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Analog Snake

Radial Catapult Mini TRS

The Radial Catapult Mini TRS puts four balanced 1/4-inch TRS connectors on the Cat5 snake system, matching the jacks found on rackmount interfaces and playback rigs. Use it at the rack end to lift four interface outputs onto one Cat5 run to stage, with a Mini RX or RX4 breaking out to XLR at the other end. Passive, compact, and interchangeable with every other Catapult module.

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Photos

Manufacturer product photography showing the hardware, controls, and physical form.

Photo: Radial Engineering1 / 2
Signal channels
4Balanced analog paths end to end
Cable runs
14 channels per Cat cable
Rack space
Outside rackPlan a shelf, tray, or stage position
Power draw
UnverifiedPower requirement is not verified in the catalog
Catalog estimate
~$125Current listings stay in the price tracker

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

4 channels. 1 cable runs. Outside rack.

The Catapult Mini TRS is a passive, four-channel Cat5 interface module that converts balanced quarter-inch TRS connections onto a single RJ45 run. Its job is simple and specific: you have a rack full of interface outputs or playback device sends on TRS jacks, and you need to move those signals across the stage without running four individual cables. One Cat5 does it. On the far end, a paired Catapult receiver — a Mini RX or RX4 — breaks the signal back out to XLR for drive racks, splitters, or wireless systems. No power, no transformers, no latency.

Signal channels
4Balanced analog paths end to end
Cable runs
14 channels per Cat cable
Rack space
Outside rackPlan a shelf, tray, or stage position
Radial Catapult Mini TRS — additional view
Photo: Radial EngineeringOutside rack · Unverified
Function

How it works in the path

Four bidirectional TRS jacks and one RJ45 is the entire port count, which tells you exactly what this thing is and is not. Passive means signal integrity lives or dies on cable quality and run length — Cat5e or Cat6 in good condition over stage-reasonable distances behaves well, but this is not a digital system and it is not immune to noise pickup on a long or poorly shielded run. At one kilogram and zero rack units, the Mini TRS is meant to live on the back of a rack shelf, zip-tied to a rail, or mounted in Radial's own Catapult rack frame rather than eating a rack space of its own. Power draw is zero, which matters when you're budgeting a conditioner.

Best fit

Where it earns its place in the system

If your playback rig or IEM rack uses an interface with TRS line outputs — an RME, MOTU, or similar — and you need those signals to travel any real distance to stage, this is a clean, affordable answer. The interchangeability across the Catapult system is genuinely useful: you can mix TRS and XLR modules at each end depending on what the destination gear requires. Skip it if your interface already has XLR outputs, since a standard Catapult XLR module covers that without any adapter chaining. Also skip it if your run is very long or in a high-RF environment — a digital snake will serve you better there.

In the rack

Details worth deciding before load-in.

  • Mount the Mini TRS directly on the back of your rack's top or bottom shelf using Radial's Catapult rack frame — keeping it mechanically secure prevents TRS cables from wiggling the RJ45 seat loose mid-show.
  • Label both ends of the Cat5 run with the same color tape before load-in; the RJ45 connection is not keyed for direction, and grabbing the wrong end in a dark wing is a real risk.
  • Use the bidirectional nature intentionally — if your interface needs to receive a cue feed from FOH on two channels and send playback on the other two, a single Cat5 run with this module at the rack handles all four in one cable.
  • Always carry a spare patch-length Cat5e; if the snake goes quiet, the cable is the first suspect and swapping it takes thirty seconds.

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 · Either endpoint · selected
01 · Either endpoint

Upstream or downstream analog gear

4 balanced analog channels can enter from either end of this bidirectional path.

Direction
Bidirectional
Connector
¼-inch TRS
Signal
Balanced 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 · Analog Snake

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

Plan the companion path

Complete both ends with a compatible sender, receiver, or breakout. Match connector, channel wiring, direction, and shielded-cable requirements.

Connector boundary

Documented connectors: ¼-inch TRS, RJ45. Match connector, direction, and signal type—not shape alone.

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 Radial Catapult Mini TRSEXTERNAL UNIT · FRONTNo documented front ports
Rear panel
rear connector map for Radial Catapult Mini TRSEXTERNAL UNIT · REAR¼-inch TRSbidirectional¼-inch TRSbidirectional¼-inch TRSbidirectional¼-inch TRSbidirectionalRJ45bidirectional
All documented ports for Radial Catapult Mini TRS
PortPanelConnectorDirectionSignalChannels
TRS 1rear¼-inch TRS bidirectionalanalog audio—
TRS 2rear¼-inch TRS bidirectionalanalog audio—
TRS 3rear¼-inch TRS bidirectionalanalog audio—
TRS 4rear¼-inch TRS bidirectionalanalog audio—
Cat5rearRJ45 bidirectionalanalog audio—

Showing 5 of 5 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
Radial Catapult Mini TRS
Radial Catapult Rack RX
Radial Catapult TX4 and RX4 — 4-channel Cat 5 audio snake pair
Radial Catapult TX4 and RX4 — 4-channel Cat 5 audio snake pair
Fit📐 Outside rack📐 1U📐 Outside rack📐 Outside rack
Power⚡ Unverified⚡ 0W⚡ Unverified⚡ Unverified
Weight⚖️ 2.2 lb⚖️ 3.1 lb⚖️ 3.5 lb⚖️ 3.5 lb
I/O🔌 5🔌 18🔌 9🔌 9
Estimate💵 ~$125💵 ~$300💵 ~$235💵 ~$235
Deep diveCurrent selectionFull comparison →Full 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 Radial Catapult Mini TRS 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 Radial Catapult Mini TRS draw?

Its power requirement is not yet verified in the catalog.

What connections does the Radial Catapult Mini TRS have?

5 documented physical ports, including TRS 1, TRS 2, TRS 3, TRS 4, Cat5.

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
Catapult Mini TRS 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 railsRadialCatapult Mini TRSCONNECTED GEARnext signal destinationExternal system gear · no rack units assigned

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

Radial Catapult Mini RX — unit with 4-channel male XLR breakout fan

Analog Snake

Radial Catapult Mini RX

Outside rack · 5 ports · ~$125
Radial Catapult Mini TX — unit with 4-channel XLR breakout fan

Analog Snake

Radial Catapult Mini TX

Outside rack · 5 ports · ~$125
Radial Catapult RX4M

Analog Snake

Radial Catapult RX4M

Outside rack · 5 ports · ~$375
Radial Catapult TX4M

Analog Snake

Radial Catapult TX4M

Outside rack · 5 ports · ~$375
Radial Catapult TX4 and RX4 — 4-channel Cat 5 audio snake pair

Analog Snake

Radial Catapult RX4

Outside rack · 9 ports · ~$235
Radial Catapult TX4 and RX4 — 4-channel Cat 5 audio snake pair

Analog Snake

Radial Catapult TX4

Outside rack · 9 ports · ~$235

Planning guides for analog snake systems.

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