Allen & Heath SQ - Tie Lines (V1.5+ edition)

Find out about the SQ’s comprehensive Tie Line patching, which enables any source to be linked to any destination without using up processing.
Product info at: www.allen-heath...
Built on our latest generation 96kHz FPGA XCVI core, SQ sets a new standard for compact digital mixers, delivering pristine, high resolution audio with a class-leading latency less than 0.7ms.

[@1062venturesfan]

Using the SQ with the S link card installed as FOH and the QU pac as monitors is there a way to route an input signal to the QU pac so that it's independant of the SQ channel input gain?

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hello J.C. Audio. Indeed, there is. You must patch your signals form the SQ using TieLines to be received in the Qu over the dSnake protocol. Pre-amp control will remain on the mixer where the source is connected, but the mixer being linked will have Trim available to adjust as necessary. Kindly refer to: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmWWhGtslriAisk and support.allen-heath.com/hc/en-gb/articles/4403618840849-General-How-to-connect-Qu-SQ Cheers, Rafael

[@jmiller4559]

I tried using the tie lines with an M Waves card, but the audio is not going to Waves SuperRack. I’m pretty sure I setup everything correctly.

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hi! Please go to support.allen-heath.com to submit a request. One of the team will then be able to help you with this. Thanks! Alex

[@dancinganimals712]

Hi. I’m helping a school set up their SQ and am having trouble with one piece. I’d like to have a separate, moniterable, stereo mix that goes straight to the SQ drive. I’ve asked around and a few folks have recommended tie lines, but that doesn’t seem to be what I need. Thanks imagines something like just setting up a separate mix but that only seems to go to the outputs. Am I missing something? Thinking about it wrong?

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hello, Create your Stereo Mix, then go to the I/O page and patch Outputs -> Mix to USB 1-2. If you then go to Utility - SQDrive - Stereo, you should be able to see your Aux Mix patched in the two USB channels for Stereo Recording. Remember that you must be on SQDrive mode instead of USB B mode (Setup - Audio - USB) Cheers, Rafael

[@petermuller7079]

I would like to use Tie Lines on my SQ6 for 'sending' an analog signal to an digital stagebox: - connect the source to local input 24 (e.g.) - DON't patch it to any processing channel - Tie Line it to Output 12 on the Stagebox (AR2412) I don't have any control over the preamp gain, do i?

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hello Peter, Yes, you could do that as you've described, and that is correct, you would not have control over the preamp. Cheers, Rafael

[@petermuller7079]

@@AllenandHeathUK Thank you Rafael, i was able to try it yesterday and observed, that a) I only have access to the preamp while the input is patched to a channel (as you desribed) b) BUT: The preamp HOLDs its gain after you re-patch the channel 'away from it' (and it's also stored in the scene) So i can temporarily patch a channel to the input, adjust the gain, patch the channel back and store the scene. 🤩🤩 That works perfectly fine for my scenario since i use this tie line for a fixed source that doesn't change it's gain structure. Thank you.

[@carlos80739]

Wow so my plan would work! So here’s what I want to do is run my SQ monitor mixer to a future SQ broadcast mixer and I will have the availability to EQ it differently to the monitor mixer correct ? The only thing I wouldn’t have is my own gain? Because the original plan was to get a three way split. And another question can the Avantis do this as well?

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hi Carlos, Yes, this will indeed work! The tie lines send a post preamp signal and, if this is assigned to a channel on another desk, you have have independent processing on this channel, including a +/-24dB trim. The gain control will remain on the original preamp. An analogue split would allow each console to have it's own gain control, as well as independent processing. The Avantis can indeed connect to an SQ and make use of tie line signals in the same way. This can be done directly with the onboard SLink port, a gigaACE card, or a third party protocol such as Dante or Waves. Thanks! Alex

[@thesuperlight1806]

I do this, but my patching does not save. How can I make sure it saves (including when scenes are changed on the mixer for different songs).

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hi 'The Superlight', When you store a scene you store all mix and patch settings, you can then use recall filters to choose what settings are changed (or not) when that scene is recalled. So if your Tie Lines were going to USB outputs for example, you could block the 'USB Patch' in the 'Other > Output Sockets' section of either Global or Per-Scene recall filters. There's more info on recall filters and what each allows/blocks here - www.allen-heath.com/media/SQ_ReferenceGuide_V1_5_0.pdf#page=59&zoom=auto,-361,10 - and if you need more help with this, feel free to contact us directly via support.allen-heath.com . Cheers! Keith.

[@joefickry]

hii... i use this mixer for livestream.. i want to sent the all signal input to my DAW (cubase) with my setup processor at SQ5.. so use tie lines or what??? tq man....

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hi Joe! If you want to send each channel individually to the DAW without any processing from the SQ included in the signal, Tie Lines would be what I recommend. If you want to include the SQ processing in the signal, you should use the input direct outputs for this. Go to support.allen-heath.com to open a ticket for more assistance. Thanks! Alex

[@christiaanbezuidenhout6984]

Hi Keith. Loving the 1.5 update and the videos. Question, Whats the difference between the Tie Lines and IP Direct Outputs?

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hi Christiaan, Glad you're enjoying V1.5, and hopefully the videos are useful! So Tie Lines route input sockets to output sockets without going through any processing (i.e. they do not use input or mix channels). IP Direct Outputs on the other hand, are outputs from the Input Processing channels. There are two diagrams here that might help - (support.allen-heath.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/sq-signal-path). Cheers! Keith.

[@christiaanbezuidenhout6984]

@@AllenandHeathUK Aah, I see. That graph is very helpful. Is it possible then, for a Mix Bus to get its signal from both Input channels AND an external input at the same time, or just on of the two?

[@pranavkp26]

@@AllenandHeathUK The link is not available, could you send another link for the same. Thank you

[@pranavkp26]

@@AllenandHeathUK HI, The link provided is not available, can you resend another link to see the diagram?

[@timtimdrums]

I'm getting clipping after recording. Using Tie Lines so it means, all of my source input are pretty high signal?

[@timtimdrums]

or distorted sound

[@AllenandHeathUK]

The only thing that would affect the level of the signal passing through a tie line (as there is no processing involved) would be preamp gain when patching analogue input sockets to any output sockets. The first thing to check then, would be that you have your preamp gains set correctly so the signal isn't clipping. If this isn't the cause of the clipping/distortion, please contact us through support.allen-heath.com with more details on your setup as a whole and we'll be happy to help figure this out. Thanks, Keith.

[@timtimdrums]

@@AllenandHeathUK Ok. Thank you. My issue was solved. I adjusted the preamps of all my inputs.

[@pranavkp26]

Does gain be affected or can we have individual gain setting on both mixer individually?

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hello Pranav, Preamp control (Gain, PAD and +48v) is only available from the console directly connected to the Expander Rack. You can use TRIM (Digital Gain) to adjust incoming signal from a digital source. Cheers, Rafael.

[@willallison7957]

Hello, my church owns an SQ 7 and I am looking to hone my skills with some virtual sound check. Is there a way to route groups into tie lines to record to the SQ drive? I am looking to record an entire service in order to playback, but I have just a few more than 32 inputs used during the service If I count our drum mics. I was thinking of recording all the inputs except the drum mics and just recording a drum group that the mics are routed to. This would suffice for my playback needs. Does this sound possible?

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hi Will, To route a group to the SQ-Drive, go to the IO page and select Outputs > Mix Out on the left and USB on the top. Patching the groups here will route them to the USB bus. You can then set the USB Mode to SQ Drive in the Setup > Audio > USB page. The Tie Lines are a socket to socket patching system. So you can route an input socket directly to an output socket. You can indeed use a combination of Tie Lines and Mix Outs so that all of your channels are routed to SQ-Drive. Thanks! Alex

[@willallison7957]

@@AllenandHeathUK Perfect! Thank you for the reply.

[@yvonnes2303]

Hi there, thank you for these videos! I am using the USB on the back for multi-track recording/mixing on a laptop running Reaper DAW. Inputs 1 and 2 are capturing all channels (guessing it's L & R out maybe?) instead of just the actual inputs at 1 and 2. For the other channels I have mapped one to one (3 in my DAW is input 3, etc.) with no issues. Is tie lines where I could resolve/change this setting - Local on the left and USB at the top? Thanks!

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hi Yvonne, Yes, in the IO page select Tie Lines > Local on the left and USB on the top. USB 1 & 2 are indeed assigned to the LR by default on SQ. Thanks! Alex

[@yvonnes2303]

@@AllenandHeathUK Hi Alex, I will try this then. Thank you so much!

[@laldaw]

Hi, is there a way to record the effect channels just like you do the input channels on a DAW

[@AllenandHeathUK]

Hi David, Yes there is! In the IO page select Outputs > FX Rack on the left and patch these to your send to the DAW (USB or, if using Dante or Waves, IO Port). Patching here sends the signal from the FX returns to your DAW. Thanks! Alex