Can someone explain the difference between the different ports? (dSnake, sLink, Monitor, Expander) I am looking to purchase an Avantis.
Does this setup work?
Mixer → AR2412 and then I also want to have an AR84 and AB168 on the platform. Do I need the DX hub? Which ports do I use to hook everything up?
Thanks!
If you want to use the AR2412, you can have one AB168 connected to the expander port of the 2412, giving a total of 40 inputs on that S-Link port. (or a max of 32 if you use a AR84 instead of the AB168)
If you want more ports you need to get an expantion card like the S-Link or Dante
Or you can use 2 DX168 chained to 32 inputs, and expand that setup using the DX-Hub for up to 4 x 2 DX168 total 128 inputs to patch from.
This guide doesn’t seem to show the latest items, or maybe they just aren’t compatible. Are the AR boxes compatible with the DX expander? It shows that the AR84, for example, is compatible with the Avantis. I am just not sure how to hook it up.
-Basically, I want the mixer at the back of the room in the mix position.
-Then an AR2412 behind the stage with all of the more permanent items plugged in.
-Then on the stage I want a 16-ch (AB168) and an 8-ch (AR84) stage box on the platform so that the on-stage instruments can plug in as needed.
Does this work? How would I hook it up? I am guessing it would go:
Mixer → DX expander
__DX1 - AR2412
__DX2 - AB168
__DX3 - AR84
No you can not use the DX and the AR/AB on the same port.
It is either AR/AB with AR2412+AR84 OR AR2412+AB168 if you want to go that way.
OR
2 x DX168 cascade connected if you have no DX hub
or
4 x 2 DX168 if you have the DX hub.
They can not be mixed on the same port.
Steine answered your general question. The short answer is that you can connect the AR2412 directly to the SLink port on the Avantis and then connect an AR84 or AB168 directly to the AR2412 via the available port on the stage box.
I’ll just add that the older 48k devices like the AB/AR stage boxes use an older A&H audio protocol that is not the same protocol as the newer DX stage boxes (which run at 96k). Therefore you cannot daisy chain the 48k stage boxes directly to the 96k stage boxes or vice versa. This means you cannot connect a DX168 directly to a AR2412 like you can a AB168. It also means that you cannot plug any AR/AB devices into a DX expander or GigaAce port because the audio protocols don’t match.
Now you can use the two types of boxes on the same console at the same time, but you have to have a different connection between the stage boxes and the console. For example, you could plug in your AR/AB stage boxes into the SLink port on the Avantis and then get a DX expansion card to plug the DX stage boxes into.
Hopefully that is helpful to you and not confusing!