Allen & Heath SQ-6 48 Channel UltraFX Ready Digital Mixer

The Allen & Heath SQ-6+ is a 48-channel, 96kHz digital mixer designed for modern live sound, AV and installation environments. With 25 motorised faders, 16 assignable SoftKeys, 4 SoftRotaries and a powerful XCVI core, it delivers the speed, flexibility and audio quality needed for demanding shows while remaining compact and easy to deploy.

Centred around a new 9 inch touchscreen with a dark GUI and surrounded by illuminated encoders, SQ-6+ gives you a clear, intuitive view of your mix at all times. Deep processing, world-class FX, extensive I/O and advanced recording options make it equally at home at front of house, on monitors, in a conference suite or in a hybrid live/streaming setup. With its rugged all-metal chassis and refined control surface, it is built to handle real-world touring and installation work day in, day out.

Fast, Intuitive Mixing

SQ-6+ is built to keep you in control, even when the pressure is on. The responsive 9 inch touchscreen with dark GUI is quick to navigate and easy to read in any lighting, while high-grip illuminated encoders give you instant access to key parameters. Six customisable fader layers, drag-and-drop strip assignment, custom naming and colour coding let you build a workflow that matches each show, so you spend less time menu-diving and more time mixing.

Powerful Processing on Every Channel

Every input channel on SQ-6+ comes fully loaded with processing tools, including HPF, a super-fast gate with sidechain and filter, a musical 4 band parametric EQ with RTA, and a Peak/RMS compressor for precise control of levels and transients. Mixes feature both parametric and 28 band graphic EQ plus compression as standard, so you can shape monitors, groups and matrices with confidence without reaching for outboard.

RackExtra and RackUltra FX Engines

With 8 RackExtra FX engines and 4 dedicated RackUltra FX engines, SQ-6+ gives you a full studio-grade FX rack inside the console. Access acclaimed reverbs, gated reverbs, delays, modulation, distortion, saturation, vocal tuning and pitch processing, all with dedicated stereo sends and returns. Derived from the flagship dLive platform, these FX engines let you build polished, professional mixes without external processors.

Flexible Recording, Streaming and Expansion

SQ-6+ integrates easily into modern workflows. The built-in USB-B audio interface provides up to 32x32 channels at 96kHz or 48kHz for multitrack recording, playback, livestreaming and virtual soundcheck, while SQ-Drive lets you capture or play back up to 32 channels direct to USB media without a computer. The 128x128 Intelligent SLink port connects to the Everything I/O ecosystem and other Allen & Heath consoles, and the I/O expansion slot supports Dante, MADI, Waves or additional SLink cards for complex multi-format systems.

Optimised for Speech and Installed Sound

For conferences, panel discussions and broadcast applications, SQ-6+ offers powerful Automatic Mic Mixers. Two independent 24 channel AMMs can run separately for different zones or be combined into a single 48 channel AMM for larger events, delivering smooth, consistent speech levels without constant manual fader riding. Combined with remote control apps and robust construction, SQ-6+ is an excellent choice for permanent installs and mobile AV providers alike.

Features:

• 96kHz XCVI Core with 48 Input Channels - The 96kHz XCVI processing engine delivers pristine audio quality with variable bit depth up to 96 bit and sub-millisecond latency under 0.7ms. With 48 input processing channels feeding a stereo LR bus, 12 mono or stereo mixes and 6 mono or linkable matrix mixes, SQ-6+ has the headroom and routing flexibility to handle complex bands, theatre productions and corporate events.
• Hands-on Control with 25 Motorised Faders - Twenty-five 100mm motorised faders, six customisable layers, 16 SoftKeys and 4 SoftRotaries give you extensive tactile control over your mix. You can assign channels, mixes, DCAs, FX returns and more exactly where you want them, while configurable footswitch inputs and chromatic channel metering LEDs further streamline operation in fast-paced live environments.
• Integrated Multitrack Recording and SQ-Drive - The class-compliant USB-B interface provides up to 32x32 channels of audio at 48kHz or 96kHz for recording, playback and DAW integration, with ASIO and WDM drivers available. SQ-Drive adds the ability to record or play back 16 channels at 96kHz, 32 channels at 48kHz, or a stereo mix directly to a USB drive, ideal for quick capture, virtual soundcheck or backing tracks without a laptop.
• Everything I/O and Audio Networking Ready - A 128x128 Intelligent SLink port connects SQ-6+ to the Everything I/O range of stageboxes and expanders, as well as other Allen & Heath consoles, for scalable systems. The 64x64 I/O expansion slot (up to 128x128 with an SLink card) supports optional Dante, MADI, Waves or additional SLink cards, making it easy to integrate into networked audio systems, FOH/monitor splits and broadcast rigs.

Audio and Processing

• 96kHz XCVI Core with variable bit depth up to 96 bit
• System latency: less than 0.7ms
• 48 input processing channels
• Stereo main LR output
• 12 mixes (mono or stereo, Aux or Group)
• 4 FX sends
• 4 RackUltra FX sends
• 6 mono or linkable matrix mixes
• Full input processing: Trim, HPF, Gate or Expander, 4 band Parametric EQ, Compressor, Channel Delay
• Full mix processing: Graphic EQ, Parametric EQ, Compressor, Channel Delay
• Fully patchable insert points on all input and mix channels
• DEEP processing ready
• 8 RackExtra FX engines with dedicated stereo return channels and PEQ
• 4 RackUltra FX engines with dedicated stereo return channels and PEQ
• 2 x 24 channel or 1 x 48 channel zero latency DEEP Automatic Mic Mixer
• 2 Real Time Analysers
• 300 scene memories per show
• Channel safes and global or per scene recall filters
• FX, processing, channel, user permissions and input patch libraries

Digital I/O

• 128x128 Intelligent SLink port for Everything I/O expansion and connection to other Allen & Heath consoles
• 64x64 I/O port for option cards (up to 128x128 with SLink card fitted)
• Supported option cards: SLink, Dante, Waves, MADI
• USB-A for data transfer and stereo or multichannel audio record/playback:
  • Stereo at 48kHz or 96kHz, 24 bit
  • 16 channels at 96kHz, 24 bit
  • 32 channels at 48kHz, 24 bit
• USB-B audio interface for multichannel record/playback:
  • 32x32 at 48kHz or 96kHz, 16 or 24 bit
• 1 AES3 stereo digital output socket

Analogue I/O

• 24 XLR mic or line input sockets
• 14 XLR output sockets
• 2 stereo line input sockets (each with 2 TRS connectors)
• 1 XLR talkback socket
• 2 TRS output sockets
• Stereo headphone output

Control and Surface

• 25 x 100mm motorised faders
• 6 customisable channel strip layers
• 16 assignable SoftKeys
• 4 assignable SoftRotaries
• 9 inch capacitive touchscreen with dark GUI
• Configurable single or dual footswitch connection
• Configurable chromatic channel meter LEDs
• RJ45 network socket for control
• DAW control emulation via USB or TCP/IP
• 10 configurable users with permissions to restrict operator access
• Compatible with ME personal monitoring range
• Remote control via free apps for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android

Recording and Playback

• USB-B audio interface for multitrack recording, playback, livestreaming and virtual soundcheck
• Class-compliant operation with Mac and Windows
• ASIO and WDM drivers available
• USB-A SQ-Drive for direct recording or playback:
  • 16 channels at 96kHz
  • 32 channels at 48kHz
  • Stereo mix at 48kHz or 96kHz

Power and Construction

• IEC mains connection with worldwide power supply
• All-metal chassis
• Carbon on graphite finish with black and white knobs and fader caps