The Allen&HeathAHM16 is a highly capable 16 × 16 audio matrix processor designed for professional installation environments. At its heart lies a 96 kHz FPGA-based processing core delivering ultra-low latency signal routing and processing, making it a very solid choice for multi-room audio setups in venues such as bars, restaurants, shops, school halls or smaller corporate spaces.
Routing and I/O wise, the AHM-16 provides 16 input channels and 16 output channels in a fully configurable matrix. Locally it offers 8 analogue mic/line inputs and 8 relay-protected line outputs via Phoenix connectors. One of its major strengths is its expansion capability: via a dedicated I/O expansion port the unit can accept optional cards (such as Dante, MADI, Waves or SLink) to scale up to a full 128 × 128 audio channel I/O matrix, enabling integration into large-scale audio networks if required.
In terms of signal-processing, every input and every zone/output has access to a rich set of tools: an eight-band parametric EQ, dynamics (compressor/limiter), delay, plus advanced features like automatic microphone mixing (AMM), ambient noise compensation (ANC) and priority ducking. On the output side, speaker-processing functions are built in: configurable crossovers, delay, limiters, PEQ and all-pass filters allow for full speaker-level optimisation of zones or outputs. The outputs can be configured as mono or stereo zones (up to 16 mono zones or 8 stereo zones) or as full speaker-processing paths.
Control and integration are also well addressed. The front panel features a screen and four programmable “SoftKeys” for direct local control of functions like volume, source selection or preset recall. Integrators can leverage IP-based remote controllers (such as the IP1, IP6, IP8 models from Allen & Heath), as well as network-capable GPIO, TCP/IP protocols, and drivers for major third-party automation systems (Crestron, AMX, Extron). The system supports up to four user profiles and includes event-scheduling and stereo-playback features for unattended operation.
From an installation perspective, the unit is designed to slot into a standard rack and serve as the system’s audio-matrix brain, yet with a level of flexibility and forward-looking network expansion seldom found in this class. It is particularly highlighted in manufacturer literature as ideal for singleroom or smaller multi-room installations, where you need solid processing, routing and control, but without the cost and overhead of extremely large-scale systems.
In summary, the AHM-16 combines professional-grade processing, flexible routing, networking expansion and control integration in a rack-mountable box, making it a sophisticated choice for installed audio systems where you need more than a basic DSP but don’t require an enterprise-scale solution.