Allen & Heath Introduces Compact CQ Series Digital Mixers

Built around a new processing engine 96 kHz, the new series of Allen & Heath includes CQ-12T and CQ-18T desktop mixers, that incorporate touch controls and a 7” multi-touch screen, and the portable CQ-20B stage box format. All controllable from CQ apps.

Allen & Heath has just presented its new serie CQ, formed by a trio of compact digital mixers intended for musicians and bands, audio engineers, producers, small rooms and AV installers. Its most notable feature is its ease of use and speed of configuration..

“CQ is part of our renewed processing and effects system, adds new helping tools to the mix, and puts it all together in our smallest, most affordable digital mixers yet,” states Keith Johnson, Product Manager and Allen & Heath. “These are mixers 96 kHz that have all the features, that offers amazing sound quality and incorporates smart tools that, regardless of user experience level, allows for smarter mixing, get better sound and work faster”.

Built around a new processing engine 96 kHz, The series includes tabletop mixers CQ-12T y CQ-18T, that incorporate touch controls and a 7” multi-touch screen, and the portable mixer in stage box format CQ-20B. All controllable from CQ apps.

The processing engine, that uses the FPGA technology the Allen & Heath, brand that distributes Audio-Technica, provides numerous tools capable of saving a lot of time when using CQ mixers and speeding up and simplifying the most common tasks for users, whatever your level of technical preparation.

Gain Assistant automatically adjusts the preamp gain to its optimal level and monitors and adjusts for any unexpected peaks in the signal. Feedback Assistant identifies and filters problematic frequencies on all outputs, activating a button. Delivers deeper control to tackle difficult acoustic environments.

Input channels can be switched between two modes of operation: Quick Input, which provides the user with a specific set of controls with control via a single channel processing button; y Complete Input, offering full control over all processing parameters.

Besides, It has an automatic microphone mixing system (AMM) on all input channels, Capable of instantly improving clarity and reducing background noise in speech-based applications.

The CQ range also introduces a new palette of delay algorithms, reverbs and modulation effects, high quality and easy to use, with specific presets for instruments that allow faster adjustment. FX Assist tool shapes the effect by dynamically responding to the input signal, optimizing clarity. The CQ-18T and CQ-20B models offer 4 FX engines, while the CQ-12T model has 2 FX engines.

All three CQ mixers have flexible recording and playback options, including a multi-channel USB audio interface, multitrack recording and playback from SD card, Conventional stereo recording and playback via external USB reader, plus efficient stereo playback via Bluetooth.

The CQ series is supported by a couple of multi-platform apps. On the app CQ-MixPad allows remote control of the mixer from anywhere in the venue, while the app CQ4You allows artists to take control of their personal monitor mix through their mobile devices.

The CQ-18T and CQ-20B models also benefit from the advantages offered by the presence of high-quality dual-band WiFi, allowing quick and easy connection of control apps without the need for any additional networking equipment.

The CQ-18T provides 16 mic/line inputs and 1 stereo input; the CQ-121T model, smaller, includes 10 mic/line inputs and a stereo input, and the CQ-20B model, suitable for stages, offers 16 mic/line inputs, two of which can be used as Hi-Z inputs for instruments, y 2 stereo inputs. All three models have 6 Independent outputs that can be configured to handle 3 stereo outputs.