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Antenna Distro

RF Venue COMBINE6 HDR IEM Combiner

The RF Venue COMBINE6 HDR squeezes a six-input IEM transmitter combiner into half a rack space, with high dynamic range RF stages built for the crowded UHF landscape. Passive RF in/out expansion ports chain a second unit for larger monitor rigs, and the single antenna output feeds a CP Beam or helical for clean transmit coverage. A dense, current-generation alternative to the classic 4:1 combiners.

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Photos

Manufacturer product photography — the drawn faceplate stays true to panel layout; these show the hardware itself.

Photo: RF VenueClick to zoom
Documented outputs
22 destination connections
Documented inputs
9Based on documented inputs
Rack space
1U · half-rackBuilder checks available rail space
Power draw
8W12W documented maximum
Catalog estimate
~$1,499Use 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

Antenna Distro decisions, organized around the whole rig.

The COMBINE6 HDR answers a specific and common problem in monitor world: you have six IEM transmitters, one good antenna position, and no interest in running six separate coax runs to the hang point. It takes six BNC transmitter outputs, combines them through high dynamic range RF stages, and sends a single combined signal to one antenna — typically a directional CP Beam or helical aimed at the stage. That half-rack footprint means it pairs neatly with a second unit or a small patch panel without consuming a full 1U on its own, which matters when your IEM rack is already fighting for space.

Documented outputs
22 destination connections
Documented inputs
9Based on documented inputs
Rack space
1U · half-rackBuilder checks available rail space
RFVENUEIOCOMBINE6HDR
RF Venue product panel1U · half-rack · 8W
Function

How it works in the path

The HDR designation is the detail worth understanding before you buy. In dense RF environments — festival stages, arenas, any situation where you're sharing UHF spectrum with other productions — standard combining stages can compress or intermodulate when hit with strong out-of-band signals. The high dynamic range front end is built to handle that without degrading your transmitted signal. The expansion ports are equally practical: run a second COMBINE6 HDR for up to twelve transmitters through a single antenna path, connected passively with no additional active hardware. At 8 watts nominal draw in a shallow 150mm chassis, it integrates cleanly into any IEM rack without thermal or depth surprises.

Best fit

Where it earns its place in the rack

This is the right tool if you're running four to six IEM transmitters regularly and want to centralize your antenna placement — touring monitor engineers, corporate production houses with fixed-format rigs, and anyone who has fought cable management on a multi-transmitter hang will immediately understand the value. If you're only running two or three transmitters, a simpler 4-input combiner costs less and covers the need. If you're pushing beyond six channels on a single rig, plan for that second unit from the start and use the expansion ports as intended rather than treating it as an afterthought.

In the rack

Details worth deciding before load-in.

  • Mount both halves of a two-unit chain in adjacent half-rack slots and run the RF Expansion Out of the first directly into the RF Expansion In of the second — keep that jumper cable as short as possible to minimize insertion loss before the signal reaches the antenna.
  • The single Antenna Out assumes you're feeding one directional antenna. If your stage geometry requires coverage from two sides, you'll need an active antenna distribution amplifier downstream — the COMBINE6 HDR is a combiner, not a splitter, and that port is not designed to feed multiple antennas passively.
  • Label each TX In port at patch with the transmitter frequency alongside the channel name. When a transmitter needs to be swapped mid-show, whoever is touching the rack can verify they're patching the right frequency without pulling up a channel list.
  • Keep the unit away from the bottom of a rack stacked directly above a high-heat device. At 12 watts max draw it runs cool itself, but RF stages are sensitive to ambient heat that can drift performance over a long show day.

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

9 documented inputs

bnc + dc barrel

Arrives as
9 documented inputs
Connector
bnc + dc barrel
Signal
antenna

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 · Antenna Distro

Use it when 1U · half-rack and 150 mm of depth fit the case.

Plan the companion path

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

Connector boundary

Documented connectors: bnc, dc barrel. 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
RFVENUEIOCOMBINE6HDR
Rear panel
RF VenueCOMBINE6 HDR
All documented ports for RF Venue COMBINE6 HDR IEM Combiner
PortPanelConnectorDirectionSignalChannels
TX 1 Inrearbnc inputantenna—
TX 2 Inrearbnc inputantenna—
TX 3 Inrearbnc inputantenna—
TX 4 Inrearbnc inputantenna—
TX 5 Inrearbnc inputantenna—
TX 6 Inrearbnc inputantenna—
Link In 1rearbnc inputantenna—
Link In 2rearbnc inputantenna—
Link Outrearbnc outputantenna—
Antenna Outrearbnc outputantenna—
DC In (12V 3A)reardc barrel inputpower—

Showing 11 of 11 documented physical ports. Scroll to review the remaining rows.

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
RF Venue COMBINE6 HDR — half-rack front panel with six channel LEDs
RF Venue COMBINE4 — front panel
RF Venue DISTRO4 — front panel
RF Venue DISTRO5 HDR — half-rack front panel with vented grille and power switch
Fit📐 1U · half-rack📐 1U📐 1U📐 1U · half-rack
Power⚡ 8W⚡ Unverified⚡ 60W⚡ 6W
Weight⚖️ 2.4 lb⚖️ 5.1 lb⚖️ 4.7 lb⚖️ 2.0 lb
I/O🔌 11🔌 10🔌 17🔌 14
Estimate💵 ~$1,499💵 ~$849💵 ~$649💵 ~$749
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.

How will the RF Venue COMBINE6 HDR IEM Combiner affect rack fit and case depth?

It occupies 1U · half-rack. Its documented depth is 150 mm.

How much power does the RF Venue COMBINE6 HDR IEM Combiner draw?

Typical draw is 8W and documented maximum draw is 12W.

What connections does the RF Venue COMBINE6 HDR IEM Combiner have?

11 documented physical ports, including TX 1 In, TX 2 In, TX 3 In, TX 4 In, TX 5 In, TX 6 In.

07 · See this unit inside a real rack plan.

Builder preview

Placement is only the start. Builder checks space · depth · weight, power headroom, dependencies, and compatible signal paths around this exact catalog item.Open in Builder
COMBINE6 HDR IEM Combiner positioned in a rack planA simplified plan shows the unit taking 1 rack units, with its documented connection path continuing to a planned destination.RF VenueCOMBINE6 HDRCONNECTED GEARnext signal destination1U · 150 mm deep

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

Planning guides for antenna distro systems.