Allen & Heath SQ-Rack: inputs, outputs, rack mounting and setup
The SQ-Rack is a 4U rackmount digital mixer built on the same 96 kHz core as the SQ-5, SQ-6 and SQ-7. It has 16 mic/line XLR inputs plus talkback, 12 XLR outputs, a 7 in. touchscreen and SLink for remote stageboxes. Click any connector on the panels below to see what it does.
- 4U rack mount
- 16 x XLR mic/line in
- 12 x XLR out
- AES out
- SLink
- I/O Port
- USB-B 32 x 32
- 75 W max
SQ-Rack specifications
| Model | SQ-Rack |
| Form factor | 4U, 19 in. rack ears included (front, rear, angled or freestanding) |
| Mic/line inputs | 16 x balanced XLR, +48 V phantom, 0 to +60 dB gain, -20 dB pad |
| Talkback | 1 x XLR mic input |
| Stereo inputs | ST1 and ST2 on balanced 1/4 in. TRS, ST3 on 3.5 mm mini jack (front) |
| XLR outputs | 12 x balanced, patchable, +22 dBu max |
| TRS outputs | A and B, balanced 1/4 in. |
| Digital out | AES3 stereo on XLR |
| SLink | EtherCON, up to 128 x 128 channels (dSnake, DX or GigaACE/GX) |
| I/O Port | Option card slot: SLink, Dante 32 or 64, Waves, MADI |
| USB | USB-B audio/MIDI 32 x 32 (rear), SQ-Drive USB-A (front) |
| Network | RJ45 for SQ-MixPad, SQ4You and SQ-Control apps |
| Headphones | 1/4 in. TRS with level control (front) |
| Display | 7 in. capacitive touchscreen |
| Dimensions | 425 mm body (429.7 mm overall) x 172.5 mm high (176.7 mm with feet) |
| Power | 100 to 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 75 W max, IEC with power switch |
| Operating temperature | 0 to 40 °C (32 to 104 °F) |
Every connector on the SQ-Rack, explained
Click a card to light up those connectors on the panels above.
Mic/line and talkback inputs17 on the panel
Inputs 1 to 16 on the top row of the rear panel are balanced XLR mic/line inputs with recallable gain, pad and phantom power.
The XLR at the far left is the dedicated talkback mic input.
XLR outputs and AES out13 on the panel
Outputs 1 to 12 are balanced XLR line outputs. Any mix can be patched to them. Outputs 11 and 12 are marked L and R for the main mix by default.
AES out is a stereo digital output on XLR, handy for a digital amp, processor or recorder.
Stereo line inputs5 on the panel
ST1 and ST2 are balanced 1/4 in. TRS stereo inputs (L and R) on the rear, for playback, keys or a second mixer.
ST3 is a 3.5 mm stereo mini jack on the front, for a phone or laptop.
TRS outputs and headphones3 on the panel
A out and B out on the rear are balanced 1/4 in. TRS line outputs.
The headphone jack on the front has its own level knob.
Footswitch1 on the panel
Plug in a single or dual footswitch, momentary or latching. Assign its function like a SoftKey, and change it per scene.
SLink and Network2 on the panel
SLink is a locking EtherCON port for Allen & Heath stageboxes and expanders (dSnake/ME at 48 kHz, DX at 96 kHz, GigaACE/GX up to 128 x 128). It switches protocol to match the first device you connect.
Network is a plain RJ45 for the remote control apps: connect it to your router, access point or switch. It also carries MIDI over TCP/IP.
USB ports2 on the panel
USB-B on the rear is a class compliant 32 x 32 audio and MIDI interface for a DAW.
SQ-Drive on the front is USB-A for recording and playback straight to a USB drive, show transfer and firmware updates.
Mains power1 on the panel
IEC inlet with a power switch next to it, 100 to 240 V AC. The Power LED lights only when every voltage rail is good. Max draw is 75 W.
I/O Port. The covered slot on the rear takes an SQ option card: a second SLink, Dante 32 x 32 or 64 x 64, Waves SoundGrid, or MADI.
What is on the front
- 7 in. touchscreen with screen keys below it and a touchscreen rotary to adjust the selected value.
- 8 SoftKeys (6 on the left, 2 on the right) and 4 SoftRotaries, assignable per scene.
- Library, Copy, Paste and Reset keys and 6 Layer keys for 96 channel strips.
- SQ-Drive USB-A, ST3 mini jack and headphones at the bottom left.
Rack ears and mounting options
Two 4U rack ears come in the box with six fixings. They can go on the front or the back of the unit, flush or recessed, and can be angled by 7.5 or 15 degrees. Angled mounting can need more than 4U of space.
- Hold the ear in place and fit the centre screw, but do not tighten it.
- Turn the ear to line up the other two holes, fit those screws and tighten them.
- Tighten the centre screw, then fit the second ear the same way.
- For desk use, fit the ears to the bottom edge and push the four feet into the ears.
Remote control and apps
- SQ-MixPad for the engineer, also works offline as an editor.
- SQ4You for performers to run their own monitor mix.
- SQ-Control for simplified custom controls set up by the admin.
- Up to 8 apps at once, including up to 3 SQ-MixPad. The SQ uses DHCP by default and can be set to a static address.
Frequently asked questions
How many inputs does the SQ-Rack have?+
16 XLR mic/line inputs plus a talkback XLR, two stereo 1/4 in. TRS inputs (ST1, ST2) and a 3.5 mm stereo input (ST3) on the front.
How many rack units is the SQ-Rack?+
4U. The included ears mount it front or rear, flush, recessed or angled.
Can I add Dante to the SQ-Rack?+
Yes. Fit a Dante 32 x 32 or 64 x 64 option card in the I/O Port.
What is the SLink port for?+
Connecting Allen & Heath stageboxes and expanders, another mixer or ME personal mixers over one Cat5e cable.
Can the SQ-Rack record to a computer?+
Yes. The rear USB-B port is a 32 x 32 class compliant audio interface. You can also record to a USB drive on the front SQ-Drive port.
How much power does the SQ-Rack use?+
Up to 75 W from 100 to 240 V AC.
Plan this mixer in your rack
The SQ-Rack is in the Allen & Heath library for DaMatrix, with every port mapped so you can drag it into a rack, patch it and print the documentation.
Related Allen & Heath devices
Summarized from the Allen & Heath SQ-Rack Getting Started Guide, Issue 2. This page is a quick reference; check the full manual for safety warnings and model-specific limits.