The largest mixer in the Qu series, the QU-32 chrome digital mixer from Allen & Heath has 32 inputs and 4 stereo groups/mixes. Combining innovative design and exceptional functionality to create a superb professional mixing experience, the Qu-32 incorporates technologies pioneered on the GLD and iLive digital mixing systems to deliver class-leading audio performance.
The Qu-32 is an ideal digital mixer for users who are used to analog. It includes a fader per each mono input channel and fewer fader layers for a streamlined workflow, while its intuitive layout—including True Colour Touchscreen and dedicated rotary encoder—makes it effortless to adjust settings and parameters, while a SuperStrip set of physical controls give you tactile precision over gain, HPF, 4-band PEQ, gate, compressor, GEW, and pan. Navigate and modulate using dedicated keys and screen tabs to meter and RTA view, FX racks, channel processing, USB audio control, scenes, setup menus, and more.
Qu-32 features 32 AnalogiQ™ preamps that are digitally controlled and have advanced zero-crossing detection and a padless 1dB-step gain stage, which have been closely allied to the DSP for optimal gain accuracy and audio transparency. High-class, low latency 24bit analog to digital converters capture the analog signal and are matched to 24bit digital to analog converters to deliver the required high-quality output. The AnalogiQ™ preamps are designed for pristine transparency, minimal distortion, and an ultra-low noise floor, delivering a warm, musical sound.
Allen & Heath’s Qu series features multitrack recording direct to USB, Automatic Mic Mixing, ProFactory mic presets, plus an ever-growing ecosystem of apps, accessories, remote I/O, and so much more.
Beyond the mixers themselves, Qu is a comprehensive setup with features that include:
- Remote AudioRacks allowing I/O to be placed where it's needed
- ME Personal Mixers expanding monitor mixes and enabling time-saving local control
- Qu Apps for complete remote setup and wireless mixing on stage or anywhere else in the venue
- ProFactory Mic presets to speed up preparation time and ensure the best sound
- USB recording and DAW integration for powerful workflow optimization from a central device
Allen & Heath Qu-32 Features
- 38 In / 28 Out Digital Mixer
- Up to 11 Monitor Mixes (4 mono + 7 stereo)
- 4 FX Engines
- 32—32 USB Audio Interface
- Channel Ducker on all inputs
- ProFactory Mic Presets
- RackFX Library
- Built-in Signal Generator
- RTA with Peak Band indication
- Spectrogram to aid feedback elimination and room acoustics
- Automatic Mic Mixer
- Qu-Drive Direct Multitrack Recording / Playback on USB drives
- DAW MIDI Control
- Qu-Pad iPad App
- Qu-You iPhone / Android personal monitoring app
- Qu-Control customizable iOS app for simple wireless control
- Compatible with ME Personal Mixing System
- High contrast metallic finish controls, matching premium GLD Chrome series
- 7” (800x480 pixel) color touch screen for quick control
- 32 Mono Inputs (TRS + XLR)
- 33 Motor Faders
- 4 stereo FX with dedicated Sends and Returns
- 4 Stereo Groups
- 10 SoftKeys
- Talkback mic input
- dSNAKE Cat5 snake for remote audio using AR2412, AR84 or AB168
- AnaLOGIQ™ total recall analogue preamps
- Effects ported from the flagship iLive console
- Dedicated stereo FX return channels
- Master strip for quick access to mix levels and processing
- Input channel linking for stereo sources
- Automatic Mic Mixing
- 31 Band Real Time Analysis and Spectrogram
- Motorized faders for sends on faders, GEQ fader flip and mix recall
- Quick copy and reset of processing, mixes, and scenes
- 100 Scene memories
- Channel Safes, Global and per Scene Recall Filters
- FX, processing and channel User Libraries
- Qu-Drive for stereo and 18-track recording/playback to USB hard drive
- USB streaming to/from an Apple® Mac or Windows™ PC computer
- MIDI DAW Control driver for Mac (converts to HUI or Mackie Control)
- USB transfer of Scenes, Libraries, Shows
- User assignable Custom Layer
- Qu-Pad engineer’s mixing wireless remote app for iPad
- Qu-You personal monitoring app for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch
- Compatible with the Allen & Heath ME personal mixing system
- User Permissions to restrict operator access
- Optimized fan-less airflow design for silent operation
- Qu-32 Chrome Digital Mixer1
- One Year Limited Warranty1
- Inputs
- Mic/Line Inputs
- Input Sensitivity (XLR / TRS): -60 to +5dBu / -50 to +15dBu
- Analogue Gain: -5 to +60dB, 1dB steps
- Maximum Input: Level (XLR / TRS) +19dBu / +29dBu
- Input Impedance (XLR / TRS): >5kΩ / >10 kΩ
- THD+N, Unity gain 0dB: 0.0005% -89 dBu (20-20kHz, Direct Out @0dBu 1kHz)
- THD+N, Mid gain +30dB: 0.001% -83dBu (20-20kHz, Direct Out @0dBu 1kHz)
- Stereo Line Inputs
- ST1, ST2 connector: Balanced, 1/4" TRS jack, half-normalled
- ST3 connector (not Qu-SB): Unbalanced, stereo 3.5mm Mini Jack
- Input Sensitivity (ST1, ST2 / ST3): Nominal +4dBu / 0dBu
- Trim: +/-24dB
- Maximum Input Level (ST1,ST2 / ST3): +22dBu / +18dBu
- Input Impedance: >7kΩ
- Outputs
- Mix1-10 and LR Out: Balanced, XLR
- Group and Matrix Out (not Qu-16): (1/4" TRS Matrix Out on Qu-SB)
- Output Impedance: <75Ω
- Nominal Output: +4dBu = 0dB meter reading
- Maximum Output Level: +22dBu
- Residual Output Noise: -90 dBu (muted, 20-20kHz)
- Stereo Alt Out & 2Trk Out (not Qu-SB): Balanced, 1/4" TRS jack
- Source (Alt Output / 2Trk Output): Patchable / LR post-fade
- Output Impedance: <75Ω
- Nominal Output: +4dBu = 0dB meter reading
- Maximum Output Level: +22dBu
- Residual Output Noise: -90 dBu (muted, 20-20kHz)
- AES Digital Output (not Qu-SB)
- 2 channel, 48kHz sampling rate, XLR
- 2.5Vpp balanced terminated 110Ω
- dSNAKE
- Inputs: Remote source for CH1-32, ST1, ST2, ST3
- Outputs
- Patchable from Mix1-10, LR, Grp1-8, MTX1-4
- Compatible with AudioRacks AR2412, AR84, AB168
- Compatible with ME personal mixing system
- System
- Dynamic Range: 112dB
- Frequency Response: +0/-0.5dB 20Hz to 20kHz
- Headroom: +18dB
- Internal operating Level: 0dBu
- dBFS Alignment: +18dBu = 0dBFS (+22dBu at XLR output)
- Meter Calibration: 0dB meter = -18dBFS (+4dBu at XLR out)
- Meter Peak indication: -3dBFS (+19dBu at XLR out), multi-point sensing
- Meter Signal indication: -48dBFS (-26dBu at XLR out)
- Meter Type: Fast (peak) response
- Sampling Rate: 48kHz +/-100PPM
- ADC, DAC: 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 Range: 0 deg C to 35 deg C (32 deg F to 95 deg F)
- Mains Power: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz
- Maximum Power Consumption Qu-16/24/32/Pac/SB: 82W/120W/150W/55W/49W
- USB Audio
- Qu-Drive: USB A
- Stereo Record: 2 channel, WAV, 48kHz, 24-bit, patchable
- Stereo Playback: 2 channel, WAV, 44.1 or 48kHz, 16 or 24-bit, to ST3
- Multitrack Record: 18 channel, WAV, 48kHz, 24-bit, patchable
- Multitrack Playback: 18 channel, WAV, 48kHz, 24-bit
- USB Audio Streaming: USB B, Core Audio compliant
- Send (upstream) Qu-16/24/32/Pac/SB: 24/32/32/32/32 channel, WAV, 48kHz, 24-bit
- Return (downstream) Qu-16/24/32/Pac/SB: 22/30/32/32/32 channel, WAV, 48kHz, 24-bit
- Control
- Faders Qu-16, 24, 32: 100mm motorised
- Touch Screen Qu16, 24, Pac: 5" TFT, 800x480 resolution
- Touch Screen Qu-32: 7" TFT, 800x480 resolution
- Soft Keys: 4(Qu-16), 10 (Qu-24, 32), 15 (Qu-Pac)
- Mute Groups / DCA Groups: 4/4
- Network: TCP/IP Ethernet for MIDI and iOS apps
- Input Processing
- Source
- CH1-32: Local, dSNAKE, or USB
- ST1, ST2: Local, dSNAKE, or USB
- ST3: Local, dSNAKE, or USB Stereo
- USB Global Source: Qu-Drive or USB B Streaming
- Stereo Linking: Odd/even input pairs
- Parameters linked: EQ, dynamics, insert, delay, assignments, sends
- Link options: Preamp, polarity, Sidechain, fader/mute, pan
- Polarity: Normal/Reverse
- High Pass Filter: 12dB/octave 20Hz – 2kHz
- Insert: Assign FX1-4 into Input channels
- Delay: Up to 85ms
- Gate: Self-key Sidechain
- Threshold / Depth: -72dBu to +18dBu / 0 to 60dB
- Attack / Hold / Release: 50us to 300ms / 10ms to 5s / 10ms to 1s
- PEQ: 4-Band fully parametric, 20-20kHz, +/- 15dB
- Band 1: Selectable LF Shelving (Baxandall), Bell
- Band 2, Band 3: Bell
- Band 4: Selectable HF Shelving (Baxandall), Bel
- Bell Width: Non-constant Q, variable, 1.5 to 1/9th octave
- Compressor: Self-key Sidechain
- Threshold / Ratio: -46dBu to 18dBu / 1:1 to infinity
- Attack / Release: 300us – 300ms / 100ms - 2s
- Knee: Soft/Hard
- Types: Peak Manual, RMS Manual, SlowOpto, PunchBag
- Mix Processing
- Channel Direct Out to USB: Follow Fader, follow Mute (global options)
- Source select (global): Post-Preamp, Pre-EQ, Post-EQ, PostDelay
- Insert: Assign FX into Mix channels
- Delay: Up to 170ms
- GEQ: Constant 1/3 oct, 28 bands 31Hz-16kHz, +/-12dB Gain
- PEQ: 4-Band fully parametric, 20-20kHz, +/- 15dB
- Band 1: Selectable LF Shelving (Baxandall), Bell
- Band 2, Band 3: Bell
- Band 4: Selectable HF Shelving (Baxandall), Bel
- Bell Width: Non-constant Q, variable, 1.5 to 1/9th octave
- Compressor: Self-key Sidechain
- Threshold / Ratio: -46dBu to 18dBu / 1:1 to infinity
- Attack / Release: 300us – 300ms / 100ms - 2s
- Knee: Soft/Hard
- Types: Peak Manual, RMS Manual, SlowOpto, PunchBag
- Internal FX4x RackFX engine, Send>Return or Inserted
- Audio Tools
- Types: Reverbs, Delays, Gated Reverb, ADT, Chorus, Symphonic Chorus, Phaser, Flanger
- 4 dedicated Stereo FX returns: Fader, Pan, Mute, Routing to Mix/LR, 4- Band PEQ
- PAFLPFL or stereo in-place AFL, 0 to -24dB Trim, 85ms Delay
- TalkbackAssignable to any mix, 12dB/oct HPF
- Signal GeneratorAssignable to any mix, Sine / White/Pink/Band-pass Noise
- RTA31-Bands 1/3 octave 20-20kHz, follows PAFL source
About Digital Mixers at Sound Productions
Digital mixers connect to digital devices, and typically offer a host of personalization features and premium functionalities not available with the more straightforward analog mixer. These features may include onboard sound effects, enhanced signal processing, multi-track recording, customizable settings, and much more! Additionally, digital mixers are compact and portable, and some models even offer wireless connectivity, making them a great option for mobile audio setups where you want to avoid cable clutter.