NEW Qu Mixers: 9 Features You Need to Know!
The Qu Series from Allen & Heath has cemented itself as an industry standard for digital mixing consoles in its class. With over 10 years in the market, it has long been a go-to for audio professionals in live sound, production and installation.
These new QU upgrades take this trusted digital mixer line to the next level. It retains the much-loved appearance and form factor of the original Qu series, but with multiple hardware improvements to elevate sonic performance and mixing experience. Whether you’re a seasoned sound engineer or a first-time user, these new features make set-up faster, workflow smoother and your overall experience far more powerful. We’ve summarised 7 key features that you need to know about the new Qu series, and what they mean for your next job.
1. 96kHz Processing – Double Power!
With upgraded 96kHz internal processing, the new Qu range boasts double the processing capability to the classic Qu series, delivering even higher resolution audio than before.
This means enhanced clarity, lower latency, and improved dynamic range - ideal for live performance environments where precision and quality count. Whether you're running monitors, FOH, or streaming, your mix will sound tighter, clearer, and more natural.
2. Flexible Expansion – Grows with Your Setup
Thanks to its SLink port and 96Khz processing, Qu 5, 6, and 7 can be connected to the Allen & Heat’s comprehensive range of “Everything I/O” DX family of rack and stage box expanders. This is a great benefit for hire production companies as it gives you more flexibility to mix and match – no longer do you have to stock different stage boxes and expanders to match the various Allen & Heath consoles in your inventory. This saves you valuable space in storage and transit – not to mention the hassle!
This also makes your Qu console more scalable too. It can easily be connected directly to other Allen & Heath consoles with up to 128x128 channels of 96KHz audio, available for patching. Build a system that better suits your workflow, from small-format evens to full-stage productions.
3. Save the Gaffer Tape!
We’ve all been there – scribbling labels on a line of electrical tape to track which fader does what. “No more” says Qu! You can finally ditch the tape.
The new Qu series has a customisable LED label strip. Simply open the channel on the touchscreen and change the name in the top left corner. You’ve got up to 6 characters to play with, which should cover most input types, and you can colour coordinate them too. This visual channel management speeds up set up, reduces mistakes and keeps your desk clean and professional.
For any experience SQ users out there – this will feel very familiar – but now you’re getting this simple yet pro-level feature at a much more accessible price point.
4. DANTE Ready – Seamless Audio Networking
The D version in the latest Qu mixers come ready for Dante integration, making them ideal for larger and more complex networked audio environments. Dante support ensures seamless digital audio distribution with minimal cabling and rock-solid reliability.
5. Four Banks of Motorised Faders
Workflow is everything, and now with 4 banks of motorised faders, you can access more channels and mixes without diving into menus or layers. Fast switching, automated recall, and tactile mixing give you the power and feel of a much larger console in a compact footprint. The faders are super quick and snappy too, connecting you even more to the desk and making your mix experience feel even more tactile.
6. Recording is Easy
Qu has always been recording-friendly, but the new updates make it even more intuitive. New Qu gives you three options:
- Easily record a two-channel stereo output mix to the USB-A. This is great for simple recording where you’d like to listen back to the gig and how your mix sounded.
- Every Qu model is packed with an integrated 32x32 USB-C audio interface, meaning you can easily multi-track record to a DAW on PC or Mac. This lets you record every input from your mix, so you can mix them later.
- Or, you can multi-track record 32 channels straight onto the SD card slot on the back of the unit.
7. DEEP Processing and Assistive Tools
Qu is now DEEP processing ready, bringing acclaimed add-ons from Allen & Heath’s flagship dLive system to Qu for the first time. It’s also equipped with assistive tools like Feedback and Gain assistants from the CQW series, designed to take the stress out of set up and speed up your sound checks.
- Gain Assistant - Faster Set up: Adjusting the gain for each channel can be quite an arduous and time consuming task. Qu’s Gain Assistant quickly and precisely sets the ideal gain level for you, whilst continuously monitoring levels during the performance to avoid any unwanted peaks or surprises.
- Feedback Assistant - Say Goodbye to Feedback: Qu’s easy-to-use Feedback Assistant automatically identifies and removes problematic frequencies with up to 16 filters per output, allowing you to mix with confidence and put feedback worries behind you.
- AMM Automatic Mic Mixer: Qu has an Audomatic Mic Mixer (AMM) built in, that will automatic mix the microphone levels across your inputs, perfect for mixing conferences, panel talks, and TV shows. This is fully integrated in the mixer, with no extra latency, so you don’t need to route the audio to a DSP rack or external plugin system, saving you time and hassle.
8. Remote Apps
Engineers can easily control their Qu with the Qu-MixPad App, whilst musicians and other entry level users can mix remotely with the Qu4You app. Both of which are great for mixing from a mobile or tablet when you’re away from the desk.
9. Sleek, New Look – with a touch screen
The new Qu series inherit the much-loved and iconic design of the classic Qu series, blended with a more sleek and modern aesthetic. They’ve ditched the chrome knobs for both the channel faders and the EQ – all of which are now in black, giving a more professional feel. All of the channel buttons are backlit with LED and topped in black with coloured stokes wrapping the sides, keeping in tune with a more modern aesthetic and reinforcing the desk’s professional appeal. They’ve also ditched the dated tablet holder on the side, as this has been superseded with an integrated touchscreen for control. And finally, the whole desk just looks much less cluttered. It just has a more simplistic and modern feel, but with all of the necessary buttons still there when you need them.
10: BONUS: User Friendly Control – Built for All Levels
Whether you’re venue staff or an experienced mixing engineer, Qu has you covered. It’s built to be quick and easy for users of all levels, making it an ideal mixer for those coming over from analogue.
Allen & Heath have built Qu with a “walk up a mix” approach. It has 4 fully customisable layers, more assignable SoftKeys for workflow optimisation, more flexible routing options in addition to the classis 1:1 Qu routing, and it’s all easily accessible by the newly developed, fast and responsive touch user interface.
It also boasts assignable roles and restricted access too, meaning you can hand over the mixer to less experienced users without worry, ideal for schools, churches, and community venues.
Ready to Upgrade Your Mix?
The new Allen & Heath Qu series blends powerful features with the intuitive workflow that users already love. If you’re moving from analogue to digital, looking to grow your digital hire stock or specifying a digital mixer for a client, these 10 new enhancements make the Qu series a very smart professional audio investment.
Call our audio experts on 01525 850085 to discuss your requirements or to book a demo.
