Allen & Heath Dante 128x128 Audio Networking Card for dLive & Avantis

Allen & Heath Dante 128x128: High-Channel Networking for dLive and Avantis

The Allen & Heath Dante 128x128 card gives a dLive or Avantis system 128 bidirectional channels of Dante audio over standard Ethernet, at 48 or 96 kHz. It adds primary and secondary ports for redundancy, AES67 interoperability and Dante Domain Manager support, fitting any dLive or Avantis I/O Port. Where a 64-channel card covers most shows, this doubles the count for the largest productions and installs. For an engineer running big splits, heavy recording or a facility-wide network, it is the high-capacity node on the system.

How Dante Networking Works

Dante is Audinate's audio-over-IP protocol, carrying many uncompressed, sample-accurate channels over ordinary Gigabit Ethernet with a shared network clock and tightly managed latency. Devices synchronize to a common clock so channels stay phase-aligned, and routing is set by name in software rather than by re-patching cables. Because Dante is an open, widely deployed standard, a card like this interoperates with Dante stage boxes, amplifiers, processors and recorders from many manufacturers. Adding AES67 support extends that interoperability to other standards-based audio-over-IP systems.

128 Channels with Redundancy and AES67

The card's 128 x 128 channel count suits high-input recording, front-of-house to monitor splits and large-scale distribution that a 64-channel card cannot cover in one link. Its primary and secondary ports enable redundant operation, where a second network path takes over instantly if the first fails, critical for broadcast and high-stakes shows, or switched operation for simpler topologies. AES67 support lets it exchange audio with non-Dante AoIP equipment on the same infrastructure. It runs at 48 or 96 kHz to match the production's resolution.

Dante Domain Manager and Control-Network Integration

The Dante 128x128 is compatible with Dante Domain Manager, Audinate's software for organizing large networks into secure, managed domains with user access control and monitoring, the tool that keeps a campus-scale AoIP system orderly. An internal bridge switch on the card links the console's control network with the Dante control network, simplifying how a dLive or Avantis integrates into an existing IT or AV network. That reduces the number of separate switches and cable runs a designer has to specify. It is a meaningful convenience on complex installs.

Who the Dante 128x128 Is For

This card is for engineers and integrators whose dLive or Avantis system needs the highest Dante channel count: big festival splits, multitrack recording of large inputs, redundant broadcast networks or facility-wide distribution. Its DDM compatibility and redundancy make it suited to mission-critical and managed environments. Bus-powered from the console, it needs no external supply. When 64 channels are not enough, the Dante 128x128 is the card to specify.