XLR Audio Over Ethernet Snake, 4-Channel Pigtail Kit

After using a shielded network cable we were able to send clear audio over 75 ft with no problems. This is a great device to transmit up to 4 channels of clean audio to a remote destination using one category cable (at least cat 5e, we tested with cat 6). The Cable Matters is the lowest cost XLR extender with results this good. Very solid product that will stay in my kit for future work. Have not tested over a switched network, only tested point-to-point.

I am in a band that plays 2 - 3 times a month and typically we need to provide our own PA. I am always looking for ways to simplify our setup and downsize our gear. I used these to replace a couple of snakes that worked fine, but were heavier and bulkier than these. I also got the LyxPro Ethercon. I am old scholl so was skeptical about sending audio over ethernet, but after doing a lot of research I was convinced they would be a good solution and after using them for a couple of months now they have worked great and there is no loss of sound quality that I can detect.

This is a well crafted piece of equipment. Very easy to use and setup. For a function this is invaluable as it is much easier and safer to hide a Cat6 cable than the normal snake. I have used this multiple times over 100 ft of cable and the functionality and connectivity of this piece of equipment was well worth the price.

**Why 4 stars?** Because while there are competing products with superior build quality and premium components, this unit delivers solid performance at a fraction of the cost. For the money, it’s a smart buy. Some sellers claim these boxes won’t carry phantom power. That’s inaccurate. They absolutely will IF you use shielded Ethercon cables and connectors. A standard RJ45 won’t ground the connection properly, so phantom power won’t pass. For non-phantom applications, a regular ethernet cable will work, but expect increased susceptibility to noise and interference due to lack of shielding. The build quality is more than adequate for typical use. The cable jackets on the tails feel durable, and the connectors are Neutrik-style with gasketed housings that mate cleanly with Neutrik or Switchcraft gear. That means fewer dropouts, fewer clicks, and a more stable connection. The weak link is the mounting flange for the tails. It’s plastic, and while functional, it lacks the ruggedness of a metal flange with rubber bushings. I anticipate it may crack over time, but the housing screws are easily accessible. If that happens, I’d upgrade the flange and keep the unit in service. I ran a quick test using an Audio-Technica 4050 over a 5-foot Ethercon cable versus a direct board input. Noise floor, RMS, and sample values were virtually identical. The product claims support for cable runs up to 300 feet, and based on my short-run test, I’m confident signal integrity holds up well. Any degradation would likely stem from cable length or using unshielded Cat5e—not the box itself. Even higher-end units like the Radial Catapult don’t appear to include circuitry to compensate for long runs, so this product holds its own in that regard. It might be interesting to test it on a live network just to see what happens. Bottom line: this box sacrifices in the right places. The sound quality is unaffected, the connectors are solid, and the tails are well shielded. I recommend it to anyone needing reliable signal transmission over distance without dropping serious cash on analog snakes or pricier audio-over-ethernet solutions.

These have made my set up a whole lot easier and our stage a whole lot less messy! One cat 5 cable is all that runs across the stage now, I run vocal mic, electric, acoustic, and keys (since they’re near me) with that single cable rather than 4 xlr cables running across the stage. Gonna get another set when we fly our speakers!

Works great. Haven't had any issues with this product.

Works perfectly for what I needed them to do!

Bought a bunch of these. Tested them all and thought that pin 2 and 3 were backwards. Took a couple of them apart to fix them and then realized that they were wired right and that one of my sound tool boxes was wired wrong. Came back to change my review from 1 star to 5. The boxes are built well and the soldering inside was great. The XLR’s are solid too.

Great Product, do what it was built for. Love it.

Nothing but static. There was noise on all XLRS and was tested on two mixers with the same result.

Pin1 not connected on any of the 4 XLR connections [This is not shielded] - so therefore does not work with Phantom Power on Microphones