Allen & Heath has announced the release of new V1.6 firmware for its SQ series digital mixer platform that introduces requested features and other improvements in addition to new compressor add-ons from the company’s flagship dLive series.
“I’m thrilled that with V1.6, we’ve been able to deliver on some of the most popular requests from our community,” says Keith Johnson, senior product manager at Allen & Heath. “SQ engineers can now finally add the DEEP OptTronik and Bus compressors, which have been on the wish list since their debut with dLive. Whether you’re mixing live music, working in theatre, or handling AV installations, V1.6 is set to transform your workflow and enhance your overall mixing experience.”
V1.6 now offers the ability to split each of the three stereo matrices into a pair of mono matrices, enabling the use of up to six mono matrices and new possibilities for loudspeaker fills and managing audio in multi-room spaces.
The new version also introduces a suite of scene-related enhancements, improving workflow for engineers across multiple applications. The new Cue List is designed to streamline scene management, allowing for quicker insertion and re-ordering of scenes.
In addition, integration of MIDI Show Control enables recall by cue number in addition to scene number to both music and theatre productions. The Scene Crossfade option is designed to deliver smooth level changes between scenes, particularly for theatre applications. Further, the ability to change inputs and mixes between mono and stereo on a per-scene basis provides a more streamlined workflow for festival and house engineers who frequently adjust input configurations.
V1.6 also offers the ability to use SQ-Drive and the USB audio interface simultaneously, allowing simultaneous redundant recording onto computer and SQ-Drive. Rounding out the update are the new DEEP compressors, Bus and OptTronik, available as individual purchases or as part of the Compressor Pack II bundle from Allen & Heath’s website.
OptTronik is modelled after an iconic electro-optical levelling amplifier, delivering smooth, musical compression for vocals and bass guitar. Meanwhile, Bus is based on a legendary British VCA compressor, renowned for adding punch to a mix, bus, or instrument without compromising clarity.
SQ V1.6 is available to download here.
