A little tease from Allen & Heath

[Alec]

This...

 

Presumably, competition in the sub-GLD price bracket, find out more next week.

[techywhizz]

Looks to me like it could be the mix wizard replacement?

[Dave SA]

Please A&H give us the desk we want.

[Simon Lewis]

1365173672[/url]' post='469668']

Please A&H give us the desk we want.

 

And what is it that we want?!

[dbuckley]

You would have to think they have a digital replacement for the GLs, as the X32 must surely have killed that market segment for them. Was only a couple of years ago that the GLs had the market to themselves, it was simply the right desk with absoulte zero suck factor.

[Simon Lewis]

1365189463[/url]' post='469690']

You would have to think they have a digital replacement for the GLs, as the X32 must surely have killed that market segment for them. Was only a couple of years ago that the GLs had the market to themselves, it was simply the right desk with absoulte zero suck factor.

 

Isn't that the GLD? Trouble is, we are used to fantastic features on all these desks, so if a smaller one comes out, we ###### about what it doesn't have. I'd be interested in a MixWiz type digital desk but within a few hundred pounds of the analogue price...

[S&L]

You would have to think they have a digital replacement for the GLs, as the X32 must surely have killed that market segment for them. Was only a couple of years ago that the GLs had the market to themselves, it was simply the right desk with absoulte zero suck factor.

 

Isn't that the GLD? Trouble is, we are used to fantastic features on all these desks, so if a smaller one comes out, we ###### about what it doesn't have. I'd be interested in a MixWiz type digital desk but within a few hundred pounds of the analogue price...

 

won't the x32 compact fill that place and price point also? or the producer.

I have been saving cash for the expectation of the compact price point (£1.500 I think). I fear though it may be a mackie DL rival which I find less appealing - unless it's below their price point - to be honest with the x32 producer at £1,200 and the compact at £1,500 I'm not tempted by the Mackie at £1,000 plus £300 ipad - tho I can see applications. I await the details of the new A&H (and price) with baited breath while I continue to save!

[dbuckley]

That is A&H's problem. They had the "first serious mixer" market sewn up wil the GLs and the Wiz. And then the X32 arrived. And it isn't crap, in fact, far from it. So A&H either have to kiss that market segment goodbye or come up with something broadly comparable in price, quality, feature set, and coolness.

 

Who would ever have dreamed that admitting to owning a Behringer would make one "cool"?

 

The real embryonic nightmare for A&H (and others) is that the next generation of sound boys earn their stripes on Behringer kit, and then graduate onto Midas.

 

So there is the distinct possibility that this might be the most important product that A&H ever produce, it could well be make or break time.

 

Lets not forget that Behringer are also making products for the contractor market, another staple of A&H's bottom line.

[Simon Lewis]

Here we go folks... it really does look like a digital mix wiz.... a dixwiz perhaps? ;-)

 

It won't compete with Behringer on price (SRP £1699+VAT) but it may well appeal on pedigree, build quality, long term support and "it's not a Behringer".

 

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/musikmesse-2013-news/339458d1365527549-allen-heath-launches-qu-16-compact-digital-mixer-qu-16.jpg

 

ALLEN & HEATH LAUNCHES Qu-16 COMPACT DIGITAL MIXER

Allen & Heath will be unveiling Qu-16, a brand new compact digital mixer with a professional feature set and an entry-level price tag, packaged in a stylish 19” rack size. Inheriting technology from the acclaimed GLD and iLive digital mixing systems, Qu-16 features total recall of settings (including 17 motorised faders and digitally controlled preamps), an intuitive Touchscreen, Qu-Drive integrated multi-track recorder, dSNAKE for remote I/O and personal monitoring, multi-channel USB streaming to Mac, Qu-Pad control app, and iLive’s renowned FX library to deliver class-leading audio quality.

 

Qu-16 features 16 mic/line inputs, 3 stereo inputs, 4 FX engines with dedicated stereo returns, 14 mixes (including LR, 10 aux mixes, plus 2 dedicated FX busses), 12 mix processing channels, patchable AES digital output with a further 2-channel ALT output, dedicated Talkback mic pre input, and 2-Track output.

 

The mixer is packed with massive processing capability. Five high speed dual core DSPs provide comprehensive channel and FX processing, with ample room for future processing updates and functionality. Five latest generation 200MHz super-efficient ARM core processors run in parallel to efficiently deliver startling performance, one to drive each of the Touchscreen and surface, the Qu Drive USB interface, USB streaming, Ethernet port, and the moving faders.

 

Qu-16 is equipped with a high resolution (800x480) full colour Touchscreen featuring the easy to drive ‘Touch Channel’ access to channel processing, the FX racks and all the setup and system management controls. In keeping with the iLive user interface, the SuperStrip provides control knobs for a selected channel’s key processing parameters, such as gain, HPF, parametric EQ, gate threshold, compressor threshold and pan.

 

Qu-Drive, the mixer’s integrated USB recorder, which works with an external USB drive, can record and playback multi-track and stereo audio .wav files. The USB interface can also be used to store scene and library data for archiving and later recall. If using the Qu-16 in the studio, there is also a USB audio streaming interface for record and playback to Mac DAW systems.

 

A&H’s proprietary dSNAKE low latency audio connection enables the mixer to connect over a single 120m Cat5 digital snake to a remote audio rack, such as the AR84 or AR2412, and is compatible with the ME personal mixing system.

 

Motorised faders provide total recall of mix levels giving the user full benefit from the scene recall system and ensuring the fader is always in the right position even when swapping between the 2 layers, which allows instant access to all channels and masters or the Graphic EQs. To customise the fader layout to suit certain applications, a third user definable layer is also available.

 

A free iPad app connects to the mixer via a Wi-Fi router plugged into the Ethernet control port and gives instant wireless control of the mixer’s key parameters and settings, enabling the user to tweak the PA, adjust the monitors on stage, and even mix the show from the audience.

 

Qu-16 also contains sixteen crystal clear AnaLOGIQ total recall pad-less preamps, optimised for transparency and low harmonic distortion. In keeping with the excellent audio quality the Qu-16 is equipped with many of the iLive pro touring series’ FX emulations, used by many engineers in place of top-end plug-ins and external FX units, including classic reverbs, gated reverbs, delays and modulators.

 

Glenn Rogers, MD of A&H, said: “The Qu-16 represents the best technology we could pack into a 19” unit to deliver all the benefits of professional digital mixers and I am very proud of the looks, performance, ease of use and sonic quality from this great new product. The R&D team has done a fantastic job.”

 

Launching at Pro Light & Sound, Frankfurt, Qu-16 will be shipping in May, SRP: £1699 ex VAT.

[revbobuk]

Looks nice - very A&H. The obvious issue will be the 16 input channel limit - adding a stage box just relocates the input socket. That's quite a lot to pay for a 16 channel mixer with zero expandability. Physical build is very neat. And the ability to run all input channels plus a stereo pair to an external hard drive is excellent. I'm sure Simon's assessment is accurate.

[richard_cooper]

One slight oddity, is that the USB audio function seems to be Mac only. Although I've not seen anything to say that say windows isn't supported, the brochure and press release just refer to USB streaming to Mac DAWs. Doesn't bother me as all my audio stuff is Mac anyway, just seems odd.

[Simon Lewis]

One slight oddity, is that the USB audio function seems to be Mac only. Although I've not seen anything to say that say windows isn't supported, the brochure and press release just refer to USB streaming to Mac DAWs. Doesn't bother me as all my audio stuff is Mac anyway, just seems odd.

 

The brochure does rather highlight Mac connectivity... Also, the "aux outs" appear as 10 XLRs on the back panel, but are run as four mono and three stereo auxes. It does not seem that these can be run as 10 mono auxes.

[mervaka]

This seems more like the long awaited successor to the DL1000. They got a bit distracted and designed the iLive series since then :)

[mervaka]

In all honesty, I'm not sure that the 16 channel mono limit is such an issue at this price point. Those stereo channels have been sidelined somewhat in the literature, but coming from an ex-mixwizard user perspective, it makes all the difference. The brochure specifies that all 22 channels are patchable to the remote IO.

[soundiesam]

its not limited to 16 channels is it??? it says it can connect to an ar2412 surely that means it can take 24 channels? or am I missing something?

sam