Audio Networking Protocols: Why Choose Dante-enabled Products?
Many audio equipment manufacturers, including LEA, design and create products specifically for use with Dante audio networks. It has become an industry standard and there are very good reasons for that. But to understand the benefits of Dante, it helps to have some background knowledge about other audio networking protocols that are available and how they compare with Audinate’s award winning technology.
Let’s dive in!
CobraNet
Audio Networking Protocols: Why Choose Dante-enabled Products?
One of the original audio network protocols that transported digital audio over Ethernet, was CobraNet. This was a huge step up from the signal degradation and costs associated with long analog cable runs. It was the perfect solution for large commercial audio integration projects like stadiums, theme parks, and convention centers. After being developed in 1996, it was used in some very high-profile installations such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and the Super Bowl halftime show in 1997.
Unfortunately, CobraNet operated with transmission delays that were still unacceptable for some complex audio systems and there are extra costs associated with using this protocol, which requires a special interface to encode and decode signals.
The AoE Explosion
Audio Networking Protocols: Why Choose Dante-enabled Products?
After CobraNet, many audio equipment manufacturers jumped on the audio-over-ethernet bandwagon by designing their own audio transport protocols for their systems. The most notable of them being Q-LAN from QSC’s Q-SYS system, Livewire from Axia Audio, and AVB from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers among others. However, many of these new AoE protocols weren’t adopted widely enough to remain practical. That is, until Audinate hit the scene…
Audinate & Dante
Audio Networking Protocols: Why Choose Dante-enabled Products?
Audinate is a Sydney-based company that came together after Motorola closed one of their Australian research facilities. Some of the researchers were brought together for three years to develop what we now know as Dante.
Dante is a hardware and software solution that transports precisely timed digital audio between devices using standard IP Networking.
Since it’s release in 2006, Dante has become an industry standard for audio networking protocols with over 350 licensed companies and over 1,000 products using the Dante technology.
Dante’s success can be attributed to the multiple benefits offered by this technology such as:
- True digital signal, end to end – resulting in low latency and noise immunity.
- Reduced costs – with no need for additional gear to convert analog signals, and less cabling needed, Dante audio systems can keep costs lower for system integrators.
- Digital signal configuration – Audinate provides software systems such as Dante Controller to perform channel configurations to digitally route audio signals.
Conclusion
Audio Networking Protocols: Why Choose Dante-enabled Products?
To get more details about the benefits of Dante technology, read our detailed blog post, “Dante Amplifiers: The Advantages of Using Dante In Amps”. Also be sure to check out our line of Dante-enabled amplifiers, the Dante CONNECTSERIES.
If you have any questions about the advantages of using a Dante audio network, please leave a comment below or reach out to us on our social media channels.
