Allen & Heath QU24C Digital Mixer

Features: The chrome edition Qu-24C 30-In/24-Out Digital Mixer from Allen & Heath features 24 of Allen & Heath's AnalogiQ microphone preamps and is powered by its 5-core ARM processor to provide a variety of integrated effects and processing including channel-independent 4-band parametric EQs, compressors, delay, reverb, and more. The mixer is capable of recording audio to either your Mac or a USB hard drive in up to 48 kHz/24-bit resolution, allowing you to record both the individual tracks and live mix of your shows. The chrome edition adds high-contrast chrome rotary and fader knobs that improve visibility in dark conditions, as well as a number of software enhancements from the updated firmware (V1.8). The mixer is compatible with both the ME monitoring system and dSNAKE digital connectivity system from Allen & Heath. The Qu-24 can also be used with the Qu-Pad app, allowing you to use your iPad to mix from anywhere in the venue when connected to a wireless network. New Features In Firmware V1.8: Automatic Mic Mixer (AMM) for conference speech control, available for CH1-16 Group Mix mode to use the Groups to create additional stereo Mixes High-Pass Filter (HPF) slope increased from 12 to 18 dB/octave Spectrogram mode for the RTA Reset default for Scene Global Filter now blocks Custom Layer and SoftKey settings User password can be set at the mixer for the Qu-You personal monitor app Qu-Pad app now follows the Admin password More functions added to the Qu-Pad app: Audio Setup ƒ?? PAFL, Talkback, SigGen, AMM AMM and MIDI fader added to Custom Strips Input linking Direct Out source and level trims Matrix sends Mix routing and source options Output balance Ability to assign all On/Off and Pre/Post to a mix Group/Mix mode select AnalogiQ Preamps: Qu-24's twenty-four AnalogiQ total recall preamps feature zero-crossing detection and a padless 1 dB-step gain stage, closely allied to the DSP for optimal gain accuracy and audio transparency. The analog signal is captured by low-latency 24-bit analog-to-digital converters matched to 24-bit digital-to-analog converters to deliver the required outputs. The AnalogiQ design has been refined to offer transparency, minimal distortion, and an ultra-low noise floor, with a warm, musical sound The Mixing Experience: Having massive processing power and advanced functionality is great, but it counts for nothing if you can't access the controls you need in a heartbeat. Once you start using Qu-24 you'll sense the years of research into ergonomics and the hands-on mixing experience that delivers a natural layout and workflow. It's not about recreating an analog interface; it's about creating an experience that's fluid, comfortable and intuitive for novices, digital natives and old-school road warriors alike, making all the benefits of digital mixing technology readily accessible to all Touch Control: The 800 x 480, sixteen-million color touchscreen and its dedicated data encoder form the heart of the Qu interface, providing fast access to all settings. The user-friendly interface has been designed with clarity in mind. Dedicated keys and screen tabs guide you to meter and RTA views, FX racks, channel processing, USB audio control, scenes, setup menus and much more The SuperStrip: All your key processing tools are presented in a clean layout on the SuperStrip, with 1 function per physical control. The SuperStrip is complemented by an onscreen Touch Channel for intuitive access to full processing parameters without clutter or complex menu structures. Processing for Mono and Stereo inputs includes trim, polarity, HPF, gate, insert, 4-band PEQ, compressor and delay. The main LR and the Mono mixes have controls for Insert, 1/3 octave GEQ, compressor and delay. The Stereo mixes provide Insert, 4-band PEQ, compressor, delay and balance control Fader Automation: Moving faders started as an expensive option in the studio desks of the '80s, and later became the norm with the advent of digital technology. Nevertheless some entry-level digital mixers lack this feature which is a fundamental part of the Total Recall approach. Fader automation is essential for rapid mixing, especially when you're dealing with multiple monitor mixes. Just press a mix key and the faders immediately fly to the send levels for that mix. Qu-24 features 25 motorized ALPS faders, 24 arranged over 2 layers, allowing instant access to all channels and masters in a compact space, plus a dedicated master fader which dynamically follows the mix selection. A third, Custom layer is available for ad-hoc user strip layout, where any combination of Inputs, FX Sends, FX Returns and Mix masters can be assigned iLive FX: Qu-24's dynamics and FX algorithms are derived from the FX used in Allen & Heath's iLive pro touring series. Qu-24 boasts 4 stereo iLive FX engines, featuring emulations of classic reverbs, gated reverbs, delays, modulators, flangers and more. The FX library has the ability to grow with future firmware releases. FX are returned to the mix on dedicated return channels, so you're not tying up your mono and stereo input channels. Each Stereo FX Return has a dedicated 4-band PEQ Total Recall: True digital mixing is about being able to save and recall scenes (snapshots) at the press of a button. Qu-24 can store up to 100 full Scenes for recall at will. Channels and mixes can be made Safe from Scene recall. For example, if an instrument or mic gets swapped out after the soundcheck, the channel can be made safe to avoid settings being overridden by Scene recalls. Or if a broadcast feed or walk-in iPod is added last-minute before the show kicks off, that mix or channel can be made safe from any scene change. In addition, single-parameter updates can be blocked using per-scene Recall Filters or a Global Recall Filter. So if you tweak the graphic EQ to reflect the room response when the audience gets in, you can block this to prevent any overwriting at scene change. Custom settings for each EQ, compressor, channel or FX can be saved as Library presets. This lets you store your tried and tested SM58 EQ or reverb pattern and apply it to other channels or shows. Libraries, Scenes and the complete Show configuration can be saved to a USB key, so you can carry the show with you, ready to use on another Qu mixer USB Audio Streaming: Qu-24's built-in interface streams multi-track audio to your Mac: all mono channels, the Main LR mix and 3 selectable stereo pairs. The returns from the Mac can be assigned to the mono channels plus stereo. The interface is class-compliant on Mac OS X - which means it's truly plug-and-play, with no need to install a driver. It will be recognized straightaway by any DAW supporting Core Audio, including Logic, Cubase, Reaper, and Pro Tools. Standard MIDI control is tunneled over the USB connection so you can easily map the faders to the tracks of your favorite DAW. Alternatively, a MIDI driver is available for use with the Ethernet port Qu-Drive: Forget soundcard drivers and software setup. Qu-24 has an integrated multi-track USB recorder, providing 18 channels of 48 kHz/24-bit recording and playback straight to or from your USB hard drive, allowing you to capture multi-track recordings of your shows. A selectable stereo pair can be recorded alongside 16 mono channels, and multi-track audio can be played back to 16 mono channels plus ST1. On top of this, Qu-Drive also provides stereo recording, patchable from any pair of Mix outputs, the Main LR (pre, post, or summed to mono) or even the PAFL bus, with 2- track stereo playback to ST3 ARMed to the Hilt: Qu-24 is equipped with 5 cores of high-efficiency ARM core processing, with dedicated ARM cores running the touchscreen display and surface, USB streaming, Qu-Drive multi-channel USB recording / playback, Ethernet and fader automation. Between them the ARM cores provide processing, working in parallel to deliver extensive control, instant-on operation, and fast response. The mixer's DSP farm exploits next generation dual-core DSPs. With plenty of DSP power under the hood the channel processing is only using a fraction of capacity, so Qu-24 is designed to be future-proofed, with ample room for updates and extra functionality. The Qu DSP architecture employs varied bit depths, tailored to specific algorithms, with 48-bits on critical EQ functions and a 56-bit accumulator on the mix bus where it really counts, allowing every nuance of the audio to be captured in the final mix The Shape of Things to Come: Made from 18-gauge, cold-rolled Zintec steel, Qu-24's distinctive frame is designed for strength and rigidity. Allen & Heath has done unspeakable things to that chassis in the lab and it's taken everything they have thrown at it - even being stomped on by our resident ex-tank commander. Silence is a precious commodity in the live or studio environment, which is why nobody wants those moments of stillness ruined by the whirring of fans coming from the mix position. Qu's sleek profile generates optimal airflow through the mixer, eliminating the need for any fans Qu-Pad: Add the Qu-Pad iPad app to your Qu setup and you're free to adjust the monitors on stage, roam around the venue whilst tweaking the PA, and then mix the show from the heart of the audience. Qu-Pad connects to the mixer over Wi-Fi and gives instant access to all live mixing parameters and settings. Qu-Pad requires the connection of a Wi-Fi router or access point to the Qu-24 Network port ME Personal Mixing System: Qu-24 is fully compatible with Allen & Heath's ME Personal Mixing System. Any number of ME-1 personal mixers can be chained from the dSNAKE port (or from an AR2412 Stagebox if you've got one connected to the dSNAKE port). Each performer can be given tailored control over their own mix, leaving the engineer free to focus on the audience experience dSNAKE: Qu-24 is a self-contained mixer, so if you've already got the analog cables you're good to go. If you're thinking of trading in the copper multi-core for a Cat5 digital snake, Qu-24's dSNAKE port has you future-proofed, allowing connection to a remote AR2412 or AR84 Stagebox. dSNAKE is Allen & Heath's proprietary networking solution, boasting a transport latency of only 105???’????????s over cable runs of up to 390 feet (120 m). So if you're mixing FoH you can place your I/O on the stage and run a single Cat5 cable back to the Qu-24 in the mix position SoftKeys: Qu-24 packs 10 SoftKeys for more user-assignable functions such as Mute Groups, Tap Tempo, Scene navigation or PAFL Clear 4 Groups: Groups 1-4 are typically used as subgroups to LR for level masters and/or processing, for example to compress a drum kit or to tame multiple lavalier microphones with a single graphic equalizer The Matrix: Qu-24's Matrix adds 2 further stereo outputs equipped with full processing to the console's extensive I/O. It is a 'mixer within a mixer,' fed from any combination of Group 1-4, Mix 1-10, and main LR. It can be used to provide a broadcast feed, a recording mix, or duplicate the main outputs for delay stacks and fill / zone speakers where independent GEQ and delay is applied Specifications: Inputs: Mic/Line Inputs: 24x Balanced combo XLR/TRS jacks, fully recallable Input Sensitivity: -60 to +10 dBu (XLR), -50 to +20 dBu (TRS) Analog Gain: -10 to +60 dB, 1 dB steps Maximum Input Level: +19 dBu (XLR), +29 dBu (TRS) Input Impedance: >5 kOhms (XLR), >10 kOhms (TRS) THD+N, Unity Gain 0 dB: 0.0005%, -89 dBu (20 Hz to 20 kHz, direct out @ 0 dBu, 1 kHz) THD+N, Mid Gain +30 dB: 0.001%, -83dBu 20 Hz to 20 kHz, direct out @ 0 dBu, 1 kHz) Stereo Line Inputs: ST1, ST2 Connector: Balanced, 1/4" (6.3 mm) TRS Jack, half-normalled ST3 Connector: Unbalanced 1/8" (3.5 mm) mini jack Input Sensitivity (ST1, ST2, ST3): +4 dBu/0 dBu, nominal Trim: +/-24 dB Maximum Input Level (ST1, ST2, ST3): +22 dBu/+18 dBu Input Impedance: >7 kOhms Outputs: Line Outputs: Mix 1 to 10, GRP 1 to 4, MTX 1 to 4, LR Out: Balanced XLR Output Impedance: <75 Ohms Nominal Output: +4 dBu = 0 dB meter reading Maximum Output Level: +22 dBu Residual Output Noise: -90 C31 dBu (muted, 20 Hz to 20 kHz) Stereo Output: Alt Output & 2 Trk Output: Balanced 1/4" (6.3 mm) TRS jacks Source (Alt Output/2 Trk Output): Patchable/LR post fade Output Impedance: <75 Ohms Nominal Output: +4 dBu = 0 dB meter reading Maximum Output Level: +22 dBu Residual Output Noise: -91 dBu (muted, 20 Hz to 20 kHz) AES Digital Audio Outputs: 2-channel 48 kHz sampling rate XLR Out 2.5 Vpp balanced terminated 110 Ohms dSNAKE: Inputs: Remote source for Channels 1 to 24, ST1, ST2, ST3 Outputs: Remote outputs for Mix 1 to 10, LR Compatible with AudioRacks AR2412, AR84 Compatible with ME personal mixing system System: Dynamic Range: 112 dB Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz (+0/-0.5 dB) Headroom: +18 dB Operating Level: Internal Operating Level: 0 dBu Alignment: dBFS: +18 dBu = 0 dBFS (+22 dBu @ XLR output) Calibration: Meter Calibration: 0 dB meter = -18 dBFS (+4 dBu @ XLR output) Indicators: Meter Peak Indication: -3 dBFS (+19 dBu @ XLR out), multi-point sensing Meter Signal Indication: -48 dBFS (-26 dBu @ XLR out) Meter Type: Fast (peak) response Sampling Rate: 48 kHz +/-100 PPM Converters: 24-bit Delta-Sigma Latency: 1.2 ms (local XLR in to XLR out) 0.7 ms (local XLR in to AES out) Operating Temperature: 32???’???????? to 95???’????????F (0???’???????? to 35???’????????C) Power: Mains Power: 100-240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 120 W maximum Controls: Faders: 4" (100 mm), motorized Touchscreen: 5" TFT, 800 x 480 resolution Softkeys: 10 Mute Groups: 4 Network: TCP/IP Ethernet for MIDI commands and iPad app Input Processing: Source: Channels 1 to 24: Local, dSNAKE, or USB ST1, ST2, ST3: Local, dSNAKE, or USB Stereo Linking: Odd/even input pairs Parameters Linked: EQ, dynamics, insert, delay, assignments, sends Link Options: Preamp, polarity, sidechains, fader, mute, pan Polarity: Normal & reverse HPF: 12 dB/octave, 20 Hz to 20 kHz Insert: Assign FX to input channels Delay: Up to 85 ms Gate: Self-key sidechain Threshold: -72 dBu to +18 dBu/ Depth: 0 to 60 dB Attack: 50 ???’????????s to 300 ms Hold: 10 ms to 5 s Release: 10 ms to 1 s Equalizer: 4-band fully parametric, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +/-15 dB Band 1: Selectable LF shelving (Baxandall), bell Band 2 & 3: Bell Band 4: Selectable HF shelving (Baxandall), bell Bell Width: Non-constant Q, variable, 1.5 to 1/9 octave Compressor: Self-key sidechain Threshold: -46 to 18 dBu Ratio: 1:1 to infinity Attack: 300 ???’????????s to 300 ms Release: 100 ms to 1 s Knee: Soft or Hard Types: Peak manual, RMS manual, SlowOpto, PunchBag Output: Channel Direct Out to USB: Follow fader, follow mute (global options) Source Select (Global): Post-preamp, pre-EQ, post-EQ, post-delay Mix Processing: Insert: Assign FX into Mix channels Delay: Up to 170 ms Equalizer: Graphic EQ: Constant 1/3 octave, 28 bands from 31 Hz to 16 kHz, +/-15 dB Parametric EQ: 4-band fully parametric, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +/- 15 dB Band 1: Selectable LF shelving (Baxandall), bell Band 2 & 3: Bell Band 4: Selectable HF shelving (Baxandall), bell Bell Width: Non-constant Q, variable, 1.5 to 1/9 octave Compressor: Self-key sidechain Threshold: -46 to 18 dBu Ratio: 1:1 to infinity Attack: 300 ???’????????s to 300 ms Release: 100 ms to 1 s Knee: Soft or Hard Types: Peak manual, RMS manual, SlowOpto, PunchBag Effects: Internal FX: 4x RackFX engines, Send>Return or Inserted Types: Reverbs, delays, gated reverbs, ADT, chorus, symphonic chorus, phaser, flanger 4x Dedicated Stereo FX Returns: Fader, mute, routing to Mix/LR, 4-band PEQ Audio Tools: PAFL: PFL or stereo in-place AFL 0 to -24 dB trim 85 ms delay Talkback: Assignable to any mix 12 dB/octave HPF Signal Generator: Assignable to any mix Sine, white, pink, bandpass noise RTA: 31-bands, 1/3 octave 20 Hz to 20 kHz Follows PAFL source General: Dimensions (WxDxH): Desk-Mounted: 24.9 x 19.7 x 7.4" (632 x 500 x 186 mm) Weight: 31 lb (14 g) Model: QU24C Manufacturer: Allen & Heath