Re: M7CL-48ES and SB168-ES with PM5D-RH
EtherSound can connect to a standard router or switch, but there are some things to keep in mind. EtherSound can travel up to 100M between points over CAT5e. If you need to extend that distance up to another 100M and want to use copper, you can place a switch in between the two end points. As long as only 2 EtherSound devices are connected to the switch, EtherSound has no idea it is there and will behave as usual. As soon as you connect a 3rd Ethersound device to the switch, EtherSound notes that a switch is in the network and bi-directional audio is lost between the items on each side of the switch. So, if you have a room full of EtherSound compatible amps, you can place a switch in the room and connect each amp to the switch instead of daisy chaining them together. Now you don't have to turn on all of the amps, just to use one of them. But, if you have a console and a couple stageboxes, bi-directional audio will be necessary if your inputs and outputs are traveling over EtherSound.
You can get around this limitation by creating VLANs and daisy chaining through the VLAN's. But that may be more complication than you need for this project. The Auvitran AVM500-ES Network Matrix is the only device that I am aware of which allows switch like behavior with bi-directional audio straight out of the box. There could be others out there, I just have not used them.
Leland
