Allen & Heath SQ-5 48-Channel / 36-Bus Digital Mixer

48 channel, 96kHz digital mixers for live sound, AV and installation.

Built on our latest generation 96kHz FPGA XCVI core, SQ sets a new standard for compact digital mixers, delivering pristine, high resolution audio with a class-leading latency of <0.7ms.

Powered by Allen & Heath’s revolutionary XCVI 96kHz FPGA engine, SQ-5 is built for professionals in the most demanding live sound applications. Delivering class-leading high resolution audio with an ultra-low <0.7ms latency, the SQ-5 gives you unrivalled power and audio fidelity. The mixer has 16 onboard preamps and 8 stereo FX engines with dedicated return channels and access to the acclaimed RackExtra FX library. 12 stereo mixes (configurable as groups or auxes) make SQ the perfect companion for in-ear monitoring setups, whilst Automatic Mic Mixing takes the strain in multi-mic environments. SQ-5 gives you all the tools to meet any requirement, from AV and corporate events to live productions and houses of worship.

Powerful Processing

SQ comes equipped with all the processing you need to craft the perfect mix. Every one of the 48 inputs has HPF, a super-fast gate with sidechain and filter, a musical 4-band parametric equaliser, and Peak/RMS compressor for control and shaping of levels and transients. Mixes have both a parametric and 28 band graphic EQ along with compressor as standard, all ready to switch in when required. The XCVI core even allows for every compressor in SQ to have its own parallel path, without phase or coherency worries.

Add-On Plug-Ins Available

DEEP – Proven on countless world-tours with international artists, the DEEP Processing from our award-winning dLive digital mixing system is now available within your SQ. No 3rd party hardware, no added latency, no hassle – just studio-quality processing on every channel. 

RackExtraFX – RackExtra FX Add-Ons expand SQ’s FX Rack with powerful new processors.

Pick the perfect processing suite, tailored to your specific requirements. 

RackExtra FX

SQ is armed with 8 stereo FX engines and comes complete with the acclaimed RackExtra library, featuring emulations of legendary classic reverbs, gated reverbs, delays, modulators and more. Every engine has its own dedicated stereo return too, so you don’t need to use up any of your 48 input channels.

Expandable up to 48 mics

SQ-5 has all the onboard I/O you need for standalone operation. Thanks to its SLink intelligent port, SQ can also be expanded up to a total of 48 mic inputs via a family of 96kHz and 48kHz rack and stage box expanders (e.g. AB168, AR2412, AR84 and DX168), making it a flexible, mix ‘n’ match solution for owners of other Allen & Heath digital systems. You can also link your SQ directly to another SQ or even a dLive system.

The Mixing Experience

With each new design, the Allen & Heath team strives to get closer to the ultimate mixing experience. SQ’s dashboard is centred around a high-res 7” capacitive touchscreen, framed by an array of high-grip, illuminating encoders to create an intuitive, integrated blend of clear visual feedback and immediate, hands-on control. Channels and mixes can be dragged and dropped to any strip, with custom naming and colour coding on the colour strip displays, allowing you to build a mixing environment that mirrors your own workflow. Each strip features our patented Chromatic channel metering system, giving you at-a-glance level indication thanks to LEDs with variable brightness and colour.