Dante for More Than Audio: Why Networked Sound is Just the Start
Venue audio systems have changed dramatically over the past decade. Gone are the days of XLR snakes, analogue splitters, and signal chains prone to interference. Today, one protocol dominates digital audio distribution across modern venues — Dante.
Created by Australian company Audinate, Dante is a low-latency, high-channel-count protocol that uses standard Ethernet networks to send audio between devices. But its applications are expanding. Dante is no longer just about audio — it’s evolving into a complete network platform for venue-wide control.
What is Dante?
Dante (Digital Audio Network Through Ethernet) allows audio to be transmitted digitally over Cat5e/Cat6 cabling with near-zero latency and perfect synchronisation. It replaces bulky analogue cabling, simplifies system design, and enables complex routing through intuitive software.
A single Dante network can carry hundreds of channels of high-quality audio — and it’s supported by over 500 manufacturers across mixers, DSPs, amps, speakers, and interfaces.
👉 Audinate: What is Dante?
Why Dante is the Go-To for Modern Venues
1. Clean Installations
One network cable replaces dozens of traditional audio lines. It reduces clutter, simplifies patching, and frees up space.
2. Flexible Routing
Need to send the DJ’s booth mix to the kitchen? Route it in Dante Controller — no repatching or crawling through ceilings.
3. Scalable Architecture
As your venue grows, adding Dante endpoints is as simple as plugging into a PoE switch and assigning it an IP address.
4. Ultra-Low Latency
Dante offers delay-free audio — essential for live performance, stage monitoring, and real-time AV synchronisation.
The Next Step: Dante Beyond Audio
What’s exciting now is where Dante is going. Audinate is expanding the protocol into control and video, making it a complete AV transport platform.
Dante AV
This allows you to send audio and video together over the same network, tightly synced and controlled from the same platform.
Dante Controller
The heart of any Dante system, it allows drag-and-drop signal routing between devices — with live status, naming, muting, and diagnostics.
Dante Domain Manager (DDM)
A powerful enterprise tool that lets you manage multiple locations, assign user permissions, track changes, and ensure system security.
👉 Explore Dante AV
👉 Dante Domain Manager Overview
Where It Fits in a Venue
Nightclubs
Dante connects the DJ booth to every speaker zone
Lighting consoles receive timecoded audio for visual syncing
Record mixes from FOH without noise or signal loss
Hospitality Chains
Each store has a standardised Dante setup
Head office pushes music updates remotely
Local staff control volume via touchscreen interfaces
Multi-Room Function Spaces
Route microphones, playlists, or presentations between rooms
No need for analogue splitters or manual matrixing
Combine or isolate rooms instantly using presets
Integration Benefits
Dante plays well with:
Q-SYS and Crestron control platforms
NDI for visuals
AV over IP ecosystems like SDVoE
Cloud-based management tools
If you’re running AV over IP for video and using a separate setup for audio, consolidating under Dante simplifies everything — and enables automation at scale.
Common Dante Setup Components
Dante-enabled DSPs (e.g. Symetrix, Biamp, QSC Core)
Stage Boxes (Yamaha, Allen & Heath, Focusrite)
Amplifiers with Dante input (Powersoft, Crown, Lab Gruppen)
Network switches with PoE
Wireless mics with Dante receivers (Shure ULXD, Sennheiser)
Once on the network, any input can be routed to any output — no patch bay required.
Best Practices
Use Managed Switches
Enable QoS and IGMP snooping to reduce latency and packet flooding.
Separate VLAN
Place Dante on its own VLAN or subnet to isolate traffic and simplify troubleshooting.
Clocking
Designate a reliable device as the network clock — usually a DSP or digital mixer.
Label Everything
Use consistent naming for inputs, outputs, and zones — especially in multi-room setups.
Training Your Team
Dante is powerful but accessible. Staff should know how to:
Mute/unmute channels in Dante Controller
Troubleshoot device status and latency issues
Reassign routing if gear is replaced
Audinate also offers Dante Level 1, 2, and 3 Certification — which is highly recommended for any technician or AV manager.
👉 Dante Certification Courses
The Bottom Line
If your venue still relies on analogue audio or disconnected AV systems, it’s time to upgrade to Dante. It simplifies operations, scales cleanly with your growth, and unlocks advanced automation and remote support features.
Dante isn’t just about sound anymore — it’s about building a connected venue that’s easier to run, faster to respond, and ready for anything.