Product Spotlight: Allen & Heath SQ Series

When we propose the Allen & Heath SQ series for your audio system, we're not just picking equipment off a shelf. We're making a specific recommendation based on what we've learned works reliably across hundreds of installations - and what will serve your needs well for years to come.

If you're reviewing a proposal that includes this mixer, this guide will help you understand what you're investing in and why we believe it's the right choice for your environment.

What We're Looking For As Your Experts

When we specify a mixing console, we're evaluating several critical factors that directly impact the reliability and effectiveness of your audio system:

Reliability When It Matters Most. Whether it's a Sunday morning service, a corporate board meeting, or a live performance, your sound system needs to work flawlessly when people are counting on it. We look for consoles with proven track records in live environments where failure simply isn't an option.

Operator-Friendly Design. Most organizations don't have professional audio engineers on staff full-time. Your sound system will often be operated by people whose primary expertise is elsewhere - volunteers, facility staff, or presenters themselves. We need equipment that's intuitive enough to train someone effectively, but powerful enough to handle sophisticated requirements.

Room to Grow Without Starting Over. Organizations evolve. You might add video production capabilities. Your livestreaming needs might expand. Your meeting room requirements might change. We look for systems that can scale with your needs without requiring you to replace everything and start from scratch.

Audio Quality That Serves Your Purpose. Whether it's spoken word presentations, live music, or video conferencing, audio quality directly impacts how effectively communication happens. We need processing power that maintains clarity and presence even when multiple channels are in use simultaneously.

Why the Allen & Heath SQ Series Delivers

The Fundamentals: Power and Versatility

The SQ series gives you 48 channels of processing at 96kHz along with 26 mix buses - which in practical terms means you can run everything your church needs through one console without compromise. Your main sanctuary mix, all your monitor mixes for the worship team, and your livestream feed all come from the same system.

Here's what makes that significant: many consoles at this price point claim similar channel counts on paper, but when you actually start using all those channels simultaneously, the audio quality degrades. It's like having a truck that's rated to tow 10,000 pounds but starts struggling at 6,000. The SQ series has what we call "more under the hood than the specs on paper." When Allen & Heath says this console can do something, it actually can - and we've verified that across years of installations.

This wasn't always true for Allen & Heath. About 15 years ago, they had reliability concerns in the industry. But they developed a new processing chip that's now in all their current consoles, and the difference is substantial. We've been using these systems for years now, and they've proven rock-solid and stable in real-world church environments. The design of their proprietary FPGA chip set with software designed around processing power revolutionized their product line and turned things around. 

The Practical Stuff: Why This Works for Churches

Physical Flexibility The SQ series comes in several models - the SQ Rack, SQ5, SQ6, and SQ7. Same processing engine, same capabilities, just different numbers of physical faders in front of you. Our recommendation on which console depends on a variety of factors: space, local I/O, mix complexity, etc. We will help you pick the right console for your specific needs. 

The SQ5 fits in a small equipment rack but still gives you access to all 48 channels. That matters when your tech space is limited - which it almost always is in churches. The SQ-6 is the goldilocks of the series and strikes the perfect mid-sized balance. The SQ-7 for spaces and places with big mixes and even bigger tech booths. 

Operator-Friendly Design The SQ series is genuinely approachable. It has physical knobs for the functions you use most often, which makes operation more intuitive than purely touchscreen systems. The bus structure makes logical sense - you're not fighting the console to get audio routed where it needs to go. And the interface is designed in a way that allows effective training without requiring an audio engineering degree.

This matters whether you're training volunteers, facility staff, or occasional operators. The easier the console is to understand, the more confidently people can focus on the event or presentation rather than fighting technology.

Built for Growth The expandability matters more than most churches initially realize. The SQ series connects with every large format console Allen & Heath makes, and it has Dante capability built in - which means you can integrate with digital stage boxes, add wireless microphone systems, connect to recording equipment, or tie into video production systems as your needs evolve.

You're not boxing yourself into a corner. If your ministry grows or your technical requirements change, this system can grow with you without requiring a complete replacement.

The Audio Quality Difference

The SQ series includes what Allen & Heath calls the DEEP pack - their digital effects processing that provides rich tonality and compression in the pre-amps. In practical terms, this means your pastor's voice sounds clear and natural, your worship band has presence and depth, and your livestream audio maintains quality even when you're running multiple mixes simultaneously.

Phase coherency - which is how well different frequencies align with each other - is particularly important in spaces where you're mixing spoken word with live music or multiple audio sources. The SQ handles this well, which translates to clearer, more intelligible audio for your audience.

How This Works in Different Environments

The versatility of the SQ series means it serves multiple applications effectively. Here's how it specifically addresses needs in different settings:

Houses of Worship

For churches, the SQ series solves several unique challenges that worship environments present:

Multiple Mix Requirements Most churches need simultaneous mixes - the main sanctuary sound, multiple monitor mixes for worship team members, and increasingly, a separate mix for livestreaming. The SQ's 48 channels handle all of this without compromise. Your main service, all your stage monitors, and your broadcast feed can all come from one console. Many worship spaces will have many mixes driving different components without the congregation even being aware. With Allen & Heath's software options and iPad apps you can meet all your needs with or without the need for additional consoles and hardware. 

Volunteer Operations Church sound teams are typically staffed by dedicated volunteers who have full-time jobs doing something else. The SQ's intuitive interface means you can train people effectively without requiring them to become audio engineers. Physical knobs for common functions make week-to-week operation straightforward. 

Growth and Change Churches evolve - you might add a contemporary service, expand your youth ministry, or enhance your livestream capabilities. The SQ's expandability and connectivity with other Allen & Heath products means your system can grow with your ministry without starting over. One easy way to grow with the SQ that's particularly relevant for Churches is the addition of the ME series of personal mix products allowing for even more growth. 

Audio Quality for Worship Whether it's spoken word during teaching or live worship music, the DEEP pack processing provides the rich tonality and clarity that serves your message. Phase coherency ensures that vocals remain intelligible even with a full band. Communicating a clear message with your congregation whether online or in-person has never been easier than with SQ. 

Corporate and Conference Rooms

In corporate environments, the SQ series addresses different but equally critical needs:

Professional Presentation Support Corporate presentations, video conferences, and board meetings require reliable audio that doesn't draw attention to itself. The SQ provides clean, professional sound quality that supports communication without technical complications. The built-in Automatic Mic Mixer(AMM) makes use in corporate spaces even simpler and more reliable. 

Multiple Source Integration Modern conference rooms need to handle laptop connections, video conferencing systems, wireless microphones, and room speakers simultaneously. The SQ's channel count and routing flexibility make this seamless integration possible. Dante and Madi make the system even more flexible and easier to integrate with existing systems. 

Remote and Hybrid Meeting Support With distributed teams becoming standard, having separate mixes for the in-room experience and the remote participants is essential. The SQ can provide both without degradation in either feed.

Scalable Solutions As your organization's meeting space needs evolve - whether adding more conference rooms or upgrading existing ones - the SQ's Dante capability and compatibility across the Allen & Heath ecosystem means you can build a consistent, interconnected system.

Facility Staff Operation Corporate AV systems need to be approachable for facility managers or administrative staff who may need to support meetings. The SQ's logical interface allows non-specialists to operate the system effectively for standard needs.

When It Might Not Be Right

Transparency matters, so let's talk about when the SQ series might be more than you need or still maybe not enough.

If you have very simple audio needs - perhaps just basic presentations with a microphone and laptop audio - you probably don't need this level of system. The SQ series is built for environments with multiple audio sources, complex routing requirements, or needs for multiple simultaneous mixes.

The good news is that Allen & Heath makes consoles for virtually every budget and requirement level. Unless you're planning a major concert tour, they have a solution that fits. We can help you determine where your needs actually fall.

What This Investment Represents

When you're reviewing a proposal that includes the Allen & Heath SQ series, you're looking at an investment in:

Long-term reliability - This isn't equipment you'll be replacing in two years. These consoles are proven across installations from Mooresville to Boone and beyond.

Operational confidence - Your team can operate this system effectively without professional audio engineering backgrounds.

Flexibility for growth - As your needs evolve, this system can adapt without requiring you to start over.

Audio quality that serves your purpose - Whether it's clear spoken word, engaging presentations, or live performances, the technical quality supports your communication goals rather than distracting from them.

The Bottom Line

We recommend the Allen & Heath SQ series because it consistently delivers reliable performance in demanding live environments, with a learning curve that respects the reality that most organizations rely on operators without audio engineering backgrounds, and expandability that protects your investment as your needs grow.

Your audio system is more than just equipment - it's part of how effectively you communicate with your audience, whether that's a congregation, meeting participants, or event attendees. The SQ series gives you the tools to do that well.

Have questions about whether the Allen & Heath SQ series is right for your space? Contact RYGID AV for a consultation. We'll walk through your specific needs, your space requirements, and your growth plans to recommend the solution that makes sense for your environment.

RYGID AV | 122 Backstretch Ln., Mooresville, NC 28117
(980) 263-9194 | info@rygidav.com