And now for something completely different. With digital mixing, the paradigm of the large, bulky desk console can be exploded, which is precisely what Allen & Heath have done with the QU-PAC-32 compact desktop mixer. The Qu Series attributes have been redesigned and configured to fit into an amazingly compact tabletop mixing solution. The Qu-Pac's functions can all be set up and accessed from the touchscreen on the front of the unit, and its control attributes can be managed remotely via the Qu-Pad app for mixing from anywhere in the venue.

All of the expected features of a thoroughly modern digital mixing design including scene storage, permissions assignment and much more. One aspect of the Qu-Pac 32 is the back panel, which houses a bank of 16 legendary A&H mic preamps, two pairs of stereo inputs and 12 mix outputs,

The built-in Qu-Drive permits you to record live shows directly to USB. The Qu-Pac is additionally useful in studio environments for tracking, monitoring and mixing.

Qu-Pac has taken the power and legendary quality of the Qu family and shrunk it into a compact desk or rackmount format. With custom settings and Cat5 expansion up to 38 inputs, Qu-Pac provides a scalable, failsafe solution for hardworking bands, schools, hotels, corporate events, live music bars, conferences, personal mixing and many more scenarios requiring a pro mixing solution in a tiny footprint. With those kinds of applications in mind, remember the permissions assignment--user permissions and the customizable Qu-Control screen make Qu-Pac convenient and safe for day-to-day use by non-technical staff.

The Preamps
Allen & Heath's AnalogiQ total recall preamps feature zero crossing detection and an advanced padless 1dB step gain stage, closely allied to the DSP for optimal gain accuracy and audio transparency. The analog signal is captured by high-class, low-latency 24-bit analog-to-digital converters matched to high quality 24bit digital to analogue converters to deliver the required outputs. The AnalogiQ design has been refined to offer superb transparency, minimal distortion and an ultralow noise floor, with a warm, musical sound that is missing from some digital consoles.

The Control
Qu-Pac's 5", 800 x 480, 16-million color touchscreen and its dedicated data encoder form the heart of the Qu interface, providing super fast, easy access to all settings. The user-friendly interface has been designed with clarity in mind. Dedicated keys and screen tabs quickly guide you to meter and RTA views, FX racks, channel processing, USB audio control, scenes, setup menus and much more.

The Qu-Control key brings up a fully customizable screen which gives access to channels and settings tailored to the user and application. Several widgets can be assigned to the page. These include channel levels, mutes and assignment on/off switches, and are arranged to suit the user requirement, for example as a source selection and level control of background music to one or multiple zones.

The App
Add the Qu-Pad iPad app to your Qu setup and you're free to adjust the monitors on stage, roam around the venue whilst tweaking the PA, and then mix the show from the heart of the audience. Qu-Pad connects to the mixer over Wi-Fi* and gives instant access to all live mixing parameters and settings.

The Cat5 Option
Qu mixers are self-contained, so if you've already got the analog cables, you're all set. If you're thinking of trading in the copper multicore for a Cat5 digital snake, Qu's dSNAKE port has you future-proofed, allowing connection to a combination of AR2412, AR84 or portable AB168 AudioRacks (sold separately).

dSNAKE is A&H's proprietary networking solution, boasting a transport latency of only 105us over cable runs of up to 120 m/390". So if you're mixing FoH you can place your I/O on the stage and run a single Cat5 cable back to the Qu mixer in the mix position.