This is a review and detailed measurements of the Dante AVIO Ethernet streaming input and output modules. It was kindly loaned to me by a member. They each cost $144.
The modules have extremely nice quality and feel of robustness to them:
There is an Ethernet connection at the other end that streams data to/from respectively for each module:
Power is provided over Ethernet (PoE) so there are no adapters or dongles to worry about. The owner sent me an HP PoE switch which I used for testing.
There is software you need to download to configure them (Dante Controller). They also have a neat Dante Virtual Soundcard which creates either an ASIO or WDM interface (in Windows) to treat the modules as if they are hardwired to your computer. Alternatively the modules can be configured to talk to each other without a PC in the middle allow you to extend balanced audio over Ethernet to wherever that interface goes. And of course with no digital loss in the interconnect. The ADC/DAC modules are not perfect so let's measure them independently and then together.
Note that there is no dynamic sample rate switching. You set the sample rate and that is the only rate that the module works at. You have to reconfigure the module to play other sample rates which are supported up to 96 kHz.
Dante AVIO Analog Output Measurements
Per above introduction, I configured the output module for 44.1 and ran our dashboard:
Note that there are level configurations and these are set to maximum they support. Harmonic distortion and variable noise floor are disappointing, putting the AVIO output in our least favorite category of performance:
You basically have 14 bits of distortion-free range. Sweeping the digital input shows there is not much more performance to be had at lower output levels either:
Dynamic range was better than I expected from the dashboard:
Linearity was also another bright spot:
Jitter performance showed the same rather high and uneven noise floor:
Intermodulation vs level starts reasonably but ends on a sour note:
Reconstruction filter once again shows strangeness with noise floor:
This becomes a serious issue as usual in our THD+N vs frequency as higher frequencies:
But even without that, the low frequency noise+distortion is rather high at nearly 0.008%.
Can't run the multitone test since 192 kHz sampling required for that test is not supported.
Dante AVIO Analog Input Measurements
Here is our usual dashboard for ADC interfaces:
Oh, this is much more respectable than the DAC!
Dynamic range is a bit low though, failing 16 bit threshold:
IMD vs level is decent:
Frequency response at 48 KHz sampling is shy of 24 kHz but this is rather typical:
Linear is what we would expect from dynamic range test:
I was going to stop here but thought I run the SINAD vs Frequency and boy, am I glad I did:
Wow, what is up with that low frequency rise? Usually this is caused by poor power supply (negative rail usually). Fortunately low frequency distortion is not as audible but still, like to see better design than this.
Dante AVIO Input and Output Measurements
Let's cascade the two modules, using them as a black box balanced audio extender. This would be our dashboard then:
The DAC is operating a bit more optimally due to lower output level giving us a SINAD of 87 dB. The ADC has much lower distortion so it is transparent in this regard.
Sweeping the analog input level we get:
So you can only lower the performance, not better it than what I have shown.
Conclusions
I really like the plug-and-play aspects of these modules for streaming audio over ethernet. The build quality is excellent as well. The software can be a bit difficult to use but once you figure it out, you can get things done. In understand these are entry level modules from Dante. Still, I like to see at least clean, 16 bit performance out of them. We are short of that so I am disappointed in that regard. Don't even think about using them on your JBL SDP-55 processor hoping to get better performance than internal DACs. You will only make things worse, not better.
In a pro, sound enforcement situation, the robustness should make them a good fit as long as you realize the performance degradation over just running an analog connection to a good ADC.
Overall, I like to recommend the Dante AVIO modules but based on pure performance, I can't. You have the data to decide otherwise.
------------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Appreciate any donations using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
The modules have extremely nice quality and feel of robustness to them:
There is an Ethernet connection at the other end that streams data to/from respectively for each module:
Power is provided over Ethernet (PoE) so there are no adapters or dongles to worry about. The owner sent me an HP PoE switch which I used for testing.
There is software you need to download to configure them (Dante Controller). They also have a neat Dante Virtual Soundcard which creates either an ASIO or WDM interface (in Windows) to treat the modules as if they are hardwired to your computer. Alternatively the modules can be configured to talk to each other without a PC in the middle allow you to extend balanced audio over Ethernet to wherever that interface goes. And of course with no digital loss in the interconnect. The ADC/DAC modules are not perfect so let's measure them independently and then together.
Note that there is no dynamic sample rate switching. You set the sample rate and that is the only rate that the module works at. You have to reconfigure the module to play other sample rates which are supported up to 96 kHz.
Dante AVIO Analog Output Measurements
Per above introduction, I configured the output module for 44.1 and ran our dashboard:
Note that there are level configurations and these are set to maximum they support. Harmonic distortion and variable noise floor are disappointing, putting the AVIO output in our least favorite category of performance:
You basically have 14 bits of distortion-free range. Sweeping the digital input shows there is not much more performance to be had at lower output levels either:
Dynamic range was better than I expected from the dashboard:
Linearity was also another bright spot:
Jitter performance showed the same rather high and uneven noise floor:
Intermodulation vs level starts reasonably but ends on a sour note:
Reconstruction filter once again shows strangeness with noise floor:
This becomes a serious issue as usual in our THD+N vs frequency as higher frequencies:
But even without that, the low frequency noise+distortion is rather high at nearly 0.008%.
Can't run the multitone test since 192 kHz sampling required for that test is not supported.
Dante AVIO Analog Input Measurements
Here is our usual dashboard for ADC interfaces:
Oh, this is much more respectable than the DAC!
Dynamic range is a bit low though, failing 16 bit threshold:
IMD vs level is decent:
Frequency response at 48 KHz sampling is shy of 24 kHz but this is rather typical:
Linear is what we would expect from dynamic range test:
I was going to stop here but thought I run the SINAD vs Frequency and boy, am I glad I did:
Wow, what is up with that low frequency rise? Usually this is caused by poor power supply (negative rail usually). Fortunately low frequency distortion is not as audible but still, like to see better design than this.
Dante AVIO Input and Output Measurements
Let's cascade the two modules, using them as a black box balanced audio extender. This would be our dashboard then:
The DAC is operating a bit more optimally due to lower output level giving us a SINAD of 87 dB. The ADC has much lower distortion so it is transparent in this regard.
Sweeping the analog input level we get:
So you can only lower the performance, not better it than what I have shown.
Conclusions
I really like the plug-and-play aspects of these modules for streaming audio over ethernet. The build quality is excellent as well. The software can be a bit difficult to use but once you figure it out, you can get things done. In understand these are entry level modules from Dante. Still, I like to see at least clean, 16 bit performance out of them. We are short of that so I am disappointed in that regard. Don't even think about using them on your JBL SDP-55 processor hoping to get better performance than internal DACs. You will only make things worse, not better.
In a pro, sound enforcement situation, the robustness should make them a good fit as long as you realize the performance degradation over just running an analog connection to a good ADC.
Overall, I like to recommend the Dante AVIO modules but based on pure performance, I can't. You have the data to decide otherwise.
------------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
Appreciate any donations using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/