Barix just dropped its first native Dante hardware solution six months after announcing plans to bring wide and local area networking closer together through Dante. Now available, the new entry-level IP Former TPA400 Native Dante decoder/amplifier provides ultra-low-latency delivery for synchronized audio playout across many endpoints.

Barix introduced the original IP Former TPA400 to help customers transform legacy speakers into IP speakers by connecting the ultra-compact device to any loudspeaker. Its design provides an IP network interface, audio stream decoder and amplifier front-end for a two- to eight-ohm speaker, with PoE for streamlined installation. The original IP Former TPA400 features Barix IPAC firmware, which includes five priority ports among its feature set. Barix says this allows users to connect multiple audio sources and organize them in a multi-layer hierarchy, which prioritizes sources with higher priority — particularly ideal for paging and public address systems that also stream background music.

The company says the IP Former TPA400 Native Dante is built to receive a single-channel Dante stream and play within ten milliseconds (10ms) of end-to-end latency, enabling synchronous playout across many locations. Customers can route audio directly through Dante Controller, supporting a very simplified configuration, while the Dante-specific firmware facilitates integration with diverse audio systems. For example, the IP Former TPA400 Native Dante can serve interior facility spaces, while higher-power Dante amplifiers can serve larger outdoor areas, ensuring consistent latency management across all endpoints. Barix says this makes the solution ideal for installation on large corporate and higher ed campuses, as well as within hospitality settings including large hotel and resort properties.