Allen & Heath SQ-5 Digital Mixer

Allen & Heath SQ-5 Digital Mixer

The Allen & Heath SQ-5 digital mixer is a powerful tool for audio engineers and music producers seeking pristine sound quality and versatile mixing capabilities. With its high sampling rate and processing power, this device delivers exceptional audio fidelity that can elevate any recording or live performance to new heights.

SQ-5 Digital Mixer Top Features

• Advanced Digital Processing: The SQ-5 boasts 96kHz FPGA processing, delivering exceptional sound quality and low latency.
• Intuitive Operation: The mixer’s 7-inch capacitive touchscreen and 16 faders provide an intuitive and efficient workflow for mixing.
• Flexible Routing: The SQ-5 features a comprehensive routing matrix, allowing you to route any input to any output with ease.\
• Expandable I/O: The mixer has 48 input channels and 36 output channels, which can be expanded via the included 32×32 USB audio interface and optional Dante or Waves cards.
• Dynamic EQ and Compression: The SQ-5 features powerful dynamic EQ and compression processing on every input channel and mix bus, ensuring optimal control over your sound.
• Built-In Effects: The mixer includes a range of high-quality effects, including reverbs, delays, and modulation effects, all of which can be easily customized and saved.
• Remote Mixing: The SQ-5 can be controlled remotely via an iPad or other device, allowing for wireless mixing and flexible positioning.
• Customizable Layouts: The mixer’s user interface can be fully customized, with the ability to create and save multiple layouts for different applications.

Featuring an intuitive touchscreen interface, the SQ-5 allows users to navigate through its many features with ease. Its 48 input channels and 36 mix outputs offer plenty of flexibility for complex sound designs, while built-in processing tools enable users to add enhanced audio effects in real-time.

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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.

Allen & Heath SQ-5 Specs

• 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 (64×64 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
• 32×32 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

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.