Two AR2412's with one QU32? Will it work?

[AntonQUParticipant]

I have a newly acquired QU32 that I intend to use at a festival with a Cat5 cable running to the stage. My friend and I each own an AR2412 which we use with our QU24 desks. My question is; can we join our two AR2412’s together for the mics on stage and ensure that we only use 32 XLR inputs? Or must we use only the exact number of XLR inputs (i.e. 32 only) by using one of the AR2412 units and get an AR84 to join to it. I can’t find anything on A&H’s websites that tells me whether I can have more XLR inputs on two stage-boxes than I can actually use or not. Can my QU32 ‘ignore’ the additional 16 XLR inputs on the two stage boxes? Anyone know?

[MarkPAmanParticipant]

No you can’t use two AR2412s together – It’s too many channels for the spec of the DSnake which QU desks use.

Get the AR84 as you suggested and run a link from the 2412 to that and all will be good.

[AntonQUParticipant]

Many thanks Mark, that’s helpful. I’ll have to try and hire an AR84 or see if anyone’s got one for sale, they’re hard to find at the moment.

[Mike CParticipant]

You could also look at an AB168 for the second stage box, there not that much more
than a AR84 and maybe slightly easier to find.

Remember when using a stage box you can squeeze in a couple more mic inputs by patching them to the ST 1 and ST 2 channels.

[AntonQUParticipant]

Thanks Mike, but following the point made by Mark above, won’t hat bee too many channels for the D-Snake? It would give me 40 XLR inputs and Mark’s point is that if it exceeds 32 it won’t work. However, yours is a great idea about about patching two inputs to L and R on ST1 and ST2 inputs.

[Mike CParticipant]

I link my AR2412 to my AB168 and us it with my Qu PAC32 with no issues.
You just can’t patch more than 32 of the 40 inputs well a few extra with the
ST1, 2, 3 inputs that can also be patched from the stage box.

[KeithJ A&HModerator]

Hi @antonqu –

All the possible Qu system setups are shown in the reference guide from pg18 :
https://www.allen-heath.com/media/Qu-Mixer-Reference-Guide-AP9372_10.pdf#page=17&zoom=auto,-274,16

As others have said here, it’s not possible to daisy-chain/cascade two AR2412’s, which is related to the dSnake protocol maximum I/O (40×20+40ME) but mainly because when you cascade one expander from another, the second unit is combined as a whole into the first. i.e. The console does not ‘see’ the second unit directly, nor does it address each socket/preamp individually.
So with the AR2412, you can add either an AB168 or AR84.
With the AB168, you can add another AB168 or AR84.

And good tips about using the stereo channels to get more channels to the mix!

Cheers,
Keith.

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