommendation. Samsung's offerings are primarily in the microSDHC format as far as we've seen, however all of the cards we've purchased come with the necessary full-size SD Card adapter for use with the Series III mixer. SanDisk Extreme series cards have also performed well enough to recommend.
NOTE: PreSonus can provide no guarantee of the recording performance of any particular SD card, as manufacturers are known to change products over the course of their lifespan. This list is provided as a guideline for finding a suitable card.
Below are our current top rated SD Cards for Series III Mixer recording:
NOTE: Links here are to web purchase listings and are provided for convenience only. If you find the linked listing is no longer available, simply search for the specific card model noted below.
1) SanDisk High Endurance 32GB
3) Delkin Devices 32GB Advantage
Other cards may work to varying degrees, but there is no way to guarantee the performance or supported track count for recording by Speed Class alone. It is recommended to run a speed test on the mixer's SD Recording menu before using any new un-tested card, in order to determine what track count it will support.
NOTE: Due to the nature of flash media, a card that has been written to and then had data deleted may not perform at optimum levels. For best possible performance, we recommend performing a full format using the SDcard.org formatting utility. See here.
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