Analog Audio Over Ethernet Cables - 4 channels - Ethercon to XLR Balanced Audio Ethernet Dongles
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- How to send analog audio over ethernet cables. 4 channels. This video takes a look some of the options and talks about how they work and how you might want to use them for live sound reinforcement or in the studio. Also, a look inside at the build quality and design of the Lyx Pro ( LyxPro ) ethernet dongles, designed for sending 4 channels of balanced audio over shielded Ethernet cables.
All of these are designed to be used with Cat5E STP ethernet cable or higher.
Also good for audio installation work like on stages at churches, clubs, or auditoriums. Utilize installation grade network cable in the wall or floor and Neutrik Ethercon connectors in wall panels or floor pockets.
Note: There's nothing digital about these. They simply utilize popular STP (shielded twisted pair) ethernet or Ethercon cables as 4 channel audio cables. The boxes serve as break-ins and breakouts, with one style being box to XLR fans and the other style being a box with XLR panel mount connectors. Male and female connectors. Balanced audio so it's capable of very long cable runs.
You can mix and match the ends for various uses. From a simple 4 channel subsnake with changeable lengths (based on your choice of ethernet cable), to fan to fan drivelines, to 4 channel turnarounds by using the same M or F XLR connector box or fan on each side of the ethernet cable.
System interconnect cables / jumpers, rack to rack, quick connect I/O... 4 channels of DMX for lighting... com cables.... Many other uses. Look up AES172 for more information.
~~~~~~~
►Patreon Page where Patrons have access to script files, other PDF tutorials, Behringer X32/M32/XR18/MR18 channel and scene files, and other audio production information:
/ alanhamiltonaudio
~~~~~~~
►►Amazon Affiliate Links To Equip Used/Shown/Mentioned In Video-
►LyxPro 4 Channel 3 Pin Multi Network XLR Cable Breakouts /Break-ins for Stage Sound Lighting and Recording Studio - Male and Female to RJ45 Ethercon on Amazon:
amzn.to/3qOmQy5
►Radial Catapult MINI TX Cat 5 Audio Snake on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FQWv6Q
►Ratsound Tools Cat-Tails Ethercon to XLR on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FRA5Co
►Elite Core SUPERCAT5E | Ultra-Durable Shielded CAT5E | Tactical Ethernet Connectors on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FSzKPU
► SoundTools SuperCAT Professional Grade Shielded CAT5e etherCON Cable, Flexible Polyurethane Jacket, Neutrik Connectors on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FQc131
►Cable Matters 5-Pack Snagless Short Shielded Cat6A Ethernet Cable 5 ft (SSTP, SFTP Shielded Ethernet Cable, Shielded Cat6 Cable, Cat 6 Shielded Network Cable) in Black on Amazon:
amzn.to/3tUgY8N
►Behringer X32 on Amazon:
amzn.to/3d4rFM8
►Behringer XR18 on Amazon:
amzn.to/2LfTpmO
~~~~~
Equipment used to make video:
►Stellar X2 (Narration Mic) on Amazon:
amzn.to/3ggUWFq
►Sony ZV1 Camera on Amazon:
amzn.to/3HJWd3f
►ULANZI Flexible Desk Mount Camera Arm Clamp on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FKhF6M
► Neewer Camera Slider Carbon Fiber Dolly Rail on Amazon:
amzn.to/3tPpypk
"As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."
~~~~~~~
Suggested videos:
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
►Facebook Group:
/ livesoundproduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#LiveSound
#AlanHamiltonAudio
#AES72
#XR18
#XLR
0:00 Intro
0:08 Are these digital?
0:14 How do they work?
0:25 What type of Ethernet cable do I need?
0:54 How can I tell what kind of cable I have?
1:21 What type of connector designs are available?
1:36 Will they pass phantom power to my mics?
1:56 Looking at cable options
2:04 Some ways they can be used live or in the studio
2:46 Opening an adapter to look inside
These are handy adapters. The more you have of them, the more options you can come up with. Multi-configurable. I wanted to do a video about them to add to the library as part of a "Cables of Live Audio" series, though they work in the studio too. And with lighting for that matter. Very versatile, but that's the beauty of Cat5E STP (and higher) cable.
If you're already using some of these, let me know how you're using them. I'd be curious to hear some of the different ways they get used. Like I said, they are very versatile, and when you think outside of the box you can come up with some really cool time savers or trouble savers.
There's nothing digital about these so they work with any console. They simply utilize popular STP (shielded twisted pair) ethernet or Ethercon cables as balanced 4 channel audio cables. Male and female XLR connectors. Balanced audio, and so it's capable of very long cable runs.
You can mix and match the ends for various uses. From a simple 4 channel subsnake with changeable lengths (based on your choice of ethernet cable), to fan to fan drivelines, to 4 channel turnarounds by using the same M or F XLR connector box or fan on each side of the ethernet cable.
System interconnect cables / jumpers, rack to rack, quick connect I/O... 4 channels of DMX for lighting... com lines....
~~~~~~~~
►Patreon Page where Patrons have access to script files, other PDF tutorials, Behringer X32/M32/XR18/MR18 channel and scene files, and other audio production information:
www.patreon.com/AlanHamiltonAudio
~~~~~~~~
►►Amazon Affiliate Links To Equip Used/Shown/Mentioned In Video-
►LyxPro 4 Channel 3 Pin Multi Network XLR Cable Breakouts /Break-ins for Stage Sound Lighting and Recording Studio - Male and Female to RJ45 Ethercon on Amazon:
amzn.to/3qOmQy5
►Radial Catapult MINI TX Cat 5 Audio Snake on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FQWv6Q
►Ratsound Tools Cat-Tails Ethercon to XLR on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FRA5Co
►Elite Core SUPERCAT5E | Ultra-Durable Shielded CAT5E | Tactical Ethernet Connectors on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FSzKPU
► SoundTools SuperCAT Professional Grade Shielded CAT5e etherCON Cable, Flexible Polyurethane Jacket, Neutrik Connectors on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FQc131
►Cable Matters 5-Pack Snagless Short Shielded Cat6A Ethernet Cable 5 ft (SSTP, SFTP Shielded Ethernet Cable, Shielded Cat6 Cable, Cat 6 Shielded Network Cable) in Black on Amazon:
amzn.to/3tUgY8N
►Behringer X32 on Amazon:
amzn.to/3d4rFM8
►Behringer XR18 on Amazon:
amzn.to/2LfTpmO
~~~~~~
Equipment used to make video:
►Stellar X2 (Narration Mic) on Amazon:
amzn.to/3ggUWFq
►Sony ZV1 Camera on Amazon:
amzn.to/3HJWd3f
►ULANZI Flexible Desk Mount Camera Arm Clamp on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FKhF6M
► Neewer Camera Slider Carbon Fiber Dolly Rail on Amazon:
amzn.to/3tPpypk
"As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."
~~~~~~~~
Suggested videos:
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czcams.com/video/tP7dO2Za6bw/video.html
►Five Typical Mistakes Made By Behringer XR18 Users
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►►Other Cable Information series videos:
►Connecting an MP3 Player to a Mixer:
czcams.com/video/UiauwFEFe_k/video.html
►Cable Management For Live Audio:
czcams.com/video/nYZ9nrPGswo/video.html
►Patch Order and Input Lists For Live Sound:
czcams.com/video/FE2KRj8vEEc/video.html
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czcams.com/video/CQg1_-ZJ4MU/video.html
►How to EQ a Snare Drum:
czcams.com/video/J_WC68vyht4/video.html
►How to EQ Toms:
czcams.com/video/nSLJqnlJe60/video.html
►►Other videos:
►Building An In Ear Monitor Rig Using the Behringer XR18 or Midas MR18:
czcams.com/video/xT9gTBFxvZk/video.html
►DCA's vs Subgroups on the XR18 / MR18:
czcams.com/video/x6TKam2F50Q/video.html
►Behringer XR18 Monitor Setup Tutorial:
czcams.com/video/5gzsEErKdb8/video.html
►Sending FX to Monitors XR18/MR18/X32/M32:
czcams.com/video/e_XsfTV36vU/video.html
►In Ear Monitors On A Budget:
czcams.com/video/FOon2wEZss8/video.html
►Behringer X32 Monitor Setup Tutorial:
czcams.com/video/Vz9E6FaCatQ/video.html
►Top 5 Frequently Asked Questions About the XR18 (and MR18):
czcams.com/video/x9wciA2wFd0/video.html
I just saw these for the first time in an ad in my fecebook feed, this long before I got to your post about this video. Your videos are driving my ads, so keep it up!
Dude...this is SUPER well done. VERY thorough. Thanks!
Thanks!!
Great video, covered everything I was wondering about these units
Thank you!
I have adapted to this technique of carrying audio over cat6 cable 5 to 6 months ago, learnt a lot from Dave Rat, it was too expensive for me to buy so I made these myself, tried using 4 channel on utp but failed (unbalanced, noise, Earth leak) then converted to 3 channel and common ground. Works great. Did it for my church, 50m long 5 pairs, had to go the cheap makeshift way, used pcb enclosure and gang box.
Very cool to go the DIY route! :)
Yes, 3 channel designs can work on UTP. As you discovered, you need STP when you try and design and build them for 4 channels.
Would phantom power work on 3 channels and unused pin as common ground?
Awesome.. first time I saw these about 3 years ago.. I went ahead and made a couple of my own using metal electrical boxes.. very handy
Very cool DIY project! Yes, they are handy. The more of them you have, the more you can think of ways to mix and match them for different uses.
Cool tech that I've been wondering about. Great video.
Thanks!
Wasn't aware of these previously, thanks for the info!
They are definitely cool.
I read the title like 10 times. Lol
Awesome video. 👍🏿
Thanks!
I found out about these about -23 months ago. I cleaned up the church stage from all the 25-50 ft cables that were making the front look like a mess. I can change length easily and only need to purchase 15 ft cable at the end, making it less costly to get heavy-duty cable for high traffic areas.
I hadn't really thought to mention installation options when I scripted the video, but these do open a lot of doors and ways to think about having some on the fly changes for visiting bands, or when a church makes praise band member changes or additions and/or moves people around (and the XLR floor pockets no longer are convenient or close enough to be neat, or not enough channels).
Having a couple of STP ethernet runs under the stage to a couple of Ethercon connectors in the floor, or side or back wall, could really add some future flexibility. They'd just need to run to the console or the preamp location, and directly to an XLR breakout, or female Ethercon connectors on a panel (for XLR adapters to be added later as needed. They could already be in inventory for that matter). And being under the stage or in wall, the long cable runs would only need to be inexpensive install grade Cat5e STP (or higher). No heavy jacket required since they aren't getting rolled up or walked on.
So, like you mentioned, just a few short lengths like 10'-15' of Supercat or Tourgrade stuff onstage.
That’s quite useful.
Next time I rewire my studio I might just end up installing 24 female rj45 connectors across the booth and live room connected to a patch bay in the rack.
That would work out great. I've been thinking about some installation uses like that that myself.
Thanks again, all your videos are so informative and you keep it real! Can you use these for active monitor sends? Female to Female from the XAir 18 sends.
Yes. They work just like 4 balanced mic cables, so they'd work the same as a balanced cable with F-F on the ends... in a nice compact package.
These adapters are used at the church I run sound at. Very useful especially when you have Cat6 cable already run to a particular location.
I hadn't thought about it until I saw your post, but having a couple of Ethercon wall plates between the mixer location (or preamp location, or house snake location) and a couple of matching Ethercon wall or floor pocket locations could make for some convenient places to quickly add a few one-off or expansion runs for future changes or acts.
It seems like most churches, moreso than standard auditoriums, end up making changes over time that the current setup doesn't allow for. Although, I'm sure it happens in both type of venues sometimes.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio yes, that is what we did at the church, we recently built our sound booth a few years ago and we ran Cat6 Ethernet cable from our mixer to our amp closet, which is where our microphone wall plates also terminate.
Hiya Al….🙋🏻♀️ you know I luvs ya!!
Cindy xx
I made stage box & snake with D-sub (25 pin) cable.
Hello Alan, great video as usual! Would these work with M32 P16 outs to wedges and how would that work in routing would they automatically use p16 channels 1-4 if you had the 4 channel out box? Thanks
I don't think they'd work at all in any way with the Ultranet ports... These need analog inputs and outputs to connect to. Which. with adapters they'd work with the P16 L and R out, but that wouldn't gain you anything that I could think of.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thank you sir!
Does the phantom power go theough each channel or would you have to send phantom power to all 4 channels if you send it through even just 1?
It only goes thru the channel the board is sending phantom power on. If you connect the dongle to channels 1-4 and only send phantom power on mixer channel 2, then on channel 2 mic will get phantom power.
Question could you replace one of the xlr connectors from male to female? And would it work accordingly?
Yes. It would work fine.
Hey Alan, I’m hoping you can help? I purchased some of these for our church and they work great as a snake for our system…but, when I try to use them for our in ear setup, audio doesn’t pass through from our XR18 to our headphone amp. I am testing this with regular cat6 cable as I don’t have shielded cable to test with. Would that make a difference? It doesn’t make a difference when running the system as an xlr snake for inputs, so why would it matter using it to output to the headphone amp? Thanks!
The first thing that comes to mind is that maybe when using them as inputs you're getting a system ground, but using them as outputs, the device you're connecting to needs to see that missing shield in the UTP. I can't imagine it's anything but not using them with STP cable that is the problem. STP is a requirement for the 4 channel versions.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thanks for the reply! This is what I was hoping to hear. I didn’t want to use church funds to buy the more expensive shielded cables if it wasn’t going to work.
@@HaShemMetal The Lyxpro Shielded Cat6 is not too pricy at all. The only issue was that the current only come in blue which isn't a deal-breaker
Dave
0 seconds ago
Would this work out of the xr18 main L&R and aux out to powered speakers?
Just thinking I could run an aux out to a powered stage wedge as well as one side of the mains to the other side of the stage using these
Yes. Would work perfectly.
Thank you
Hello.
Love your videos.
I have these and they work great except I have not been able to get phantom power to work with these. Any tips on what I might be doing wrong?
Thanks!
That's almost always a case of either the cable is not shielded, or else the cable is shielded but the shields aren't connected. If the RJ45 connecters don't have metal on them then the shields can't connect end to end (connectors should have metal on them). If they do have metal on them, and the cable is shielded (STP not UTP) then it's possible the connection has been broken either from not being made properly or by simply being broken from some type of abuse at some point.
If you have a VOM or DMM you can test the cable for continuity from the metal on on RJ45 to the metal on the other RJ45. There should be continuity.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thank you so much for the reply. I will test this out. I think that even though the cable says STP, the RJ45 connectors are not metal and probably that is my issue.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio got a cable with metal rj45 ends and now everything works like a charm. Thank you again!
@@justenkay Good deal! Glad I could help. :)
I'm guessing you could reverse the direction of one channel, so you could have a mic and a stereo send to the desk, and a monitor return? If so, this would be perfect for my keys setup
Yes, with a little solder work to change the ends around, it would work perfectly. Or just add turnarounds where needed.
Hi sir Alan. How to use the right setting to get the usb out. I’m using OBS for live streaming at the same time using zoom meeting.
Have you watched this video about connecting to OBS for streaming?
czcams.com/video/aNlBOOhWbZw/video.html
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thank you very much Sir Alan for the fast reply. I badly needed this info setup for our church. Thanks so much
WOW
what does one do with the audio signals now on an ethercon cable ? how to you convert to audio?
The cable is just the carrier... so long as you have one of the dongles at each end of the cable, it's just analog audio all the way thru- From the analog output of up to 4 devices or sends to 4 analog inputs of another device. There's no A/D or D/A taking place in the process.
so i got a question, the balanced feature is still going on? (sorta strange way to say) like there is a positive and a inverted pin on each and the shield as groud?
Yes. Signal remains balanced.
is it possible to run two mics and change the other two channels to run two speakers? Thanks for the video and thanks you in advance.
If they are powered speakers... then yes. You don't want to send amplifier speaker outs down the lines though. But main or aux out of the mixer to powered speakers is fine.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio thank you!!!
czcams.com/video/RZBKNpz6tUo/video.html U prob dont want to try to replace the XLR from that pcb. these are super handy to have anyways so if you dont know how to solder here is some practice
Can you use a network switch to duplicate the signals?
No. Nothing digital happening with the dongles so that wouldn't work. There are some that have a pass thru so that you can duplicate the signals via the pass-thru connection and another dongle.
Hi bro, good video but I have a question Can I use an FTP cable and still have phantom power?
As long as the foil (F) makes contact with the metal surround of the RJ45 then it should pass phantom.
since DMX and XLR are different cables , will this work for lighting and for sound or do you need anything different ?
You can use DMX cabling for audio, but you can't use audio cabling for DMX. DMX cabling has a higher standard. Though it might work, it's never a good idea to use mic cable as DMX cable unless there's no other option left. It will work until it doesn't work, which could be the first time you try it, or the 10th time.
Technically, a DMX cable should have 5 pin connectors, but that's been mostly ignored these days and many if not most fixtures will have 5 pin and 3 pin, and sometimes only 3 pin.
Meanwhile, network cable is obviously rated for data and meets the same basic protocols as DMX cable, so that's how these devices can do either.
DMX wants a 110ohm cable - Cat 5e comes in right at 100ohms, generally. So it should work great for DMX over reasonably long runs.
Hi Alan. Do you think this box would work running 3 of the 4 jacks for audio and one for DMX lighting all at the same time? Regards
Allegedly it does, but I haven't tried it.
Ok. Thanks for the reply
Ok. Thanks for the reply
Ok. Thanks for the reply
Ok. Thanks for the reply
I run a videography company that does 2-camera recordings of stage performances. I am constantly running three cables between my two camera locations, up to 100' apart. The three cables consist of 1 XLR carrying comm chatter, and 2 BNC carrying SDI video. I would LOVE to be able to run a single shielded CAT5 or higher cable between my two cameras rather than the three individual cables (wrapped every foot with friction tape to make a home-made snake of sorts), and connect a pair of boxes like these at each end of that single cable. My question is... can I somehow swap out two of the four XLR connectors on each box with BNC female connectors? Any suggestions toward achieving my one-cable dream would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! :)
I suspect it wouldn't work... but I don't really know for sure.
Hold on buster your dream MAY come true - CCTV companies often send wideband ANALOG video down UTP pairs, by the use of a BALUN (a ferrite core - which works as a 'BALanced to UNbalanced' transformer)
SDI has a chr impedance of 75 Ohms, a UTP or FTP pair, which IS made for gigabit data rates is about 100 - not a terrible mismatch, you could just use a BALUN and it would KINDA work - and a modest resistor network either end WOULD match the impedances
Tho many Pro's sniffed at the idea, it has been found to work for 50 to 100 yard runs - ideally you'd have a means of testing SDI error rate, before and after!
Try it! If you're keen I'll calculate the resistor network...
I have the Lynx pro, using them in my studio for miking my drums. I'm finding that I'm getting weird noise (buzz/hum) from any LDC that requires phantom power, but not on my LDC that has it's own power supply.
Any thoughts on this issue?
Do you have an XLR cable tester? It's pretty easy to connect a piece of STP ethernet cable between the adapters (or especially the piece you're normally using) and try each cable end in a cable tester and see if everything is reporting correctly.
You could also do it with a VOM or DMM, but the cable tester is much quicker and will show shorts and opens right away, and any miswires... Whereas with a DMM you'll have to check Pin 1 to pin 1... pin 2 to pin 2... pin 3 to pin 3.... and then repeat the process but this time pin 1 to pin 2, pin 1 to pin 3.... etc... looking for shorts. The cable tester would show that right away as you switch thru the pins without the multiple probe touches.
But, other than that... I'm a bit stumped. If the cables test as good and are all wired correctly anyway. Have you tried a different piece of ethernet cabling? Confirmed the shield is good (continuity showing between the metal ends on the RJ45's) and/or not something wrong with the ethernet cable? Made sure it's seating good in the adapter's input? Confirmed you're using shielded Cat5e (STP) or higher cable?
@@AlanHamiltonAudio No, I guess that seems the first place to start in diagnosing, but the cables are brand new, and it's ONLY happening on my LDC condenser mics that require phantom power. It doesn't happen on my LDC that has it's own power supply, or any of my dynamic mics.
Sometimes this happens when the power supplies both lighting equipment and audio equipment. If so, the first solution is to divide the power supply into lighting equipment and audio equipment.
@@user-jv6ds6xl5t This is in a studio, but I will keep that in mind when doing lave sound.
Keep in mind these MAJOR caveats when using these 4 channel breakouts: Since all Pin 1 connections are tied together (common grounds), you could end up with ground loops (hum), especially if 1 or 2 channels are used for Mic level signals, and the others are used for Line Level (or worse, Intercom beltpacks).
Another is that fact that all the Pin 1 connections rely on the single shield and/or metal casing of the RJ45. If this shield or metal casing around the RJ45 gets compromised in any way, Phantom Power can easily fail, as well as intercom power, leading to no Mic audio, no Comms, or worse yet...interraction between the two. Nothing worse than hearing Intercom bleed into your mic inputs (or drive lines). If you use these 4 channel RJ45 breakouts, smart money says keep dissimilar signals separate (ie...don't combine Mic level, line level, or Intercoms within the same Ethercon cable and/or breakouts). YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
👍🙏
I've been looking at these as a solution to running a single cable but I need to run 2 channels of FOH audio and 2 DMX channels. Will the cat5 or cat6 ethercon cable have any issue with the DMX interfering with the audio?
I tend to THINK it would be OK... but I've never tried it in the real-world to say 100%. We always run our DMX separately. For one thing we always have 4 universes of DMX from FOH to the stage, even if only using 2 which gives us a spare or spares. And for FOH it's almost always L-R-S-F from FOH to stage. So there's never even an opportunity to try DMX and Audio in one Cat5e STP in a real world scenario.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thank you for the reply, I'll take the chance and give it a try.
Smart money says don't mix different types of signals within the same Ethercon cable. Run separate cables/breakouts for Mic level, Line Level, DMX and Intercoms!
Looking to use these to bring some connections up to some ceiling mounted room mics. I was cautioned with using phantom that they'll transmit phantom across all channels when applied to a single channel. Is that the case? Scouring these comments it looks like that isn't the case, but more info online for this is scant.
Phantom will only be working on the channel you send it on. You do need shielded cable for phantom to work on 4 channel dongles... but it will only have phantom on the channels you select.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio awesome, thank you so much for the reply!
Can you theoretically run mic/line-level sources farther with these than you can with an XLR cable by itself?
I've not really tested it. The fact is, mic cable/XLR (balanced lines) can run a long way anyway. I suspect there would be more signal loss with the regular mic line over a massive distance versus the cat... But to get aurally noticeable would probably take a LOT of distance.
I think @Dave Rat did some tests on this so you might peruse his channel to hear what he found out.
The tag doesn't work in comments? Hmmmm... Here's the link:
czcams.com/users/DaveRat
@@AlanHamiltonAudio Thanks for the link... The reason I ask is because I run sound for a small stage for acoustic acts at a relatively small street festival every July. For next year, they asked if I could "extend" my system up and down the street so more people could hear (particularly for announcements). I think the most I would need to cover is maybe 400 feet one way, and 200 feet the other, with X number of speakers in parallel each direction. Besides the electrical aspect (since I'll probably rent powered speakers), my concern is potential signal loss downstream.... That in mind, would an XLR run of up to 400 feet be okay? (I'm sort of a 30-year professional novice. Lol).
I am pretty sure CAT5 is 250 feet, and CAT6 is 300 feet runs? I wouldn’t run more then 300 feet for audio (even if you thought about adding an extension box). If you’re going to run 300 feet, make sure to grab some of the double shielded twisted pair (make sure you’re RJ45 connectors are going to match up in color too with your XLR-CAT boxes. The wires that are crimped inside the RJ45 connector for CAT5, and CAT6 could possibly be different then the XLR-CAT box? Your XLR-CAT boxes should come with info about this, and if you need to switch RJ45 connectors, they are pretty easy to find and swap)…... and I am not affiliated with Belkin, but they make some of the best cable in situations like this…….but they’re not cheap. It might be cheaper to buy a 500 feet roll and make your own cables if you decide to buy Belkin. Hope this helps? 😉
@@johnnymiller3684 Johnny, you can also run that far with XLR, but you’ll need extension/booster box too after 250-300 feet (I am pretty sure Radial makes something for runs this long too?). 300-400 feet of XLR cable is going to be pretty expensive (I would also run shielded XLR cable for runs this long). The advantage that CAT5-CAT6 has over XLR is that it is a smaller diameter, which is a better scenario for trip hazards, and if you decide to just go with double shielded twisted pair CAT6 and it’s going to be a-lot cheaper too (unless you buy the Belkin CAT6). I am also pretty sure that you can get 30 feet 14 gauge power cables for your powered speakers (the largest they offer), and I would grab a good power conditioner(s), some RF surge protectors, and a couple of 100 feet 12 gauge extension cables. Lastly, depending on how long your power run is, and how many speakers you plan to connect, you may want to check your breaker/power accessibility? I am sure you know that powered speakers are pretty efficient, but throw a few on your power cable runs, with some subs and lights, on a 15 amp breaker (especially at 300-400 feet runs), and you’re probably going to trip it. I would check on access to multiple power connections on different 15 amp breakers (if available), or check into renting something to accommodate your power runs? Sorry if you have this information already mapped out and accommodated for? I have something coming up at the end of the month with a pretty long CAT6 and power run outside, and I think I was brainstorming for myself too lol. Good luck!! I hope this info helps!!
Would this cable work with the breakouts?
Hosa CAT-6100BK Cat 6 Cable - 100 foot
Yes, it would work.
It's looks perfect for church so how may I able to get the product
I don't remember the link offhand but if you scroll thru the video text description, there are link(s) there.
I got these but no phantom power? Which ether connector do I need. I think I got (supposedly) cat 6 shielded.
Your cable is likely not STP (shielded) or else it's not properly terminated. Do the RJ45 connectors have metal ends or are they all plastic? If they are all plastic, then they can't be shielded and connected. If they do have metal... Can you use a DMM or a VOM and test for continuity between each end? Just touch the metal that surrounds one RJ45 with a probe, and the other probe to the metal that surrounds the other end and you should see continuity. If it just shows an open condition, then that is the problem. No connection, end to end on the shield. Either not properly terminated (bad connection, or a connection never made) or the ends are for shielded cable, but the cable doesn't have a shield to connect.
You can also read on the cable jacket and make sure it even says STP and not UTP. If it says UTP that means Unshielded Twisted Pair. It won't matter what ends it's terminated with if the cable is unshielded since it has no shield to connect.
Or just get a cheap short piece of new STP Ethernet cable, different brand, and see if it works if you don't have a digital multimeter or VOM. Just make 100% sure it's STP Cat5e or higher.
Pretty unlikely you'd get two bad cables, though it is possible some manufacturer might be leaving one end open or something along those lines and poor quality control.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio I think you are right, it doesn't have the metal end. I have to check, its with my drummer. Thank you, big help?
What about using ftp? Foil as the common ground.
I'm guessing yes it would work... But I don't know how much I'd trust foil alone not to break or pull loose, or never make that RJ45 shield connection properly in the first place.
Quality test using Smart Live, what are the results?
I've not tested with Smaart but there's no real point in it. There's nothing happening with the signal except point to point wiring in the dongles. The only signal degradation would the same signal degradation you'd get with a mic cable of the same length and gauge.
There's nothing happening to the signal inside the dongle because under those conditions there can't be. There's nothing to really change it.
I have tested the cables to make sure the pin outs matched on each end and there are no opens or polarity flips.
Read AES72
Hi. So, can traditional speaker wire be fitted with an XLR plug end, then plugged into my PC with that box... can I just splice the ethernet and speaker wire?? lol, im thinking no
No... the Cat 5/6/7... cable is big enough to handle mic or line level signal, but not the demands of speaker level signals. Need bigger gauge wire for that. Lots bigger actually.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio tx
The cable can also say "FTP", which is Latin for "expensive."
LOL!
,👍🏻
how about some links on where we can buy some of this stuff
There are Amazon affiliate links in the text below the video. I thought I left them in the pinned comment too.
Anyway, here are all the Amazon Affiliate links from the video description text :
►►Amazon Affiliate Links To Equip Used/Shown/Mentioned In Video-
►LyxPro 4 Channel 3 Pin Multi Network XLR Cable Breakouts /Break-ins for Stage Sound Lighting and Recording Studio - Male and Female to RJ45 Ethercon on Amazon:
amzn.to/3qOmQy5
►Radial Catapult MINI TX Cat 5 Audio Snake on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FQWv6Q
►Ratsound Tools Cat-Tails Ethercon to XLR on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FRA5Co
►Elite Core SUPERCAT5E | Ultra-Durable Shielded CAT5E | Tactical Ethernet Connectors on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FSzKPU
► SoundTools SuperCAT Professional Grade Shielded CAT5e etherCON Cable, Flexible Polyurethane Jacket, Neutrik Connectors on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FQc131
►Cable Matters 5-Pack Snagless Short Shielded Cat6A Ethernet Cable 5 ft (SSTP, SFTP Shielded Ethernet Cable, Shielded Cat6 Cable, Cat 6 Shielded Network Cable) in Black on Amazon:
amzn.to/3tUgY8N
►Behringer X32 on Amazon:
amzn.to/3d4rFM8
►Behringer XR18 on Amazon:
amzn.to/2LfTpmO
~~~~~
Equipment used to make video:
►Stellar X2 (Narration Mic) on Amazon:
amzn.to/3ggUWFq
►Sony ZV1 Camera on Amazon:
amzn.to/3HJWd3f
►ULANZI Flexible Desk Mount Camera Arm Clamp on Amazon:
amzn.to/3FKhF6M
► Neewer Camera Slider Carbon Fiber Dolly Rail on Amazon:
amzn.to/3tPpypk
"As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases."
Yes I found them, stupid me I jumped the gun. Thank you for this video. I am going to get a lot of use out of those radial devices
@@Ghettorok1 They are handy devices!
Can they configured for more than 4 channels?
No, a shielded ethernet cable only has enough conductors for 4 channels. The cable is the limiting factor due to the conductors in the cable.
I was hoping for a comparison of bandwidth / frequency response / signal to noise / insertion loss etc between these and a straight XLR cable. My experience is not unlike the difference between the voice-over track and the product demo track in this video at 1:54. Good for comms. Not so good for accurate audio.
Totally different mic used for the voiceover and the mic used for the test. Not to mention a different room as well.
Considering the typical gauge of Cat5E and a normal audio snake, any differences will be extremely negligible unless you get into extreme distances. There are videos that delve into signal loss, and the differences in signal loss (type) between the two as well (since any cable will have signal loss as the distance increases).
@Dave Rat has a few videos looking into this. The gist of it is, it's not an issue at all, unless you plan to run 100's of feet. Not 200' or so... but 100's upon 100's... And even then, the signal loss type is different, so the cat might be more preferable anyway. But for all intents and purposes, for normal use, it's simply not an issue to be concerned with. If you plan to run it a mile, like Dave demonstrates, then there's some signal loss. But even that is not show stopping.
czcams.com/video/f0nKK43Oeas/video.html
czcams.com/video/KZqoA12Qjr8/video.html
Where I can buy it ?
Amazon. There are links in the pinned comment here and also in the video description.
How can I get these please. Am in Kenya
I'm not sure. Maybe someone will see your question and have an answer for you.
Parts Express sells them in the US, perhaps they ship internationally.
@@7jackan7 Parts Express does ship internationally. I just checked:
www.parts-express.com/faq
harga berapa ke indonesia
LOL this highlights the meme of people paying a fortune for boutique instrument and line cable. A shitty CAT5 cable with thin trashy internal wiring achieves the exact same thing.
They were great though there’s a totally different in sound quality
There's no real difference in sound quality when you use these normally. Unless you mean the difference in the video when I used the units with an SD condenser mic. And that is simply the difference in the narration mic versus the mic I used to demonstrate the cables passing phantom power. Totally different mics.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio I'm just wondering what's the max distance of the cat5e+ cable that will not cause deterioration of signals. Because with 30m STP 5e i'm getting noise floor amped up and levels lowered...
@@RamielLeung I've used 200' at line level with no noticeable noise floor increase or deterioration of signal. That is Elite Core Supercat Cat5e STP tour-grade cable. 24ga conductors.
Read Dante
What would Dante have to do with these? These are totally in analog domain and requires no Dante interfaces. And can be used in places and ways that Dante can't. Of course, Dante can be used in ways that these can't either. But, two different end uses and purposes.
why all these
?
Why do I have so many of the adapters? Multiple rigs. Multiple duties for them. Flexibility. I use them in a fan to fan configuration for SR and SL amp racks. I sometimes use them for fan to box for 4 channel subsnakes on stage. I sometimes use them as turnaround for channels on house snake.
Sometimes use as drivelines.
Also, they can serve as redundancy in some circumstances (drive lines, extra channels, etc...). So, in a case for a "just in case".
Fan to fan snake for jumper to RF rack or... to a mon rack...
I also have the 5 Pin that makes for 4 universes of DMX over Cat5e STP... and since the main rig is Artnet, should the Artnet go down, having the DMX 5 pin dongles means a quick change over to standard DMX into the splitters. Also, it means the ability to swap out Artnet to a guest lighting console that just wants to use DMX and not Artnest. We don't have to run a DMX snake... just add the 5pin ethernet adapters. Technically, they're only using 3 pins of the 5 pin DMX... But so are the fixtures. All 5 pins are rarely used in lighting, but 5 pin connectors are frequently used as the DMX standard connector.
No digital please...
Nothing digital about these. Just a way to use readily available cable in multiple ways for analog connections. Highly versatile. Some people already have an inventory of Supercat tourgrade Cat5E STP, so adding a few of these adapters to the case, workbox, or Pelican just adds some options and flexibility for gigs. Or, adding a few pieces of short (25' or so cable) and a collection of adapters will give you options, and take less space than a collection of regular adapter and subsnakes.
But everything stays in the analog domain. There's nothing but straight thru wiring going on. No A/D converters in use.
@@AlanHamiltonAudio,
I simply use "snake", or longer cables. But trying to avoid conversions. Even if it's only wiring conversion. Simplicity is the reliability. When "simplicity" is not an option, then options like yours is the way to go. I agree.
There is no Ethernet cable. Ethernet is a protocol.
STP cable is accurate.
It's 2024 and the term Ethernet cable is perfectly acceptable when talking about twisted pair cables that are typically used for Ethernet purposes.
As is the term "Network cable".
While it could mean other types of network cable (like coax), the reality of modern practices makes "Ethernet cable" a perfectly understood term when talking about cable such as Cat5e cable.
And when you're searching online for it, those are the two terms are most likely to lead you to purchase options. Understanding STP, UTP, etc... is how you get to the version of the cable you're looking for.
can you use a network switch so you can combine 2 or more of these?
I don't see how. It's just using the cable and adapting it over to 4 channels of XLR. Nothing digital is taking place.