SoundTools RatCat Series of Products, Analog, DMX, AES3 and Com over shielded Cat5/5/7 cables

Using shielded Cat5/6/7 cables and SoundTools RatCat Series products to transport 4 channels of analog audio, DMX, AES3 or com. In the same time, effort and cable size as a single mic cable, you can run 4 channels of multiple formats using readily available Cat cables or use the high quality tactile SoundTools SuperCat cable we make with polyurethane jacketing and soldered shields. www.soundtools.com
Also I have started a KZbin membership area where I release videos early and post exclusive additional content for the huge price of $4.99 a month. An area where I can better interact with sound humans outside of the general public. Come join us if you are interested!
Link to join Dave Rat's exclusive KZbin Membership: / @daverat

[@user-jx3jp3gb4x]

about ten minutes ago, I ordered a pair of four channel boxes, one all female and one all male. Dave, I want to let you know that while I have never posted anything on your videos, you are a breath of fresh air! I really like this idea and will use it for Clear-Com and a number of different things. Since so many of us no longer use big fat copper snakes with gobs of channels that can be used in either direction, it is sad that I can't use my single CAT5 cable for my digital console and everything else. So I am used to running a few CAT5 cables, so now I will run a third, this is going to GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you Dave,

[@DaveRat]

👍🎛️🔧

[@user-jx3jp3gb4x]

@@DaveRat Ha! :)

[@weareallbeingwatched4602]

Yes bruv. To be honest multicore bundles of ethernet cables is a very sensible sort of modern snake. 6x catX (4xtwisted pair per) in one jacket is common. That's a very skinny for a 24ch snake, and conventional coaxial half inch thick multicore would cost a hell of a lot for a large building, so for permanent installs in venues this is a good thing indeed. Interchangeable audio & data / ethernet video down one type of cable is extremely convenient. So down one sort of cable you can presumably send 64ch Dante / whatever the desk uses 4x AES stereo 1X 4K SDVOE video stream 4x analogue mic/line 1x stereo 100w speaker 1X Analogue RGB video 1x SDI 1X HDMI Can do all that with just high quality data type networking wire, and have almost everything running off rj45 patch panels. That's bizarre but also totally viable. Need sfp for longer distances than 5-10m of 10gb for 4k video streams though.

[@aeonrick]

Thanks Dave! This is exactly what I requested through the Sound Tools FB page last week. All the best :)

[@DaveRat]

you helped inspire it

[@aeonrick]

Glad I could help. hehe. Now.... about that SuperCAT Sound cable.(insert evil laugh here)

[@CarlsOpinion]

Hey Dave!! Can you use your products to tie into Behringer's Ultranet output coming out of an XR18, to use for monitors/speakers/headphones/in-ears?? Thanks for all your great work and instruction. Carl

[@DaveRat]

The devices I'm showing are based on sending analog down Cat5e

[@RockyXTV]

Awesome! Any update on the Super Sub? Would love to see a video on those!

[@DaveRat]

supersub info soon

[@isaacwriston]

So the CAT Rack seems like such an obvious choice for a backing tracks application. Instead of using a Radial Pro D8, I could just use a CAT Rack. Am I wrong in thinking this? Big fan of your videos man and hope this year has been safe and fun out with the peppers.

[@DaveRat]

not quite, the pro d8 is an 8 channel DI that converts high impedance to mic level. the CatRack is 3 sets of four channel XLRs to 3 EtherCON that has no transformers. it is basically a rack mount stage box.

[@isaacwriston]

Ahhhhhhh. Thanks for that!

[@alaskaaudioguy35]

Now what would be cool is a four channel wireless snake.

[@DaveRat]

currently all Soundtools products are non active. I may dive into design with active electronics at some future date, but for now we have more products in the pipeline than we can make fast enough in the passive realm

[@bob76451]

Hi Dave, I'm thinking about getting a few of the Cat Snakes. I was curious how they do with phantom power? Thanks.

[@DaveRat]

phantom works perfectly. the main thing is to be sure you use shielded cat cable.

[@bob76451]

Thanks!

[@augustave123]

They will work perfectly. Remember on the real world in the network environment, we are using POE for Access Point, Video Camera and more. Phantom power should not be an issue

[@renecardenas3237]

Hey Dave THANK YOU for all you do. I have learned A LOT with your vidz. I'm looking for a specific EtherCON tail. I have a DJ mixer with Left & Right XLR main out AND Left & Right 1/4 TRS monitor outs. I need a tail for those outputs. 2 Female XLRs and 2 1/4 TRS jacks. Where can I find that? Can I just change-out 2 of the Female XLRs on an existing tail?

[@DaveRat]

You can just swap out the XLR. Also, soundtools is making combo boxes with 4 combo jacks (female XLR/1/4") so it accepts either 1/4' or XLR that we are releasing soon Maybe email or call soundtools and we will sort you out and make a set of tails for you or get you one of the preproduction combo boxes.

[@renecardenas3237]

@@DaveRat That would be great. Thanks Dave!

[@daltonrandall4348]

Can you run analog audio for longer distances over the shielded Cat5 than standard XLR? I'm assuming yes, but if it's non-powered and it's just a different copper wire, why would you get any longer distance? Also, what kind of reasonable distances can one get from shielded Cat5 using the Cat Box product? Can I do a 200' run with no loss in quality, or is that expecting too much? Thanks for your reply.

[@DaveRat]

I have a new video showing the sound quality difference between mic cable and cat cable for analog, coming shortly. But basically, cat cable has loss in level as does mic cable, over distance. Cat cable has less high frequency loss than mic cable so longer runs while maintaining quality sound are possible with cat cable

[@Motorman2112]

Hi Dave. I understand that these are simply a patching system and do not use ethernet, but do the RJ45 connectors used in these products incorporate the transformers that are used in the ethernet standard (as a by-product of their normal application)? I'm guessing they don't as this would of course block phantom power, but I wonder if one of the panel mount feed-through connectors with the standard transformer would be a good option (in parallel with a non-xfmr one) as an economical way of getting an iso split or just breaking ground loops? No idea if the properties of those transformers would work for audio...

[@DaveRat]

no transformers, these are patching and splitting allowing the advantages of EtherCON to be used with a wide variety of signal formats

[@dougberry4674]

how are the cat tails connectors labeled? If I connect two together via 200ft ethercon to run signal from foh to the stage, how do I know which input from foh corresponds with which output on the other tail?

[@DaveRat]

they are labeled on the XLR connectors 1 through 4. using the Neutrik plastic clear band protecting the label. the band's can be changed out to other colors if you have multiple sets of tails.

[@GTechno13]

How do you run essentially 9 wires through an 8 wire cable? Wouldn't four channels be four pair plus ground?

[@DaveRat]

shielded rj45 connectors have a 9th connection using the metal shell

[@TempoDrift1480]

So... What happens if I use DMX cables on my overheads?

[@DaveRat]

I don't really see an issue with that. If the pairs are not individually twisted there may be the most meniscule amount of crosstalk that's irrelevant

[@TempoDrift1480]

@@DaveRat Hey thanks for the reply Feller. I found some sections with threaded collars that were thown away so I can make custom lengths. Living in rural Nebraska there is little to no interference and my runs are 8 and 16 frets so... Cool man thanks for the videos and sharing your knowledge.

[@DaveRat]

🤙👍🤙

[@doougle]

Does the Cat5 need to be shielded? I've heard that audio will pass cleanly without the shield but that com runs do require a shield.

[@DaveRat]

shielded cat is recommended for audio but line level and short runs work without shield. no shield needed for AES3, com usually need shield, phantom power needs shield, DMX requires the shield.

[@betodantasf]

funciona com studio live da presonus?

[@78tag]

Dave, I really enjoy your info, keep up the good work. Are you familiar with the Line 6 cat cables that are used with the variax guitars? If so do make them? If not, can you recommend a tool I can use to re-attach the original plastic connectors (ethernet type)? This isn't a joke aimed at your label, a rat decided to chew on the shrink wrap at the connector. Those damn things love cables and the vinyl on my drummers throne?!#* Go figure? Thanks, TW

[@DaveRat]

Awesome, industrious rats! I know this is old but you can cut and re terminate. Here is a video of my daughter doing a termination. Its fairly easy but you need a crimp tool. Or can buy a crimp tool kit on amazon or elswhere

[@78tag]

@@DaveRat - thanks, I did some more research and got all the supplies/tools to do the job a while back. Those things can't take much abuse.

[@DaveRat]

@@78tag there are other ones but they come at a price. Take a look at Hirose RJ45

[@pangea2003]

Hi Dave! what's the latency of the convertor? 100m max length? Cheers

[@alaskaaudioguy35]

Will you ever make it AES 67 compatible

[@DaveRat]

👍