# SQ5 as interface Routing for overdub recording **URL:** \ **Category:** SQ General Discussions\ **Created:** [28 March 2026 21:29 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/sq5-as-interface-routing-for-overdub-recording/31600 "2026-03-28T21:29:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zacknorton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/f1d935/32.png) [@zacknorton](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/zacknorton)\ **Post date:** [28 March 2026 21:29 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/sq5-as-interface-routing-for-overdub-recording/31600/1 "2026-03-28T21:29:47Z")
Hello fine people. I’m having some trouble figuring out a simple routing plan to allow for DAW interface monitoring while over dubbing etc. I’ve been pouring over the manual, the training videos and trying to find a solution all over the web. I know the SQ5 has PLENTY of routing power to allow me to mute the main control room outs while I monitor over headphones to overdub. I’m just not finding it. Not for lack of trying…but for a lack of understanding… Maybe I just hook up my speaker switch to the main outs to silent the studio main speakers ?? My SQ5 is replacing an analog broadcast desk that I used for preamps and 8 stereo channel summing. The studio is basically a control room with a couple iso closets. Thanks in advance. Totally appreciate the deeeeeeeeep knowledge here. I might not even be touching the surface of what this thing can do. ---
**Author:** ![maxdrums](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/forums.allen-heath.com/maxdrums/32/1982_2.png) [@maxdrums](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/maxdrums)\ **Post date:** [29 March 2026 17:16 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/sq5-as-interface-routing-for-overdub-recording/31600/2 "2026-03-29T17:16:33Z")
Hi send main to Matrix to feed the speakers ---
**Author:** ![eschwenk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@eschwenk](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/eschwenk)\ **Post date:** [14 October 2026 16:26 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/sq5-as-interface-routing-for-overdub-recording/31600/3 "2026-10-14T16:26:15Z")
Well, i think there are plenty of Options how to achieve this, as long as you do not give a little more details it may be diffiult to choose… One Way: a) Connections Control Room Speakers on “Main Out” IEMs and maybe recording room monitors on the Mix Outs DAW/Computer on USB Instruments on the Inputs Routing: Direct outs from Mic/Instr Inputs to USB Sends (pre or post processing depends on how much processing you want to use on the desk). It is also possible to use tie lines for that. For Overdubbing route USB Returns to free Channel Inputs and mix them on your Monitors as needed. Let the DAW send the Playback signals on them. A Mute Group or DCA Group could help controlling the overdubbing signals globally. To control Routing (Overdubbing on/off or maybi Inputs from DAW / Studio) you could use Scenes. Set some Scene Recalls on Soft keys and you can just “switch around”. Another way: You can use tie lines for Routing audio directly from and to DAW, do not route any Signals to your SQ Surface at all, instead use the SQ Surface as a MIDI Controller for the DAW and do not process anything on the SQ. So you make the complete processing on DAW and use the SQ only as an 32x32 Audio Interface and a sophisticated Control surface for that. Or you can do both, use parts of SQ as a DAW Controller and parts to control Monitor Speakers and Input Signals directly. ---
**Author:** ![eschwenk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@eschwenk](https://forums.allen-heath.com/u/eschwenk)\ **Post date:** [15 October 2026 17:46 UTC](https://forums.allen-heath.com/t/sq5-as-interface-routing-for-overdub-recording/31600/4 "2026-10-15T17:46:51Z")
If i understand that part of your question correctly, you have your studio Speakers on Main Outputs and some headphones at the Headphone Jack? Then a little easier: The Headphone Jack uses the “Listen” Bus which is fed by the PAFL Bus but has a Volume Control. For PAFL Bus Settings see Chapter 12.8 of the Reference Manual. Since Muting does not affect PAFL Sends (which would not make sense since PAFL/Listen is for checking Signals even when they are muted), you should be able to connect your Control Room Speakers to Main Outputs and route Master LR there (which is the default). Then press the Listen Button on Master Channel to listen to your Mix on Headphones and press the Master Mute Button to silence your control Room Speakers. Maybe you want to set Output AFL to off (which means PFL) so the Master Fader that sets the Control Room Speaker Volume won’t affect the Volume of your Headphones. You may also want to route Main LR via a Matrix Bus to additional Outputs for IEMs/Headphones of Musicians. Or use Cables to patch it to two free Inputs so you can mix it into any Mix (dunno if that would be possible with tie lines, too). If you set a Channel Surface to that Matrix you have Volume Control for it on the Channel Fader. Or simply use one completely independent Mix for each Musicians Monitor/Headphone, maybe use a DCA Group on them for global Volume Control. Setting the Direct Outs to not follow Channel Mute (see Chapter 8.1 of Reference Manual) allows to record all but listen to only some of them. You may use Scenes to switch Routing for Channel Inputs from the Mic Jack (Recording) to the DAW Return (Playback while overdubbing), so you are getting a Combination of Live Monitoring and Playback. Beware of latencies, maye you must clean them up with delays on the Inputs (which should be switched with the routing then). I think that way you may get to a comfortable setup within short time.