Personal Monitoring with DP48

Midas HUB4 is the multi-tool in your stage rack providing analogue and digital outputs for various applications. HUB4 can supply up to four DP48 personal monitor mixers with PoE (Power over Ethernet) and 48 channels of 24-bit / 48 kHz audio. HUB4 also collects 48 channels of upstream audio and forwards this audio to the FOH console, either from stage boxes connected to the AES50-B (THRU) Port or 8 return channels from each of Ports 1-4.

Cascading Hubs for Large Setups

To meet the challenges of large monitoring setups, HUB4 can easily be daisy-chained to make additional DP48 ports available, all the way up to symphonic orchestra applications.

On the other hand, HUB4 can also address situations where you want to connect additional I/O via the same AES50 link to the mixing console. To help build out this AES50 console link, digital stage boxes such as the Midas DL16 or DL32 can be connected to the HUB4’s AES50-B (THRU) Port. The console can pass downstream signals to their respective stage outputs, while also receiving 48 channels upstream from the stage inputs via HUB4.

Analogue Outputs for IEM Transmitters

HUB4 features 16 balanced line-level outputs that can carry the 8 stereo mixes from the connected DP48 mixers for connections in the side rack. So there is no need to run additional lines from personal mixers to the transmitters, reducing setup time and reliability considerably. Alternatively, these analogue outputs can also be used as spare outputs on stage receiving signals directly from the FOH consoles, e.g. for providing talkback or side fill outputs.

Support from Midas M32 Series Consoles

HUB4 can convey control messages from M32 FOH consoles to DP48 personal mixers, as well as remote control messages between DP48 units.

Midas DP48 Personal Monitor Mixers support remote control of other DP48 units and can also receive control information from M32 mixing consoles. This M32 control information includes assignments, names and colors of channels, which are transmitted via AES50 for easy configuration of personal mixers. HUB4 can convey control messages from the FOH console to personal mixers as well as between personal mixers. This control message system works when DP48 units are connected to Ports 1-4 or to the ports on daisy-chained hubs.

Midas DL8 PoE (Power over Ethernet) Powered Stage Boxes

HUB4 easily interfaces with the new Midas DL8 stage box, which makes bulky analog sub-snakes a thing of the past. The DL8 stage box can be connected to one of HUB4 Ports 1-4 using only a simple CAT5E STP cable. This cable connection from HUB4 can directly power up to 4 stage boxes via PoE support – IEEE802.3at per port – allowing for shorter analogue lines on stage.

Remote Control Forwarding Through HUB4

HUB4 also facilitates one of the exceptional features of DP48 Personal Monitoring systems in which one DP48 unit can be designated as Master and used to control one or more DP48 units in Slave mode. HUB4 ensures that personal mixers are enumerated and that the Master, i.e., the DP48 connected to Port 1 of the first HUB4 in a daisy-chain, can control the respective Slaves. This way either a tech-savvy bandmate or the technician can help talents on stage with their personal monitor sound.

StageCONNECT – The Future of XLR

HUB4 also features a designated StageCONNECT port on the rear panel, anticipating the future of XLR connectivity.

What if any standard XLR, microphone or DMX cable could be used to transmit more than one channel of audio?
What if that cable could transmit signals not only one way, but bi-directionally?
What if that cable would allow the passage of control data or even MIDI at the same time?
What if a connected StageCONNECT device could receive up to 18 W of power through that same cable?

Well, these capabilities are exactly what StageCONNECT delivers – a new interface standard to be released by Music Tribe after two years of development. This new standard comes with outstanding technical specs: 32 channels of uncompressed PCM audio in various I/O configurations, 24-bit at 48 kHz, below 0.5 ms of latency. The design we developed will be publicly available free of charge for anyone interested in designing their own audio equipment, compatible with the future of XLR – StageCONNECT.

EtherCON CAT5E-STP for AES50 Remote Connections Up to 100 m Length

HUB4 uses rugged industry-standard EtherCon connectors to ensure stable operation in live production environments. For best performance, a good quality CAT5E STP cable, such as Klark Teknik NCAT5E-50, allows for remote operation up to 100 m distance.

Controls & Connectivity

HUB4’s large backlit front panel buttons show when a device is connected to the corresponding AES50 port and indicate whether the upstream signals are being sent to the desired outputs.