Yes, with a couple of caveats.
Whereas the digidesign offers multiple clock rates and sync options, the Qu series are locked to 48kHz/24 bit, and can only be the clock master in the system. Whereas the digidesign can be daisy-chained to another to allow for more IO, the Qu cannot (largely because each Qu must be the clock master, and having multiple clock masters in the one system won’t go well.) Whereas the digidesign offers a variety of analogue and digital inputs and outputs, the Qu only offers analogue inputs (if you don’t count the USB returns,it doesn’t have AES in, SPDIF, ADAT etc,) and the only digital output is the stereo AES\EBU and USB.
If all you require is 16 analogue ins > USB (@48kHz,24-bit,) and 16 faders to control Protools, then yes it can replace a digidesign 196 IO module. If your intended application is more complicated, it might not.
