Dante 音訊網路電纜：選擇屏蔽 Cat6

8 月 16, 2026

Short answer: for a Dante or AES67 audio network the cable decision is about shielding and grounding, not raw speed — a 48 kHz / 24-bit audio channel needs only about 1.4 Mbit/s. A foil-shielded Cat6 (FTP) construction is the practical minimum in a rack or stage environment, and a foil-plus-braid (SFTP) construction is the safer choice wherever the run shares a tray, rack or stage floor with dimmers, lighting or mains power.

Why the Network Cable Matters in a Dante / AES67 System

Dante and AES67 send multiple channels of digital audio over a standard IP network. The cable between the switch and the audio device is part of the signal path, and in a live or installed system it usually runs through the same racks, stages and cable trays as power, lighting and analogue audio. That environment is exactly where Ethernet cabling without adequate shielding can pick up interference and drop packets.

For an audio engineer or AV installer choosing cable for a new Dante network, the practical questions are: which category (Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6A), which shielding (UTP, FTP, SFTP or SSTP), and how to terminate and route it reliably. This guide covers those decisions using the LBS Ethernet range as reference.

Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6A for Dante Audio?

Dante audio itself is not bandwidth-heavy — a 48 kHz, 24-bit audio channel is roughly 1.4 Mbps. But the network cable carries more than audio: it also carries control, clock and redundancy traffic, and it must do so reliably over 100 m link segments.

Category	Data rate	Typical use for audio
Cat5e	1 Gbps up to 100 m	Basic Dante / AES67 systems, small fixed installs
Cat6	1 Gbps / 100 m; 10 Gbps up to 55 m	Standard choice for Dante networks, AV-over-IP
Cat6A	10 Gbps up to 100 m	Future-proofing, high-density media networks

For a new Dante deployment, Cat6 is the practical minimum and the most common recommendation. It gives headroom for AV-over-IP video, control and redundancy without the cost of Cat6A. Cat6A (like the LBS 6ASSTP) is worth considering when the same structured cabling will carry 4K video or high-density media traffic.

UTP vs FTP vs SFTP: Which Shielding for Audio Racks?

Shielding is the part of the decision that matters most in a professional audio environment. Audio equipment rooms and stage areas are electrically noisy: dimmer packs, power distribution, lighting and motors are all nearby sources of EMI.

UTP (unshielded) — suitable for office LAN and low-EMI areas. No foil or braid to protect against interference.
FTP (foil-shielded) — the LBS LBSFTP-C6A uses a foil shield with a tinned copper drain wire. This is the recommended minimum for Dante and AES67 audio networks, because the foil protects digital audio from EMI in rack rooms and stage environments.
SFTP (braid + foil) — the LBS LBSSFTP-C6A adds a braid over the foil for broadcast, industrial and high-EMI installations.
SSTP (per-pair shielding) — the LBS LBS6ASSTP-C6A shields each pair for maximum protection and 10 Gbps performance.

If you are cabling a stage or an equipment room and want one safe default: choose a foil-shielded FTP Cat6 like the LBSFTP-C6A, terminate with shielded RJ45 connectors, and make sure the screen is grounded at the patch panel. Compare the full LBS Ethernet range in the Ethernet cable catalogue.

LBS Ethernet Constructions: Published Specifications

Constructions are easier to compare when the same fields are laid out side by side. The table below repeats only the values published on each product page, so you can match a construction to your environment on conductor size, jacket O.D. and the rating the model is published at.

Model	Construction	Main conductor	Jacket O.D.	Published rating
LBSUTP-C5E	Cat5e UTP, unshielded	24 AWG / 0.19	6.0 mm	Up to 150 MHz
LBSFTP-C5E	Cat5e FTP, foil-shielded	24 AWG / 0.19	6.0 mm	Up to 150 MHz
LBSSFTP-C5E	Cat5e SFTP, double-shielded	24 AWG / 0.19	6.2 mm	Up to 150 MHz
LBSUTP-C6A	Cat6A UTP, unshielded	23 AWG / 0.25	6.2 / 6.4 / 7.2 mm	1000 Mbps / 250 MHz
LBSFTP-C6A	Cat6A FTP — AL-foil + tinned-copper drain wire	23 AWG / 0.25	7.2 mm	1000 Mbps / 250 MHz
LBSSFTP-C6A	Cat6A SFTP — AL-foil + overall tinned-copper braid	23 AWG / 0.26	7.8 mm	1000 Mbps / 250 MHz
LBS6ASSTP-C6A	Cat6A shielded, 10G construction	23 AWG / 0.26	8.0 mm	10 Gbps / 500 MHz

The two practical consequences for an audio rack: the shielded models carry a larger jacket O.D. than the unshielded model in the same category (7.2–7.8 mm against 6.2–7.2 mm for Cat6A), which matters when you are filling conduit or dressing a dense patch panel; and every model in the table is published at −20 °C to 70 °C, so temperature is not the differentiator between them.

Installation Notes for Audio Networks

The best cable still fails if it is installed badly. The points below are general practice for shielded twisted-pair cabling rather than a specification of any single model — confirm the exact figures against the datasheet for the cable you buy:

Bend radius — the usual field guidance is a minimum of about 4× cable O.D. during installation; tighter bends stress the foil screen.
Grounding — connect the foil drain wire to a grounded patch panel for the shield to work. An ungrounded shield can act as an antenna.
Pulling tension — the commonly quoted industry limit for this cable type is 110 N (25 lbf); avoid pulling on the jacket with winches or sharp ties, and confirm the figure with the datasheet.
Connectors — terminate with Cat6 shielded RJ45 connectors; shielded cable with unshielded jacks loses the shielding benefit.
Keep away from power — separate audio network runs from mains cabling where possible, especially in racks with dimmers.

One mistake is a planning mistake rather than a cabling one: a digital stage box replaces the analogue multicore run, it does not sit alongside it. Where the decision between an analogue multicore and a networked stage box is still open, stage box to mixer: how many ways on a multichannel snake sets out which cable belongs at each hop of both versions of the chain.

Common Mistakes in Dante Cabling

Using UTP in a dimmer-heavy room and blaming the switch.
Leaving the foil drain wire ungrounded at one or both ends.
Using 90 m + of budget Cat5e for a long link when the path runs beside power.
Terminating shielded cable with unshielded RJ45 plugs.
Running audio network cable in the same tray as mains without separation.

Each of these is avoidable at the cable-selection stage — and that is where a few minutes of planning saves a troubleshooting day later.

Buyer Question: What Should I Ask Before Ordering Network Cable for a Dante Project?

Before you order, send the supplier the same information you would for any professional cable:

Category and shielding required (e.g. Cat6 FTP for stage use).
Length per run and total quantity.
Termination — bare ends, or pre-terminated shielded RJ45.
Jacket colour for rack identification if needed.
Destination country for export packaging.

LBS supports OEM and ODM projects on the Ethernet range — conductor, shielding, jacket colour, printing, length and packaging can all be reviewed for a project quantity. See the OEM audio cable manufacturer page for the full service flow.

FAQ: Is Cat6 FTP cable suitable for outdoor Dante runs?

Yes, when routed through weatherproof conduit. For direct-burial or outdoor exposure, contact LBS for LSZH or PE jacketed options.

FAQ: Can I use Cat5e for a small Dante system?

Yes — Cat5e supports 1 Gbps up to 100 m, which is enough for many Dante and AES67 systems. Cat6 gives more headroom for video and redundancy traffic and is the recommended minimum for new installations.

FAQ: Does shielding guarantee no audio dropouts?

No single component guarantees that. Shielding reduces EMI coupling, but the full path — switch configuration, network load, grounding and termination quality — all affect reliability. A shielded Cat6 with properly grounded screens removes one of the most common physical-layer causes of packet loss.

FAQ: Is LBSFTP-C6A backwards compatible with older Dante devices?

LBSFTP-C6A is a Cat6A shielded construction and can be connected to Cat5e and 100 Mbps equipment; a link runs at the speed supported by both ends. Compatibility is determined by the device network ports, not by the cable category.

FAQ: What does LBS recommend for a broadcast facility?

For high-EMI broadcast facilities, LBS recommends SFTP or SSTP constructions over FTP. The Ethernet catalogue lists UTP, FTP, SFTP and SSTP options so you can match shielding to the environment.

Get a Quote for Your Dante Network Cable

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