Comparison of audio network protocols


The following is a comparison of audio over Ethernet and audio over IP audio network protocols and systems.
TechnologyDevelopment dateTransportTransmission schemeMixed use networkingControl communicationsTopologyFault toleranceDistanceDiameterNetwork capacityLatencyMaximum available sampling rate
AES472002ATMIsochronousCoexists with ATMAny IP or ATM protocol - Also IEC_62379MeshProvided by ATMCat5=100 m, MM=2 km, SM=70 kmUnlimitedUnlimited125 μs per hop192 kHz
AES50Ethernet physical layerIsochronous or synchronousdedicated Cat55 Mbit/s EthernetPoint-to-pointFEC, redundant linkCat5=100 mUnlimited48 channels63 μs384 kHz and DSD
AES67September 2013Any IP mediumIsochronousCoexists with other traffic using DiffServ QoSIP, SIPAny L2 or IP networkProvided by IPMedium dependentUnlimitedUnlimited4, 1,, and ms packet times96 kHz
AudioRailEthernet physical layerSynchronousCat5 or fiberProprietaryDaisy chain-Cat5=100 m, MM=2 km, SM=70 kmUnlimited32 channels4.5 μs + 0.25 μs per hop48 kHz, 96 kHz
AVB September 2011Enhanced EthernetIsochronousCoexists with other traffic using IEEE 802.1p QoS and admission controlIEEE 1722.1Spanning treeProvided by IEEE 802.1Cat5=100 m, MM=2 km, SM=70 km7 hopsUnlimited2 ms192 kHz
Aviom Pro64Ethernet physical layerSynchronousDedicated Cat5 and fiberProprietaryDaisy chain Redundant linksCat5e=120 m, MM=2 km, SM=70 km9520 km64 channels322 μs + 1.34 μs per hop208 kHz
CobraNet1996Ethernet data link layerIsochronouscoexists with EthernetEthernet, SNMP, MIDISpanning treeProvided by IEEE 802.1Cat5=100 m, MM=2 km, SM=70 km7 hops, 10 kmUnlimited, and ms96 kHz
Dante2006Any IP mediumIsochronousCoexists with other traffic using DiffServ QoSIP, BonjourAny L2 or single IP subnetProvided by IEEE 802.1 and redundant linkCat5=100 m, MM=2 km, SM=70 kmDependent on latencyUnlimited84 μs or greater192 kHz
EtherSound ES‑1002001Ethernet data link layerIsochronousDedicated EthernetProprietaryStar, daisy chain, ringFault tolerant ringCat5=140 m, MM=2 km, SM=70 kmUnlimited6484–125 μs + 1.4 μs/node96 kHz
EtherSound ES‑GigaEthernet data-link layerIsochronousCoexists with EthernetProprietaryStar, Daisy chain, ringFault tolerant ringCat5=140 m, MM=600 m, SM=70 kmUnlimited51284–125 μs + 0.5 μs/node96 kHz
HyperMACGigabit EthernetIsochronousDedicated Cat5, Cat6, or fiber100 Mbit/s+ EthernetPoint-to-pointRedundant linkCat6=100 m, MM=500 m, SM=10 kmUnlimited384+ channels63 μs384 kHz and DSD
Livewire2003Any IP mediumIsochronousCoexists with EthernetEthernet, HTTP, XMLAny L2 or IP networkProvided by IEEE 802.1Cat5=100 m, MM=2 km, SM=70 kmUnlimited32760 channels0.75 ms48 kHz
mLANJanuary 2000IEEE 1394IsochronousCoexists with IEEE 1394IEEE 1394, MIDITreeProvided by IEEE 1394bIEEE 1394 cable : 4.5 m100 m63 devices 354.17 μs192 kHz
OptocoreDedicated fiberSynchronousDedicated Cat5/fiberProprietaryRingRedundant ringMM=700 m, SM=110 kmUnlimited1008
channels at 48 kHz		41.6 μs96 kHz
Q-LAN2009IP over Gigabit EthernetIsochronousCoexists with other traffic using DiffServ QoSIP, HTTP, XMLAny L2 or IP networkIEEE 802.1, redundant link, IP routingCat5=100 m, MM=550 m, SM=10 km7 hops or 35 kmUnlimited1 ms48 kHz
RAVENNA2010Any IP mediumIsochronousCoexists with other traffic using DiffServ QoSIP, RTSP, BonjourAny L2 or IP networkProvided by IP and redundant linkMedium dependentUnlimitedUnlimitedvariable384 kHz and DSD
Riedel RocknetEthernet physical layerIsochronousDedicated Cat5/fiberProprietaryRingRedundant ringCat5e=150 m, MM=2 km, SM=20 km10 km max, 99 devices160 channels 400 μs at 48 kHz96 kHz
SoundGridEthernet data link layerIsochronousDedicated EthernetProprietaryStar, daisy chainDevice redundancyCat5/Cat5e/Cat6/Cat7 =100m,
MM=2km,
SM=70km		3 hopsUnlimited166 μs or greater96kHz
Symetrix SymLinkEthernet physical layerSynchronousDedicated EthernetProprietaryRing-Cat5=10 m16 devices64 channels83 μs per hop48 kHz
UMANIEEE 1394 and Ethernet AVBIsochronous and asynchronousCoexists with EthernetIP-based XFNDaisy chain in ring, tree, or star fault tolerant ring, device redundancyCat5e=50 m, Cat6=75 m, MM=1 km, SM=>2 kmUnlimited400 channels 354 μs + 125 μs per hop192 kHz