ALLEN & HEATH AB168 IO RACK

7 December 2014

Allen & Heath’s QU and GLD digital mixers have a new portable audio IO rack – the AB168. The new IO rack will spend its life largely as a stage box for live performances, providing a direct connection to the main mixing system, although it could easily be used in a studio setting and other similar installations.

The AB168 features 16 mic preamps with phantom power and indicators, plus eight XLR line outs, and runs on the company’s proprietary dSNAKE protocol. So it’ll play nicely with other existing IO dSNAKE 19-inch rackmount products such as the AR2412 and AR0804.

Where it comes into its own is when added to a Qu or GLD system, allowing users to position some or all I/O up to 120m from the mixer, over a single Cat5 cable or to the AR2412 AudioRack via an EtherCon port. There’s also a second EtherCon port for daisy-chaining to another AB168 box or connecting to a ME personal mixing system.

The rack features rubber bumpers, so it can be safely transferred, or it can also be rack mounted for installation purposes. It also features auto firmware updating, to keep it synchronised with the rest of the system.

AB168 is due in Australia this month for a recommended AUD$2395 (inc. GST).