Why Was AES67 Developed?
From "Silos" to "Interconnection": The Inevitable Evolution of AoIP
Before the advent of the AES67 standard, the Networked Audio (AoIP) market was fragmented. Although technologies like Dante, RAVENNA, Livewire, and Q-LAN were excellent in their own right, they could not speak to each other. AES67 was developed specifically to break down these barriers and achieve interoperability between different audio network systems.
Technical Background: The Tower of Babel Dilemma
Around 2010, as IP networking became popular in pro audio, multiple AoIP solutions emerged but used proprietary transport and discovery. Buying a Dante console meant buying Dante stage boxes; mixing Livewire with RAVENNA was painful. Walled gardens protected vendors but limited user choice.
Profound Impact
The release of AES67 forced major manufacturers to open their ecosystems. Today, almost all major AoIP protocols support AES67 mode, allowing cross-brand audio streams on the same network and protecting user investment while promoting innovation.
"AES67 is not about creating a new ecosystem, but connecting all ecosystems."