Genelec 9402A expands UNIO ecosystem with Dante and AES67 networked audio

The 9402A provides a critical link for broadcast and streaming facilities migrating to IP-based management without abandoning traditional AES/EBU hardware. By adding Dante—the industry’s most widely adopted audio networking protocol—to its UNIO ecosystem, Genelec ensures interoperability with over 4,000 existing third-party products. This consolidation of networking standards (Dante, Ravenna, and ST2110) into a unified monitoring stack simplifies the shift toward software-defined production workflows. Watch for Genelec to further integrate cloud-based remote management tools as the industry moves toward the 'AVoIP 2.0' phase prioritized by global integrators.

Genelec's UNIO ecosystem has been expanding steadily as broadcast and post-production facilities migrate to IP-based audio workflows. The 9402A joins the existing 9401A, which already supports Ravenna, ST 2110, and AES67, giving Genelec coverage across all three major AoIP protocols in a single product family. IBC reported that the 9402A bridges Dante and AES/EBU networking technologies for professional monitoring, noting the device's compatibility with formats from stereo to 9.1.6 and its 16-channel DB25 interface. This positions Genelec as one of the few monitor manufacturers offering native support for every dominant AoIP standard without requiring external converters.

From a business and ecosystem standpoint, the 9402A's Dante compatibility is significant because Audinate's Dante protocol has become the de facto standard for professional audio networking, with thousands of licensed products across consoles, interfaces, and signal processors. audioXpress reported that Genelec expanded its professional monitoring ecosystem with the new Dante and AES67 system management device, highlighting how the 9402A complements the 9401A to give integrators a unified path regardless of which AoIP protocol a facility has deployed. The inclusion of Dante Media Encryption with AES 256-bit key protection also addresses growing security requirements in networked broadcast environments where audio traverses shared IP infrastructure.

On the technical side, the 9402A's support for OSI Layer 3 routing means audio can traverse IP subnets and even wide-area networks, a capability that distinguishes it from Layer 2-only AoIP bridges. Genelec's own announcement detailed that the 9402A uses low-latency Layer 3 technologies enabling routing across IP subnets and between buildings, which is relevant for multi-site broadcast operations and remote production workflows. The device's ability to chain multiple units for 22.2 and higher channel-count formats also makes it a candidate for next-generation immersive audio facilities that exceed the 9.1.6 ceiling of a single unit.