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Dante Converter

Audinate AVIO 2ch Analog Input Adapter

The AVIO analog input adapter takes two line-level XLR sources onto a Dante network from anywhere a Cat5 run reaches — a playback rig output, an ambient mic pair, a guest feed at FOH. PoE-powered with locking etherCON, it is the input-side counterpart to the output AVIO already common in monitor land. Rugged enough to live taped to a truss.

Compare
Documented outputs
1One destination connection
Documented inputs
2Based on documented inputs
Rack space
Outside rackPlan a shelf, tray, or stage position
Power draw
2W3W documented maximum
Catalog estimate
~$199Use retailer rows for current price and stock

01 · What it does—and what that changes in your rig.

Product overview

Start with the payoff, then work through how it functions, where it fits, and the details that change a real build.

The payoff

Dante Converter decisions, organized around the whole rig.

The AVIO Analog Input Adapter is Audinate's answer to a persistent problem: you have an analog source somewhere in the building and your network is already Dante, but running a full stagebox to that point is overkill. Two female XLR inputs accept line-level signals and hand them off as a two-channel Dante stream over a single Cat cable. That's it — no display, no menu, no rack space consumed. It's the kind of device you forget is there until the day it saves you.

Documented outputs
1One destination connection
Documented inputs
2Based on documented inputs
Rack space
Outside rackPlan a shelf, tray, or stage position
Audinateexternal · not rackmounted
Audinate product panelOutside rack · 2W
Function

How it works in the path

Power over Ethernet means the adapter draws what it needs from the network switch directly — 2 watts typical, 3 at most — so there's no wall-wart to lose and no local power outlet required at the source end. The locking etherCON connector matters in a live environment where cables get kicked; a standard RJ45 would back out at exactly the wrong moment. At 200 grams the unit goes wherever the Cat run goes: taped to a truss, zip-tied inside a floor pocket, sitting on a back-of-house credenza feeding a guest speaker's laptop output into your network.

Best fit

Where it earns its place in the system

This adapter belongs in your kit if you're running a Dante-based IEM or playback rig and you regularly need to ingest sources that aren't already on the network — broadcast feeds, a house console's direct out, a click track from a standalone player in a remote room. It is not a mic preamp; the inputs expect line level, so putting a dynamic microphone directly in without a preamp ahead of it will leave you hunting for gain. And if your whole rig is analog end-to-end, this solves nothing — the value is entirely predicated on Dante being the backbone you're building around.

In the rack

Details worth deciding before load-in.

  • Assign a static Dante IP to this unit via Dante Controller before the gig — DHCP is fine in a studio but a router hiccup at showtime is not a problem you want.
  • Tape a label with the unit's Dante device name directly on the body; when you've got three AVIOs deployed around a venue they look identical and swapping two will cost you a soundcheck.
  • Use the locking etherCON — if your run to the unit uses a plain RJ45 patch cable for the last few feet, add a short etherCON pigtail so the connection at the adapter itself is mechanically secured.
  • Verify your PoE switch port is actually PoE-enabled and not just a standard port on a mixed switch; the adapter will appear dead and you'll chase a Dante fault that is really just missing power.

02 · Know the whole path before you buy.

Signal path

Learn the route as a block diagram: source, product function, transport, and destination. Select any block to see what enters, what changes, and what leaves.

Interactive block diagramAuto-looping · hover, focus, or tap to hold a stage
Port-type signalProduct functionSystem boundary
Follow one signal from source to destination

Each block answers the same three questions: what arrives, what changes here, and what leaves.

01 · Source · selected
01 · Source

2 documented inputs

XLR female

Arrives as
2 documented inputs
Connector
XLR female
Signal
analog audio

03 · What this product asks of the rest of the system.

Compatibility

Treat connector names as the start of the check—not the answer. These are the boundaries that determine a complete working path.

Best fit · Dante Converter

Use it as dante converter tracked outside rack rails; follow the manufacturer’s mounting and form-factor guidance.

Plan the companion path

Complete the path with upstream and downstream gear that matches connector, direction, signal type, protocol, and wiring standard.

Protocol boundary

This product declares DANTE; matching plugs alone do not make other protocols compatible.

04 · Every connector, grouped by job.

I/O ports

Switch the product view and the documented port inventory updates with it—hardware and data stay side by side.

Every connector, grouped by job.

Switch panels to keep the hardware view and the documented port list in sync.

Front panel
front connector map for Audinate AVIO 2ch Analog Input AdapterEXTERNAL UNIT · FRONTNo documented front ports
Rear panel
rear connector map for Audinate AVIO 2ch Analog Input AdapterEXTERNAL UNIT · REARXLR femaleinputXLR femaleinputRJ45output
All documented ports for Audinate AVIO 2ch Analog Input Adapter
PortPanelConnectorDirectionSignalChannels
Input 1rearXLR female inputanalog audio—
Input 2rearXLR female inputanalog audio—
Dante (PoE)rearRJ45 outputdigital audio2

Showing 3 of 3 documented physical ports.

05 · Compare the decision, not just the price.

Alternatives

The rows are organized around fit, power, I/O, and system role so a cheaper unit cannot hide a more expensive workflow.

Compare
External unit
External unit
External unit
Fit📐 Outside rack📐 Outside rack📐 Outside rack
Power⚡ 2W⚡ 5W⚡ 2W
Weight⚖️ 0.4 lb⚖️ 0.4 lb⚖️ 0.4 lb
I/O🔌 3🔌 3🔌 2
Estimate💵 ~$199💵 ~$199💵 ~$159
Deep diveCurrent selectionFull comparison →Full comparison →

06 · Resolve the questions that can change the purchase or build plan.

Planning questions

Short, source-backed answers surface rack fit, power, cabling, and connection details before they become surprises.

Where does the Audinate AVIO 2ch Analog Input Adapter live in a complete rig?

The catalog assigns it no rack units. Builder tracks it as non-rack gear; follow the manufacturer’s mounting, case, and form-factor guidance.

How much power does the Audinate AVIO 2ch Analog Input Adapter draw?

Typical draw is 2W and documented maximum draw is 3W.

What connections does the Audinate AVIO 2ch Analog Input Adapter have?

3 documented physical ports, including Input 1, Input 2, Dante (PoE).

07 · See this gear inside a complete system plan.

Builder preview

Builder keeps non-rack gear in the same bill of materials, budget, dependency, and connection plan as the rack-mounted system around it.Open in Builder
AVIO 2ch Analog Input Adapter tracked in a complete system planA simplified plan shows the gear tracked outside rack rails, with its documented connection path continuing to a planned destination.Tracked outside rack railsAudinateADP-DAI-AU-2X0CONNECTED GEARnext signal destinationExternal system gear · no rack units assigned

08 · Related gear, in the order you may need it.

Focusrite RedNet A16R MkII

Dante Converter

Focusrite RedNet A16R MkII

1U · 7 ports · ~$4,400
Focusrite RedNet A8R

Dante Converter

Focusrite RedNet A8R

1U · 5 ports · ~$3,000
External unit

Dante Converter

Audinate AVIO Dante Adapter (Analog)

Outside rack · 3 ports · ~$199
DirectOut EXBOX.MD Dante/MADI Converter

Dante Converter

DirectOut EXBOX.MD Dante/MADI Converter

1U · half-rack · 5 ports · ~$3,339
External unit

Dante Converter

Audinate AVIO USB Adapter

Outside rack · 2 ports · ~$159
Focusrite RedNet D16R MkII

Dante Converter

Focusrite RedNet D16R MkII

1U · 9 ports · ~$2,800

Planning guides for dante converter systems.

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