The Allen & Heath Qu-16 Chrome is a compact digital mixer with a uniquely intuitive interface. The 19"-compatible mixer combines a touchscreen with plenty of manual controls, including 17 motorised faders and an EQ section, the latter of which is well equipped with twelve encoders. The 16 mono and three stereo inputs can be expanded by means of the AR2412 stage box, allowing 22 channels to be routed from the stage via a network cable. Stereo inputs 1 to 3 are automatically assigned to the stage box channels 17 to 22. Multitrack recordings can be copied directly to a USB storage device via the Qu-Drive USB port – perfect for a virtual sound check or post-processing in the studio. Allen & Heath is renowned for high hardware quality, and their Qu-16 Chrome is no exception; the high-end hardware is backed up by studio-quality effects units, EQs, and dynamics sections.
Allen & Heath have devoted special attention to making the Qu series intuitive to operate, with an unusually clearly-designed and above all self-explanatory workflow. Every input is assigned to a specific channel on the interface, meaning that the lack of individual channel displays (or scribble strips) is not a problem in everyday use. The space this frees up on the interface has been used by its designers for numerous chrome encoders (hence the "Chrome" designation), which enable direct access to mixing functions. The Allen & Heath Qu-16 Chrome also expands upon its predecessor to include an automix function, a spectrograph, the updated Qu Pad app, and additional monitor mixes. Its analogue controls are neatly complemented by a touchscreen with a resolution of 800 x 480px that makes it easier even for less experienced users to create professional mixes.
The Allen & Heath Qu-16 Chrome is the perfect mixing console for getting acquainted with digital mixing. Thanks to its fixed input structure and numerous control elements, it is easy to switch from an analogue mixer to the Qu-16 Chrome. As such, the mixer is perfectly suited to rehearsal rooms, project studios, schools, small clubs, and rental operations. Wherever a manageable number of channels need to be mixed with the minimum of fuss, the Allen & Heath Qu-16 Chrome is happy to help. The Qu Pad tablet app provides users with support regardless of where they are, allowing convenient and comprehensive remote control of the mixer. The Allen & Heath Qu-16 Chrome's remarkable mechanical resilience also contributes significantly to its great operational reliability.
Allen & Heath started building mixing consoles in London in 1969 and made a name for themselves hand-building mixers for some of the greatest bands of the era, such as Pink Floyd. Since 2014, Allen & Heath has been part of the Audiotonix Group, which in turn is managed by the company Electra Partners. Allen & Heath's headquarters are in Penryn, Cornwall (UK), where production takes place, alongside a second factory in China. The British firm is known for numerous innovations, including the development of modular console designs as well as their subsequent integration into MIDI environments. Today, Allen & Heath offer a wide range of products in almost every field of audio engineering - from the small six-channel ZED-6 mixing console to the full-scale dLive Pro Touring System.
Thanks to its 19" rack format, the Qu-16 Chrome can be easily installed in a lightweight angled rack if required – it is road ready and flexible. There will always be space to work with, even in cramped conditions – rehearsal rooms, clubs, bars, and home studios, etc. Thanks to the variety of control elements, users have reliable and direct access to the most important mixing elements (faders, EQ), enabling them to get involved in the mixing process immediately, without first having to fight their way through endless layers and submenus. This also makes the mixer ideal for applications such as conferences or larger discussion panels, and for this purpose in particular, the Chrome edition has been equipped with an automix function (similar to a Dugan mixer), which makes a sound engineer's work much easier. Thanks to the Qu Drive interface, the Qu-16 will prove no stranger to multitrack recordings, either.
Qu-Pad Remote App
The Qu Pad remote app can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple App Store, expanding the functionality of the Qu-16 Chrome considerably. While other band members are busy with the Qu-16 itself, the app can be used to simultaneously configure the monitor mixes – or each musician can just define their own monitor mix themselves! This is made possible by the fact the Allen & Heath Qu-16 Chrome can be operated from up to eight iOS devices at once. Should users not have access to an iPad, the Qu You iPhone app is an adequate alternative; although it doesn't boast the full functionality of the Qu Pad app, it is more than capable of letting a musician manage their own monitor mix.