Hi everyone,
I’m new to the QU series but have experience with other digital and analog mixers.
I’ve been a happy Allen & Heath analog user, so I decided to trust the brand and try the QU-16 for my studio setup. However, I’m quite disappointed with the apparent limitations of USB streaming. I hope I’m missing something—can you help?
The manual states:
Qu-16:
° 16 Mic/Line channels
° 3 stereo channels
° 24 sources to the mix
° 12 mixes (4 mono, 3 stereo, LR)
° 4 FX (2 send buses)
° 24 out, 22 in USB streaming
But are these 24 outputs and 22 inputs simultaneous? Or am I misunderstanding something (more likely, I hope…)?
For example:
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If I use 10 line inputs 1–10 and stream them to the computer via USB to inputs 1-10 (which, as I understand, are fixed to inputs 1–10 and cannot be reassigned, right?), does that mean I lose USB outputs 1–10, cause they are already “occupied” by the console’s inputs?
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What if I use all 16 input channels? I’m left with only three stereo USB outputs from the computer (ST1, ST2, ST3).
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And what if I also use the three stereo inputs, out of the advertised 24 outputs, how many USB outputs would actually remain? Basically none (or maybe just 2 out of 24 due to the offset related to… to QuDrive?).
So my question is: What kind of audio interface is this? Why does Allen & Heath advertise “24 out, 22 in USB streaming” when it seems like it’s actually 24 outputs OR 22 inputs? In every other “nn input / nn output” audio interface I’ve used, using an input doesn’t automatically cancel out an output unless clearly specified.
**I’d love for someone to tell me I’m an idiot and explain how to actually get the advertised USB flexibility—without needing to connect additional A&H consoles via dSnake (because this mixer doesn’t support ADAT or any expansion other than dSnake, and you’d be forced to buy another Allen & Heath hardware unit to extend my I/O).
Looking forward to your insights (and hopefully not just disappointment)!