Allen & Heath announced the Qu-3 and Qu-3D on November 4, 2026, adding two compact desktop consoles to its Qu digital mixer lineup. Both models feature nine motorized faders in an 8+1 layout and use the series’ XCVI FPGA processing platform. The key difference is Dante connectivity: the Qu-3D has a built-in 16×16 Dante interface, while the standard Qu-3 does not.
The consoles are designed for live sound, corporate AV, broadcast, installed audio, and recording. They use the same core processing platform as the other current Qu models, packaged in the smallest format in the series to date.
Compact Design and Mixing Architecture
Both consoles offer 36 input channels to the mix: 32 mono or linkable channels and two stereo channels. The mixing architecture also provides six mono or linkable Aux/Group mixes, six stereo Aux/Group mixes, and four mono or linkable matrix mixes.
The control surface has nine 100 mm motorized faders in an 8+1 layout, six customizable channel-strip layers, a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen, and eight assignable SoftKeys. Local I/O includes 16 XLR/Jack combo mic/line inputs, one stereo line input pair, eight XLR outputs, and one AES3 stereo digital output.
Both models use Allen & Heath’s XCVI FPGA core, with 96 kHz processing. The manufacturer specifies latency below 0.7 ms and a dynamic range of 110 dB. Additional features include DEEP Processing, six Multi-FX engines, Gain Assistant, Feedback Assistant, and a 32-channel Automatic Mic Mixer.
USB-C, SD Recording, and Dante Connectivity
The USB-C port provides a 32×32 bidirectional audio interface at 48 or 96 kHz for multichannel recording and playback with a computer. The SD card recorder supports up to 16 channels at 96 kHz or 32 channels at 48 kHz, with 24-bit WAV files.
The Qu-3D includes a built-in 16×16 Dante interface, operating at 48 or 96 kHz, with an optional upgrade to 32×32. This makes it the model to consider for setups that use Dante-enabled equipment. The standard Qu-3 offers the same core mixing and recording capabilities but does not include Dante connectivity.
Both consoles also have an SLink port for connecting compatible Allen & Heath stage boxes and other supported devices. Remote control is available through Allen & Heath apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
Pricing and Availability
Sweetwater lists the Qu-3 at $1,799.99 and the Qu-3D at $2,199.99. These are current retailer-listed prices, not manufacturer-confirmed US MSRP figures. Availability varies by retailer, and Allen & Heath has not confirmed a general shipping date.
Full specifications and connectivity details are available on the Allen & Heath Qu-3 and Qu-3D product page.
The main difference between the two models is Dante connectivity. The Qu-3 provides the core mixing and recording features, while the Qu-3D adds built-in Dante networking for systems that require networked audio.
