PreSonus Central Station Plus Monitor Controller Overview
Introducing the PreSonus Central Station PLUS - take command of your monitors.
You need to be able to switch between multiple sets of monitors and hear what your mix sounds like with and without a subwoofer. You want to be able to switch between multiple analog and digital sources. And you want to do it without sacrificing clarity and transparency. Meet the Central Station PLUS, the professional’s choice for monitor control.
A variety of connections for all of your sources and destinations: With Central Station, you can easily switch between three sets of stereo, analog input sources and one stereo digital input source. The digital inputs provide up to 24-bit, 192 kHz digital-to-analog conversion, and the converters deliver more than 115 dB of dynamic range. The Central Station will automatically detect and lock to the sampling rate of the source device.
You can audition these sources with up to three pairs of speakers, with individual trim pots for each speaker. You also get two screaming-loud headphone amplifiers with individual level controls. If two sets of cans aren’t enough, simply connect the line-level cue outputs to a headphone distribution system—say, a PreSonus® HP2, HP4, or HP60. And because Central Station is a 1U rack-mount device, with only one multi-conductor cable running to the remote control on your desktop, all of the cabling is in the back of your rack, where it belongs.
Pure, audiophile-quality sound: The pros know that for critical listening, a monitor-control system must be as sonically transparent as possible. That’s why we gave the Central Station an audiophile-quality, passive signal path, with no op-amps or ICs, and we equipped the S/PDIF inputs with high-definition, 24-bit, 192 kHz D/A converters.
The Central Station uses the highest-quality passive components, including military-grade, 1% tolerance, metal-film resistors; multi-element potentiometers; and durable connectors to deliver the highest sonic performance. This ensures the most transparent signal path and maximises dynamic range, frequency response, and headroom while minimising noise and coloration.
A wealth of features gives you a complete monitoring solution: We’ve included plenty of extras to make your studio work easy and efficient. Talk to the musicians over the headphone and cue buses using the onboard talkback microphone or connect a dynamic mic to the XLR talkback input. Use a footswitch for hands-free talkback operation. A Mono switch sums the stereo source so you can check for phase problems, and Dim and Mute switches let you reduce or mute the speaker outputs without changing the referenced position on your main level knob. To top it off, the included CSR-1 remote control lets you manage it all from your desktop.
With its combination of I/O, audio quality, and features, it’s no surprise that the Central Station PLUS is indeed the professional’s choice for monitor control.
Please note: Main image for illustrative purposes to show the front and back of the unit. The Central Station Plus is a single 1U rack with separate remote.
- 3 sets of stereo analog inputs let you switch between sources
- 2 sets of S/PDIF digital inputs (coax and optical)
- 3 sets of stereo speaker outputs with:
- Speaker Select switches
- Recessed trim pot for each speaker output
- Cue section with:
- -Input-select switch
- -Output-level control
- Main section with:
- -Input-select switch
- -Aux-input level control
- -Output-level control
- -Mute, Dim (-20 dB), and Mono switches
- 2 headphone outputs, each with:
- -Dual-function volume controls
- -Main-Cue input switches
- -Passive audio path: no op amps or IC's in main audio path
- -Onboard talkback microphone
- -Talkback microphone input w/level control (feeds headphone and cue outputs)
- -Dual 30-segment, fast-acting, peak-hold LED metering (dBu and dBfs) with:
- --Clear Peak switch
- --Calibrate to match DAW or other audio device
- -Footswitch jack for hands-free talkback operation
- -Included Control Station Remote (CSR-1) provides remote control of:
- -Main Volume
- -Input select
- -Output select
- -Talkback
- -Mute
- -Dim
- -Mono
- Input/Output
- -4 balanced ¼" analog line inputs (2 L/R pairs)
- -2 unbalanced RCA analog line inputs (L/R pair)
- -1 stereo S/PDIF optical (TOSLINK) digital input
- -1 stereo S/PDIF coax (RCA) digital input
- -1 balanced XLR talkback-microphone input
- -6 balanced ¼", line-level speaker outputs (3 L/R pairs) w/separate, passive volume controls
- -2 balanced ¼", line-level Main outputs (1 L/R pair) with source selection
- -2 balanced ¼", line-level Cue outputs (1 L/R pair) with volume control and source selection
- -2 stereo ¼" headphone jacks w/dual-function volume controls and Main-Cue input switches
- -1 DB15 port for optional Control Station Remote (CSR-1)
- Digitalia
- -S/PDIF coax and optical digital inputs
- -High-definition, 24-bit, 192 kHz D/A converters (115 dBu dynamic range)
- Physical
- -1U 19" rack-mountable, rugged steel chassis
- -External AC power supply
- CSR-1 Remote
- --Remote-control all functions of Central Station, including:
- --Input switching
- --Speaker selection
- --Main volume
- -Talkback system
- -Onboard electret condenser talkback microphone
- -Talk button (momentary switch) for talkback system
- -Active light shows when CSR-1 is controlling main volume
- -Connects with a proprietary DB15 cable (included)
- -Keep desktop neat and clutter-free
