No compression in aux busses

Hi everyone,

very recent owner of an SQ-6 here.

I would like to send some inputs to the aux busses without compression for feedback reasons. I see a few different ways to do it, but I need some advice on what the advantages and disadvantages with each way are:

  • I could set direct out to post PEQ. But this is a global setting and would send every input post PEQ to the aux busses. (More general, what would be a practical use for changing Direct Out Source?)
  • I could send the signal to a second input channel and use ganging to process it the same, except for compression and maybe inserts? Is this the most elegant way? What would be the downsides to this method?
  • Any other ways to get the job done?

edit: in the Ganging options, DirectOut is an attribute that can be chosen, but I thought DirectOut is a global setting which cannot be set for every input seperately. Then why can it be used in ganging?

Thanks in advance!

@brouillardj

It doesn’t sound like direct outputs are what you’re after here, these are generally used for sending individual channels to individual output sockets.
Sending to Aux busses is slightly different and each Aux can receive signal from different tap off points.
By default, Auxes receive signal post PEQ (pre Compressor).

There are some basic signal path diagrams here - https://support.allen-heath.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4402940459537-SQ-Basic-Signal-Path-Diagrams-Input-Group-LR-Aux-Matrix
You can find the block diagrams showing signal flow at the end of the reference guide here - https://www.allen-heath.com/content/uploads/2023/05/SQ_ReferenceGuide_V1_5_0.pdf#page=110&zoom=auto,-307,595
And I think you’re after the ‘Aux Snd’ button at the top of the Aux channel in the Routing screen, described here - https://www.allen-heath.com/content/uploads/2023/05/SQ_ReferenceGuide_V1_5_0.pdf#page=40&zoom=auto,-307,573

Thanks,
Keith.

Hi Keith

Very helpful.

Can you also tell us how the routing works with Me-1 or ME-500 IEMs?

Thanks, Dean

Hi @Dean

The ME units are like miniature mixers, so all ME’s in the system receive the same channels from the mixer (up to 40) and then provide an individual mix for the user.
They are patched to from the I/O screen with any of the available mixer outputs on the left and the ME tab selected at the top.
Most commonly they are patched from IP Direct Outputs, with the Global Direct Out set to Post PEQ, meaning any corrective EQ on the input channel is included, but there is no compression so performers can more accurately monitor their dynamics.

The ME-500 will auto assign the first 16 mono or stereo channels patched to it’s 16 keys. Stereo channels must be stereo channels in the mixer and patched to odd/even sockets on the ME (e.g. 5/6 not 6/7). Unpatched sockets are skipped.
The ME-1 can also work like this, but has the ability to patch any of the available 40 channels to any of the keys (per unit), as well as the option to create a group on a single key (e.g. drums) which then means you can adjust all group members at once or go into the group and adjust individual levels.

For more info, the ME-1 user guide can be found here - https://www.allen-heath.com/content/uploads/2023/06/ME-1-User-Guide-AP8997_3.pdf
and the ME-500 user guide is here - https://www.allen-heath.com/content/uploads/2023/06/ME-500-User-Guide-AP11137_1-1.pdf

Thanks,
Keith.

Thanks Keith. That is helpful.