Advantages and applications of Dante digital audio transmission technology

Dante network audio can be transmitted on Ethernet (100M or 1000M) and can be set up for complex routing. Compared with traditional audio transmission technologies, it inherits all the advantages of CobraNet and EtherSound, such as uncompressed digital audio signals, ensuring good sound quality. Dante Audio has its own unique advantages, and what are the advantages of FHBAUDIO Dante intelligent conference system? Please refer to the following information:

1. Technical details

• IEEE 1588 (PTPv2) clock synchronization

Dante uses an enhanced version of the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) to achieve sub-microsecond clock synchronization. Through hardware timestamps and master-slave clock hierarchy (Grandmaster-Client architecture), the sampling clock consistency between multiple devices is ensured to avoid audio distortion caused by clock drift.

• Network adaptability

o QoS (Quality of Service): Supports DiffServ (Differential Services) marking, prioritizes audio data packets, and reduces jitter.

o Bandwidth management: Single-channel audio (48kHz/24bit) only requires about 1.5Mbps, and a gigabit network can support hundreds of channels. Supports VLAN division to isolate irrelevant traffic.

• Zero-Config implementation principle

Based on mDNS (multicast DNS) and DNS-SD (service discovery protocol), devices are automatically registered and discovered without manual IP assignment. For example, Dante Controller software automatically identifies Dante devices in the network through mDNS.

• Redundancy and fault tolerance mechanism

o HSR/PRP (High Availability Seamless Ring): Supports dual network port redundancy, network failure switching time <10ms.

o Clock redundancy: When the main clock fails, it automatically switches to the backup clock source.

2. Protocol stack and AVB compatibility

• Dante vs. AVB

o Dante is based on IP/UDP protocol, while AVB (now part of TSN) requires hardware support for IEEE 802.1AS (time synchronization), 802.1Qat (stream reservation) and other standards.

o Dante can support AVB through firmware upgrade, but the network equipment (switch) must be compatible with the TSN standard. Currently, hybrid deployment of Dante and AVB requires gateway device conversion.

• Dante Domain Manager

Enterprise-level management tool that supports multi-subnet audio routing, user permission control and log auditing, suitable for large venues or cross-building audio systems.

3. Quantification of performance indicators

• Latency optimization

o Typical end-to-end latency: ≤150μs (hardware acceleration) to 2ms (software processing).

o Adaptive encoding buffer: dynamically adjusts buffer depth to balance latency and anti-jitter capabilities.

• Sampling rate and bit depth

Supports 44.1kHz to 192kHz sampling rates, 16/24/32bit bit depth, and supports AES67 standards (SMPTE ST 2110-30/31).

4. Industry application expansion

• Broadcasting and live performances

o MADI over IP: Integrate traditional broadcasting equipment through Dante-MADI bridge.

o Multicast routing: Realize synchronous distribution of main and standby mixer signals, such as multi-zone audio synchronization at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

• Smart buildings

o PoE power supply integration: Cooperate with PoE switches to realize single-cable power supply + data transmission of Dante microphones/speakers (such as Shure MXA series).

o Linkage with BMS system: Connect with building management systems (such as Crestron) through Dante API to realize fire alarm forced broadcast.

• Education and corporate conferences

o Dante Virtual Soundcard (DVS): Use ordinary PCs as Dante nodes to access conference systems at low cost (such as Zoom integration).

o NDI|HX and Dante intercommunication: Synchronous transmission of audio and NewTek NDI video streams in video conferences.

5. Security and Standard Certification

• AES67 Interoperability

Dante devices can communicate with AoIP systems such as Ravenna and Livewire through the AES67 standard to ensure cross-vendor compatibility.

• Network Security

o Supports 802.1X port authentication and MAC address whitelist.

o Optional audio stream encryption (such as AES-128) to prevent eavesdropping or tampering.

6. Cutting-edge development

• TSN (Time Sensitive Network) extension

Dante will support IEEE 802.1Qbv (Time-Aware Shaping) in the future to achieve deterministic low latency, suitable for industrial automation audio synchronization (such as automotive test benches).

• Dante Ultra

Next-generation technology preview: support for 8K audio channels, nanosecond synchronization, and audio transmission for the metaverse (VR/AR) space.

Dante technology reshapes the audio transmission paradigm through IP, automation and high compatibility. Its core advantage is to integrate professional audio systems into IT infrastructure while reserving a path for future AVB/TSN evolution. Continuous innovation in real-time, reliability and scalability has made it the de facto standard in the AoIP (Audio over IP) field.