Allen & Heath SQ-7 Plus 48-Channel 96kHz Digital Mixer, 32+1 Faders

Allen & Heath SQ-7 Plus: The Flagship SQ Surface on the Upgraded Plus Platform

The Allen & Heath SQ-7 Plus is a 48-channel, 96 kHz digital mixing console that carries forward the SQ-7's 32 recallable AnalogiQ preamps and 32 plus 1 motorized faders on the refreshed SQ Plus platform. The Plus range is the 2024 evolution of SQ: it keeps the surface, channel count and preamp count that engineers already trust, and upgrades the processing platform underneath with expanded DSP and DEEP processing headroom. In other words, the workflow you know stays the same while the ceiling on how much you can run at once goes up. It is aimed at engineers who love the SQ-7 layout but push its processing hard on complex shows. Buy it once and you get the familiar flagship SQ surface with more room to grow into.

What the Plus Platform Actually Changes

The crucial thing to understand about the SQ-7 Plus is what is the same and what is different from the original SQ-7. The channel count stays at 48, the surface stays at 32 plus 1 faders, and the front end stays at 32 recallable AnalogiQ preamps, so nothing about the physical desk or its input capacity changes. What the Plus platform adds is an upgraded processing engine with expanded DEEP processing and additional FX headroom, meaning you can instantiate more high-end dynamics, EQ and effects simultaneously before running out of resources. For engineers who found themselves managing the original SQ-7's processing budget on big productions, that extra headroom is the whole reason to choose Plus. It is a future-proofing upgrade to the brain, not a change to the body.

Thirty-Two Recallable AnalogiQ Preamps

The SQ-7 Plus retains the deep front end that defines the flagship SQ surface: 32 plus 1 recallable AnalogiQ mic/line preamps onboard. Recallable means each preamp's gain is stored inside every scene, so recalling a saved show snaps all 32 inputs back to their exact settings rather than leaving you to reset them by ear. For a large band, a theater production or a multi-source worship service, 32 quality onboard preamps can eliminate stageboxes and keep the entire input list local. The combo XLR/TRS sockets accept mics and line sources interchangeably, with switchable phantom power for condensers and active DIs. That deep, total-recall input count remains one of the strongest reasons large productions reach for the SQ-7 Plus.

The 96 kHz Core and the Familiar SQ Surface

Under the Plus upgrades, the SQ-7 Plus still runs the 96 kHz XCVI FPGA core with the ultra-low latency SQ is known for, so audio quality and monitor-mix feel stay at the flagship level. The surface is unchanged as well: 32 plus 1 motorized faders across 6 layers, 8 assignable Soft Rotaries and 16 assignable SoftKeys around the 7-inch touchscreen. That continuity matters because it means an engineer trained on the SQ-7 sits down at the SQ-7 Plus and works immediately, with no relearning. Motorized faders snap to true levels as you switch layers, and the dedicated rotaries keep constant parameters off the screen. The Plus platform respects the muscle memory of everyone already fluent on SQ.

Expanded Processing, Effects and Routing

The expanded DEEP processing and FX headroom is where the SQ-7 Plus stretches beyond the original: you can run more studio-grade compressors, EQs and effects at once inside the console, which is exactly what busy, source-heavy shows demand. Output routing remains generous, with 12 stereo mixes plus the main LR, 3 stereo matrix outputs and 18 line outputs to drive monitors, zones and processors directly. A dual 24-channel Automatic Mic Mixer manages gain across many open microphones for speech-heavy events. The combination means the SQ-7 Plus can take on a more complex processing load without reaching its limits mid-show. It is built to say yes to one more compressor when you need it.

SLink Expansion, Option Cards and USB Recording

The SQ-7 Plus keeps SQ's full connectivity: the SLink port connects the entire Everything I/O expander range so stageboxes can sit at the sources and return over a single cable, while an option card slot accepts Dante, Waves SoundGrid, MADI and more. Onboard 96 kHz USB audio records and plays multitrack for gig capture, virtual soundcheck and studio work with no separate interface. That means the same desk that mixes the show can archive it and line-check the next one without the band present. For touring and growing productions, this expansion path protects the investment. The Plus platform extends the ceiling without closing off any of SQ's proven expansion.

Who Should Choose the SQ-7 Plus

The SQ-7 Plus suits larger live-sound productions, houses of worship, theater and touring, broadcast and corporate AV, and demanding monitor mixing, exactly like the SQ-7 it evolves. The decision between the two comes down to processing headroom: if your shows regularly push the original SQ-7's DSP budget, the Plus platform's expanded capacity is the reason to step up, all while keeping the identical 32-fader surface and 32-preamp front end. Engineers already fluent on SQ lose nothing and gain resource headroom and future-proofing. For the operator who wants the flagship SQ workflow with the most processing room the range offers, the SQ-7 Plus is the answer. It is the same trusted desk, ready for bigger, more complex work.