[D.J.Participant]

The SQ series does exactly what you are looking for, and is one of the main reasons I upgraded from the Qu-32 I used to own. You can actually assign any physical input or output to any function you want; for example, I am using a DBX DriveRack PA2 at FOH with me in the rack. I simply patch two physical outputs and two inputs on the back of the console as my insert i/o and run the DBX as an insert on the main L/R even though the physical outputs that are feeding the powered speakers are on stage in the form of the AR2412 stage box. I can then also send the same main L/R signal out of the stage box and console at the same time using two different physical outputs on the back of the console. It is incredibly flexible and being able to use any input or output for any channel/function has made the console worth every penny of the upgrade price for me!

[D.J.Participant]

I can remove this request. Baylink–What I discovered with Keith’s help is that you can achieve this effect by using the Stereo Wide Delay, but placing it on a stereo FX return. Make sure it is unlinked and set one side at half the rate of the other. Tweak the settings and modify the tempo until you get the effect you are looking for. My mistake was trying to use it as an insert on a mono vocal channel (which doesn’t allow the return signal to “bounce” between left and right). Once I placed it into one of the first four FX slots and placed it on a stereo FX return, it worked as I wanted it to. Rookie mistake, but all is well now!

[D.J.Participant]

Keith–Thanks for responding; you had it right. On my old Qu, there were only 4 FX engines, and I had the delay I am looking for set up on one of the FX returns (which are stereo). On the SQ I was attempting to use this effect as an insert on a mono vocal channel, which obviously did not work. Once I moved it to one of the stereo FX return slots in the rack, I was able to manipulate the parameters to get the effect I was looking for. Thanks again for the input, and for continuing to help us make full use of this great product!

[D.J.Participant]

Mark–Thanks for the input. Unfortunately I sold the Qu in order to upgrade to the Sq. I never would have thought that the new mixer would be missing some basic FX that the old series came with, so I didn’t write down any settings from the FX on the Qu. I have also tried your suggestion on every stereo delay that ships with the SQ and cannot duplicate the ping-pong (L-R) effect. I can get the exact effect I need, just not alternating between left and right (it comes out both sides simultaneously). I have unlinked the sides just as you say, have the stereo width at full and played with every other parameter, but nothing makes the delay ping-pong between left and right. I had hoped Alex or Keith from A&H would have chimed in either with what I need to do to achieve this, or with a note that this preset is coming in a firmware update. Hopefully someone else will see this; I know I’m not the only guy using an SQ to run sound for cover bands performing “Crazy Train” and “Comfortably Numb”!!

[D.J.Participant]

You indicated that none of your cable runs would even approach 20′. In that case I would have no hesitation whatsoever using TRS-XLR cables and being done with it. I have done just that many times in the studio and have never had an issue or audible difference that I could detect when coming from an unbalanced 1/4″ jack output of a given device. I would, however, have a good power conditioner on the front end of everything (not just a surge protector, but a true “power cleaning” conditioner) to take care of any hum, noise, or other power-induced imperfections. At the end of the day, you want an SQ so buy it. I did and although there are small things I wish it had, it is still a great upgrade from my Qu-32 and I don’t regret purchasing it in the least. In your case, get the mixer you want, go with the right cables and you are good to go. I don’t think there will be anything about your recordings that will disappoint you given what you have described to us.

[D.J.Participant]

If you determine that you really need a DI for each source, Whirlwind makes this product: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PCDIQ–whirlwind-pcdiq-4-channel-passive-a-v-direct-box . I own one that I use in the studio, but don’t find I need it all that often. I don’t recall coming across a true 8-channel DI, but the Whirlwind unit I referenced above does have 8 physical inputs (they are just arranged into 4 stereo pairs). That may be what you need for synths anyway, assuming each is a stereo out. If your cable runs are 20′ or less, you can probably get by using a 1/4″ TRS – XLR cable in every case like Mfk0815 said. If the runs are going to be longer than 20′, you are still fine using that kind of cable without a DI IF your outputs are balanced (again, like Mfk0815 said). If your outputs are unbalanced and you have to run them longer than 20′, then it is always best to use a DI. Hope this helps!

[D.J.Participant]

+100 for lightingman117 and Rob-Spence from me as well. I actually couldn’t state it better, so I will refer you to each of their well-thought-out and detailed comments as they speak for me as well. If “scenes” can’t be all-inclusive when saving, then the ability to save “shows” directly to the console is an absolute must-have; a ducker on a console in this price range should be a given. All that being said, I do LOVE the willingness of Keith, Nicola, and others to join these forums and “take their licks” from we users, so to speak, so much respect to the A&H team for all the hard work that has gone into getting this product where it is today. In all honesty, I did buy an SQ6 because it SOLVED a lot of problems for me that the Qu-32 couldn’t (virtual patching of sources and the ability to patch in outboard hardware to any physical input/output is invaluable!). Bottom line is that the SQ is a fantastic board, and despite some of these noted shortcomings I am still glad I upgraded. I only ask that you keep hearing us out and work on getting some of these “need to have” features integrated. Then there will be a much larger consensus that the board is “finished” rather than “unfinished”.

[D.J.Participant]

Thanks for the quick reply, Keith. I can’t imagine I am the only one looking for this functionality, so thanks for moving it to the “Feature Suggestions” forum!

[D.J.Participant]

Excellent feature suggestion list; I vote for all of them! In particular, number 6 as I have the soft rotaries assigned to the compressor parameters, but it only allows me to do so for one channel. It would be awesome if it controlled the same parameters of the compressor, but changed to the compressor on the selected channel when I switched selection instead of just controlling Input 1, for example, all the time. This makes the assignable rotaries extremely limited in their functionality. Again, great list, and I agree with all of them!

[D.J.Participant]

You are absolutely correct in that there is no “need” for 96K, per se. As you stated, no band is coming to me and demanding 96K for the shows I engineer; it is more a personal desire to stay current, be able to offer it if it ever is asked for, and keep the resale value of the rig up. All that being said (if I completely give up on the 96K thing), I would still like to know if I can connect an AR84 to my current AR2412 successfully, as that would obviously give me what I am looking for in the way of inputs and outputs. The “Supported SLink Connections” document does not cover this exact configuration, however. I am assuming that since an AR2412 to AB168 IS supported that I would be able to go from an AR2412 to an AR84, but would like someone from A&H (or other user who has successfully used this configuration) to chime in and let me know.

[D.J.Participant]

I have seen the DX32 “Expander”, but it only has slots for four cards that can have 8 inputs or outputs each. That means best-case scenario I get 16 ins and 16 outs, not 32 ins and 16 outs. I was hoping for a simple DX32 rack mount unit (like the AR2412) that was 96K with 32 ins and 16 outs all in one unit. The only way to get this now is to buy a GigaAce card for the SQ6 (don’t even know the cost or when they will be available) and then connect to a CDM32 dLive stage box, which costs a whopping $7000US by the way! No thank you on that price for the level of work I do. It looks like my only 96K option is to buy two DX168 units (one rack mounted and one on the floor), which completely sucks because you have to pay an arm and a leg for the rack mount kit and it takes up 4 rack spaces!! (The AR2412 only takes up 3). Not only that, but you then have to run a separate power cable out to the second DX168 on the floor in addition to the CAT5 cable= major PITA. I’m just looking for a 32 X 16 rack-mount stage box that isn’t a $7000 dollar investment. I would gladly pay $2500US for a box like that, which is almost double what the AR2412 costs. Hopefully the guys at A&H are listening and have something in the works; I can’t be the only one with this problem/wish!

On a completely separate note from the stagebox gripe, I absolutely LOVE the SQ6 as a board; it is an upgrade to my Qu-32 that I have had for several years. Basically all the extra features and functionality I had wished the Qu-32 had were answered with the SQ6. The only thing I wish it had was a built-in feedback rejection engine/filter (like the DBX AFS) that could be applied to any and all mixes. But since I can now use external hardware as inserts (BRILLIANT AND THANK YOU, A&H!!!), it is kind of a moot point (although I would still love to save the extra rack spaces). GREAT JOB ON THE SQ6 A&H!!!

[D.J.Participant]

+100000 for Me!! I don’t understand how QSC (a speaker company!) can integrate Feedback Suppression in their digital mixer and A&H can’t. It would eliminate 3 items in my rack if feedback suppression could be added for the mix outputs at a very minimum. I understand how A&H couldn’t partner with DBX to put their AFS into one of these mixers (competition, you know); but companies like Sabine have superior feedback suppression technology that I would love to see added if A&H could partner with them and strike a deal to add that functionality into their digital mixers.

[Author]

Posts