Audio source
A microphone, mixer, computer or media player creates an audio signal.
Dante replaces large bundles of analogue audio cables with an intelligent IP network, allowing hundreds of high-quality audio channels to be routed between microphones, digital signal processors, mixing consoles, amplifiers and computers.
Developed by Audinate, Dante has become one of the most widely adopted professional audio networking platforms across commercial AV, live production, education, government, broadcast and performance venues.
Dante is an audio-over-IP platform that converts digital audio into network data and transports it through standard Ethernet infrastructure.
A Dante-enabled microphone, mixer, DSP or computer places audio channels onto the network. Other Dante-enabled devices can subscribe to those channels and reproduce them at the required destination.
Instead of running a dedicated audio cable from every source to every destination, Dante allows signals to be connected logically using software. One source can be sent to one destination, several destinations or multiple rooms without physically repatching cables.
Dante is more than a connector format. It provides audio transport, device discovery, channel routing, clock synchronisation and network management within one coordinated platform.
Dante converts audio channels into IP data, sends them through the network and reconstructs them at the receiving device with precise timing.
A microphone, mixer, computer or media player creates an audio signal.
Audio is packetised and transported through managed network switches.
A DSP, amplifier, mixer, recorder or computer receives the channel.
The important difference: the physical network connection does not define where the audio must go. Audio routes are created in software and can be changed without moving cables.
Dante Controller is Audinate’s software application for discovering, configuring and routing Dante-enabled devices.
The software presents transmit channels along one side of a routing matrix and receive channels along the other. A technician can create a subscription by selecting where the two channels meet.
Lectern microphone
Wireless microphone
Media player
Mixing console
Audio DSP
Amplifier rack
Recording system
Overflow room
Clear device and channel naming is essential. A technically working network can still be difficult to support if its routes are poorly labelled or undocumented.
Dante makes complex audio systems easier to expand, reconfigure, monitor and connect across large facilities.
Send any available audio channel to any compatible destination without physically changing the cable path.
Expand from a small room to a multi-building deployment by adding endpoints and network capacity as required.
Keep the audio signal in the digital domain and avoid the noise, interference and degradation associated with long analogue runs.
Carry many bidirectional channels through structured Ethernet or fibre links rather than large bundles of individual audio cables.
Dante is integrated into thousands of products from professional AV manufacturers, providing broad equipment choice.
View device, routing, clock and network status from central software rather than testing each physical connection individually.
Dante simplifies audio routing, but the underlying network must still be designed for real-time media, precise clocking and predictable delivery.
Dante devices synchronise their internal clocks through Precision Time Protocol. This allows audio samples to remain aligned throughout the network.
Latency settings provide time for audio packets to reach the receiver. Settings must suit the number of switches and the network design.
Correct QoS configuration prioritises clocking and time-sensitive audio traffic over less critical network data.
IGMP configuration helps direct multicast audio only to the ports that have requested it, avoiding unnecessary network traffic.
Channel count, sample rate, multicast flows and other applications must be considered when calculating switch and uplink capacity.
Supported devices may use primary and secondary networks to provide an alternative audio path if a switch, cable or link fails.
Dante generally performs best on properly configured Gigabit or faster managed networks. Simply connecting devices to available office-network ports does not guarantee reliable professional audio.
Dante is a complete commercial networking platform. AES67 is an interoperability standard for transporting high-performance audio between compatible IP audio systems.
Many Dante-enabled devices can exchange multicast audio with non-Dante AES67 devices when the required features are supported and configured correctly.
Dante-to-Dante connections continue to use the Dante audio transport protocol. AES67 mode is used when interoperability with another compatible networked-audio platform is required.
AES67 capability depends on the particular device and firmware. It should never be assumed solely because a product includes a network port.
AES67 defines a common method for transporting compatible high-performance audio streams between different IP audio technologies.
Dante Domain Manager adds centralised management, security and cross-subnet capability for larger Dante deployments.
Require authorised users to sign in before they can access or change protected Dante resources.
Give administrators, technicians and operators different permissions based on their responsibilities.
Organise devices into logical groups by room, building, department or site and manage Dante across multiple subnets.
Monitor system events, identify offline devices and review changes made by individual users.
Dante Domain Manager is particularly relevant to universities, government facilities, performance venues, broadcast environments and larger commercial campuses where visibility and access control matter.
Dante is valuable wherever multiple professional audio channels need to move reliably between devices, equipment racks, rooms or buildings.
Connect microphones, DSPs, conferencing systems, amplifiers and divisible training rooms through the facility network.
Corporate AV solutions →Distribute paging, bell, performance and presentation audio between classrooms, halls and administration areas.
Education AV solutions →Route microphones, recording feeds and reinforcement audio through council chambers, hearing rooms and operations spaces.
Government AV solutions →Move live entertainment, television, background music and paging audio between function rooms and venue zones.
Venue AV solutions →Connect digital consoles, stage inputs, DSPs, amplifiers, recording computers and overflow spaces.
House of worship AV →Transport large channel counts between studios, production consoles, intercoms, stage boxes and recording systems.
Explore AV solutions →At Leichhardt Public School, Masters Voice Technology used Dante networking as part of a modern Q-SYS PA and bell system.
Dante helped distribute digital audio between system components while reducing the limitations associated with long analogue cable paths. The completed system supports scheduled bells, announcements, paging, emergency overrides and everyday school operation.
This project demonstrates where Dante creates its greatest value: multiple audio sources, distributed destinations and a system that must remain manageable over the long term.
Masters Voice Technology designs the audio workflow and network together, helping avoid the clocking, routing, bandwidth and documentation problems that can make an unmanaged Dante system difficult to maintain.
Identify every audio source, destination, channel count, room mode and operational requirement.
Calculate bandwidth and configure switching, QoS, multicast, addressing, VLANs and redundancy.
Establish device names, routes, clocking, latency, presets and failover while testing every signal path.
Record routes, addresses and settings, train operators and establish ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
Dante is an audio-over-IP platform developed by Audinate. It transports multiple channels of professional digital audio between compatible devices using standard Ethernet network infrastructure.
Dante uses standard IP and Ethernet technology, but a professional system should use compatible managed switches configured for real-time audio. Bandwidth, QoS, multicast and clocking requirements must be considered before using an existing network.
Dante normally uses structured Cat cabling or fibre network links rather than dedicated analogue multicore audio cables. Cabling must still meet the required network category, distance and installation standards.
Dante Audio is generally transported as uncompressed digital audio. The precise channel count, sample rate and bit depth depend on the capabilities of the connected products.
Dante Controller discovers Dante devices and allows technicians to create audio routes, configure devices and monitor channel, clocking, latency and network status.
The result depends on the system design. Supported Dante devices can use separate primary and secondary networks, but true resilience also requires suitable switches, cabling, power and failure planning.
Yes. Compatible Dante-enabled products from different manufacturers can exchange audio. Sample rates, channel capacity, firmware and individual product features should still be checked during design.
Dante is a complete platform covering discovery, routing, configuration and transport. AES67 is an interoperability standard that allows supported networked-audio systems to exchange compatible multicast audio streams.
Yes. Dante can operate across suitably designed network infrastructure. Larger routed or multi-subnet deployments may require Dante Domain Manager and coordination with the organisation’s IT team.
Certification is not legally required, but trained integrators better understand clocking, latency, multicast, QoS, redundancy and troubleshooting. This becomes increasingly important in larger or operationally critical systems.
Masters Voice Technology provides Dante network design, installation, configuration and support for commercial, education, government, hospitality and performance environments across Sydney and regional New South Wales.
