Overview:

Q-Sys Integrated System Platform

• Q-Sys is the most powerful yet simple solution on the market for audio processing, control and management. It is designed and backed by the industry leaders of audio engineering and service.

A Completely new technology platform

• Q-Sys™ has no equal as an integrated, scalable audio solution. Built from the ground up on a powerful, open, IT-friendly foundation, the Q-Sys platform transcends the limitations in scope, performance, and usability that have kept previous networked audio control systems from reaching their full potential.

Innovation through technology

• Q-Sys represents the latest advance in QSC's long history of defining the state of the art in audio routing and control systems. As the world's first licensee of Cobra Net™, QSC created DSP-based audio processing products that enabled new capabilities in both commercial and performance sound reinforcement systems. As developments in IT continued to enhance the capabilities of CPUs and IP networking, we responded with new solutions offering far greater power and flexibility than the proprietary approach still being embraced by our competitors. That's the QSC way; Building on our heritage while constantly evolving through new technologies.

Q-Sys system elements

• The primary elements of a Q-Sys system are the Core, the Designer software, the Q-LAN network, and the peripherals.
• Q-Sys Core is the brain of the system, performing all audio routing, processing, and control functions.
• Q-Sys Designer software provides the interface for system design, configuration, and control.
• Q-LAN is the IP-friendly network that connects the system into an integrated whole.
• Q-Sys peripherals such as I/O Frames, I/O cards, page stations and touch screen controllers provide fully customizable, application-specific functionality.

Integrated Core Series

The Core is the brain of the system; it performs all the audio routing and processing and handles all control functions. The Q-Sys Core is available in three sizes, Core 1000, 3000, and 4000, and are based on channel capacity. Design choices can substantially increase system channel count , so the following table represents the minimum channel capacity of each Core model.

Q-Sys is based on a centralized processing architecture. Having all processing take place in one unit gives the designer complete flexibility while enabling simplified system redundancy. With a centralized architecture any input can be routed to any output without convoluted signal paths.

Redundancy

• A second Core can be connected to the network acting as a backup to the primary core. Should the primary core fail, the secondary core takes over all processing for the entire system. In this way, a Q-Sys system is much more robust than a distributed system where the failure of any processor can have a pronounced effect on the system's performance.
• The Core 250i/500i Integrated Cores bring the power and elegance of the larger Q-Sys Cores to applications requiring fewer channels. Integrated Cores have the capability of directly accommodating eight Q-Sys input and/or output cards for a total onboard channel capacity of 32 channels (more if AES or CobraNet™ cards are used). Channel count may be further expanded by the addition of Q-Sys I/O Frames and other peripheral devices.

Applications

• The Integrated Q-Sys Cores are an ideal choice for boardrooms, conferencing, convention centers, entertainment venues, hospitality, houses of worship, legislative installations, performing arts, sports bars, stadiums and arenas, theme parks and transportation facilities.

Platform

•  Using a customized Linux OS and running on Intel® microprocessors, the Core 500i and 250i are amazingly powerful. Because Q-Sys doesn't depend on proprietary DSP hardware, it directly benefits from advancements driven by the entire global Computing / IT industry, and software improvements don't require new hardware. New capabilities are added on a regular basis.

Network

• Q-Sys utilizes our IT-friendly Layer-3 Gigabit Ethernet implementation. The audio transport is low-latency (fixed at 2.5 ms from any input to any output) and based on accepted IP standards. Q-Sys will operate using a variety of available, off-the-shelf Gigabit switches (see the QSC web-site for a list of qualified switches). Because it is standards based it can easily run on a shared network without segregating audio traffic via tedious VLAN configuration.

Design GUI

• Q-Sys cores are configured using an intuitive object-based drag and drop user interface that provides for the creation of nearly any imaginable signal flow. Control logic objects are provided and custom scripting may also be used to accomplish a wide range of interface or control tasks. The design GUI is capable of quickly and easily generating graphical control screens that may be run on network-connected computers, tablet devices or QSC touch-screen controllers.

Scalable Redundancy

• While QSC is known for and dedicated to building the most reliable products, some applications call for additional assurance. Any element of a Q-Sys system - Cores, networks, I/O Frames and even amplifiers may be deployed in a redundant configuration. The system designer has the choice of making one or all system elements redundant.

Peripherals

• Q-Sys capabilities are further enhanced by a growing suite of peripheral devices including page stations, touch-screen controllers and specialized I/O cards.
• Q-Sys is a suite of powerful tools that make any project's requirements simple to achieve. It provides rock-solid performance backed by the unrivaled service and support QSC has built its reputation on.