FX Engines

The SQ+ has two types of FX engine. There are 8 'standard' FX engines that can run any of the standard (RackExtra) FX units, along with 4 RackUltra FX engines that can run RackUltra FX units or be used to run standard FX if desired. This provides a total of 12 FX engines that can be used at any one time.

Each unit has its own dedicated stereo return for routing using Mix -> Return, or any single unit can be inserted directly into any input or mix processing channel.

ⓘ To show the relevant FX unit when viewing the FX screen and selecting FX send or return channels, enable the ‘FX Screen Follow Sel’ option in Surface Preferences.

Loading Units and Presets

Pressing the ‘FX’ screen key displays the front/rear of the currently selected FX engine, with other loaded FX units and any empty slots on the left of the screen.

• Use the toggle switch at the top left to switch between viewing the 8 standard FX engines and the 4 RackUltra FX engines.

• Select the slot you wish to use.
• Press the ‘LIBRARY’ key on the surface to open the FX Library.
• Select an FX type, then a ‘Factory’ preset. Different presets use different FX types, so to load a different FX type, recall a preset which uses it.
• Touch the ‘Recall’ button to recall the preset and FX type.

ⓘ User presets can be stored and recalled to and from the ‘User’ section of the FX library.

ⓘ By default, the first four FX engine slots have been populated with useful FX presets, but all FX slots are freely assignable.

Adjusting Parameters

Each FX type has a different set of parameters, but all work in the same way.

• Touch any buttons to switch between modes or states.
• Touch parameter controls or values and use the touchscreen rotary to adjust.

The SMR FX type is a special case – there are 4 different reverb algorithms that are used across the different presets and pressing the ‘Expert’ button will give access to much more in-depth control for fine tuning of each. In this mode, cycle through all available parameter settings using the ‘Page’ button.

Using FX Buses and Returns

The SQ+ has four standard FX send buses which are routed to the inputs of the first four FX engine slots by default and when using Mix -> Return with ‘FX Send’ selected.

Similarly, four RackUltra FX send buses are routed to the inputs of the four RackUltra FX engine slot.

All FX buses can be used in the same way as any of the mix buses:

• Press an FX or RackUltra FX key from 1 to 4 to show and adjust the send levels on faders for each fader strip to that FX bus. Or with a channel selected, hold the ‘CH TO ALL MIX’ key to show and adjust all FX bus sends for the selected channel (along with all other sends).

ⓘ Note that to view the RackUltra FX sends on an SQ5+ when using the 'CH TO ALL MIX' key, press and hold the key, then press the 'LAYER B' key.

• The overall FX send bus level is controlled with the Mix channel strip fader (when it is not in 'Listen Level' mode and the FX mix key has been pressed).

The output from the FX unit is returned to the FX return channel for each FX engine slot. (i.e. the ‘FX Unit 1’ output is routed to ‘Fx1Rtn’).

• All FX return channels are stereo and include a PEQ.
• FX Returns can be assigned and sent to mixes in the same way as any input channel.

The signal path is:

Input/Group/FXRet channel 🡺 FX Send 🡺 FX Unit 🡺 FX Return 🡺 Mix channel

Which gives full control over the amount of each channel being sent to each FX unit, as well as the amount of ‘wet’ affected sound being sent to each mix.

ⓘ FX return channels can be assigned to fader strips but will not be visible unless they are routed to from the output of the FX engine (i.e. when using ‘Mix -> Return’ on the back panel).

Sending to FX from Other Sources

Mix->Return – As well as sending using the four FX buses, you can send to the FX engines using other mixes, allowing you to send to any of the FX engines using ‘sends on faders’, including standard FX engines 5-8 which do not have dedicated FX send buses. This routing type can also be used with channel direct outs.

For any adjustment to routing first press the ‘Front/Back Panel’ button at the top right of the FX screen.

1. Set the routing type to ‘Mix -> Return’.
2. Touch the routing source value to select a source.

Sources = FX Send, Group, Aux, Main, Matrix, Ip Direct Out

3. Touch the channel value and adjust using the touchscreen rotary.
4. Touch the ‘Apply’ button to apply changes.

Inserts – You can insert FX engines into individual channels or mixes. This automatically sets up and uses the insert point of the channel.

1. Set the routing type to ‘Insert’.
2. Touch the routing source value to select a source.

Sources = Input, Group, Aux, Main, Matrix

3. Touch the channel value and adjust using the touchscreen rotary.
4. Touch the ‘Apply’ button to apply changes.

ⓘ Typically, signal processors such as multiband compressors and de-essers are used inserted in this way.

FX Levels and PEQ

Mix->Return –

When routed as ‘Mix -> Return’, the PAFL, Mute and Level settings for the currently selected FX engine slot are displayed at the bottom of the screen for both the FX send and FX return.

• Touch buttons to PAFL or mute send or return channels.
• Touch values and adjust using the touchscreen rotary.

Inserts –

When an FX engine is being used as an insert, the insert ‘In’ button and return wet/dry mix values are displayed.

• Touch the ‘In’ button to switch the insert in or out.
• Touch either wet or dry values to adjust the blend of the dry (unprocessed) signal with the wet (processed) signal.

Dry/Wet individual level = -infinity to 0dB

PEQ –

Press the PEQ button at the bottom centre of the screen to view and adjust the PEQ which affects the output of the FX. This works in exactly the same way as any channel processing PEQ.

ⓘ All level and PEQ settings, presented on the FX screen for convenience, duplicate control available elsewhere in the mixer. The PEQ for example, is the same PEQ that can be accessed when selecting FX return channels in the Processing screen.

FX Screen Follow Sel

The ‘FX Screen Follow Sel’ option means that the selected unit in the FX screen follows channel selection.

It works with FX send and return channels, as well as any channel which has an FX unit inserted.

As an example, selection of an FX Return channel will therefore display the relevant FX unit, and simultaneously enable control of the FX Return PEQ with the dedicated rotary controls. It would also instantly display an inserted dynamic FX unit if one was being used on the selected channel.

This option can be enabled or disabled in Surface Preferences.

RackExtra FX

Spatial Modelling Reverb (SMR)

4 fully configurable complex spatial models: Classic, Hall, Room and EMT.

Stereo Tap Delay

Clean digital delay with link, filters, tap tempo (global or local) and BPM or ms display options.

ADT Doubler

Automatic double tracking unit with double and quad modes, separation, thickness and autopan control.

Chorus

Versatile chorus unit with 3 stereo field options, rate, depth and LFO control, plus autopan option.

Symphonic Chorus

A faithful emulation of the 80’s classic chorus effect with 2 very simple controls.

Flanger

3 classic flanger effects in one unit: ‘Ambient’, ‘Vintage’ and ‘Wild’ with multiple LFO and stereo options.

MOO 12 Stage Phaser

Accurate emulation of a 12 stage phaser, with rich, textured phasing and plenty of control.

Gated Verb

Emulation of the 80’s classic gated reverb, with in-depth control and 2 extra variants: ‘Panned’ and ‘Powerbox’.

RackFX Add-Ons

Along with the included stock FX units, optional FX Add-Ons can be installed.

ⓘ Information on how to activate these can be found in the Add-Ons section.

MultiBD Compressor 4

Fully featured 4 band compressor for dynamic control on input or mix channels.

MultiBD Compressor 3

Fully featured 3 band compressor for dynamic control on input or mix channels.

DynEQ4

4 band dynamic equaliser, able to carve and shape any sound source.

De-Esser

Classic De-Essing with auto-threshold for natural sibilance reduction.

Bucket Brigade

Stereo analogue delay model with vintage bucket brigade sound.

Echo

Faithful reproduction of the classic tape echo unit.

Hypabass

Very low distortion sub-harmonic synthesizer to generate low end from sources with weaker bass content.

RackUltra FX Add-Ons

Along with the included stock FX units, optional RackUltra FX Add-Ons can be installed.

Note that these can only be used in the 4 RackUltra FX engine slots.

ⓘ Information on how to activate these can be found in the Add-Ons section.

Spaces Reverb

Create realistic spaces with full control over reflections, echos, diffusion and damping.

Essential Spaces Room

Five room presets from the full version of Spaces reverb with a simplified set of controls.

Essential Spaces Hall

Five hall presets from the full version of Spaces reverb with a simplified set of controls.

Plate Reverb

Accurate Plate reverb emulation with detailed control over type (and material), diffusion and tone.

Essential Plate

Two presets from the full version of plate reverb, one more suited to percussive sources and the other to general instrumentation, with simplified control.

Essential Plate Vocal

The perfect vocal plate reverb from the full version, with simplified control.

Vocal Tuner

Natural sounding pitch correction with full control over notation and behaviour.

Vocal Gridder

The classic vocal tuning effect with super fast correction.

Vocal Shifter

Pitch shifting with formant control for natural (or unnatural) sounding vocals, thickening and doubling.

Vocal Harmoniser 2

Dual voice harmoniser with independent controls for each voice and built-in autokey detection.

Vocal Harmoniser 4

Four voice harmoniser with independent controls for each voice.

Amp+Cab Distortion

Independently selectable Amp and Cabinet modelling, including standard bass and guitar heads and cabs for DI signals.

Saturator

Five classic analogue saturation modes (2 valve, 2 solid state, 1 tape) with full control over drive and tone.

Essential Saturator

Single mode from the full RackUltra FX Saturator model with simplified control set.