About the MIDAS DL152-UL 24 Output Stage Box
The MIDAS DL152-UL is a professional digital stage box designed as the remote analog input and output interface for the MIDAS DL series digital mixing consoles, such as the DL251. Its primary function is to be placed on or near the stage, where it connects directly to up to 32 microphone or line-level sources via its high-quality MIDAS Pro Series microphone preamplifiers. It then digitizes these signals and transmits them, along with 24 channels of digital audio from the mixer (for stage monitors, etc.), over a single Ethernet cable to the mixing console located up to 100 meters away. This system completely replaces the traditional, bulky analog multicore snake, dramatically reducing stage cable clutter, setup time, and potential for noise interference while maintaining the renowned sonic quality of MIDAS preamps.
Engineered for durability in touring and fixed installation environments, the DL152-UL features a robust, rack-mountable steel chassis. Its 32 inputs are provided on combo XLR/TRS jacks, each with discrete gain control, phantom power (+48V), and a high-pass filter. The 24 outputs are on XLR connectors. The unit utilizes the industry-standard AES50 protocol for high-bandwidth, low-latency audio networking over standard Cat5e/6 cable. It includes dual redundant AES50 ports for connecting to the console and for daisy-chaining additional stage boxes, creating a scalable and fault-tolerant digital audio network. Comprehensive status LEDs provide immediate visual feedback on sample rate, clock source, and network activity.
As the core of the DL series' digital snake system, the MIDAS DL152-UL provides a clean, flexible, and sonically transparent solution for capturing and routing live audio. It empowers sound engineers with the convenience and reliability of digital audio transport while preserving the analog front-end sound that MIDAS is famous for. By centralizing analog connections at the stage and digitizing the signal for long-distance transmission, it enhances system performance, simplifies setup, and provides a scalable foundation for professional live sound reinforcement.