Cranborne-audio N8

Audio Routing Made Easy
N8 is an advanced audio distribution hub that uses Cranborne Audio’s C.A.S.T. system to transform network cable (Cat 5e, Cat 6, or Cat 7) into 4-channel analogue snakes.

Audio Over Cat 5 Made Easy
A single Cat 5 cable using C.A.S.T. can replace 4 XLR cables – providing better cable management, consistent sound quality, and easier deployment during mobile recording.

Using N8 and C.A.S.T., you can use standard network cables to distribute IO, headphone amps. mic preamps, and more around your studio with plug-and-play simplicity.

C.A.S.T. Distribution Hub
Featuring Input and Output connectors on DB25, N8 converts 8 analogue inputs and 8 analogue outputs to Cranborne Audio’s proprietary C.A.S.T. system.

With 4 dedicated C.A.S.T. ports, N8 allows up to 4 Cranborne Audio breakout boxes to be connected at once for 16 channels of audio routing with any audio interface, mixer, or audio installation.

The Heart Of C.A.S.T. | Our Audio-Over-Cat 5 System
N8 is an advanced audio distribution hub that uses Cranborne Audio’s C.A.S.T. system to transform network cable (Cat 5e, Cat 6, or Cat 7) into 4-channel analogue snakes and breakout boxes that can be routed around the studio or stage.

Set N8 in your control room and patch directly to the IO of your audio interface via DB25. N8 then converts analogue IO from the audio interface into 4 discrete C.A.S.T. connections that can be distributed to C.A.S.T. breakout boxes such as N22 and N22H in your studio or on the stage.

In a real-world example, a vocal booth created with XLRs, would require 2 XLR cables for microphones, 2 more XLR cables for a stereo monitor mix for the singer, and a headphone amp with power. And after that, unless you’re handy with a soldering iron, you’ll be left with trailing XLRs and no discrete box to patch to.

N8 and C.A.S.T. replaces all of that complexity with one networking cable and neat, compact breakout boxes over distances up to 100m (330ft).

Flexible Output Routing
With dedicated C.A.S.T. output routing switches on the front panel, each C.A.S.T. connection on N8 can send the same stereo signal to all connected C.A.S.T. devices or separate stereo signals to each if performers need to hear their own mix.

This is perfect for broadcast installations where all outputs need to hear the program mix or for studio recording where each output needs a separate mix.

Turn Any Space Into A Studio
C.A.S.T. is a high-quality and plug-and-play method of transporting audio from A to B with the least amount of cabling mess. Best of all, as networking cable is common-place in people’s homes, a whole studio re-wire with Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 7, and C.A.S.T. is cheaper than equivalent XLR looms and copper snakes. Even if you have existing shielded Cat 5 infrastructure in your home, N8 and C.A.S.T. can connect to that system and connect distant rooms with ease.

With a completely passive design, no power is required for full operation and C.A.S.T connectivity. N8 is rugged enough for the stage, small enough to hide in the rack, or rack-mountable with the optional Half-Rack Kit and it’s a cabling solution designed to transform your open space into a studio.

High-Quality Audio Over Cat 5
Do you think Cat 5 is for networking only and shouldn’t be used for analogue audio? Well, networking cable is actually perfectly suited for analogue audio – here’s why!

• Networking cable isn’t only designed for networking, it’s still an analogue cable that transports signals and voltage along a copper line – just like an audio cable.
• Cat 5 is manufactured to a rigorous high-standard to reliably transmit data across buildings (which is very important to make the world go round!) whereas XLR cables come in varying quality and aren’t designed to perform to a specific technical standard.
• Network cables transfer huge amounts of data at very high bandwidths (1000mHz on Cat 7…. which is 1,000,000,000Hz) so comparatively speaking, transporting audio which is 20Hz to 20kHz is pretty easy and can be done with minimal crosstalk and without signal degradation.
• One Cat 5 cable can also be used to transport up to 4 channels of fully-balanced analogue audio. It does this in the same was as analogue multicore as there are 4 twisted pairs of cables each with their own shield – they just happen to be packaged into a single cable
• Finally, as networking cable is ordered by the trillions, it’s music more affordable than XLR cable which comparatively, is manufactured in much lower quantities. That means a 10m Cat 7 cable (which transports 4 channels of audio) can be bought at any retailer for the fraction of a price of a single XLR cable.

Compatible With All C.A.S.T.-Enabled Products
C.A.S.T. is a system Cranborne Audio has developed across many of their products allowing for ingenious signal routing options with plug-and-play C.A.S.T simplicity. Connect the C.A.S.T. output of these devices to N8 and they are automatically patched into your audio interface and ready to use. Products that support C.A.S.T. include the N22 and N22H breakout boxes as well as our Camden EC2 and Camden EC1 preamp, headphone amplifiers, and signal processors.