NETWORK AUDIO

AUDIO NETWORKING SIMPLIFIED

BSS and Crown feature products that include native AVB, CobraNet®, Dante™ and AES67 audio transport technologies. Through the use of BLU link, they can also be programmed and controlled through HARMAN HiQnet Audio Architect™ software. By combining this range of audio transport solution options, users have incredible flexibility to choose the right product to solve the requirements of almost any job.

In addition, AMX SVSI Networked AV encoders and decoders can stream AES67-transported audio digitally to and from BSS Soundweb London Signal Processors. Since Soundweb London Signal Processors send and receive both AES67 and Dante simultaneously, the advanced functionality, offered by Dante, can be retained between compatible devices, such as other HARMAN AES67-compatible equipment. Support of HARMAN processor, amplifier and video products, including AMX SVSI Networked AV devices, utilizing AES67, brings seamless interoperability with other non-HARMAN AES67 compatible systems. This diagram illustrates a typical application utilizing HARMAN Networked AV: 

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FLEXIBLE AUDIO TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS

System designers face a wide variety of audio transport standard decisions, which drove HARMAN to develop a range of signal processing solutions to meet the needs of the most popular requirements.

Crown offers a range of models that support native AVB, AES67, Dante, and CobraNet network transports. In addition, Crown offers BLU link amplifiers, which can be paired with any Soundweb London processor allowing for an incredible amount of channel count and power options.

AMX SVSI video encoders and decoders now include AES67, allowing native audio integration with BSS and Crown to complete a fully integrated audiovisual system. This video offers an additional discussion on HARMAN Networked Audio solutions:

BLU LINK

HARMAN BLU link is a high-bandwidth, low-latency audio bus that can be used as a standalone technology or used as a complement to Dante, AES67, AVB, and CobraNet.

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USB AUDIO

It’s often desirable to use a computer as a source of audio or as a recording device. The BSS BLU-USB allows up to eight channels of audio to be sourced from a PC/Mac and made accessible via BLU link to other devices on the same ring. Up to eight channels of audio can also be received by the computer from the BLU link ring for recording or monitoring purposes. This diagram illustrates a typical USB Audio solution:

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DANTE

HARMAN’s support of Dante networked audio allows audio to be passed through BSS Soundweb London BLU-806DA, BLU-326DA, or BLU-DA devices into any Crown BLU link-enabled amplifier. These Soundweb London processors make it possible to use Dante to pass audio between multiple locations, capable of being routed through switches and existing network infrastructure. They can also be used as a bridge to convert Dante audio to BLU link for low-cost audio redistribution of up to 60 devices within a rack or room.

In addition to using BLU link amplifiers in a Dante system, Crown DriveCore Install (DCi) DA Series amplifiers can also receive Dante audio directly. All DCi DA models are capable of providing 70Vrms/100Vrms audio per channel.

NEW: Dante Domain Manager Firmware Update for BSS and Crown
Dante-enabled BSS SoundWeb London Processors (BLU-806-DA, BLU-326-DA, BLU-DA) and Crown DCi-DA Amplifiers (8|600DA, 8|300DA, 4|1250DA , 4|600DA, 4|300DA) will support Audinate’s Dante 4.0 firmware, featuring Dante Domain Manager. Dante 4.0 offers these added benefits:

  • IT Friendly
    • Can run on a VM
    • Reporting via SNMP
    • Active Directory and LDAP support
  • Integrator Friendly
    • Can divide audio system into “domains,” each with secure user logins
    • Configurable dashboard for remote support
    • Audio routing across subnets / WAN
    • Audit trail for troubleshooting

This diagram illustrates a typical application utilizing HARMAN Dante:

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NETWORK TRANSPORT EXPANSION OPTIONS USING BLU LINK

BLU link is a great compliment to other network transport formats, such as Dante. By using the appropriate BSS Soundweb London processor, Dante can be converted to BLU link for local distribution within a rack or rack room. Designing a system with this method can alleviate network congestion and expand system options to any BLU link-enabled amplifier, processor, or accessory. This system design approach works identically between Dante, AES67, CobraNet, and AVB.

Dante & AES67

AES67 is a standard for high-performance streaming audio-over-IP interoperability. It provides a common format to pass audio digitally between two or more different audio-over-IP systems.

Many AMX SVSI video encoders and decoders support AES67, in addition to traditional SVSI encoded audio. Additionally, Soundweb London processors support AES67 audio, allowing the processor to ingest audio from video components. 

This means that audio from AMX Networked AV encoder sources can be broken away digitally and sent via AES67 to BSS Soundweb London devices. From there, it can be processed and sent via AES67 to AMX decoders and/or via Dante or BLU link to HARMAN amplifiers and processors.

The growing list of supported AMX SVSI video encoders/decoders have model names ending in the “A”. This diagram illustrates a typical application utilizing HARMAN Dante & AES67:

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COBRANET

HARMAN’s support of CobraNet networked audio allows audio to be passed through BSS Soundweb London BLU-800 or BLU-320 processors into any Crown BLU link-enabled amplifier. Both the BLU-800 and BLU-320 make it possible to use CobraNet to pass audio between multiple locations, capable of being routed through switches and existing network infrastructure. They can also be used as a bridge to convert CobraNet audio to BLU link for low-cost audio redistribution of up to 60 devices within a rack or room.

In addition to using BLU link amplifiers in a CobraNet system, Crown I-Tech HD Series amplifiers can also receive CobraNet audio directly. All I-Tech HD models are capable of providing 70Vrms/100Vrms audio per channel. This diagram illustrates a typical application utilizing HARMAN CobraNet:

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AVB

AVB audio signals can be passed through BSS Soundweb London BLU-805 or BLU-325 processors into any Crown BLU link-enabled amplifier. Both the BLU-805 and BLU-325 make it possible to use AVB to pass audio to multiple locations with and include the ability to travel through switches and routers in a campus-wide environment. They can also be used as a bridge to convert AVB audio to BLU link for low-cost audio redistribution of up to 60 devices within a rack or room.

In addition to using BLU link-enabled amplifiers in an AVB system, Crown DriveCore Install Network Display Series amplifiers can accept AVB audio directly and are certified by the AVnu® Alliance to work with other AVB solutions. There are two Install Network Display Series models available: 4|1250ND and 8|600ND. This diagram illustrates a typical application utilizing HARMAN AVB:

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When you are ready to discuss your network audio ideas, let’s plan a solution together.