Updated March 2022
If you can't get a recording or playback signal to pass through your AudioBox USB 96, or if you can't get recording to engage in your DAW (digital audio workstation) software, check for the common situations below. This guide, while written for PreSonus Studio One, should generally apply to most current DAW software.
Universal Control is the delivery system for our drivers per our hardware. Universal Control also allows for firmware updates for our hardware. Please install Universal Control for your PreSonus hardware. The link for Universal Control will be on this page.
Common AudioBox Troubleshooting Steps
1. Make sure that the AudioBox USB 96 is plugged into the same USB port as when the driver was originally installed. For more information regarding this, check out this article at our Knowledge Base.
2. Make sure that you have plugged the AudioBox USB 96 into your computer before you start Studio One. Check that you are using a USB cable shorter than 9 feet (~3 meters).
3. If you are using a desktop computer (not a laptop), please reinstall the driver on a USB port on the back of the system. The USB ports on the front of your computer may be a simple distributed hub, not true USB ports. For laptops, please check your computer's USB diagrams and see if it has a USB 2.0 port.
4. PC Users, please open Windows Sound Settings > Sound. Set the AudioBox as the default audio device for Playback, Recording and Communications. Test basic audio playback with YouTube or iTunes. If the AudioBox USB 96 is not connecting to your computer, or basic audio playback is not working, please see this article at our Knowledge Base.
5. Make sure that the AudioBox USB 96 is selected as your Audio Device in your DAW. In Studio One, simply click "Studio One" from within the program, then "Options" (on PC) or "Studio One Preferences" (on OSX). Then select "Audio Setup" and check the "Audio Device" drop-down box
6. Make sure that your speakers or headphones are plugged into your AudioBox, not your computer. If the AudioBox USB 96 is your Audio Device in Studio One, then all sound will pass in and out of the AudioBox, not the computer's sound card..
7. Verify that the AudioBox USB 96 is receiving a signal. The Mixer knob on the front of the AudioBox USB 96 changes the blend of the output signal from the AudioBox. The Inputs setting directly monitors the analog inputs of the AudioBox USB 96, while Playback monitors the signal coming from the computer. An in-between position creates a blend of these two signals.
PLEASE NOTE: The iOne does not have a "Mix" or "Mixer" knob. The "Direct" button will allow you to directly monitor the inputs.
Audiobox USB 96
If you turn the Mixer knob fully counterclockwise to Inputs, and you connect functional speakers, headphones, and an input device (such as a mic, guitar, or bass) to the AudioBox USB 96, you should hear audio. If you don't, check your cabling and verify that all of your components are functioning properly.
For Audio generated on the computer like iTunes or YouTube, you will need to set the mixer knob to Playback to monitor the sound coming from your computer. For instructions on how to set up the AudioBox USB 96 as your default audio device on your computer please see this this article.
8. Verify that you have set the gain for your inputs properly. Use this method to receive a usable signal in your DAW:
- Plug your input source (mic, guitar, etc.) into an input on your AudioBox USB 96. If using a condenser microphone, see step 9.
- Set the Mixer knob to Inputs
- If you are using headphones, turn the Phones knob to the 12 O'clock position
- If you are using speakers, turn the Main knob to the 12 O'clock position
- Speak into your mic or play your instrument, then SLOWLY turn up the gain for the channel you are using until you begin to hear a signal. For instance, if you have a microphone plugged into the left input on an AudioBox USB 96, this would be knob 1.
- Continue to turn the gain up for that channel until the red "clip" LED illuminates
- Roll the channel back while inputting a signal until the "clip" LED ceases to illuminate
9. If you are using a condenser microphone, make sure that the 48V button on the front of the AudioBox USB 96 is pressed and illuminated. This will supply energy, called "phantom power" to your condenser mic.
PLEASE NOTE: Do not plug or unplug the XLR cable from the AudioBox USB 96 while 48V is engaged. Additionally, 48V is not sent through the 1/4" inputs on the AudioBox USB 96, so if your condenser mic's plugged in via the 1/4" stage, it will not work.
10. Make sure that your tracks are record-enabled and monitor-enabled. These buttons should be red and blue, respectively, as in the picture below. Additionally, make sure that each track is set to record from the appropriate input; in the image below, Track 1 is set to record from Input L, and Track 2 is set to record from Input R. If you click these buttons, you can select a different input source.
PLEASE NOTE: If no inputs are visible, or not all inputs are visible, see the step below to set up your inputs and outputs (I/O).
11. Make sure that your audio I/O (inputs and outputs) are properly set up. You can use the AudioBox USB 96 template when creating a new song in Studio One but if you create an empty song, or open someone else's project, check your I/O to make sure it's configured correctly.
Below is an example of a proper configuration for the AudioBox USB 96, with two mono inputs, one stereo input, and one stereo output.
For more information on configuring I/O Setup, check the Studio One Manual. You can also access this manual from within Studio One by clicking Help > Contents.
PC Trouble Shooting:
If recording is not working in your DAW (digital audio workstation) software, or if you are experiencing issues such as glitching or other unwanted sounds, the AudioBox driver on your PC may need to be uninstalled and reinstalled on your system.
Uninstall and reinstall the AudioBox USB 96 driver on your system, following the instructions below:
Manual Uninstall of Universal Control
Mac Troubleshooting:
No driver is necessary for the AudioBox USB 96 to work on Mac OS X
If you believe you are having connectivity issues, such as the device not being recognized by Windows or Mac OS X when plugged in, make sure to check your USB cable with one you are certain works, as well as try all USB ports on the system.
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