One of the Allen & Heath SQ-5’s most liberating features is the ability to control it remotely from an iPad using the SQ MixPad application. This capability transforms your church’s mixing workflow in profound ways. Your sound operator can position themselves anywhere in the sanctuary—standing with the band, monitoring from the back of the room, or even in a small control booth—giving them the situational awareness and flexibility that fixed-position mixing simply cannot provide.
The Strategic Advantage of Remote Mixing
Churches have discovered that remote mixing capabilities fundamentally change how worship services unfold. A sound operator standing near the musicians can hear exactly what the band sounds like in their environment and make mixing decisions based on that direct experience rather than what they hear through speakers positioned at the other end of the room. This proximity mixing approach leads to tighter, more responsive audio that adapts in real time to each service’s unique dynamics.
Additionally, having a mobile mixing presence allows your operator to handle technical issues on the fly. If a microphone suddenly sounds strange, they can investigate immediately. If a feedback occurs, they can pinpoint the source quickly. For larger sanctuaries or multi-room church facilities, remote mixing becomes almost essential for maintaining consistent quality across different audio zones.
Installing SQ MixPad on Your iPad
Start by ensuring your iPad runs a reasonably current operating system. The SQ MixPad application requires iOS 12 or later. Head to the Apple App Store on your iPad and search for “SQ MixPad.” You’ll find the official Allen & Heath app—it’s free and readily available. Download and install it on your iPad.
Once installed, open the app. You’ll be greeted with a connection screen asking you to locate your SQ-5 mixer on the network. At this point, your iPad and SQ-5 must be on the same network. This is where proper network planning becomes important for your church’s AV setup.
Network Configuration: The Foundation
Your SQ-5 and iPad need to communicate wirelessly, which requires a stable, low-latency network connection. Many churches use their existing sanctuary WiFi network, but if your current WiFi is optimized for guest internet access rather than professional AV equipment, you might want to create a separate, dedicated network for your mixing equipment.
Access the SQ-5’s System Settings through its touchscreen. Navigate to Network Settings and configure the Ethernet port to connect to your church’s network. The mixer can obtain an IP address automatically via DHCP, or you can assign a static IP address if your IT department prefers network predictability.
For the WiFi side, the SQ-5 can create its own WiFi network, allowing your iPad to connect directly to the mixer without needing your church’s main WiFi infrastructure. This approach eliminates interference from other wireless devices in your building and provides rock-solid connection stability. To enable this, access the WiFi settings on the SQ-5 and create a personal hotspot with a secure password.
Connecting Your iPad to the SQ-5
With your SQ-5 and iPad on the same network (or with the SQ-5 providing its own WiFi), open SQ MixPad on the iPad. The app will search for available SQ-5 consoles. You should see your mixer listed by name. Tap on it to initiate the connection.
If this is your first connection, the app will prompt you for authentication. Enter the mixer’s password if you’ve set one, or use the default credentials if this is a new mixer. Once authenticated, the app establishes a real-time connection to your SQ-5, and the remote mixing interface appears on your iPad screen.
The connection happens over your network, not through the internet. This means mixing latency is essentially zero—you’ll notice no perceptible delay between moving a fader on the iPad and hearing the audio change. This real-time responsiveness is crucial for professional mixing.
Understanding SQ MixPad’s Interface
The SQ MixPad interface mirrors the SQ-5’s mixing layout but optimizes for the iPad’s screen size and touch interaction. You’ll see channel faders, mute buttons, and all the controls you’d have on the physical console. At the top of the screen, you’ll see tabs for different mix buses—MIX 1, MIX 2, AUX 1, and so forth.
The beauty of this interface is that your iPad and the physical SQ-5 console remain in perfect sync. If a volunteer makes a change on the physical console across the room, you see that change appear on your iPad instantaneously. Conversely, any change you make on the iPad appears on the physical console’s touchscreen. This bidirectional real-time synchronization ensures your team can work collaboratively without confusion about what’s actually controlling the mixer.
Creating Custom Layouts for Volunteer Operators
Rather than showing all possible controls, you can customize what appears on the iPad’s screen to match your specific mixing workflow. This customization is powerful for churches with multiple volunteer operators at different skill levels. You might create a simple layout for new operators that shows only essential faders and mute buttons, hiding advanced processing controls that could cause confusion.
Access the Preferences section of SQ MixPad and look for the Custom Layout option. From here, you can drag and arrange controls, resize them, and even hide entire sections. Create a layout called “Volunteer Basic” that shows only the channels your volunteers need to adjust regularly. Create another layout called “Advanced Operator” with every available control for your experienced team member.
Switch between layouts by tapping the layout selector at the top of the screen. This flexibility allows your entire team to use SQ MixPad comfortably, whether they’re mixing for the first time or handling complex multi-service mixing scenarios.
Positioning Your iPad in the Sanctuary
For churches with a band on stage, position your iPad where you can see both the band and your faders simultaneously. Many churches use a small tablet stand or armband holder that lets the operator hold the iPad comfortably while moving around the stage area.
If your operator works from a control booth or fixed position, a tablet stand at a convenient angle works well. Ensure your network connection remains strong throughout the booth or stage area. If you experience momentary WiFi dropouts, move closer to the WiFi source or consider using the SQ-5’s built-in WiFi hotspot option.
Safeguarding Against Accidental Changes
Since multiple people might carry an iPad with SQ MixPad installed, you want to prevent accidental or unauthorized changes to your mix. The SQ-5 includes password protection for remote connections. Set a strong password in the System Settings and share it only with your authorized mixing team. Anyone without the correct password cannot connect with SQ MixPad or make changes to your mix.
Additionally, use Scene Protection on the SQ-5 to lock critical settings. Even with proper password protection, an extra layer of protection prevents accidents. Your backup operator might accidentally delete an important scene, but Scene Protection prevents that from happening.
Monitoring and Network Troubleshooting
Occasionally, you might experience connection issues—your iPad loses connection to the mixer momentarily, or the connection is slow and unresponsive. First, check your network signal strength on the iPad. If the WiFi signal is weak, move closer to the router or consider switching to a different WiFi channel if your church operates multiple WiFi networks.
If the connection drops entirely, close SQ MixPad and reopen it. Usually, it reconnects within a few seconds. If problems persist, restart both your iPad and the SQ-5. These simple troubleshooting steps resolve the vast majority of connection issues.
Integrating Remote Mixing into Your Workflow
Your first remote mixing experience should happen during rehearsal, not during a live service. Have your experienced operator mix a rehearsal from their iPad while your backup stays at the physical console. This allows everyone to experience the workflow before depending on it for worship services.
As your team builds confidence, you might position the iPad operator differently each week—near the band one week, at the back of the sanctuary the next, then in a control booth. Each position teaches your operator about how their mixing decisions translate to different parts of your sanctuary.
Your Allen & Heath SQ-5 now offers the flexibility and mobility that transforms mixing from a technical chore into an engaged, responsive part of your worship service. Remote mixing, done thoughtfully, elevates your entire audio program.