Reviewed Jan 29, 2021
Please note- This article describes the relationship and limitation of Apple/Mac AVB when attempting to use the AVB Device as a direct core-audio device from Sound preferences or AudioMIDI Setup. Recording with multiple AVB devices is possible when using your Mac as an AVB Network End-point using Apple's built-in AVDECC AVB Controller.
More info can be found here: StudioLive Series III: Can I use AVB Network Audio with my computer?
Using AVB as a Core Audio Device:
Because of how OSX makes the connections to AVB devices selected as local Core Audio devices, recording over AVB with the StudioLive set as your Macs AudioDevice is not supported when using Stagebox mode with your StudioLive Series III Console and a StudioLive Series III Rack mixer.
With any network audio technology, you can have one talker go to many listeners, but a listener can only listen to one talker.
When you select an AVB device in Audio MIDI Setup Network Device Browser, OSX will actually force a connection of its own AVB streams to every talker and every listener stream of that AVB device, because it needs to receive from every talker stream of the device as well as send to every listener stream of the device.
Because AVB stagebox mode is a bi-directional relationship between the two mixers, they also need to connect all of their talker and listener streams.
As you can now see, because you can't have the listener streams on the mixer listening to the talker streams of both the other mixer and the Mac, it's not possible to have both stagebox mode in use and have the Mac connected to either mixer as a Core Audio network device.
In fact, even simply connecting a Mac to your AVB network with either StudioLive mixer enabled in Audio MIDI Setup as an AVB Audio Device will interfere with the AVB routing necessary for Stagebox mode functionality, and in effect, break stagebox mode.
So, if you are using a Series III Console with a Series III Rack mixer as a stagebox, if you have any Mac computer connected via ethernet to the same network that the Audio Network port of the two mixers are connected to, you must make absolutely certain that the Mac does not have either mixer checked off in Audio MIDI Setup Network Device Browser to be used as a local Core Audio device.
If you are using multiple AVB Devices in your Network, instead of choosing an AVB Audio Device directly from Sound or AudioMIDI preferences, it is recommended to arrange your Mac to act as a routable AVB End-point. Where the Mac itself will act as a Network Audio device and AVB routing can be further customized with AVDECC.
Instructions on setting up your Mac as an AVB-End-Point can be found here:
- StudioLive Series III: Can I use AVB Network Audio with my computer?
- Series III AVB Ecosystem AVDECC Controller Guide
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Please contact PreSonus Technical Support by creating a Support Ticket at My.PreSonus.com/Support for further assistance.
>How to create a support ticket<