Picture yourself at a concert: there are many elements in play to deliver a seamless audio experience, whether it’s an on-stage microphone, a mixing desk, the loudspeakers found throughout the venue, or another piece of kit.
With such a wide variety of companies operating in the professional audio industry, it’s very unlikely all these technologies will originate from the same manufacturer. If all these elements are to work together successfully on a single network, interoperability must be at its core. This is where Milan comes in.
The need for interoperability
Designed for professional audio applications, Milan gives users an open, reliable, and low-latent solution for professional audio settings where stability are a must. Milan adheres to the AVB standard to reduce the industry’s reliance on manual configuration. It also ensures the bandwidth required for an audio application is available to transport the signal over the available Ethernet network.
The creation of Milan has led to a more collaborative environment. Devices from a range of manufacturers are able to communicate with each other, giving end users greater freedom and flexibility to pick and choose the most suitable audio setup for their projects. This has made the interoperability of certified products within a network, not only feasible but a reality.
Bringing Milan to everyone
One of the key Avnu Alliance members ensuring this is JOYNED. Devoted to the promotion of open standards, the company was founded to break down the barriers to implementation in a fragmented market and ensure a broader range of manufacturers can implement Milan within their products. For those businesses that may not have the time and/or resources to drive the adoption of Milan themselves, JOYNED’s software makes this transition an easy, cost-effective process.
In today’s market, system integrators are always looking out for new solutions which make connections and format conversions – from analogue to the network and vice versa – quick and simple. Using JOYNED’s software running on an evaluation board, and featuring 18 manufacturers – including Meyer Sound, d&b audiotechnik, and Adamson – and 24 products from across the professional audio ecosystem, the Avnu Alliance member developed a rack for Integrated Systems Europe which demonstrated how easy and reliable it can be to interoperate a number of certified products within the same network.
No matter its origin, every piece of equipment found on the rack – including the switches – can be routed and monitored through a controller software, with reliable connections made between the different devices. On a screen found on the show floor, attendees are able to see the audio being delivered from A to B across the various vendors. The system showed the feasibility of different products to be implemented in a plug-and-play fashion, making the management of professional audio networks simpler than ever before.
Standardization for innovation
It therefore comes as no surprise that the professional audio industry continues to embrace Milan. We’re seeing Milan-enabled devices from major manufacturers becoming increasingly common – as anyone walking the floor at ProAV trade shows can attest to.
Open standard networks like Milan are making the future of the industry brighter. Greater adoption will ensure greater compatibility, and it’s in any manufacturer’s best interest to get involved. The rack presented by JOYNED shows just how easily it is to interchange certified products within a network without disruption and should be seen as a prototype for things to come.
Going forward, we are excited by the prospect of further manufacturers adopting Milan and taking their places in an increasingly interoperable industry. We look forward to seeing more companies on JOYNED’s rack at future events!