24 l October 2012
www.prosoundnewseurope.com
studiofeature
DIGITAL AUDIO NETWORKING Developments in the audio industry, particularly in live sound, move relatively slowly because of the need for reliability and quick set-up. Existing technologies will continue to be used for some time but the current trend for digital audio networking is clear. What seems likely is that the cost of networking will reduce, allowing smaller venues with lower budgets to create audio and control networks. For VDC the shift in technology means a reduction in sales of large channel count analogue-based systems and conventional copper cabling. The company’s new 25th edition catalogue contains a networking specific section.
Holden says: “As pro audio
and AV becomes more reliant on conventional network cabling infrastructure, it is vital that the quality of these cable systems is maintained. There’s plenty of cheap Cat5e cable available but a low price almost always means low quality, for example the use of undeclared CCA (copper clad aluminium) conductors and reduced conductor size. This results in cable that is not compliant with the ISO 11801 Class D Category 5e standard. “Van Damme has responded to
the increasing use of network- based cable infrastructure in pro audio with the expansion of the Tourcat range to now include four- way U/UTP multicore, 4 x U/UTP plus 2 x AES/EBU pair multicore,
WIGWAM ACOUSTICS OPTS FOR VAN DAMME SUPER GREEN
There are not many cables in the market that support 96kHz AES/EBU over extended distances, particularly in the UK, so Van Damme’s Super Green enhanced AES/EBU is proving popular. Distributed in the UK by VDC Trading the cable is a foil screen overall braid multicore and PVC jacketed one-pair cable optimised for the long-distance transmission of 96kHz digital audio signals. With many manufacturers’ amplifiers now optimised for 96kHz AES/EBU inputs this range
provides an effective solution for getting from the FOH mixing desk to the on-stage amplifier racks. Wigwam Acoustics has recently made the Super Green series multicore its standard system returns cable. Alex Hadjigeorgiou, Wigwam’s digital technology specialist, comments: “Rock solid 96kHz AES, large conductor low capacitance pairs for long-distance Canbus
transmission and the cables’ excellent handling characteristics are the reasons we have chosen it.”
and 0.53mm solid conductor U/UTP and F/UTP high- performance Cat5e (DCS) cables.” Direct Cable Systems has built
a solid reputation as a reliable, quality trade supplier to the audio, broadcast, lighting and power industries thanks to its Evolution XPC cable. David Spanbok, DCS managing director, points out that his company supplied the first tactical Cat5 cables for use with the soundweb network systems used on the 1999 Millennium Dome project. This gave him an early heads up on the requirement for a heavy-duty tour-tough flexible Cat5 cable. He says: “After some refinement,
the Evolution XPC Tactical Cat5 range was launched along with two-, and four-way multicores with a new Cat6 option added this year. With the rise of digital audio and Ethernet-based management systems the Evolution XPC range has established itself as reliable extended distance deployable cable for equipment manufacturers and touring professional alikes, and makes up a major part of our UK and international sales.” Rieck believes that networking
will present the same benefits that fibre systems have provided. “The demand will increase and the systems will be cheaper; interest from manufacturers will rise. We already have our answers to these subjects prepared with fibre, MADI and Cat6/7 systems.”
The opticalCON QUAD is a popular product line for Neutrik
Looking to the
future it seems that cautious optimism is the mood in the industry. Holden believes that there are
Link USA has been in the stage box and cable business
for 25 years. With the rise of digital they have leveraged their conventional stage boxes with the new protocols to offer modular touring grade distribution systems. At PLASA 2012 Bob Vanden Burgt, vice president of marketing, demonstrated the DGlink Modular Stage Box System that operates on the Dante network. He says: “It has the components and the capabilities of the analogue distribution systems but it is the first multi-protocol digital snake system to implement Dante. “It provides a self-configuring, plug-and-play digital audio network that uses standard internet protocols. Dante is a scalable solution that works on both 100Mbits and 1Gigabit Ethernet and, coupled with Link’s hybrid approach, offers the end user a distribution system that will improve audio quality and simplify setup. We are spending a lot of time at the moment educating users on networking protocols for stage links.”
several reasons why VDC can be confident. “We are concentrating on growth within our core markets coupled with expansion into new market areas. Export and retail are huge opportunities that we are looking to capitalise on. AV and IT convergence means that the various market areas are drawing closer together so we need to be smart with our current and future cable designs.” Rieck concludes: “The wide
range of our products allows many options. On top of that our product range is constantly growing. Growth is possible in many areas. Certainly, the focus will be in the digital domain. Our current combination of signal lines, fibre optics, network, HD video, MADI and power in one cable, provides challenges that have meant the development of new components and connector housings. But this is what makes our work so interesting. The profit maximisation is less important than the product.”n
www.directcablesystems.com www.hhb.co.uk www.linkusa-inc.com www.mogami.co.uk www.sommercable.com www.vdctrading.com www.canford.co.uk www.gepco.com
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