Allen & Heath AB168 Portable AudioRack 16x8 Remote Stagebox for Qu and GLD

Allen & Heath AB168: 16x8 Remote Stage I/O Over a Single Cat5 Cable

The Allen & Heath AB168 is a 16x8 portable AudioRack stagebox that extends the inputs and outputs of a Qu or GLD digital mixing system to the stage over a single Cat5 cable. It puts 16 recallable mic/line preamps and 8 XLR line outputs right where your microphones and monitors live, so you no longer drag a heavy analog multicore snake from the stage to front of house. Housed in a rugged, floor-ready chassis with rubber bumpers and a carry handle, it is built to be thrown in a truck, dropped on a stage, and trusted set after set. For any engineer expanding an Allen & Heath rig, the AB168 turns a tangle of copper into one clean digital link.

How dSNAKE Turns One Cat5 Run Into a 16x8 Digital Snake

The AB168 communicates with the console using Allen & Heath's proprietary dSNAKE protocol, carrying all 16 input channels and 8 output channels bidirectionally over a single Cat5 cable at up to 393 ft (120 m). dSNAKE runs at a 48 kHz sample rate and keeps latency low and predictable, so the remote preamps behave exactly as if they were built into the mixer's surface. Because the audio is converted to digital right at the stagebox, long cable runs no longer pick up hum, RF interference, or high-frequency loss the way an analog multicore does. The connection is a locking network-style link, which means a single, inexpensive, easily replaced cable does the job of a bulky copper snake. This is the core reason digital stageboxes have replaced analog looms on touring and install stages.

16 Recallable Preamps With Per-Channel Phantom Power Indicators

Each of the AB168's 16 XLR inputs feeds a recallable microphone preamp, meaning the console stores and restores every gain setting as part of a scene or show file. That recall is what lets an engineer save a fully dialed-in stage and reload it perfectly at the next show, or hand a festival input list off between acts in seconds. Every channel has its own LED that lights when 48V phantom power is engaged, giving instant visual confirmation that a condenser mic or active DI is receiving power before the show starts. Balanced XLR connections on all 16 inputs preserve signal integrity for microphones, DIs, and line sources alike. It is a preamp bank that behaves like part of the mixer, not a separate box you have to walk to.

Eight Line Outputs and an Expander Port for Monitors and Growth

On the output side, the AB168 provides 8 balanced XLR line outputs at the stage, ideal for feeding stage monitors, powered speakers, delay towers, or a broadcast split without running return cables all the way from front of house. The dedicated expander port adds even more flexibility: you can daisy-chain a second AB168 or an AR2412 AudioRack to grow your channel count, or connect an Allen & Heath ME personal monitoring system so musicians mix their own in-ears from the same stage feed. That expandability means a small system can grow with the venue instead of being replaced. For engineers who mix monitors from the same console, the AB168 keeps every send and return organized at the stage end.

Built for the Road: Rugged Chassis, Rack Option, and Qu/GLD Fit

The AB168 is built as a true floor box, with a rugged chassis, protective rubber bumpers, and an integrated carry handle so it survives the realities of load-in, load-out, and life on a stage floor. At roughly 10.6 lb it is light enough for one person to reposition quickly, yet solid enough to trust under stage traffic. When a permanent home is needed, the optional AB-168-RK19 kit mounts it into 4U of a standard 19-inch rack for install racks and drive racks. It is fully compatible with Allen & Heath Qu and GLD digital mixers, slotting into those ecosystems as a plug-and-go remote I/O expansion. Whether it lives on a touring stage or bolted into an install rack, it is designed to disappear into the workflow and just work.

Who the Allen & Heath AB168 Is For

The AB168 is for live sound engineers, touring techs, house-of-worship volunteers, and corporate AV teams running an Allen & Heath Qu or GLD system who need more inputs and outputs at the stage without hauling analog copper. If you are tired of coiling a heavy multicore, chasing hum on long runs, or re-patching your stage every show, this stagebox replaces all of that with one Cat5 cable and total recall. It scales from a single-box 16x8 setup to a daisy-chained multi-rack system as your events grow. For anyone building or expanding a modern digital live rig, the AB168 is the roadworthy remote AudioRack that makes the whole system portable, recallable, and reliable.