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Dante Essentials for NOVA and AltitudeCI

Essential guidance to avoid common mistakes when using Dante with NOVA or AltitudeCI, including network design, clocking basics, and key tools.

Summary:

 

 

Purpose of This Article

This article is not a Dante tutorial. 

A dedicated Audio over IP section will be added to this knowledge base soon. 

Instead, this guide helps you avoid common mistakes and understand the basics for using Dante effectively with Trinnov’s Dante-native processors (NOVA and AltitudeCI as of November 2025).

 


 

Network Connection: Why You May Need to Isolate Dante Traffic

Dante performs best on a stable, low-latency network. If your local network is congested (e.g., with video streaming, large file transfers, or many connected devices), you may experience audio dropouts, latency, or device discovery issues.

Caution: Dante shares bandwidth with all other network traffic. High congestion can degrade audio performance or cause interruptions.

What to do:

  • For all users: Review the Network Modes article to understand how to isolate Dante traffic if needed. The default network mode is designed for general use, but you can switch to a dedicated mode for AoIP.
  • For AltitudeCI users: If connecting to an Amplitude16, consider using a dedicated, isolated network (see our DirectLink article) to eliminate potential AoIP issues.

Tip: even if you don’t isolate Dante traffic immediately, monitor performance during setup. If you encounter issues, isolating the network is often the quickest fix.

 



 

Dante Controller: Your Mandatory AoIP Tool

Dante Controller is the central software for managing Dante devices. Without it, you cannot route audio, update firmware, or troubleshoot.

Warning: Dante Controller is required to use Dante with your Trinnov processor. Download  and install it before starting your setup.

What it does:

  • Discovers and connects Dante-compatible devices.
  • Routes audio streams between devices.
  • Provides real-time monitoring and diagnostics.

Note: Dante Controller is free and available for Windows and macOS.



 

Clocking: Key Considerations for NOVA and AltitudeCI

Clocking ensures all devices in your Dante network stay synchronized. Misconfiguration can cause audio glitches or dropouts.

  • For NOVA users:
    • If your network is properly configured, clocking is usually automatic. No special action is required for most professional applications.
  • For AltitudeCI users:
    • AltitudeCI often handles consumer content with varying sampling rates (e.g., 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz). This creates multiple clock domains (source clock vs. AoIP network clock).
    • Recommendation: set your Amplitude16 (or another external Dante device) as the PTP clock leader in the network.

Setting the AltitudeCI as PTP clock follower ensures the fastest synchronization and smooth decoding, especially when mixing Dante outputs with analog or AES/EBU outputs. 

 

 

 

 

Recommended next step: Audinate Dante certification

  • Strongly recommended: Complete the free Dante Certification by Audinate. It covers fundamentals, troubleshooting, and best practices.
  • Coming soon: In-depth articles on AoIP clocking and advanced Dante setup in this knowledge base.

Tip: If you experience audio dropouts or sync issues, check your clock leader and network isolation first.