Published: July 30, 2020
Updated: June 15, 2021
A compatibility issue with the Intel 10th Generation Ice Lake CPU and USB audio interface onboard the StudioLive Series III mixers was recently discovered. The issue results in distorted audio, making recording and playback over USB unusable. This Intel 10th Gen architecture is used in the MacBook series released in May 2020 and on some PC Laptops released about the same time.
All other features on the StudioLive Series III mixers function as normal, including Universal Control over USB.
This problem does not occur with any previous generation of Apple Mac or Intel based PC computers and is isolated to just this series.
The problem is not resolved using a USB-Hub or by using a Thunderbolt 3 Dock with a USB 3.0 port.
MacBook Pro models affected include:
- MacBook Pro 13-Inch "Core i5" 2.0 2020 4 TB 3 (Scissor) 2.0 GHz Core i5 (I5-1038NG7)
- MacBook Pro 13-Inch "Core i7" 2.3 2020 4 TB 3 (Scissor) 2.3 GHz Core i7 (I7-1068NG7)
We already do not recommend MacBook Air, these models are also affected:
- MacBook Air "Core i5" 1.1 13" (Scissor, 2020)1.1 GHz Core i5 (I5-1030NG7)
- MacBook Air "Core i7" 1.2 13" (Scissor, 2020)1.2 GHz Core i7 (I7-1060NG7)
PC Laptops that we know of that are affected include:
- Dell XPS 13 - 9300 - 13-Inch “Core i7 2.3 (I7-1065G7)”
- Dell XPS 13 - 9300 - 13-Inch “Core i5 2.0 (i5-1035G1)”
PreSonus Products affected are limited to:
- StudioLive 32
- StudioLive 24
- StudioLive 16
- StudioLive 32R
- StudioLive 24R
- StudioLive 64S
- StudioLive 32S
- StudioLive 32SX
- StudioLive 32SC
UPDATE: June 15, 2021.
We have determined the problem to be within this particular design of the Apple MacBook Pro itself using the Ice Lake series of Intel CPU with StudioLive Series III Mixers. We have since reported the issue to Apple and are working with Apple to find a solution.
We do not recommend using the 2020 Intel MacBook with Series III Mixers and instead recommend using either an older Intel series Mac from 2019.
Windows users with similarly designed systems like the 2020 Dell XPS 13 as noted above using the same series Intel CPU will find that this issue is now resolved with the latest firmware, v2.5. This can be obtained from your my.presonus account.
We will update this knowledge base article should any new information become available.