Allen & Heath SQ-Rack 48-Channel/36-Bus Rackmount Digital Mixer, 4 RU

Allen & Heath SQ-Rack 48-Channel/36-Bus Rackmount Digital Mixer,4 RU

The Allen & Heath SQ-Rack brings the full power and sonic fidelity of the SQ series into a compact, rugged 4U rack-mount form factor, making it the ideal solution for live sound, installation, and touring environments. Driven by Allen & Heath’s 96 kHz XCVI FPGA engine, it delivers ultra-low latency (under 0.7 ms) and up to 48 input channels with full DEEP processing capabilities, allowing you to use studio-grade compressor and preamp emulations on every channel without added latency.

Connectivity is a standout strength of the SQ-Rack. With 16 onboard high-quality mic preamps, stereo line inputs, and extensive output options, it supports a wide variety of applications. You also get a dedicated SLink port for remote I/O expansion via Allen & Heath’s Everything I/O range, plus an I/O card slot for 64x64 audio networking cards (Dante, Waves, MADI, or extra SLink), giving you seamless integration into modern audio systems.

For control and flexibility, SQ-Rack features a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, 8 assignable SoftKeys, and 4 Soft Rotaries - all programmable and optimized for fast access. There are dedicated “Faders” and “SQ-Control” screens, providing intuitive level control and a simplified user interface, so even nontechnical users can manage mix levels and scenes with ease. Remote apps (SQ-MixPad, SQ-Control, SQ-4You) let you mix from an iPad, Android, macOS, or Windows device - perfect for in-ear monitoring systems or venue installs where the front-of-house mix position is not fixed.

Processing-wise, SQ-Rack doesn’t compromise. Every input channel offers Trim, High-Pass Filter, Gate, 4-band Parametric EQ, Compressor, and Delay. On the mix side, you get both parametric and 28-band graphic EQs, plus compressor and delay on your stereo outputs. There are 8 stereo FX engines with dedicated returns, and the DEEP architecture lets you slot in the full RackExtra FX library.

Recording and playback are made effortless with SQ-Drive, which lets you record multitrack or stereo mixes directly to a USB drive (no external software needed). You also get a 32x32, 96 kHz USB-B class-compliant audio interface for DAW integration, virtual soundchecks, and live multitrack streaming.

Key Features

• Compact 4U rack-mount digital mixer with SQ-series sound quality
• 96 kHz XCVI FPGA engine for low latency (< 0.7 ms) and high performance
• 48 input channels, 36 buses (12 stereo mix + LR + 3 stereo matrix)
• 16 onboard mic preamps + stereo line inputs and talkback mic input
• 8 stereo FX engines with dedicated returns and RackExtra FX library support
• DEEP processing support - compressor & preamp emulations on every channel
• 7" capacitive touchscreen, 8 SoftKeys, 4 Soft Rotaries - fully assignable
• Remote control via SQ-MixPad, SQ-Control, and SQ-4You apps (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows)
• Direct multitrack & stereo recording to USB via SQ-Drive
• 32x32, 96 kHz USB-B audio interface for DAW integration
• SLink EtherCON port for remote audio & expansion (Everything I/O, ME system, other mixers)
• I/O card slot for 64x64 Dante, Waves, MADI, or SLink cards
• Front or rear rack mounting options with metal chassis for roadworthiness

Technical Specifications

Mixer
Max I/O Capacity: 48x in / 14x out
Number of Analog Input Channels: 20 (16 Mono / 4 Stereo)
Number of Mic Preamps: 16
Number of Analog Output Channels: 14
Mix Routing: 12x Stereo Main LRC, 3x Stereo Matrix, 8x Stereo FX Return
Presets: Yes
Display: 7" capacitive touchscreen
Faders & Level Adjustment: No physical faders – virtual faders via screen & app

Signal Processing
Dynamic Processing: Input channels have compressors
EQ: 4-band parametric EQ on input channels
Graphic EQ: Yes (on mix outputs)
Solo/Mute: Mute per input channel
Audio Delay: Yes
Automatic Mic Mixing: Yes (DEEP)

Digital Audio
Sample Rates: 96 kHz
Bit Depth: 96-bit accumulator for processing (per XCVI architecture)

Performance
Signal Generator: No built-in test tone generator

Connectivity
Analog Inputs: 16x XLR 3-pin balanced mic/line, 1x XLR talkback mic, 4x ¼" stereo line (2 stereo pairs), 1x ¼" footswitch input
Analog Outputs: 10x XLR 3-pin mono outputs, 2x XLR stereo output pair
Digital I/O: 1x XLR AES3 output
MIDI I/O: No
USB I/O: 1x USB-B (host audio interface), 1x USB-A (recording to external storage)
USB I/O Capacity: 32x in / 32x out via USB interface
Expansion Ports: 1x I/O Card slot (Dante / Waves / MADI / SLink)
Wireless: Proprietary remote control via SQ apps (MixPad, Control, 4You)
External Display I/O: No dedicated external video output

Recording
Max Multitrack Recording: Up to 48 tracks (via SQ-Drive)
Media Support: USB drive (recording and playback) via SQ-Drive

Compatibility
OS Compatibility: Windows / macOS (via class-compliant USB interface and remote apps)

Physical
Rack Mountable: Yes
Rackmount Size: 4 U (19-inch rack)
Chassis: All-metal rugged design for front or rear mounting

What’s Included

• SQ-Rack mixer unit
• Power cable
• Quick-start guide
• User permission settings and app setup documentation (SQ-MixPad, SQ-Control, SQ-4You)