KLARK TEKNIK SQ1S: Square ONE Audio Splitter

The Square ONE Splitter is a user-friendly, high-performance, eight-channel, active microphone (mic) splitter designed for live sound reinforcement. Housed in a rugged and compact 2U rack enclosure, the Square ONE Splitter offers a cost-effective and space-effective method of providing up to 24 outputs from 8 sources. In addition, the Square ONE Splitter can also function as a 1 x 16 media splitter. The Square ONE Splitter can distribute up to eight mic or line level signals to multiple locations, while maintaining signal integrity and minimising noise interference. Its primary application is to split the audio signals on-stage into individual feeds for front of house (FOH), monitoring (MON), multi-track recording, live broadcasting or indeed any other requirement. Although the Square ONE Splitter is a cost-effective unit, its signal integrity and audio performance mean it can be used with any console, and the quality of its preamp and circuitry can enhance the audio performance of lower cost consoles.

The Square ONE Splitter has eight channels, each consisting of two parallel inputs, two preamps, and a total of three balanced outputs. Two of the outputs (identical) are electronically balanced, while the other is transformer isolated. Both paralleled mic inputs feed two integral, superbly specified mic preamps, which are based on the circuitry used in the DL431 Mic Splitter (part of the acclaimed Midas XL8 Live Performance System). One preamp provides adjustable gain and drives the two electronically balanced outputs at increased levels (up to line level), while the second provides a fixed gain copy of the input and drives the transformer isolated output.

Channel controls consist of: solo, filter and phantom voltage pushbutton switches each with an adjacent LED for on/off indication; a gain control knob; and a dedicated peak reading meter for displaying the output at all times. The solo system allows any channel(s) to be monitored via the integral headphone amplifier. The gain control knob is used for optimising the preamp gain. Standard +48V phantom powering is individually switchable on each channel and has remote operation by virtue of its unique phantom voltage sensing feature.

Additional controls include a headphone level control (just above a headphone jack), a global ground lift switch per set of electronically balanced outputs and a media split switch. The media split switch activates media split mode, in which the output of channel 8 is distributed to all 16 electronically balanced outputs.

All audio connections are on balanced XLRs (wired pin 2 hot) featuring gold plated connectors. The mic inputs and transformer balanced outputs are mounted on the front panel for easy access, and the two electronically balanced outputs are on the rear panel along with the duplicate set of inputs. An integral switch mode power supply automatically adapts to mains voltages in the range 100 to 240 volts (50 to 60Hz). An LED on the front panel indicates when power is applied to the unit; there is no mains power on/off switch.