Allen & Heath SQ-5 48-channel Digital Mixer

The Allen & Heath SQ-5 is a 48-channel, 36-bus digital mixing console well suited for live sound, corporate A/V, recording studios, and houses of worship. The SQ-5 features 16+1 motorized faders and 16 professional-quality microphone preamps. There are also eight stereo FX engines with dedicated return channels and access to the RackExtra FX library. The mixer's 12 stereo outputs (configurable as groups or auxes) are well suited for in-ear-monitor setups, while the Auto Mic Mixing function offers quick and easy operation over multiple microphones for conferences, panel talks, and more. At the heart of the SQ-5 lies the 96 kHz XCVI Core FPGA engine, which delivers professional, high-resolution audio quality, ultra-low latency (less than 0.7 ms), variable bit depth for precision and noise performance, mix coherency down to the sample, and the power to handle high channel / mix counts and ample FX processing. The SQ's DEEP processing architecture allows you to hand-pick boutique compressor and preamp emulations and embed them directly within the mixer's inputs and mix channels, all without adding system latency or setup hassles. The front panel is centered around the mixer's 7" capacitive touchscreen and framed by an array of high-grip, illuminated encoders, which offer clear visual feedback and quick, hands-on control. You can drag-and-drop channels and mixes to any strip with custom naming and color coding on the strip display, allowing you to build a mix environment that mirrors your workflow. The SQ-5 offers softkeys, which can be freely assigned to any function for a customized and advanced workflow. The on-board recorder uses a USB Type-A port to record stereo and multitrack sessions to a flash drive. The recorder can also playback stereo and multitrack files, making it well suited for virtual sound checks and studio mixing. The SQ-5 offers expansion options via Allen & Heath's stage box expanders, or install an optional Dante or Waves card to adapt and expand using the latest digital technologies. SQ is fully compatible with the ME Personal Mixing System, allowing performers to take control of their own monitor mixes. Any number of ME-1 and ME-500 personal mixers can be daisy-chained from the mixer's SLink port, or from a connected remote expander. The Allen & Heath SQ-5 ships with a power cord. Compact digital mixer for live, studio, and installation 48 input channels 16 local mic inputs (XLR) Two 1/4” stereo inputs (TRS) One 1/8" stereo input 36 total busses 12 stereo mixes (Aux or Group) + Main PAFL bus 14 assignable local outputs (12 XLR + two 1/4” TRS) AES digital output Dedicated talkback mic input (XLR) 1/4" TRS headphone out with dedicated control SLink EtherCON connection for remote audio using dSnake, DX, or gigaACE protocol (64x64 channels) I/O port for option card (including 3rd party protocols – Dante/Waves) 8 mute groups 8 DCA groups 8 stereo FX with dedicated FX returns DEEP processing ready RackFX effects suite 7" color touchscreen 8 assignable SoftKeys Dedicated physical controls for channel processing (Gain, HPF Frequency, Gate Threshold, Compressor Threshold, Pan, EQ Gain/Frequency/Width) 16+1 faders with 6 layers for 96 assignable channel strips Motorized faders for sends on faders, GEQ fader flip, and mix recall 16 backlit LCD channel-strip displays Single-point metering Integrated surface illumination Single/dual footswitch control Input channel linking for stereo sources Patchable insert points Input processing – Preamp, HPF, Gate, PEQ, Compressor, Delay Output processing – PEQ, Graphic EQ, Compressor, Delay Automatic mic mixing 31-band, real-time analyzer (RTA) Quick copy/paste/reset for parameters User permissions to restrict operator access 300 scene memories per show Channel safes, global and per-scene recall filters FX, processing, and channel libraries SQ-Drive for stereo and multitrack recording/playback direct to USB drive USB transfer of scenes, libraries, shows 32x32 channel USB streaming to/from Mac/Windows DAW control driver for MIDI control via USB or TCP/IP Wireless remote mixing apps for iPad and Android Compatible with ME personal-monitoring range