Allen & Heath Qu-PacQu-Pac digital mixer
Allen & Heath has extended its successful Qu range with the launch of Qu-Pac, an ultra-compact digital mixer with a built-in touchscreen and iPad control app.
Designed for live music and installed sound, Qu-Pac is a freestanding or rack mount mixer, providing a flexible solution for bands and in multi-purpose environments such as schools, hotels and bars. Qu-Pac connectivity offers 16 mono inputs, 3 stereo inputs and 12 mix outputs on the rear panel, but that can be expanded up to 38 in / 28 out by connecting to Allen & Heath’s family of remote AudioRacks over Cat5.
The mixer offers total recall of settings and preamps, multi-track recording to USB via Qu-Drive, a choice of personal monitoring solutions, channel ducking, multi-channel USB streaming and the renowned iLive FX Library, making it a strong contender in its class.
The benefits of having a touchscreen (five-inches in this model) are still apparent over those digital mixers without. Should a tablet lose power, you can still control all the parameters of your live sound mix, for instance. A fully customisable Qu-Control screen can be set up with ‘widgets’ for channel levels, mutes and assignment switches, arranged to suit the application and the experience of the user. Fifteen softkeys allow further customisation, while different levels of user access can be set up and password protected.
As well as stereo recording or playback from a USB key, the built-in, 18-channel Qu-Drive can record and playback multitrack and stereo audio .wav files to a USB key or drive. This gives the convenience of computer-free recording in live and field applications. Qu-Pac’s 32x32, Windows and Mac compliant USB streaming interface also makes it suitable for tracking, monitoring and overdubbing in the studio. To further increase flexibility for fixed installs and growing bands, Allen & Heath’s dSNAKE low latency audio connection enables the mixer to connect over a single Cat5 digital snake to AB168, AR84 and AR2412 remote audio racks. In addition, Qu-Pac offers two solutions for personal monitoring: via the Qu-You iPhone app or using ME-1 personal mixers, which connect to the mixer via the dSNAKE port.
Allen & Heath’s Managing Director, Glenn Rogers commented on the new arrival, “Think of a bar or restaurant that has live music at the weekends. Qu-Pac is ideal in this sort of situation – password protection and simple custom screens allow general staff to run the system day-to-day, then a sound engineer can use the iPad to mix full shows, with the safety net of hands-on control if anything happens to the Wi-Fi. That’s just one scenario where this highly versatile and effective package provides the ideal solution.”
Allen & Heath ZED Power 1000ZED Power 1000
Allen & Heath has also extended its top selling ZED series with the launch of ZED Power 1000, a compact 2X500W powered mixer with onboard FX, 9 band graphic EQ and USB recording / playback.
Zed Power 1000’s built-in 2 channel, Class-D amplifier is coupled to a linear power supply to deliver cool running efficiency, robustness and high peak headroom with smooth bottom end. The 9 band stereo graphic equaliser provides the ideal tool for matching the PA to the acoustic space for the performance. Amp controls include individual level controls, status indication and routing matrix allowing stereo PA use or mono plus monitor / sub use.
ZED Power 1000 has 8 mic / line inputs offering 3-band EQ with swept mid, plus two stereo inputs. Two of the jack inputs can be switched to take a low level input from a guitar pickup, so guitars can be plugged straight into the mixer without needing DI boxes. These inputs have been designed to recreate the definition and warmth of a classic tube preamp in a combo or head amp.
A flexible USB connection allows playback to / from a computer for capturing stereo recordings of shows or playing walk-in music or backing tracks from a laptop. The mixer is also equipped with professional XLR main stereo outputs, 60mm faders, a flexible monitoring section and 16 high quality digital FX. ZED Power 1000 weighs in at a modest 10.3kg (24lbs) and has a robust carry handle built into the chassis for easy access to the most challenging of venues.
Allen & Heath’s Senior Product Manager, Nicola Beretta, commented, “There are so many gigging musicians, schools, rental companies, hotels and conference venues who rely on powered mixers night after night. ZED Power 1000 offers them a great solution: it’s lightweight, it delivers the proven audio quality that our ZED series is renowned for, and it’s built to last, with individual circuit boards, nutted pots and a rugged linear power supply.”
Both new mixers will be available from March 2015.
