Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Cranborne Audio Introduces C.A.S.T, N22, and N22H

A year since Cranborne Audio began their journey in the humble surroundings of Hall E, the team are back at NAMM 2019 displaying an expanded product family. Alongside the award winning Camden 500 and production-ready 500R8 and 500ADAT, Cranborne Audio are welcoming 3 new additions to their product family that continue with the theme of technological innovation and groundbreaking application-based designs offering elite performance at accessible prices.

Cranborne Audio is very proud to announce C.A.S.T. – Cranborne Audio’s solution for flexible, high fidelity, and cost effective audio distribution systems in the modern home, project, or professional studio and our first 3 C.A.S.T. breakout boxes – the N22, N22H, and EC2.

The modern studio is full of headphone extenders, low-powered headphone amplifiers, and excessive cable clutter making cue/monitor mixing complicated, messy, and uninspiring for the talent to listen to. Cranborne Audio has set out to transform audio distribution on stage or in the studio by replacing 4 balanced XLR cables with a single Cat 5e cable – our C.A.S.T. or Cat5 Analogue Snake Transport. By repurposing the internal copper wires and internal shield of a Cat 5e cable, the C.A.S.T. system transports 4 channels of balanced analogue audio over distances of up to 100m.

Cranborne Audio have developed a range of products that are designed to live at either end of the C.A.S.T. system and position I/O where it is needed; in the vocal booth, in the live room, or backstage. N22 and N22H are Cranborne Audio’s palm-sized solutions for reducing cable clutter and increasing signal fidelity.

N22 is a 4-way cat 5 analogue snake that features advanced connectivity when used in conjunction with another C.A.S.T. enabled product. Featuring two combi jack inputs and dual 1⁄4” and XLR outputs, N22 can transport four channels of balanced analogue audio over distances up to 100m
using shielded cat 5 cable.


N22H is a standalone reference-quality headphone amplifier as well as an advanced headphone distribution system using Cranborne Audio’s C.A.S.T. system. N22H provides headphone connectivity where it is needed, right beside the artist/musician using a single Cat 5 cable. The built-in headphone amp can be used using an external 9v DC power supply or a 9v internal battery for over 5 hours of continuous use.

Connect two units together using C.A.S.T. and you can send and receive two channels of balanced analogue audio between two distant locations; in the studio connecting your live room into the I/O of your audio interface, in a live rig connecting your mixing console to your power amps, or even at home connecting your surround speakers to your home cinema system.

Cranborne Audio product but with their capability to be used standalone, they are also ingenious little tools for reducing cable clutter whilst increasing signal integrity, flexibility, and deployment convenience.

If a studio is built around a C.A.S.T. enabled product, such as the Cranborne Audio 500R8/500ADAT, you can connect N22/N22H into their C.A.S.T. Input connectors send mic/line sources connected to N22/N22H directly to 500R8/500ADAT’s inputs ready for recording. That same Cat 5 C.A.S.T. connection also transmits a stereo monitor mix generated by 500R8/500ADAT back down the same Cat 5 cable and directly into N22’s line outputs or N22H’s reference-quality headphone output.

Each C.A.S.T. Cat 5 connection on a Cranborne Audio product features unique optimisation to ensure that the maximum signal integrity is transmitted over shielded Cat 5 cables for distances of up to 100m without high-end roll off and with minimal crosstalk.

A palm-sized connectivity powerhouse, N22 and N22H are the perfect products for those looking to build their studio around a Cranborne Audio product but with their capability to be used standalone, they are also ingenious little tools for reducing cable clutter whilst increasing signal integrity, flexibility, and deployment convenience.


N22 Product Highlights:
– Two combi jack inputs
– Two 1⁄4” jack outputs
– Two XLR outputs
– C.A.S.T IN Port
– C.A.S.T OUT Port
– Advanced connectivity with 500R8, 500ADAT, and Camden EC2
– 4-way Cat 5 snake when used standalone
– Compatible with any shielded Cat5 cable with distances up to 100m
– Completely passive operation
– Ruggedised metal enclosure
– Fixing holes for permanent installation

N22H Product Highlights:
– Two combi jack inputs
– Two 1/4” jack outputs
– 1/4” & 1/8” headphone outputs
– Reference-quality, high power headphone amp with level control
– Freq. Response: <±1dB, <5 Hz to >100 kHz
– Output Impedance: 0.33 Ohms
– THD: 0.0003%, 1kHz
– Output Wattage: 2x250mW @ 600 ohm, 2x450mW @ 220 ohm, 2x250mW @ 100 ohm
– Headphone amp source switch for C.A.S.T or standalone operation
– Mono/Stereo width switch for headphone output
– 9v battery compartment
– ~5 hours running time, low impedance headphones, max volume.
– 12+ hours running time, high impedance IEM earbuds, max volume.
– C.A.S.T IN RRTT Port
– C.A.S.T OUT TTRR Port
– Advanced connectivity with 500R8, 500ADAT, and Camden EC2
– Standard 9v DC pedalboard-style power supply input (not included)
– Completely passive operation when headphone amp not required
– Compatible with any shielded Cat5 cable with distances up to 100m
– Improved crosstalk performance with Cat 6e and Cat7
– Ruggedised metal enclosure
– Fixing holes for permanent installation

For more information: Cranborne Audio Home – A modern approach to vintage sound

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