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Allen & Heath · CQ-12T

CQ-12T

A 96kHz tabletop mixer with ten mic or line inputs, a stereo line input, six monitor outputs, a seven-inch touchscreen and direct SD or USB multitrack recording
Market statusCurrent ultra-compact touchscreen mixerChecked Aug 16
Reference price$899.99 current authorized U.S. referenceCurrent Allen & Heath authorized U.S. market
Product cyclecurrentRelease history under review
EvidenceWell supported6 publishers · 3 independent
Next full checkAug 23, 2026Price checks run sooner
01

Ready to buy

Confirm the exact machine and complete setup

The retained reference is $899.99 current authorized U.S. reference. Include the required external router for remote control, approved SD storage, protective transport and enough outputs for every monitor mix. Confirm the current configuration, included parts, support path, return terms and the work that must be preserved before ordering.

02

Current market

The facts that change the ownership choice

Each line carries its own check date because price, software, specifications, and product cycle do not age at the same speed.

QuestionCurrent answerFreshnessBasis

Current price

$899.99 current authorized U.S. reference

Include the required external router for remote control, approved SD storage, protective transport and enough outputs for every monitor mix. Confirm the checkout price and package before paying.

Checked todayDirect source1 evidence item

Market branch

Ultra-compact local-control mixer
Checked todayOur synthesis2 evidence items

Purchase boundary

Ten microphone inputs and six monitor outputs set the live-show ceiling, while remote control requires the buyer to add and qualify a router or access point; Gain Assistant and Feedback Assistant do not replace gain structure, loudspeaker deployment or safe level management
Checked todayOur synthesis2 evidence items

Inputs and outputs

10 mono mic or line inputs plus one stereo line input feed a main XLR pair and 6 TRS monitor outputs
Checked todayDirect source2 evidence items

Mixing and local control

A 7-inch touchscreen, rotary control and 3 soft keys provide local operation; remote CQ MixPad control needs a separately supplied network
Checked todayDirect source2 evidence items

Recording and playback

16x16 USB-B and 16x16 SD recording or playback operate at 48kHz or 96kHz, subject to approved media and the selected routing
Checked todayDirect source2 evidence items

Shows, firmware and fallback

Scenes and libraries should be exported before firmware or app changes, and the local touchscreen remains the practical control fallback if the remote network fails
Checked todayDirect source2 evidence items

Current verdict

The smallest CQ with local control

CQ-12T fits a small band, rehearsal room or speech system that wants a real touchscreen and multitrack capture without depending on a tablet for every adjustment.

Checked todayOur synthesis7 evidence items
03

Other paths

The alternatives change what the CQ-12T is worth

These are not generic competitors. Each one represents a different way to buy into the same market.

01ownership

Allen & Heath

CQ-18T

$1,099 current authorized U.S. reference
Best fit
Compact touchscreen band mixer
Tradeoff
Six monitor outputs and nineteen inputs to mix are generous for a compact band rig but do not become a larger stagebox system, and built-in Wi-Fi is convenient rather than a complete control-redundancy plan
Open the source
02premium

Yamaha

DM3 Standard

$1,799.99 current authorized U.S. reference
Best fit
Ultra-compact motorized surface without Dante
Tradeoff
Six mix buses and sixteen live microphone inputs define the show size, DM3 Standard has no Dante ports, and its external power supply and touch-led workflow need a practical spare, protection and operator test
Open the source
04

What changed

The product has a history

Older observations stay in the ledger when the current view changes. That lets a buyer tell the difference between an old complaint, an active issue, and a problem that was corrected.

  1. notable

    Current market position retained

    CQ-12T was checked against its manufacturer record, the current category collection and the nearest ownership alternatives.

Price record

The price history starts here

Each amount stays tied to its source and capture date. Conflicting prices remain visible until the seller resolves them.

  1. $899.99 current authorized U.S. reference

    Current reference priceA structured timeline will begin with the next source capture

05

Owner experience

What repeats after the purchase

Owner discussion repeatedly returns to small-screen workflow, router choice, monitor-output count, sd-card qualification and assistant settings rather than specifications alone.

These are self-reported experiences from a changing mix of owners, conditions and software versions. They identify questions to test, not a failure rate.
SignalWhat owners reportOur readEvidence

small-screen workflow, router choice, monitor-output count, SD-card qualification and assistant settings

Owners repeatedly discuss stagebox compatibility, bus counts, scene and firmware behavior, router design, remote-control recovery, recording media and service access; those self-reports are bounded experience, not failure rates or universal sound-quality conclusions.

Build the real input and monitor list, qualify the router and SD card, and rehearse a network failure before relying on it for a public show.

1 evidence record
06

Sources

Why we believe the current view

The page separates what a source states directly from what we conclude across sources.

01
CQ-12T product recordAllen & Heath · identity

Allen & Heath identifies CQ-12T as a 96kHz tabletop mixer with ten mic or line inputs, a stereo line input, six monitor outputs, a seven-inch touchscreen and direct SD or USB multitrack recording

Source type
manufacturer
Content hash
66c0c2f7f4501b6b
Use
store excerpt
Open Allen & Heath
02
CQ-12T current offerAllen & Heath · price

$899.99 current authorized U.S. reference was retained from the current manufacturer or authorized-market record with package and availability qualifications kept visible.

Source type
manufacturer
Content hash
8b9e3e28fb20cf62
Use
store snapshot
Open Allen & Heath
03
CQ-12T support and specificationsAllen & Heath · specification

Allen & Heath publishes setup, compatibility or service material that makes this purchase boundary explicit: Ten microphone inputs and six monitor outputs set the live-show ceiling, while remote control requires the buyer to add and qualify a router or access point; Gain Assistant and Feedback Assistant do not replace gain structure, loudspeaker deployment or safe level management

Source type
support
Content hash
6462b4c3e222515a
Use
store excerpt
Open Allen & Heath
04
Current authorized digital mixer marketSweetwater · price

A current authorized multibrand collection exposes live price, stock, form factor, local I/O, channel count, recording, stagebox ecosystems and purchaser reviews while keeping a console listing separate from the cost of a complete live system.

Source type
retailer
Content hash
92d8fa6b0397b029
Use
store snapshot
Open Sweetwater
05
Independent digital live mixer reviews and comparisonsSound On Sound · specification

Independent hands-on coverage compares surface workflow, remote control, buses, stagebox and recording paths across X32, WING, StudioLive, Ui and other digital mixers, with limitations attached to the tested console, firmware and application.

Source type
editorial
Content hash
13bb6e5e49331c4f
Use
store excerpt
Open Sound On Sound
06
Independent live mixer field reviewsAudioTechnology · consensus

Field reviews compare compact surfaces and rack engines through real routing, fader, touchscreen, network, I/O, show and recording workflows rather than treating channel count or manufacturer sound claims as universal rankings.

Source type
editorial
Content hash
51d0ad7b139b9e4a
Use
store excerpt
Open AudioTechnology
07
Current owner discussions about digital live mixersLive-sound owners and operators · consensus

Owners repeatedly discuss stagebox compatibility, bus counts, scene and firmware behavior, router design, remote-control recovery, recording media and service access; those self-reports are bounded experience, not failure rates or universal sound-quality conclusions.

Source type
community
Content hash
ebe4a3816cd6ae0c
Use
store excerpt
Open Live-sound owners and operators
08
CQ-18T alternative recordAllen & Heath · alternative

CQ-18T represents the compact touchscreen band mixer branch at $1,099 current authorized U.S. reference.

Source type
manufacturer
Content hash
484258edb8377a9f
Use
store excerpt
Open Allen & Heath
09
DM3 Standard alternative recordYamaha · alternative

DM3 Standard represents the ultra-compact motorized surface without dante branch at $1,799.99 current authorized U.S. reference.

Source type
manufacturer
Content hash
e0ce5ccae7dcce5e
Use
store excerpt
Open Yamaha

The manufacturer record, current market collection, support material and independent category evidence were checked on August 16, 2026. The checkout package and regional support path still need verification. Owner reports are retained as bounded experience, not a reliability rate. Processed channels, local sockets, physical faders, mono or stereo buses, stagebox protocols and included versus optional network cards remain distinct. Wireless control is never treated as guaranteed or redundant by itself; a wired path, prepared fallback controller, power plan and rehearsed show restore are part of a remote rig. Firmware, apps, editor versions, show files, scenes, recall safes, clocking and recording media must be qualified together before a live event. Automated gain, feedback, dynamics and limiting tools do not guarantee intelligibility, hearing safety or regulatory compliance. Safe SPL and exposure management require competent operation and appropriate measurement, while mains distribution, grounding and temporary electrical work belong to qualified professionals following local rules. No record claims one preamp, sample rate, processing architecture or console sounds universally better, and owner reports remain bounded experience rather than reliability statistics.

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