Allen & Heath M-DL-GOPT-A fibreACE 128x128 Fibre Networking Card, dLive/Avantis

Allen & Heath M-DL-GOPT-A: fibreACE 128x128 Fibre Networking for dLive and Avantis

The Allen & Heath M-DL-GOPT-A is a fibreACE audio networking option card that carries a 128 x 128 channel gigaACE link at 96 kHz over optical fibre or copper. It fits a dLive or Avantis I/O port and offers both an opticalCON Duo multimode fibre connector and an etherCON copper port for flexible runs. Fibre extends the reach to 500 m, far beyond what copper allows, and shrugs off the RF interference and ground-loop risk of long cable pulls. The card is host-powered and delivers the same low latency, redundancy, and control tunneling as the copper gigaACE card. For stadium rigs and long MixRack-to-Surface runs, it is the reach and reliability upgrade that copper cannot match.

fibreACE Is gigaACE Over Fibre, Not MADI

It is worth stating plainly: fibreACE is gigaACE transported over optical fibre, not a MADI card, despite some retailers mislabeling it. The underlying protocol is Allen & Heath's proprietary Layer-2 point-to-point link running a fixed 128 x 128 channels at 96 kHz. Multimode fibre through the opticalCON Duo connector carries the signal up to 500 m, while the etherCON copper port handles shorter Cat5e runs to 328 ft (100 m). Because light is immune to electromagnetic interference, fibre stays clean through dimmer racks, LED walls, and high-RF broadcast environments. Choosing fibreACE over the copper card is purely a question of distance and environment, not of a different audio format.

Long Reach, Redundancy, and Control on One Link

A single fibreACE link can connect a dLive MixRack to its Surface across a large venue, replacing multiple copper runs with one rugged optical cable. The card retains gigaACE cable redundancy so a backup path keeps audio flowing if the primary is compromised, and it tunnels the console's TCP/IP control network so one laptop drives both ends. Every stream is reclocked at each endpoint for jitter-free timing across the full run. The opticalCON Duo connector is a road-proven locking format built for repeated touring cycles. This combination of distance, redundancy, and integrated control is exactly what large-format live systems demand. Note that the card requires dLive firmware V1.4 or higher.

Where Fibre Earns Its Place

Stadium and arena installs use fibreACE to span distances that would exceed copper's 100 m limit, keeping a remote stage rack tied to a distant FOH position. Broadcast and outside-broadcast rigs value the immunity of fibre in RF-dense environments where copper can pick up interference. Touring companies run redundant fibre links between racks so a single damaged cable never threatens the show. Anywhere the MixRack and Surface are far apart, or the environment is electrically hostile, fibre is the professional choice. The card's dual fibre-and-copper design also lets an engineer fall back to Cat5e on the same unit when a short run is all that is needed.

Who the M-DL-GOPT-A Is For

This card is for touring engineers, large-venue integrators, and broadcast teams running dLive S/C Class or Avantis who need reach beyond 100 m or immunity from RF interference. Buyers stepping up from the copper gigaACE card gain the 500 m optical option without giving up any gigaACE feature. It is host-powered, fits the standard dLive/Avantis I/O port, and needs dLive firmware V1.4 or higher. If the copper card links two racks in the same building, the fibre card links them across a campus. For long, clean, redundant runs, the M-DL-GOPT-A is the answer.