Written by Terry Doner - Jan 14 2021. Updated Jan 18 2021.
Dante is often cited as the solution to all production audio problems. It isn't. It can be useful in several. For example:
Run a large number of audio channels over a distance
Ability to quickly change an audio systems configuration
Ability to avoid repeated analog-digitial and digital-audio conversions
An ease way to split an audio source into multiple destinations
The costs for those benefits? The main trade-off is an increased in the complexity and criticality of your network. There is also a possible financial premium, but in some cases it may be cheaper than the analog alternatives.
Let's define a scenario: a Behringer X32 Front-of-House console (FoH), a Digital Audio Workstation for live stream mixing, and a Blackmagic Design ATEM Studio HD hardware video mixer. The DAW and video mixer are 50 meters from FoH in a broadcast room. Both the the FoH position and the broadcast room have a managed switch with sufficient capacity.
Equipment needed:
Dante expansion card for the X32 (USD $600)
Audinate Virtual Sound Card software (USD $30)
Audinate AVIO output adapter (USD $168)
Three cat6 ethernet cable of the right length (USD ~ $50)
The audio flow pretty much follows the lines on the diagram except the audio path functionally flows from VSC to the AVIO (via the switch).
This would enable 32 channels of audio into the DAW and 2-channels to the video mixer.
One thing not addressed by this solution is your ability to monitor the DAW output at the DAW workstation. The options are dependent on the capabilities of your DAW, but one option would be to use something like this RedNet Stereo Dante Headphone Amplifier.
For a total of about $850 (plus tax) we can get 32 channels of audio split from the FoH, routed to the input of the DAW and then routed to the video mixer. This would be likely cheaper than the equivalent analog solution.
In this implementation there are two digital consoles with 16-in x 16-out Dante cards. The Shure ULXD4Q boxes are 4-channel wireless receivers (0-in x 4-out). The two computers are running Virtual Sound Card (VSC). ProPresenter is a 2-channel source. The other computer is for recording (and live streaming monitoring).
With this setup, any of my 16 wireless receivers can be routed to either console, likewise ProPresenter. The DAW (Digitial Audio Workstation) is used for multi-track recording and live stream mixing; it is used to grab upto 48 channels from the network, the main console (M7CL) provides 16 of those channels, including direct outs and submixes.
As provided by Audinate:
Audinate Dante Controller - this is a mandatory component of a system. It provides the tools to manage the connections between devices, and also a key to diagnostic tool. It is not required at all times for operation.
Audinate Virtual Sound Card (VSC) - this software enables incoming and outgoing audio for an Windows or Mac computer. These endpoints are then available within software such as Reaper, or Logic, etc just like a soundcard or a hardware audio interface. This software is limited to a maximum of 64x64 channels. If you need more than that you will need a PCIe card.
Audinate Via - this software is similar to VSC but has some extra features. It provides additional control over the routing of audio within the computer system. And it is also able to act as a Dante system clock.
There are other software titles that can be useful in an Dante solution. These examples are provided by the device manufacturers to manage their hardware. For example, they enable features like pre-amplifier gain and polarity.
Yamaha R Remote - This allows for remote control of some of Yamaha's TIO and RIO stage boxes. Many Yamaha consoles have built in control for these devices, so the software if of most use when you don't have a Yamaha console.
Neutrik DPRO Controller - Similar to the Yamaha software but for support of Neutrik devices. Some consoles will also have built-in capability to control the Neutrik boxes.
NOTE: Not all Dante devices provide the option to be controlled independently. For example the Allen&Heath DT168 can only be controlled via A&H consoles (as of Jan 2021). The DT168 can be used as a source for non-A&H consoles but those consoles will not be able to control the preamp; for that you need to have a compatible A&H console on the network.
This is a good article on configuring your network to support Dante. and this one. and this.
There are a series of options that need to be considered when designing your network:
Managed versus unmanaged network switches
Dedicated versus Shared Network
Redundant versus Single Switch
Power-over-ethernet support
Network Capacity
Quality-of-Service (QOS)
Virtual LAN (VLAN)
Energy Efficient Ethernet
Fan based cooling
I'll go over each of these briefly.
Managed versus Unmanaged Switches
If you using network switches which are dedicated to you Dante network than unmanaged switches can work very well and are cheapest. But if you are sharing your network hardware with other things, than managed switches are more important.
However ensure that whatever switch you use can turn off EEE (see below).
Dedicated versus Shared Network
You may already have a networking infrastructure in your facility. You could add Dante to it. Or you could buy new network hardware and run additional ethernet cables. Which should you do?
For highest reliability purchasing high-quality dedicated switches that are dedicated to the sole purpose of running Dante is likely the best.
On the other hand, if you have a well managed network infrastructure with a well known defined utilization it might be fine to share the network with other things as well.
For example, the majority of my dante equipment is on a single primary managed switch and that switch doesn't have much else on it. It shares capacity with audio console control, and two security cameras that have very well defined bandwidth needs. This switch has tons of spare capacity.
Redundant versus Single Switch
Many Dante devices have two dante network ports; a primary and a secondary. This allows you to create a completely redundant network which will instantly step in and keep your audio running. This might be of highest value if you are using dante in a stage environment and a cable could easily get yanked or broken.
If you do go with a redundant design, you will need to very clearly keep track of which cables are primary and which are secondary. I suggest you use a consistent colour scheme: green for primary, yellow for secondary, and red for non-redundant. This way you can tell at-a-glance if you have a secondary cable plugged into your primary switch. (unless you are colour blind).
Colour coding or not, you should label your cables.
Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE)
Many smaller dante devices can be powered via the ethernet cable, this power comes from your switch, or from a power injector. There are three PoE standards, the main difference being the total power than can be delivered to a single device. When purchasing your switch and your individual devices ensure that there is sufficient power on the port for your devices.
Also, many switches are not able to supply full power to every port. For example, some can only provide full power to half of its ports, and they may be specific ports.
If your switch doesn't have PoE support or your switch has no more power capacity, you can use a PoE injector as a power source.
Network Capacity
If you are planning a medium size or larger network (more than 64 channels), you should do the detailed calculations to figure out your actually network demand. For very rough calculations you can use 2 Mbps per channel (48kHz 24bit). A 1 Gb port with no other traffic can easily handle a hundred channels.
Audinate recommends that you do not exceed 70% of your network capacity.
There is a good reference chart in this document. It also has a good discussion on the concept of Dante flows, which are important when doing more sophisticated network load calculations.
Quality of Service
Quality of Service (QoS) is a mechanism provided by managed switches to give priority to some network traffic over others. A simple analogy is to think about different passenger classes at an airport gate. First class passengers are boarded first and then business class, and then economy. If economy is boarding and a first class passenger arrives in their line, they would be 'jump the queue' in a sense.
QoS can give priority to your Dante system clock and audio traffic over web browsing (if you even allow it on the same network). It is not a magic solution and does not create more bandwidth. If you have overloaded your network QoS will not help. It may help protect against brief spikes.
Virtual VLANs (VLANs)
A Virtual LAN is a way of pretending that you have multiple networks, when you only have one set of wires and switches. It is useful when you want to segregate one group of devices from another. For example, you might place all public wireless devices into their own VLAN and provide them access to the internet only as well as restrict the total bandwidth they can consume.
It is important to remember that you cannot create more bandwidth this way, rather it is a tool to better manage what you already have.
Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE)
The purpose of EEE is to save electricity on the switch when a port is not in use. It does this by shutting the port down when the switch thinks it appropriate. This does not work with Dante. Turn it off.
Fan Based Cooling
Many larger port switches have fans, and are not particularly designed to be quiet. This is not a problem if in a network closet someplace. But it is not good at all if the switch is a meter away from your audio engineer!
These video covers many networking topics.
See also: Adding Dante To Your Network Audinate
General guidance from Shure. Shure has provided some configuration guides for specific switches:
Audinate produce all of the core interface chips that other manufacturers use in their products. These chips offer different ranges of capabilities. When purchasing devices, it is good to know what is inside as it does define the limits of the product's capabilities.
The major difference to watch for is Ultimo versus Broadway. An Ultimo based device will not support routing of one of its inputs to its own output, but a Broadway device can.
Ultimo (2x2 or 4x4, non-redundant)
Broadway (8x8 or 16x16 with redundancy)
Brooklyn II (64x64 with redundancy)
Dante HC (Spartan) (128x128, 256x256, or 512x512 with redundancy)
Audinate provides three levels of certification. To support the certification they have a series of videos on YouTube for each level, and you can take the optional test and get the certification certificate.
For your quick reference, here are the four videos that are part of the Level 1 certification.