Allen & Heath SQ-6 48-Channel / 36-Bus Digital Mixer with 24+1 Motorized Faders

DESCRIPTION The Allen & Heath SQ-6 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-6 features 24+1 motorized faders and 24 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-6 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-6 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-6 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-6 ships with a power cord. CHARACTERISTICS Compact digital mixer for live, studio, and installation 48 input channels 24 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 16 assignable local outputs (14 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 16 assignable SoftKeys Four assignable soft rotaries Dedicated physical controls for channel processing (Gain, HPF Frequency, Gate Threshold, Compressor Threshold, Pan, EQ Gain/Frequency/Width) 24+1 faders with 6 layers for 96 assignable channel strips Motorized faders for sends on faders, GEQ fader flip, and mix recall 24 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 SPECIFICATIONS Key Specs Max I/O Capacity: 48x Input / 36x Output Number of Analog Input Channels: 48 Number of Mic Preamps: 24 Number of Analog Output Channels: 16 Faders & Level Adjustment: 25x 3.9" / 100 mm Built-In Effects Reverb Stereo Delay (Tap) Reverb (Gated) ADT 2x Chorus Flanger Phaser Analog Inputs 1x XLR Talkback Input 24x XLR Balanced Mic/Line Input 4x 1/4" TRS Balanced Aux Input (2 Stereo Pair, Half-Normalled) 1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm Unbalanced Aux Input Analog Outputs 14x XLR Balanced Output 2x 1/4" TRS Balanced Output Digital I/O 1x RJ45 (Network) 1x XLR AES3 Output 1x etherCON (I/O) USB I/O 1x USB-A (External Memory) 1x USB-B 2.0 (Audio Streaming) Rack Mountable: No Mixer Max I/O Capacity: 48x Input / 36x Output Number of Analog Input Channels: 48 Number of Mic Preamps: 24 Number of Analog Output Channels: 16 Mix Routing: 8x Stereo FX Return Groups 8x Mute Group 8x DCA Group Presets: Yes Display: 7" Touchscreen Display Resolution/Color Main Display: 800 x 480 8-Bit RGB Faders & Level Adjustment: 25x 3.9" / 100 mm Meters Main Meter: 2x 12-Segment LED Channel Meter: Single LED Meter Range: -3 dBFS Peak/Clip (+19 dBu at XLR Output) Meter Calibration: 0 dB on Meter = -18 dBFS (+4 dBu at XLR Output) Signal Processing Gain/Trim Range Line:±24 dB (Stereo Channels) Line/Mic: 0 dB to +60 dB (in 1 dB Steps) Input Pad: -20 dB Input Polarity: Normal/Reverse Dynamic Processing Input Channels: Compressor, Gate Master: Compressor, Limiter Gate Parameters Threshold: -72 to +18 dBu Depth: 0 to 60 dB Attack: 50 μs to 300 ms Hold: 10 ms to 5 sec Release: 10 ms to 1 sec Compressor Parameters Threshold: -46 to +18 dBu Ratio: 1:1 to ∞:1 Attack: 30 μs to 300 ms Release: 50 ms to 2 sec Knee: Soft / Hard Blend: Yes Sidechain Filters Compressor: High-Pass: 20 to 5 kHz Band-Pass: 120 Hz to 10 kHz Low-Pass: 120 Hz to 20 kHz Gate: High-Pass: 20 Hz to 5 kHz Band-Pass: 120 Hz to 10 kHz Low-Pass: 120 Hz to 20 kHz EQ FX Returns: 4-Band Parametric EQ Parameters 1x HF Shelf: ±15 dB at 20 Hz to 20 kHz (Shelf or Bell Selectable) 2x MF Notch/Peak: ±15 dB at 20 Hz to 20 kHz 1x LF Shelf: ±15 dB at 20 Hz to 20 kHz (Shelf or Bell Selectable) Graphic EQ: 28-Band 1/3 Octave, ±12 dB 31 Hz to 16 kHz Filters High-Pass: 20 Hz to 2 kHz, 12 dB/Octave Solo/Mute: Mute, PFL per Input Channel, Bus, Master Channel Output/Source Monitoring AFL, PFL, Post-Preamp, Post-HPF, Post-Gate, Post-EQ, Post-Compressor, Post-FX, Insert Return Built-In Effects Reverb Stereo Delay (Tap) Reverb (Gated) ADT 2x Chorus Flanger Phaser Real Time Analyzer: 31-Band 1/3 Octave, 20 Hz to 20 kHz Audio Delay: Adjustable Up to 682 ms Automatic Mic Mixing: Yes Digital Audio Sample Rates: 96 kHz AES3 Output: 44.1 / 48 / 88.2 / 96 kHz Stereo Record: 96 kHz Stereo Playback: 44.1 / 48 / 96 kHz Multitrack Playback/Multitrack Record: 96 kHz Bit Depth: Up to 96-Bit Stereo Record: 24-Bit Stereo Playback: 16 / 24-Bit Multitrack Playback, Multitrack Record: 24-Bit Latency: < 0.7 ms (Mic Input to Main Output) Performance dBFS Reference Level: +18 dBu = 0 dBFS Headroom: +18 dB Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +0/-0.5 dB Max Input Level Mic/Line Input: +30 dBu Aux Input: +22 dBu (+4 dBu) +18 dBu (0 dBu) Output Level Analog Output: +4 dBu (2901653169) +22 dBu (2901653168) Analog Dynamic Range: 112 dB I/O Impedance 1/4", XLR Output: < 75 Ohms AES3 Output: 110 Ohms Aux Input: > 7 Kilohms Line/Mic Input: > 5 Kilohms Noise Floor: -90 dBu (with Inputs Muted) THD+N: 0.006% at Unity Gain Mic/Line Input to AES3 Output: 0.002% at Unity Gain 0.003% at +30 dB Gain Signal Generator: Sine, White, Pink, or Band-Pass Noise (Assignable to Any Mix) Connectivity Analog Inputs 1x XLR Talkback Input 24x XLR Balanced Mic/Line Input 4x 1/4" TRS Balanced Aux Input (2 Stereo Pair, Half-Normalled) 1x 1/8" / 3.5 mm Unbalanced Aux Input Analog Outputs 14x XLR Balanced Output 2x 1/4" TRS Balanced Output Phantom Power: +48 V Digital I/O 1x RJ45 (Network) 1x XLR AES3 Output 1x etherCON (I/O) MIDI I/O: No USB I/O 1x USB-A (External Memory) 1x USB-B 2.0 (Audio Streaming) Expansion Ports: 1x I/O Card Mobile App Compatible Yes: Android & iOS App Name: SQ MixPad Functionality: Access Stored Files, Adjust Settings, Firmware Update, Remote Control, Setup Recording Max Multitrack Recording: 16 Tracks Media Support: USB Drive File Format Support: WAV Compatibility OS Compatibility Windows 10 (64-Bit Only) macOS 10.14 to 11 (64-Bit Only) Mobile Device Compatibility Android Smartphone Android Tablet iPad iPhone Power AC Input Power: 100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz AC Power I/O: 1x IEC Input Power Consumption: 90 W Physical Rack Mountable: No Operating Temperature: 32 to 104°F / 0 to 40°C Dimensions: 25.1 x 20.3 x 7.8" / 638 x 514.9 x 198 mm Weight: 29.3 lb / 13.3 kg Packaging Info Package Weight: 40.3 lb Box Dimensions (LxWxH): 32.5 x 27 x 14.5"