It would be AWESOME if we could have a De-Ess function on the CQ Series. Since TouchMix have it, it might not be an advanced thing to integrate here.
That’s the ONLY thing I miss from my old TouchMix8.
+1 Its 2026 and de-essers aren’t new and the usefulness of then on some channels still remains.
Having de-esser available on any input channel makes sense from flexibility standpoint. If there was really was processing power limit on CQ, then put limit like number of channels max can have de-esser turned on once. I’d hope was at least 4-6 channels. Somehow on much older digital mixer tech (touchmix and soundcraft ui series mixers) de-essers were available on every input channel no issues.
You are correct. A&H didn’t “forget” to include a de-esser. It was a conscious decision by the A&H design team to leave it out of this console. Whether or not they can be persuaded to add it in the future is the real question here.
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There are many circumstances where a few of these requested features would make sense. De-esser, ducker, etc., where it doesn’t make sense to bring my SQ; channel count, space, complication. High quality shows that don’t require the power of the larger mixers. I don’t think these basic additions will keep someone from considering the more advanced mixers, until they need them. Look at BlackMagicDesign; they give you an upgrade path from beginner to Cinematographer. Get them into the ecosystem and they will tend to stay in it when it’s time to grow.
+1 for the De-esser function!
I’ll be blunt — the absence of a de-esser on the CQ series is starting to feel like a serious oversight.
These mixers are used exactly where problems are hardest to control: small stages, untreated rooms, inconsistent vocal technique, and minimal setup time. In those conditions, sibilance isn’t rare — it’s constant. And right now, CQ has no direct, efficient way to deal with it.
Yes, EQ can be used as a workaround. But in practice:
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It’s slower than it should be
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It requires more experience than many CQ users have
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And it often degrades the vocal more than it helps
That contradicts one of CQ’s biggest strengths — speed and simplicity.
What makes this more noticeable is that de-essing is already well implemented in higher-end Allen & Heath systems. Which means this doesn’t feel like a technical limitation — it feels like a missing decision.
And to be completely honest, competing mixers in this category are already addressing this more directly. That puts CQ in a slightly awkward position, considering how strong it is otherwise.
The irony is that CQ arguably needs a de-esser more than flagship consoles, because it lives in less forgiving, real-world scenarios.
Even a simplified, well-tuned de-esser would make a clearly audible difference and immediately improve vocal results for a large part of the user base.
At the moment, it’s one of the few things that breaks the “ready for anything out of the box” expectation.
This feels like a very natural next step for CQ, and I hope it’s something the team seriously considers in an upcoming firmware update.
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