SQ-Rack is the ultimate tool for audio professionals, delivering Allen & Heath’s renowned 96kHz SQ core in a compact, rack-mountable design. Perfectly crafted to meet the demands of live sound and installation environments, SQ-Rack combines power, flexibility, and intuitive control in one versatile solution. SQ-Rack packs SQ’s 96kHz XCVI core into a shallow 4U rack-mount form factor with built-in I/O, powerful SLink connectivity, option cards, and multichannel USB. Enjoy hands-on controls and customisable screens, along with remote access via SQ apps for ultimate control of your audio.

SQ-Rack is built on Allen & Heath’s renowned 96kHz XCVI FPGA engine, delivering exceptional high-resolution audio quality, ultra-low latency of <0.7ms and variable bit depths for optimised dynamic range. XCVI allows SQ to handle 48 input channels at 96kHz, with massive mix headroom thanks to a 96bit accumulator, and the sheer power to embed our acclaimed DEEP plugins into all 48 input channels and all mixes.

SQ-Rack features 16 high-quality onboard mic preamps and 3 stereo line inputs, and thanks to the integrated SLink port, adding more inputs and outputs is easy. Up to 48 mic inputs can be added via Allen & Heath’s extensive “Everything I/O” range of audio expanders.

Product Features

• 19” Rack Mountable (4U)
• Audio and Processing:
  • 96kHz XCVI FPGA processing
  • 48 input channels
  • 12 stereo mixes + LR
  • 3 stereo matrix (split to 6 mono)
  • 8 stereo FX engines + dedicated stereo returns
  • DEEP processing ready
• Onboard I/O:
  • 16+1 built-in mic preamps
  • 3 stereo line inputs
  • 12 XLR line outputs
  • 2 TRS line outputs
  • AES output
• Control:
  • 7” capacitive touchscreen
  • 8 assignable SoftKeys
  • 4 assignable soft rotaries
  • SQ-MixPad app
  • SQ-Control app
  • SQ4You app
• Expandability and Integration:
  • SLink port for remote audio / expansion
  • 64×64 I/O port for audio networking cards (Dante, Waves, MADI, SLink)
• Recording and Streaming:
  • SQ-Drive direct recording to USB
  • 32×32 96kHz USB interface

Product Specifications

Inputs

• Mic/Line Inputs: Balanced XLR, fully recallable
• Input Sensitivity: -60 to +0dBu
• Switchable Pad: -20dB
• Analogue Gain: 0dB to +60dB, 1dB steps
• Maximum Input Level: +30dBu
• Input Impedance: >5kΩ
• THD+N, Unity gain 0dB: 0.002% -92dBu (20Hz-20kHz, AES Direct Out, @0dBu 1kHz)
• THD+N, Mid gain +30dB: 0.003% -91dBu (20Hz-20kHz, AES Direct Out, @-30dBu INPUT 1kHz)
• Phantom Power: +48V (+3V / -2V)
• Stereo Line Inputs
• ST1, ST2 connectors: Balanced, 1/4" TRS jack
• ST3 connector: Unbalanced, stereo 3.5mm Mini Jack
• Input Sensitivity (ST1, ST2 / ST3): Nominal +4dBu ST1, ST2 / 0dBu ST3
• Trim: +/-24dB
• Maximum Input Level (ST1,ST2 / ST3): +22dBu / +18dBu
• Input Impedance: >7kΩ

Outputs

• XLR Outputs: Balanced, XLR
• Outputs A and B: Balanced 1/4" TRS Jack
• Source: Patchable
• Output Impedance: <75Ω
• Nominal Output: +4dBu = 0dB meter reading
• Maximum Output Level: +22dBu
• Residual Output Noise: -90dBu (muted, 20Hz-20kHz)
• AES Digital Output
  • Balanced XLR 2 channel,
  • 96kHz sampling rate (Default with SRC Bypassed)
  • Switchable output sample rates,44.1kHz/ 48kHz/ 88.2kHz/ (96kHz)
  • 2.5Vpp balanced terminated 110Ω

SLink

• Connection: Neutrik EtherCON (RJ45)
• dsnake mode (48kHz devices): 40 input 20+40(ME) output channels
• DX mode (96kHz devices): 32 input 32 output channels
• GigaACE/GX (96kHz devices): 128 input 128 output channels
• Inputs: Fully Patchable
• Outputs: Fully Patchable
• Sync/SRC: Assignable as master audio sync for all modes, 48kHz<>96kHz SRC

I/O Port

• Multi-channel I/O option module
• Inputs: Fully Patchable
• Outputs: Fully Patchable
• Sync/SRC: Assignable as master audio sync

System

• Measured balanced XLR in to XLR out, 0dB gain, 0dBu input
• Dynamic Range: 112 dB
• Frequency Response: +0/-0.5dB 20Hz to 20kHz
• Headroom: +18dB
• Internal operating Level: 0dBu
• THD+N, Mic/Line routed to Main L/R Out: Unity gain faders@0dB, 0.006%, -84dBu (20 - 20kHz)
• dBFS Alignment: +18dBu = 0dBFS (+22dBu at XLR output)
• Meter Calibration: 0dB meter = -18dBFS (+4dBu at XLR out)
• Main Meter Type: 2 x 12 segment, fast (peak) response
• Channel Meter Type: Chromatic Channel Metering, fully programmable colour/brightness
• Peak Indication: -3dBFS (+19dBu at XLR out), multi-point sensing
• Sampling Rate: 96kHz
• Bit Depth: Uses XCVI core custom bit widths in algorithms, up to 96bits
• Latency: <0.7mS, Local Mic Input to Main L/R
• Operating Temperature: Range 0 deg C to 40 deg C (32 deg F to 104 deg F)
• Mains Power: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz
• Max Power Consumption: 75W

Control

• Touch Screen: 7" Capacitive, 800 x 480 resolution, 24 bit RGB
• SoftKeys: 8
• SoftRotarys: 4
• Mute Groups / DCA Groups: 8 / 8
• Network: TCP/IP Ethernet for MIDI and Control
• MIDI: TCP/IP and USB-B
• Footswitch: Single or Dual, Momentary or Latching

Input Processing

• Source
• CH1-48: Fully patchable
• USB Global Source: SQ-Drive or USB-B Streaming (Auto Switching)
• Polarity: Normal/Invert
• Trim: -24 to +24dB
• High Pass Filter: 12/18/24dB per octave 20Hz – 2kHz
• Insert (Pre EQ/Comp): Fully Patchable
• Delay: Up to 341ms
• Gate: Patchable Sidechain
• Sidechain filter: Hi-pass (20-5k), band-pass (120-10k), Lo-pass (120-20k)
• Threshold / Depth: -72dBu to +18dBu / 0 to 60dB
• Attack / Hold / Release: 50μs to 300ms / 10ms to 5s / 10ms to 1s
• PEQ: 4-Band fully parametric, 20-20kHz, +/-15dB
• Band 1, Band 4: Selectable Shelving (Baxandall), Bell, HPF/LPF 12dB/octave
• Band 2, Band 3: Bell
• Bell Width: Variable Q, 1.5 to 1/9th octave
• Compressor: Patchable Sidechain, DEEP options
• Sidechain filter: Hi-pass (20-5k), band-pass (120-10k), Lo-pass (120-20k), Q=1
• Threshold / Ratio: -46dBu to 18dBu / 1:1 to infinity
• Attack / Release: 30μs to 300ms / 50ms to 2s
• Knee: Soft/Hard
• Detector response: Peak/RMS switchable
• Parallel Path Compression: dry/wet -infin to 0dB
• Channel Direct Out: Follow Fader, Mute, Mute Group, DCA (global all ch)
• Source select: Post-Preamp, Post-HPF, Post-Gate, Insert Return, Post-PEQ, Post-Comp, Post-Delay trim -infin to 10dB per channel

Mix Processing

• Insert (Pre EQ/Comp): Fully Patchable
• Delay: Up to 682ms
• GEQ: 28 bands 31Hz-16kHz, +/-12dB Gain, Constant 1/3 oct, DEEP options
• PEQ: As Input PEQ
• Compressor: As Input Compressor

FX

• Internal FX: 8 x RackFX engine, Send>Return or Inserted (4 dedicated FX bus)
• Types: SMR Reverb, Stereo Tap Delay, Gated Reverb, ADT, Blue Chorus Symphonic Chorus, Flanger, Phaser
• 8 dedicated Stereo FX returns: Fader, Pan, Mute, Routing to Mix/LR, 4-Band PEQ

Audio Tools

• PAFL: PFL or stereo in-place AFL, 0 to -24dB Trim, PAFL Delay Up to 682ms
• Talkback: Dedicated input, Assignable to any mix, Gain, Pad, 48V, 12dB/oct HPF
• Signal Generator: Assignable to any input or mix, Sine/White/Pink/Bandpass Noise
• RTA:
  • 2x 31-Band 1/3 octave (Stereo) or 61-Band 1/6 octave (Mono) 20-20kHz.
  • PAFL/Selected Channel or Fixed Source

USB Audio

• SQ-Drive: USB-A
• Stereo Record: 2 channel, WAV, 96kHz, 24-bit, source fully patchable
• Stereo Playback: 1/2 channel, WAV, 44.1, 48, 96kHz 16,24-bit, source fully patchable
• Multitrack Record: 1-16 channel 96kHz, 1-32 channel 48kHz, 24-bit, WAV, fully patchable
• Multitrack Playback: 1-16 channel 96kHz, 1-32 channel 48kHz, 24-bit, WAV, fully patchable
• USB Audio Streaming: USB-B, Core Audio compliant, ASIO/WDM for Windows
• Send (upstream): 32 channel, 48/96kHz, 24-bit
• Return (downstream): 32 channel, 48/96kHz, 24-bit

AMMs

• Configuration: 2x 24ch or 1x 48ch, freely assignable
• Type: Gain Sharing
• Sidechain Filter HPF / LPF: 12dB/octave 20Hz – 5kHz / 120Hz - 20kHz
• Priority: -15dB to +15dB per channel

Add-ons

• DEEP Preamps: Tube Stage
• DEEP Compressors: Opto, 16T, 16VU, PeakLimiter76, Mighty, OptTronik, Bus
• DEEP GEQ: Proportional-Q, DiGi-GEQ, Hybrid
• RackFX units: De-Esser, DynEQ4, MultiBD3, MultiBD4, Bucket Brigade, Echo, Hypabass

Dimensions & Weights

• Width x Depth x Height: Unit only (rack ears not fitted): 430 x 214 x 173 mm (16.9" x 8.4" x 6.8")
• Unpacked weight: 5.8 kg (12.8 lbs)