Networked Audio Design

Audio Channels and Streams are created by wiring to and from networked I/O devices. Using efficient wiring, and the capabilities of the Q-SYS Core, you can maximize the capabilities of your Q-SYS system. This topic explains the principals of Network Audio Channels (NAC) and Network Audio Streams (NAS), and how to wire the components in your design to achieve maximum efficiency in your Q-SYS system.

Core Channel Capacities

Note: Q-SYS Scaling Licenses expand the capabilities of the Core 8 Flex and Core Nano processors. Refer to the Licensing topic for more information.

Core Model	Local I/O Channels	Network Audio Channels	Software Dante Audio Channels⁴	AEC Processors	Multitrack Audio Players	Local I/O Card Capacity	VoIP Instances
NV-32-H (Core Capable)	HDMI (8-ch per port) Stereo 3.5 mm (1 x 1)	32x32	Up to 32x32 (none included)	8	16	N/A	1
Core Nano	8x8 USB audio	64x64	Up to 32x32 (8x8 included)	8	16 (upgradable to 32)	N/A	2
Core 8 Flex	8 flex, 8x8 USB audio	64x64	Up to 32x32 (8x8 included)	8	16 (upgradable to 32)	N/A	2
Core 110f	24 (8 analog in, 8 analog out, 8 analog flex in/out), 16x16 USB audio	128x128¹	Up to 32x32 (8x8 included³)	16	16 (upgradable to 32)	N/A	4
Core 110c	24 (8 analog in, 8 analog out, 8 analog flex in/out), 16x16 USB audio	128x128¹	N/A	4	16 (upgradable to 32)	N/A	1
Core 510i	Up to 32 analog, 128x128 (AES/CobraNet/Dante/AVB cards)	256x256	Up to 128x128 (8x8 included²)	64	16 (upgradable to 128)	8	64
Core 510c	Up to 32 analog, 128x128 (AES/CobraNet/Dante/AVB cards)	256x256	N/A	64	16 (upgradable to 128)	8	4
Core 5200	N/A	512x512	Up to 512x512 (8x8 included²)	160	16 (upgradable to 128)	N/A	64
Discontinued
Core 250i	Up to 32 analog, 64x64 (AES/CobraNet/Dante/AVB cards)	64 flex in/out	N/A	16	16 (upgradable to 128)	8	64
Core 500i	Up to 32 analog, 128x128 (AES/CobraNet/Dante/AVB cards)	128 flex in/out	N/A	48	16 (upgradable to 128)	8	64
Core 1100	Up to 4 analog, 16 AES, 64x64 (CobraNet/Dante/AVB cards)	256x256	N/A	72	16 (upgradable to 128)	1	64
Core 3100	Up to 4 analog, 16 AES, 64x64 (CobraNet/Dante/AVB cards)	512x512	N/A	144	16 (upgradable to 128)	1	64

1. When using the Core 110f on-board USB Device Port for video bridging, the Q-LAN / AES67 maximum audio channel count is 64 x 64.

2. For units shipped after January 1, 2021. See Licensing.

3. For units shipped after March 31, 2020. See Licensing.

4. Software Dante channels count towards Network Audio Channels.

Network Audio Channel Fan-out

Fan-out is the distribution of a single Network Audio Channel (NAC) to multiple outputs. In Q-SYS Designer you can distribute the output several ways. This topic describes fan-out, and how to incorporate it in a Q-SYS design in the most efficient way.

Network Audio Channels are made up of virtual and physical connections.

The Q-SYS Core and I/O Frames are physically connected via the Ethernet. Each I/O Frame has four available slots for I/O cards. The I/O cards are identified in Q-SYS Designer by I/O Frame and Slot within the I/O Frame. When you make a connection in Q-SYS Designer from a Gain DSP component, for example, to a representation of an I/O card, like a Line Out card, you are telling Q-SYS that "this Gain output" is going to Channel 1 of the card in "Slot x" of "I/O Frame xyz". In a Q-SYS Designer Schematic, the physical Ethernet connection between components is not shown, neither are the I/O Frame or Core; it is the virtual connection that is shown. The virtual connections shown in this topic are more like assignments from a DSP component running on one physical piece of hardware, to a DSP component running on a card within another physical piece of hardware.

Network Audio Channel Definition

A unique, point to point, audio signal on the network.
Can be connected between Cores in multi-system installations.

In the example above, the Mic/Line card in an I/O Frame only has one channel wired, and represents one Input Network Audio Channel. The Line Output card in another I/O Frame with only one channel wired, represents one Output NAC. If either card is installed in a Core, there are zero NAC's counted because the audio is not on the network, but in the Core only.

Note: The two network connections also represent two Network Audio Streams, one input and one output, because the signals go to different I/O Frames.

Counting Network Audio Channels in Your Design

You can determine the number of Input NACs and Output NACs by pressing Shift+F6. The Check Design dialog box displays the number of Input and Output NACs along with other information.

When counting Input NACs, the system counts all signal pins on all input cards that are in the design and wired to another component in the schematic. If you put one Mic/Line Input card into your design, and wire all the signal pins, the Input NAC count is four because it has four connectors.
When counting Output NACs, the system counts all the signal pins on any of the output cards that are placed in the design and wired to another component.
When an input or output card is installed in the Core, there are no NACs because the connection is internal to the Core, and not on the network.

Wiring in Q-SYS Designer

Network Fan-out

Fan-out on the network is one audio signal from the Core going to multiple I/O Frames on the network. This method uses multiple NACs, and the audio signal is sent multiple times. Input signals always use one NAC per input because they are all unique, whereas an output can be the same signal going multiple places.

In this example, the signal from the Core is the same, but because it is going to two separate I/O Frames, it requires two NACs.

Note: The two network connections also represent two Output Network Audio Streams because the signals go to different I/O Frames.

I/O Frame Fan-out

Fan-out in the I/O Frame is one audio signal from the Core going to a single I/O Frame. Inside the I/O Frame the audio signal is fanned-out to a possible 16 output channels. In this case, only one NAC is used on one NAS.

The top example is how the design looks in Q-SYS Designer, the bottom is a network representation. In the example, there are 16 channels from one source, going to a single I/O Frame with four 4-channel Line Out cards, using only one NAC because it is only going to one I/O Frame.

Note: The one network connection also represents one Output Network Audio Stream because the signal goes to only one I/O Frame.

Fan-out Gain Control

Output to Amplifiers

When one NAC is fanned-out into multiple channels, there is an individual gain control for each channel. The available controls with the Q-SYS output cards vary depending on the card.

Loudspeakers

When QSC DataPort amplifiers, and QSC loudspeakers are used in a design, there are individual gain controls for each loudspeaker, including multi-way loudspeakers.

Network Audio Stream

A Network Audio Stream (NAS) is a bundle of one or more NACs going to or from a single peripheral connected to the Q-LAN network, and wired in the design running on the Core.

Hardware peripherals include I/O Frames and Page Stations. A Q-LAN Receiver or Transmitter does not represent physical hardware, and needs only to be in a design (not wired) to be counted as an NAS with NACs. The Q-SYS Touchscreen and DataPort Amplifier Backup panel peripherals do not count against the NAS count.

The maximum number of NACs in a single NAS is 16 because you can only have 16 inputs or outputs.

Note: An I/O Frame with four AES3 Input / Output cards installed has one Input NAS with 16 channels, and one Output NAS with 16 channels giving a total of 32 channels for a single peripheral.