PRESONUS FP10 - SCHEMA 1 User manual

FP10
© 2007, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
24-bit/96k Recording Interface
w/ Eight Microphone Preamplifiers
User’s Manual
Version 1.1

PRESONUS LIMITED WARRANTY
© 2007, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
PreSonus Audio Electronics Inc. warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a
period of one year from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty is enforceable only by the original
retail purchaser. To be protected by this warranty, the purchaser must complete and return the enclosed
warranty card within 14 days of purchase. During the warranty period PreSonus shall, at its sole and absolute
option, either repair or replace, free of charge, any product that proves to be defective on inspection by
PreSonus or its authorized service representative. To obtain warranty service, the purchaser must first call or
write PreSonus at the address and telephone number printed below to obtain a Return Authorization Number
and instructions of where to return the unit for service. All inquiries must be accompanied by a description of
the problem. All authorized returns must be sent to the PreSonus repair facility postage prepaid, insured and
properly packaged. PreSonus reserves the right to update any unit returned for repair. PreSonus reserves the
right to change or improve the design of the product at any time without prior notice. This warranty does not
cover claims for damage due to abuse, neglect, alteration or attempted repair by unauthorized personnel, and is
limited to failures arising during normal use that are due to defects in material or workmanship in the product.
Any implied warranties, including implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are
limited in duration to the length of this limited warranty. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an
implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you. In no event will PreSonus be liable for
incidental, consequential or other damages resulting from the breach of any express or implied warranty,
including, among other things, damage to property, damage based on inconvenience or on loss of use of the
product, and, to the extent permitted by law, damages for personal injury. Some states do not allow the
exclusion of limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not
apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from
state to state. This warranty only applies to products sold and used in the United States of America. For
warranty information in all other countries please refer to your local distributor.
PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc.
7257 Florida Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
www.PreSonus.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 OVERVIEW
1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 Features ................................................................................................................................................ 4
1.3 What is in the Box ................................................................................................................................. 5
1.4 System Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 6
2 OPERATION
2.1 Quick Start Up ....................................................................................................................................... 7
2.1.1 Installation in Microsoft Windows .................................................................................................. 7
2.1.2 Installation in Mac OS X .............................................................................................................. 10
2.1.3 Cubase LE – Device Setup ............................................................................................................ 11
2.1.4 Cubase LE – Creating a Project .................................................................................................... 13
2.2 Sample Hookup Diagram ..................................................................................................................... 15
2.3 Microphones ........................................................................................................................................ 16
2.3.1 Condenser .................................................................................................................................... 16
2.3.2 Dynamic ...................................................................................................................................... 16
2.3.3 USB and other types .................................................................................................................... 16
2.4 Using The Preamp Output and Line Input as an Insert .......................................................................... 17
3 CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS
3.1 FP10 Control Panel ............................................................................................................................. 17
3.1.1 FP10 Advanced Settings .............................................................................................................. 17
3.1.2 FP10 Hardware Settings .............................................................................................................. 18
3.2 Front Panel Layout .............................................................................................................................. 20
3.3 Back Panel Layout ............................................................................................................................... 23
4 TECHNICAL INFORMATION
4.1 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................................................... 25
4.2 Specifications ...................................................................................................................................... 27

OVERVIEW
3| PreSonus 2007
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the PreSonus FP10. PreSonus Audio Electronics has designed the FP10 utilizing
high-grade components to insure optimum performance that will last a lifetime. Loaded with 24-bit 96K
converters, eight PreSonus microphone preamplifiers and Cubase LE 48-track recording software, the FP10 is
ready to go out of the box for professional quality computer recording. All you need is a computer with FireWire
connection, a few microphones and cables along with your instruments and you are ready to record!
We encourage you to contact us at 225-216-7887 with any questions or comments you may have regarding your
PreSonus FP10. PreSonus Audio Electronics is committed to constant product improvement, and we value your
suggestions highly. We believe the best way to achieve our goal of constant product improvement is by listening
to the real
experts , our valued customers. We appreciate the support you have shown us through the purchase of
this product.
We suggest that you use this manual to familiarize yourself with the features, applications and correct
connection procedure for your FP10 before trying to connect it to your computer. This will hopefully alleviate
any unforeseen issues that you may encounter during installation and set up.
Thank you, once again, for buying our product, and we hope you enjoy your FP10!

OVERVIEW
4| PreSonus 2007
1.2 FEATURES
The FP10 is a powerful and affordable computer recording system complete with everything needed for real-
world recording applications. The FP10 comes complete with eight high-quality PreSonus microphone preamps,
S/PDIF and MIDI I/O, rock solid drivers, expandability, as well as a plethora of music recording and production
software.
The FP10 includes PreSonus ProPak Software Suite with Cubase LE and over 2 GB of plug-ins, drum loops and
samples – giving you everything you need for professional music recording and production. Need more inputs?
Three FP10’s can be daisy-chained for up to 24 simultaneous microphone inputs in just three rack spaces!
Summary of features
•High-speed FireWire (IEEE 1394)
•24-bit / 96 kHz sampling rate
•8 Class A microphone preamps
•26 simultaneous inputs and outputs
•Balanced send/return on channels 1 & 2
•S/PDIF I/O, MIDI I/O, word clock I/O
•Connect 3 FP10’s for up to 24 I/O’s
•Cubase LE Recording Software included
•PreSonus ProPak Software Suite (over 2 GB of plug-ins, loops and samples)
•Mac and Windows compatible

OVERVIEW
5| PreSonus 2007
1.3 WHAT IS IN THE BOX
Your FP10 package contains the following:
•FP10 Recording Interface
•2 meter 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable
•FP10 Power Supply
•Software installation discs:
oPreSonus FP10 Installation Drivers
oCubase LE 4
oProPak
•FP10 User’s Manual v1.1
•PreSonus Warranty Card

OVERVIEW
6| PreSonus 2007
1.4 SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Below are the minimum computer system requirements for your FP10.
Macintosh
•OS: Mac OS X 10.3.5 or later
•Computer: Apple Macintosh series with FireWire 400 port
•CPU/Clock: PowerPC G4/800MHz or higher (G4/Dual 1 GHz recommended)
•Memory (RAM): 512 MB or more
Windows
•OS: Microsoft Windows Vista & XP (with at least SP1)
•Computer: Windows compatible computer with FireWire 400 port.
•CPU/Clock: Pentium or AMD with 900MHz or higher (Dual 1.2 GHz recommended)
•Memory (RAM): 256 MB (512 MB or more recommended)
NOTE: The speed of your processor, amount of RAM and size & speed of your hard drives will greatly affect the
overall performance of your recording system. A more powerful system (faster processor with more RAM)
allows for lower latency (signal delay) and better overall performance.

OPERATION
7| PreSonus 2007
2.1 QUICK START UP
2.1.1 Installation in Microsoft Windows
The FP10 installer will take you through each step of the installation process. Please read each message
carefully – ensuring especially you do not connect your FP10 early.
1) Insert the FP10 Driver Installation CD included
with your FP10 into your computer and follow its
prompts.
If the FP10 Installation does not autorun,
navigate the Installation CD, locate the file
‘FP10_Setup.exe’ and double-click its icon to run
it.
2) Exit all Windows Programs and if your FP10 is
connected to your computer, disconnect it before
continuing the FP10 installation.
Click [Next >] to continue.
Click [Cancel] to exit setup.
3) Click [Next >] to continue the FP10 installation
to the default Destination Location folder.
Click [Browse] to select a different Destination
Location folder for the FP10 drivers and
software.
Click [Cancel] to exit setup.

OPERATION
8| PreSonus 2007
Windows Vista only
Click ‘Install this driver software anyway’ to
continue.
Click ‘Don’t install this driver software’ to exit
setup.
Windows XP only
Click [Continue Anyway] to continue.
Click [STOP Installation] to cancel and setup.
4) Connect your FP10 to your computer using the
included FireWire cable and turn it on.
Click [Next >] to continue.
Multiple FP10’s only
Before connecting your FP10 units to your
computer, connect them together in series (daisy-
chain) via FireWire.
Then connect the chain to your computer using
only one of the available FireWire ports at either
end of the FP10 chain.
NOTE: The FP10 can be chained to the PreSonus
FirePod. However, you must first update your
FirePod’s firmware. Please contact Technical
Support for assistance with this update procedure.

OPERATION
9| PreSonus 2007
Windows XP only
Click [Continue Anyway] to continue the FP10
Installation.
Click [STOP Installation] to cancel and exit setup.
5) The sync light on your FP10 should be solid blue
to indicate it has been successfully installed.
Click [Finish] to complete setup.

OPERATION
10 | PreSonus 2007
2.1.2 Installation in Mac OS X
The FP10 audio drivers are included in the Core Audio of Mac OS X version 10.3.5 and later.
1) Connect your FP10 to your computer’s FireWire port and turn it on.
The sync light should flash a few times.
2) Once the sync light remains solid blue, your FP10 is ready to use.
3) Use Audio MIDI Setup (Applications > Utilities) to adjust FP10 hardware settings.

OPERATION
11 | PreSonus 2007
2.1.3 Cubase LE 4 – Device Setup
Once you have installed the FP10 drivers and connected your FP10, you can use the Cubase LE Music
Creation and Production System software included with your FP10 to begin recording, mixing and producing
your music. Insert the Cubase LE installation CD into your computer and run the installer.
Be sure to keep
your CD envelope sleeve handy to reference the serial number during installation.
Once installation completes, launch Cubase LE and follow these steps to begin recording with your FP10:
1) S elect ‘Device Setup…’ from the Devices menu.
2) Select ‘VST Audio System’ from the Devices
column in Device Setup.

OPERATION
12 | PreSonus 2007
3) Select ‘FP10 ASIO Driver’ from the ASIO Driver
dropdown list.
4) Click ‘Switch’ to begin using the FP10 Driver.
For more help on using Cubase LE 4, read the
Getting Started and Operation Manual help
documents located in Help > Documentation.

OPERATION
13 | PreSonus 2007
2.1.4 Cubase LE – Creating a Project
To begin recording in Cubase LE, you first need to create a project. Once you have the project environment,
you can begin adding audio and MIDI tracks to record and edit on. Follow these simple steps to begin
recording your first audio in Cubase LE:
1) Plug an XLR microphone or instrument into FP10 channel one and turn on 48V phantom power if
needed for your microphone (typically only for condenser microphones.)
2) Enter the File menu and select ‘New Project’.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+N.
3) Select ‘Empty’ when prompted to choose a
Template.
Click ‘OK’.

OPERATION
14 | PreSonus 2007
4) Right-click in the track space within the new
project and select ‘Add Audio Track’ from the
dropdown menu which appears.
You can also add a track by entering the Project
menu and selecting ‘Add Track’.
5) When the Add Audio Track dialogue appears,
choose the number of Audio Tracks you wish to
add, whether they will be Mono or Stereo and then
click ‘OK’.
If you have two audio signals making up a stereo
pair (i.e. keyboard, FX processor, cd player, etc.),
you should use a Stereo Configuration.
Otherwise, if you have a single, mono audio source
(i.e. microphone or instrument), you will want to
choose a Mono Configuration.
6) Click the Record Enable button to arm the new
track for recording.
7) Click the Monitor button to hear the input through
the FP10’s 1/2 and Main CR outputs.
8) Select FP10 input ‘Stereo In > Left’.
When choosing a mono from a stereo pair, the
“left” channel is typically the odd-numbered
channel, and the “right” channel is typically the
even-numbered channel (i.e. Left is 1; Right is 2).
Press <F4> on your keyboard to enter the VST
Connections menu for more details on your
specific input and output routing.
9) Turn up the gain control knob on the front panel of the FP10 for channel 1 while speaking/singing into
the microphone or while playing your instrument. You should see the input meter in Cubase LE react to
the input. Adjust the gain so the input level is near its maximum but without clipping.
10) Connect a set of headphones to the FP10 headphone output. You may also wish to connect monitors to
the FP10’s Main CR Outputs.
11) Adjust the MIX control knob counter clockwise to monitor the input zero latency. Turn the MIX knob
clockwise to hear the computer’s playback and software monitoring.
12) You are now ready to record.
Cubase LE help is available by pressing <F1> on your keyboard or online by visiting www.steinberg.net.

OPERATION
15 | PreSonus 2007
2.2 SAMPLE HOOK UP DIAGRAM
With the FP10, you can simultaneously record and play back up to 10 channels. Since it is loaded with eight
preamplifiers, you can plug in eight microphones to the FP10 along with S/PDIF digital input to record a full
band. This makes recording extremely easy. All you need are a few microphones, some cables to connect them,
a musician (or two or three or more) and the creative energy to bring it all together.
This is a typical rock band setup. Your needs may vary depending upon the number and variety of sources you
are recording. Feel free to adapt the sample setup below to your precise needs.

OPERATION
16 | PreSonus 2007
2.3 MICROPHONES
The FP10 works great with all types of microphones including dynamic, ribbon and condenser microphones.
2.3.1 Condenser
Condenser microphones tend to generate a high-quality audio signal and are one of the most popular mic
choices for today’s studio recording applications. Because of their design technology, condenser microphones
require a power source, which can be provided from a small battery, external power supply or from
microphone inputs as
phantom power. The FP10 can send phantom power over the XLR inputs only.
2.3.2 Dynamic
Dynamic microphones are possibly the most widely used microphone type – especially in live shows. They are
relatively inexpensive, resistant to physical damage and typically handle high sound pressure levels (SPL)
very well. Unlike condenser microphones, dynamic microphones do not require a power source and, in most
cases, has no effect on a dynamic microphone’s audio quality or sensitivity.
Dynamic microphones, especially ribbon microphones, tend to generate low output voltages, so they typically
need more preamp gain than a condenser microphone.
Ribbon
Ribbon microphones are a special type of dynamic microphone and get their name from the thin metal ribbon
used in their design. Ribbon microphones have very high quality sound reproduction qualities – especially
higher frequencies sounds. However, they are very fragile and typically cannot handle high SPL’s.
The most important thing to note about Ribbon microphones is that nearly all
Ribbon Microphones do NOT
require phantom power.
In fact, unless a Ribbon microphone specifically calls for phantom power, sending
phantom power to a ribbon microphone will destroy it – usually beyond repair.
2.3.3 USB and other types
There are a vast number of microphone types available, and as technology increases, it is very likely more will
surface. One type of microphone to emerge recently is the USB microphone. Most USB microphones have
their own, built-in preamp and use drivers separate from the FP10.
If you are using a new or non-standard type of microphone (i.e., USB, headset, laser, MEMS, etc.), please
consult your microphone’s user’s manual for power requirement or compatibility information.
Regardless of the microphone type you are using, we recommend reading your microphone’s user’s manual
thoroughly before engaging phantom power or if any other usage questions may arise.

OPERATION
17 | PreSonus 2007
2.4 USING THE PREAMP OUTPUT AND LINE INPUT AS AN INSERT
The FP10 features ¼” TRS balanced Send and Return jacks on Channels 1 and 2. These jacks are labeled as
Preamp Output (Send) and Line Input (Return). These connectors allow the use of external processors such as
compressors, limiters, EQ’s, de-essers, etc. Simply connect the Preamp Output jack to the line input of your
external processor. Then connect the line output of the external processor to the Line Input 1 or 2 of the FP10.
The input signal from channel 1 and/or 2 is now routed out of the FP10 into the external processor and back
into the FP10. The final, processed signal can now be recorded using channel 1 or 2.
NOTES:
The line inputs on channels 1 and 2 are normalled to the channel 1 & 2 preamp outputs, so take precedence over
the corresponding combination Mic/Instrument input on the front of the FP10. (I.E., if a cable is plugged into
channel one line input on the rear of the FP10, the channel one Mic/Instrument input will be inactive until the
cable is removed from line input one.)
The Preamp Outputs are not connected to the DAC (digital to analogue converters) in any way and so are only
capable of routing the input signals from channels 1 & 2. If you need to route recorded audio or input from
channels 3-8, you will need to use your recording software and one or more of the Line Outputs.

CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
18 | PreSonus 2007
3.1 FP10 CONTROL PANEL
Once you have successfully installed your FP10, the FP10 Control Panel will be available from your system tray
(typically at the bottom right corner of your screen near the clock).
Right-click the FP10 icon to access the FP10 Advanced Settings menu. Double-click on the FP10 icon to open
the FP10 Hardware Control Panel.
3.1.1 FP10 Advanced Settings
Right-click on the FP10 Control Panel icon to select between three different computer optimization settings.
These settings optimize the buffers and audio streaming settings based on the speed of your processor.
If you are experiencing audio drop outs, it is recommended you select a different CPU setting.
•High. Typically for 2GHz and higher processor speeds.
•Medium (default). Typically for 1GHz to 2GHz processor speeds.
•Low. Typically for 800MHz to 1GHz processor speeds.