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We've been fans of the Allen & Heath SQ series for a long time. It's the kind of digital mixer that earns its spot in a house of worship, a touring rig, or a regional venue and just stays there — because it works, the workflow makes sense, and the sound is genuinely good. So when Allen & Heath told us the SQ+ was coming, we paid close attention.
The SQ+ isn't a replacement. It's an upgrade line that runs alongside the original SQ — same three form factors, same fundamental workflow, but with meaningful improvements across the board. If you already know the SQ, you'll be mixing on one of these in about ten minutes. If you're new to the platform, you're starting on a more capable desk than ever before.
Three Sizes, One Serious Upgrade
The SQ5+ is the most compact of the three — 16+1 faders, 16+1 XLR mic/line inputs, and 8 SoftKeys. Perfect for smaller rooms, fly dates, or anywhere you need serious capability in a manageable footprint.
The SQ6+ steps up to 24+1 faders, 24+1 XLR mic/line inputs, 16 SoftKeys, and adds 4 Soft Rotaries — a nice middle ground for medium-sized productions and installed sound applications where you want more hands-on control without going to a full 32-fader surface.
The SQ7+ is the flagship — 32+1 faders, 32+1 XLR mic/line inputs, 16 SoftKeys, and 8 Soft Rotaries. If you're running complex productions with a lot of sources, this is the desk that gives you the most surface real estate without jumping to a touring-class console.
All three share the same 96kHz XCVI Core with 48 input channels, LR + 12 stereo group/aux mixes, 4 FX sends, 6 custom fader layers, AES3 digital output, TRS stereo inputs including a 3.5mm aux, and a comprehensive XLR output complement for monitors and PA.
A Bigger, Better Screen
Every SQ+ gets a 9" capacitive touchscreen — up from 7" on the original SQ. Allen & Heath didn't just make it bigger, though. They rebuilt the entire GUI with a clean "Dark" theme that reads better under stage lighting. Patching is faster with color-coded channel indicators, the meters overview shows every channel at once with easy layer drill-down, and the strip assign page is more intuitive than before.
The navigation logic is identical to the original SQ. If you've been running SQ shows, you're not relearning anything — you're just getting a better desk.
More Processing Power Per Channel
Here's where things get interesting. The SQ+ has more DSP headroom per channel than its predecessor, which unlocks Allen & Heath's latest generation of DEEP processing add-ons:
- Source Expander — intelligent noise gating for cleaner channel separation
- Dual Threshold Expander — precise two-stage dynamics control
- Compstortion — a character compressor with multiple distortion modes, including Smash and Brit modes
These are the same DEEP plug-ins that have been exclusive to Allen & Heath's higher-end systems. They're now standard on every SQ+.
RackUltra FX — 12 Engines Total
Beyond the standard 8 FX engines, the SQ+ adds 4 RackUltra FX engines with dedicated sends and returns, bringing the total to 12 simultaneously running FX engines. The RackUltra slot opens up Allen & Heath's most advanced effects — Spaces reverb, Plate reverb, Vocal Tuner, Harmoniser 2 and 4, Gridder, Shifter, Amp+Cab Distortion, and Saturator. MIDI Harmoniser and Rhythm Delay are coming soon.
The PlusPack — Don't Miss This
Allen & Heath is doing something worth knowing about at launch. Register your SQ+ and sign up for their newsletter, and you'll receive the PlusPack — a collection of add-ons valued at over $800. That includes every original SQ DEEP and FX add-on, plus all the new ones: Opto, 16T, 16VU, PeakLimiter76, Mighty, OptTronik, Bus, Compstortion, Source Expander, Dual Threshold Expander, Proportional GEQ, Hybrid GEQ, DiGi GEQ, De-Esser, DynEQ4, MultiBD3/4, Bucket Brigade, Echo, and Hypabass.
That's a complete processing toolkit on day one, no piecemeal purchasing required.
Built to Last
Every SQ+ carries a 2-year manufacturer warranty and arrives with the new black-on-graphite finish — flush-mount touchscreen glass, black fader and rotary caps with skirts, clean panel labeling. It's a refined look that holds up in professional environments.