16x12 i/o, $3k retail
Whatcha think?
I don’t have much interest in the unit itself, but the promo video showed the Opttronik DEEP plugin multiple times, and the product webpage says matrices are splittable into 6 mono, so it makes me hopeful for a firmware update! Just hoping those features aren’t hardware based…
It’s interesting that they would put four assignable rotaries on a box that has less manual control (no faders). I am in the market for a compact mixer to go on stage when I have to mix with an iPad anyway, and assuming this has the same functionality as the SQ5 I already have, it could be a contender. I don’t see any way to select different buses on the front panel, but maybe that is part of the touch screen.
Geoff
Hi everyone, does anyone know if the show files of an SQ rack will be interchangeable with the other SQ mixers?
Show files will be interchangeable, I bet.
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“It’s interesting that they would put four assignable rotaries on a box that has less manual control (no faders). I am in the market for a compact mixer to go on stage when I have to mix with an iPad anyway, and assuming this has the same functionality as the SQ5 I already have, it could be a contender. I don’t see any way to select different buses on the front panel, but maybe that is part of the touch screen.”
Just out of curiosity, why would you want to select different busses using softkeys? Normally you do this to “mix” the sends of that buss, but as you mentioned the SQ Rack has no physical faders so there is no point in selecting a buss when you can’t “mix” it. You will need to use a software solution or as you suggested, perhaps the touch screen will allow some “mixing” capabilities. If it does, there will obviously be a way to select busses using the touch screen too however.
Of course you will be able to mix on it. It’s a touch screen. The picture shows faders. And yes, they will need to do new firmware for this box, so it’s a great time for feature upgrades.
If only they’d done 24 inputs…
Part of the appeal of this box (to me, anyway) is its compact size. To have 24 inputs it would be the width of an SQ6 and not be able to be racked. I’ll bet the PC board behind those connectors is the same as the one in the SQ5. It’s always attractive from a manufacturing PoV to have common parts between different models. If I need more inputs or outputs for a particular job, I can always add an expansion box like the DX168 to get more. I think that the experience with the BearRinger boxes would indicate that 16x8 is a sweet spot for this application.
Geoff
The Wing has 24 inputs, and is also rack width.
You’re probably right about the one back panel PC board. So? The front panel board is completely new. It has a nice compact rectilinear layout like the Qu, and like I wish the entire SQ series had. While you’re in there, what’s laying out one more board with completely known architecture?
16 inputs generally did the job 10 years ago. Now, not so much. I love my SQ6. SQ5 would not cut it for me. All I’m saying is I wish it had 24. Of course, I also wish the Wing had 12 outputs. 8 is not enough any more, either.
I am very interested to learn if we all get anything out of the obligatory firmware updates.
Sense this is driven solely by an iPad/tablet/whatever, how many iPads do you think you could connect at a single time? We have an SQ7 now that we connect 2 iPads to, we would need at least another one if we were going to go to this.
Any thoughts,
John
Unfortunately only 3 instances of MixPad, or 2 instances of Mixing Station. 8(?) of SQ4You, or Mixing Station in restricted access mode, which is essentially SQ4You.
Unless of course they have finally rewritten the network stack in new firmware?
@ Geoff
I don’t see any way to select different buses on the front panel, but maybe that is part of the touch screen.
There is now a YouTube live stream where (among some other things) you can see how it is handled - see also picture.
Hi all, have anyone found more news about the SQ-Rack and FW 1.6 from the NAMM 2025 yet? Any futher details or whatever? I found myself the Optronik and Bus Compressor allready. Also the scène’s behaviour is updated, for example crossfades possibility. But there must be more, anyone? (I was hoping for the Source Expander, but did not find it yet…)
So far I found:
Bus Comp, OptTonik, Blue Chorus, 6 mono matrices, Scene Cross Fade, Que List for Scenes, SQ Control …I´m sure there´s some more
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