Digital mixing consoles
Allen & Heath SQ-5: Full Specifications
Quick answer
The Allen & Heath SQ-5 Digital Mixer, 48 Input Channels, 7" Capacitive Touchscreen, Automatic Mic Mixing, 32×32 USB Audio Interface lists at $3,999.00. Published figures: input channels 48, mic preamps 16, mix buses 36. It suits a 500 seat and up sanctuary with a paid or highly skilled operator, or a multi-campus standard.
A 96 kHz console with under a millisecond of latency, 48 input channels and 36 buses, plus an automatic microphone mixer that is genuinely useful for a panel or a reading rota.
Every figure below is the manufacturer's own published specification, taken from the product listing and the data sheet. Where a figure is not published it is left out rather than estimated. Price is the listed price when this page was last compiled and it changes often.
Allen & Heath SQ-5 specifications
The Allen & Heath SQ-5 publishes input channels 48, mic preamps 16, mix buses 36, at a listed price of $3,999.00.
| Specification | Published figure |
|---|---|
| Input channels | 48 |
| Mic preamps | 16 |
| Mix buses | 36 |
| Faders | 17 |
| Motorized faders | Yes |
| Digital | Yes |
| Scene recall | Yes |
| Stage box port | dSNAKE and SLink |
What this model suits in a church
Best for: A 500 seat and up sanctuary with a paid or highly skilled operator, or a multi-campus standard.
Category: digital mixing consoles. Tier on this site: Expert, which on ChurchSoundCalc means the performance ceiling, for a large room or a multi-campus standard, and more than most churches need.
The closest alternatives at a similar price
Same category, nearest price. An alternative with no stated reason is filler, so each of these is here because it trades something specific against the model above.
Behringer WING 48-Channel, 28-Bus Full Stereo Digital Mixing Console
$3,499.00 Specs and sizingForty-eight stereo input channels, a large multi-touch screen and a custom control section. The stereo channel architecture is the real difference: a stereo keyboard costs one channel, not two.
Best for: Large multi-campus rooms and anywhere the input list has outgrown 32 mono channels
Check price on Amazon
Allen & Heath SQ-6 Digital Mixer, 48 Input Channels, 7" Colour Touchscreen, 24 Onboard Preamps, 25 Faders, 16 SoftKeys AES Digital Output
$4,999.00 Specs and sizingThe SQ-5 engine with 24 onboard preamps and 25 faders, so more of the input list lands on the surface without a stage box and more of the mix stays under the hand.
Best for: A large room where the whole band needs to be reachable without paging through layers
Check price on Amazon
Behringer WING Compact 48-channel Digital Mixer
$2,799.00 Specs and sizingThe full WING engine and channel count on a narrower surface with 16 faders, which fits booths that cannot take the full console.
Best for: Large-room capability in a booth built for a smaller desk
Check price on Amazon
Midas M32 LIVE Digital Console for Live and Studio with 40 Input Channels, 32 Midas PRO Microphone Preamplifiers and 25 Mix Buses and Live Multitrack Recording
$2,499.00 Specs and sizingThe X32 platform with Midas PRO preamps and a heavier build. What you are paying for is the preamp stage and the chassis, not extra channels.
Best for: Churches that want the X32 workflow with a longer service life and better front end
Check price on AmazonSide by side
| Model | Price | Input channels | Mix buses | Faders | Motorized faders | Digital | Scene recall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Allen & Heath SQ-5 Digital Mixer, 48 Input Channels, 7" Capacitive Touchscreen, Automatic Mic Mixing, 32×32 USB Audio Interface | $3,999.00 | 48 | 36 | 17 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Behringer WING 48-Channel, 28-Bus Full Stereo Digital Mixing Console | $3,499.00 | 48 | 28 | 24 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Allen & Heath SQ-6 Digital Mixer, 48 Input Channels, 7" Colour Touchscreen, 24 Onboard Preamps, 25 Faders, 16 SoftKeys AES Digital Output | $4,999.00 | 48 | 36 | 25 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Behringer WING Compact 48-channel Digital Mixer | $2,799.00 | 48 | 28 | 16 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How we chose
We did not test these products in person and we never claim to. Picks are researched from manufacturer specification sheets and operator manuals, FCC rules where spectrum is involved, published standards, warranty terms, and the recurring themes in verified owner reviews. Every pick is matched to a real room size, seat count or input list rather than to a price bracket, and it is placed in the tier where its capability actually belongs. Where a product is wrong for most churches we say so on the page.
Sources
- Allen & Heath published specifications for the SQ-5
- Amazon product listing features and current pricing
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Allen & Heath SQ-5 cost?
It was listed at $3,999.00 when this page was last compiled. Pro audio and video pricing moves frequently and promotional pricing is common, so treat that as a planning figure and confirm the current price before a committee votes on a budget.
Is the Allen & Heath SQ-5 right for our church?
A 500 seat and up sanctuary with a paid or highly skilled operator, or a multi-campus standard. Beyond that, the honest test is whether its numbers match your room rather than whether it is a good product in the abstract. Work out what your room actually needs first, then check this model against that answer.
Where do these specifications come from?
The manufacturer’s published figures, taken from the product listing and data sheet. We do not test products in person and we never claim to, so nothing here is a measured result. Where a specification is not published by the manufacturer it is omitted rather than estimated.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published manufacturer specifications, operator manuals, FCC rules, published standards and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Sound system design, rigging loudspeakers overhead, and any electrical work are jobs for a qualified professional: have flown loudspeakers and their attachment points signed off by a structural engineer or a certified rigger, and have all wiring done by a licensed electrician to your local code. Wireless microphone rules change, so confirm the current FCC position before buying. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.