SQN-5S User's Handbook
CONTENTS
11 AUDIO LEVEL METERS 9 MASTER GAIN CONTROL
6 AUXILIARY MONITOR INPUTS 7 MICROPHONES
10 BASS CUTS 15 MIXING AND MATRIXING
18 CONNECTOR LIST 13 MONITORING HEADPHONES
17 CONNECTOR WIRING 12 OUTPUT LIMITERS
5 CALIBRATION OF THE RECORDER 3 OUTPUTS
1 INTRODUCTION 2 POWERING THE MIXER
8 LINE INPUTS 14 SLATING MICROPHONE
4 LINE-UP TONE 16 WARRANTY & SERVICE
1. INTRODUCTION The basic information necessary to allow a recording engineer to operate the SQN-
5S audio mixer is permanently displayed on its baseplate and cannot be lost. The aim of these instructions
is to explain the mixer’s facilities and functions in more detail to those who are already familiar with the
microphones and techniques that are employed by professional sound recordists.
Users of the earlier SQN mixers may be interested know how the new SERIES II version of the SQN-5S
relates to the previous model. The new mixer retains as far as possible the format of the old. It has five
input channels and two main output channels. Access has been provided to the Post-Fader outputs of all
of the channels so that it is possible to feed five fader-controlled (unbalanced) outputs to an external
recorder. Pre-fade listening to four of the input channels is included, as is a 'slating' microphone. The
power wiring allows the fuse-protected feeding of external power to other equipment, controlled by the
mixer's Power Selector switch. The Phones Volume control, with its tall knurled knob, is located on the
left panel. The Master Volume, with its 0dB detent, is mounted on the right panel with a similar format to
the [PAN] controls. The essential differences between this and the first generation are the addition of a
second pair of buffered line drivers and extra pair of monitoring return inputs, thus allowing the mixer to
be used with two cameras. Several more unbalanced outputs have also been added, bringing the total up
to four.
MIXING and MATRIXING. The SQN-5S retains most of the control format popularized by the previous
SQN-4S SERIES IVe mixers. In addition to the normal routing of individual channels, the mixer can be
configured as a Stereo Pair, with or without MS matrixing together with one other pan-pottable and two
switch-routable channels. The modes of operation for the CH1/CH2 pair are selected by the [GANG 1-2]
switch:
1. TWIN MONO
2. STEREO
3. MID-SIDE (with matrixing to or from AB stereo)
The effects on the operation of the other controls of selecting these three modes are described in section
15 below
2. POWERING THE MIXER
1. INTERNAL BATTERY. The SQN-5S should be powered by AA size alkaline cells such as
Mallory Type MN 1500 or an equivalent. The quiescent consumption of the mixer is
approximately 135mA at 12V and with dynamic microphones about 10 hours of continuous
operation can be expected from fresh cells.
Rechargeable nickel cadmium cells may be employed for maximum economy, but types fitted
with solder tags may be found mechanically unsuitable. If all cells are good they may be recharged
in series using an external charger unit, which can be connected to the 4-way connector [DC] next
to the battery compartment door. The endurance of nickel cadmium cells will be about half that of
alkaline cells.
