Midas DL16 Digital Stage Box

The DL16 is the stage-end of your digital snake — a 3U box that sits in your stage rack, collects up to 16 mic or line sources through genuine Midas preamps, and ships everything back to the console over a single shielded Cat5e cable via AES50. That one cable replaces sixteen individual XLR runs, which changes load-in logistics entirely. The 8 analog outputs on the back let you return console mixes to stage — wedge feeds, amp racks, or local foldback sends — without running additional cable. It pairs natively with the Midas M32 and M32R, and integrates equally well with the Behringer X32 and Wing family, all of which speak AES50 natively.

At load-in, the DL16 earns its keep fast: one Cat5e trunk to FOH or your monitor position, and you're done with the analog run. The second AES50 port isn't a bonus — it's a redundant link, so on a mission-critical show you can have a backup path already live before doors open. Power draw is modest at 25W typical, spiking to 35W, so it won't stress a standard IEC outlet or eat meaningful rack power budget. At 6.1 kg and 249mm deep, it's not a featherweight, but it's built to live on a stage floor rack or a riser under the drum kit. What it is not: there is no analog multicore option here. If the AES50 link goes down and you have no redundant path patched in, you have no signal. Plan accordingly.

Pick the DL16 if you're running an M32, M32R, X32, or Wing and want Midas-grade preamps at the stage without the cost of a larger box. For a band with 12–16 inputs and 4–6 monitor mixes, this is a clean, purpose-fit solution. If you need more than 16 inputs at the stage, you'll need a second DL16 or a step up to the DL32. If your console doesn't speak AES50, the DL16 is simply incompatible — it has no Dante, no MADI, no analog multicore fallback. It also won't work as a standalone audio interface or connect to a computer directly.