Finally, the perfect mixer? [Allen & Heath QuPac]

[LyingDalai]

I was reached by @glooms for my thoughts on the Qu24 mixer. Guess it would be useful for some people if I write them down here…
So yes, I am very happy with the Qu24, I use it several days a week since Nov. 2018 (got it for 1969€ FYI). At that time I had money to spend ^^
Any recording on my Soundcloud since this date makes use of it.

The mix sends (3 stereo + 4 mono) are very useful, the converters and amp pretty transparent, you have a lot of headroom, the EQ are very easy to setup, I often make use the compressor/limiter as well as the gate (some of my friends love distorsion a lot)… Motorized faders + graphical feedback are both ace. And you can record 16 tracks + main stereo without a computer, which is handy sometimes when you want to capture a jam quickly and don’t want to kill the vibe by taking the time to switch the computer on and setting up Ableton…
A very complete mixer for the studio, very cool piece of kit!!

Yet I think it’s a bit overkill tbh: I have bought a pair of patchbays 2 years ago so I can reroute my machines and FX the way I want, and I would have gone for the Qu16 if I had understood that before: I never use everything at the same time, even when I have several friends at home.

I had bought the QuPac before the Qu24, and while the quality was here, I missed the interface. So yeah, I would advise to go for the Qu16 and a Samson S-patch plus any day, it makes more sense IMO.

[leighzi88]

Thanks for the write up! Do you also get the same number of sends with the Qu16, and are they the equivalent of an AUX send? Cheers.

[LyingDalai]

Yes indeed, from A&H website it seems Qu-16 and Qu-24 have both 4 mono and 3 stereo “mixes” (aka aux sends). You can set very easily the amount of send for each track: just press a Mix button in the lower right and the motorized faders will offer the clearest and fastest feedback + interaction mean you could imagine.

It’s even clearer on the back:

You have to use inputs to get these sends back into the mix, but you don’t need to sacrifice much as there are 2 additional stereo inputs (ST1in and ST2in) that can be used for this.
There is even another one (ST3in) that be found on the front, though I usually set such track as the return from the computer, which I find handy to sample some sound from the Mac.

[glooms]

🫡

[glooms]

This mixer sounds amazing ! ‍♂:pray:

[Sternenlicht]

It also has a matrix mode, you can route anything to anything with it. I belive the qu pac can even do 2x matrix, it wasnt clear for me what to use it for, untill i saw an actual matrix mixer in a loopop video, and realized that the q has this build in. I.e. u could use fx as send and inserts at the same time with thix matrix, or send multiple synth through a insert.

[LyingDalai]

@glooms

sounds

Not sure what is actually the part of the mixer sound
To me, its best characteristics is to avoid tainting the audio in any way.
Together with the monitors, I see this as the sound control tools.

[glooms]

Let me rephrase that “your” sound is amazing

[LyingDalai]

Oh. Well. It’s not what I meant. But… thanks.

[Sternenlicht]

Qu Pac is different, its just an audio interface with 18 inputs, display + eq & recording, it just happens to be remotly controllable - it takes not much space when put to a rack.

[ccr]

Also: noise gate, parametric and graphiq eq, compressor, and sends to 4 internal fx slots per track + groups + presets/scenes (incl. preamp settings), all in a very small format that can be extended to 32 mono + several stereo inputs…

For live mixing of my synths, I was missing the experience of physical faders and did not need so many inputd. I still love it for our live band, though!

[glooms]

I was considering the qu24 for all my individual rytm outputs but this is achievable with the patch bay it seems ! Stoked !

[sacguy71]

I’m still looking for the ultimate mixer recorder solution. So far 1010 Music Bluebox is my favorite to capture happy modular accidents. I like my Keith McMillen K-Mix a lot for small setups. Mackie 16 channel mixer is my large mixer and works well. I have a Bastl Dude and Koma mixer on the way. Those look fun. Would love an SSL mixer or similar.

[glooms]

Grab the qu16

[PlumWrinkles]

19

=)

[r1n9o]

…Not to mention the built-in ”RackFX”: reverbs, delays, choruses, phasers, flangers. On their own dedicated busses, separate from external I/O. Up to four at a time, and quite internally routable. Kinda mind blowing actually.

[r1n9o]

On a side note, it’s fascinating that the Qu-Pac has been sold out everywhere for at least a year. (with at least one retailer pinning summer 2023 for stock!) Used and preorder prices have nearly doubled.

I interpret that as a testament to the Qu-Pac’s versatility and power, likely with a bit of supply chain issues mixed in. But even at the currently going rate of $2000, there’s still nothing out there that competes, on size/ability/flexibility/quality.

[glooms]

Wait those are on the qu16/24/32 units too ?

[LyingDalai]

Indeed.

[ccr]

@glooms

on the qu16/24/32 units too ?

Qu 16 has the 4 fx engines, but only 2 fx send/return buses. Qu 24/32/Pac/SB have 4 fx buses.