If I do gigs with a monitor desk, I usually am working with a friend, and we use DANTE to share inputs between his (not A&H) desk and mine. I really wouldn’t want to do these gigs with a tablet/computer at either end, so a stage box format SQ is of no interest to me for those. If I were to need a 2nd desk for this myself I would almost certainly be an SQ 5 or 7.
A lot of what I do though, does not use a monitor desk. I’ve SQ6 for “proper” gigs, and Qu-Pac for small/simple stuff – but the Qu is also a useful backup “just in case” for the larger stuff.
At the moment my only stage box is an AB2412. I increasingly find 24 inputs is not enough & have used the Qu-Pac for extra inputs a few times now – but dislike not having direct control of the preamps from the SQ.
So, I need another box, and think I should future proof myself and improve quality by going to 96kHz, so not getting another AB/AR.
That means DX168, or DT168 (I already have cards for either) look to be what I should get now, adding a second box soon if/when gigs really start happening again. Still can’t decide between DX or DT though.
But – if there were an SQ-stage box with 16+8 (or thereabouts) I/O then I’d almost certainly replace the Qu with it – and swap the AR2412 for a DX168. Bonus points if one SQ can control preamps on the other. It would be a better backup as shows could be transferred straight to it, and sound better.
I’m obviously expecting that this new desk would cost less than an SQ5.
Although I have a Qu-Pac, I’ve never actually mixed from the front panel and never had any wifi problems, so would be pretty happy with and SB type box -especially given that it could be hard wired to a laptop. However my suggestion to give it a few soft keys & foot switch still stands.
