Radial Engineering Catapult & Catapult Mini Cat-5
Analog Snakes
By Michael Saracino
R
adial Engineering’s Catapult series is essentially a compact
audio snake solution that allows users to send four chan-
nels of analog audio over standard Cat-5 or Cat-6 Ethernet
cable. The series is currently comprised of the TX4 and RX4,
featuring four female and male XLR connectors, respectively,
while the Catapult Mini series offers similar capabilities in the smaller
TX and RX form factors.
Here’s a unique application that gave me a chance to put the
series through its paces…
Overview
I’m retrofitting a small recording studio in an outbuilding on my prop-
erty, about 75 ft. from the back of my house. I also enjoy editing and
doing certain overdubs in the sunroom within my house, and finally, I
love recording acoustic guitars in the living room, with its maple floors
and slightly higher ceilings. To link all these locations, I knew I could
purchase bulky and expensive analog audio snakes or invest in costly
AVB or Dante network-based audio recording interfaces; however,
neither solution seemed practical, so I went searching for a better one.
That’s when I came across the Catapult series from Radial. Using the
four twisted pairs of wire inside a single Ethernet cable, these devices
can send or receive four channels of analog audio at distances up to
300 ft. This meant I could run a few lines of direct burial-rated Ethernet
cable between the outbuilding and the house, and when connected
to these Catapult devices, I could have a 4x4 I/O setup in any room I
needed, all connected to my interface back in the studio. Couple that
with Apple’s screen sharing and I could control the studio computer
and my UA Apollo recording interface, all from my laptop in either the
living room or sunroom, whilst having direct access to four ins and
outs of the Apollo. The whole property would then become linked
and the “studio” would effectively double in size and function with a
spool of Ethernet cable and a few of these Catapult units.
As an audio engineer and a musician who also finds himself
performing live hundreds of times a year in ever-changing venues, it
also became apparent that there is a huge benefit to these devices in
live sound scenarios. I’d be able to get a four-channel analog breakout
point anywhere it’s needed, quickly and with one thin and flexible
Cat-5e stranded cable.
In Use
That all sounds great, but does it work as advertised? The short answer
is yes, and it works very well.
I used 100-ft. lengths of shielded Cat-6 23 AWG cable for my test
and A/Bed that against a good-quality 100-ft. XLR cable. I found there
wasn’t any discernible noise or high frequency loss over the Catapult
devices when played back over my reference headphones (Sennheiser
HD 650s). The phantom power required for my Townsend Labs Sphere
condenser mic was carried over the shield without issue. These devices
are built like tanks, which is in line with all Radial products I’ve used to
date, and they come in a variety of configurations (and price points)
to suit different needs.
The TX4 and RX4 are your standard send and return modules
featuring XLR I/O and both XLR and Ethernet throughput, as well as
a solid steel chassis that should withstand the rigours of touring. For
an additional cost, you can purchase transformer-isolated versions
(mic or line level) of these units as well.
For the budget conscious, there are the Catapult Minis, which
lack throughput and isolation capabilities but come with a breakout
CATAPULT TX4 & RX4
CATAPULT MINI TX
cable to either four TRS, XLR male, or XLR female ends at a reduced
price point. With the thinner nature of the wire and close proximity
to neighbouring pairs within a Cat-5e cable, it is advisable to make
sure you are running one type of signal per cable (i.e. mic or line, not
mixed) to avoid crosstalk.
Now let’s transition to the example of someone building a re-
cording studio in their basement. A spool of shielded Ethernet cable
is rather inexpensive and it would be a cheap and wise investment
to run a few lengths to any area that may be used as an impromptu
recording space other than the main recording floor (think hallways,
bathrooms, closets, etc.). You can even wire a few lengths to other
levels of your house with favourable acoustics. Then, add a dual-port
Ethernet wall plate in each of these locations. In tandem with a couple
of Catapult Minis, you have a cost-effective solution to do recordings
wherever it might suit you. A 1,000-ft. spool of shielded Cat-5e cable
is available for about $200, so you can run lines to your heart’s content
without breaking the bank. If you don’t require phantom power, then
unshielded cable is available for a fraction of that cost.
Summary
Radial Engineering is well-known for making products that satisfy
specific audio needs that not many other companies have an answer
for, and do so with amazing build quality and fair pricing. If you can
think of a use for the Catapult or Catapult Mini in your live or studio
rig, you will not be disappointed with your purchase.
Michael Saracino is musician and music producer based in Ontario’s
Niagara Region who performs over 400 times annually. He’s had the
good fortune of performing across four different continents, including
a year in Australia with three different music agencies. Now back
in Canada, he performs consistently in Niagara and Toronto and is
building a recording facility on his property.
PROFESSIONAL SOUND 23