Is it possible to add a DCA?

[CQ-18T]

+1

[Fal]

“Fader-Groups” would be very helpful:
If you move one fader of the group the other members follow this movement relatively.

[dries]

+1 🙏

[Snrubel]

No DCAs is turning out to be THE issue that will make me move away from the CQ for live use. Need at least 2 DCAs, but 3+ would be better. Please add this, at least with the app.

[Lee7]

@Snrubel

Why buy a CQ then?

From reading the specs you can quite clearly see that there are no mention of DCA’s. You might best with the QU or SQ if DCA’s are so important.

[ben]

Why buy a CQ then?

From reading the specs you can quite clearly see that there are no mention of DCA’s. You might best with the QU or SQ if DCA’s are so important.

Because:
1. CQ is cheaper than either QU or SQ. I didn’t have the budget for those.
2. Other mixers in this price range have DCA’s (XR18/MR18)
3. Having a DCA wasn’t (quite) a deal-breaker feature… i chose A&H reputation over Music Tribe… but it was pretty close, and is definitely a missing feature in a mixer in this price range
4. Shoudn’t be too hard to implement in software, perhaps even just in the app, like CQ4You which does something similar to a DCA?
5. And after all this is a forum for feature suggestions… so not unreasonable to suggest features which it doesn’t already have?!

[Snrubel]

The CQ is an ideal fit for nearly every application I have where I do not require an analog control surface; only the lack of DCAs holds me back from using it everywhere and purchasing another as a backup.

SQ and QU (except perhaps QU PAC) are not the form factor needed (ability to be a stage box). But Qu PAC is older and lacks some of the other features that CQ has (like 96kHz to SD recording), and quite simply is not the sort of box that seems friendly to just sit and mix at during events where I have access to the mixer with a small group. The CQ occupies its own niche here.

I do not think adding a few DCAs will cannibalize QU PAC sales, and I am sure A&H are concerned about encroaching here if they make CQ too feature rich.

But A&H PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS ON THIS ONE! How to efficiently mix with a live drum set with 7 mics without some sort of DCA, or connecting a sub mixer?? Adding a simple software DCA (or two or three, ideally) in the app would cement your leadership in this space without hurting Qu PAC sales. Qu PAC has a lot more expandability and if you need that you are not going to be looking at CQ.

[Rudy09]

Hello,
I am a drummer and take care of the sound for two bands which I play with and regrouping all the drum channels in one subgroup would be great, especially when we need to modify the front volume in live during the gig !
So I also vote for an update of the mixer software to add subgroups (or eventually DCA groups as already mentioned)
Thanks in advance, engineers from A&H 😉

[Chienmort]

In the market sector that the CQs fit, the main competitors have Fader Groups and/or DCAs. So the question is whether to lose sales to Music Tribe/Soundcraft or worry about customers purchasing a lower priced mixer from A&H. My experience is that improving the features in your own products does not hurt you sales overall. Whether DCAs are implemented in firmware or software is not important and the fact that Mixing Station has implemented virtual DCAs in software proves there is a solution.

[KenM]

The 20-B is not practical without DCA’s. I only use it for very small groups without a drum set, and no more than 2 singers. It is like driving a car with a one speed transmission. I did not know tat it did not have have a DCA. I would not have purchased it until it had that feature.

[Lee7]

I manage just fine using all 18 channels with a live band. Yes, a DCA would be good, but it isn’t the end of the world.

Learn to adapt…

[Snrubel]

Interesting response. This is a feature request forum.

[Lee7]

I know it is, but whether those features come is another matter.

Just seems that people buy things expecting them to be able to do more, even though quite a few of the said features are missing. I knew what the CQ could and couldn’t do, but it didn’t stop me from buying one and retiring my QU-SB for PA hire instead of the main setup for the band I work with. Even though the QU has other features the CQ doesn’t.

[Anonymous]

I agree with Lee7.
I understand that DCA would be great for some but is certainly not a dealbreaker for everyone and CQ line is far away to be a ” car with a one speed transmission”…
Saying that you shouldn’t put too many expectation on this feature to be implemented quickly and maybe try to adapt also make sense.

[Yvo]

+1

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