Audio-Technica announced the release of its new Audio-Technica LINK proprietary communication protocol for digital interconnection of compatible A-T Commercial Audio microphones and mixing solutions. The company says the Audio-Technica LINK transmits uncompressed multi-channel digital audio and control information via category cables with minimal latency.

According to the company, Audio-Technica LINK is natively supported by Audio-Technica’s ATND1061LK beamforming ceiling array microphone, providing an ideal solution for conference rooms, boardrooms and meeting spaces large and small. The ESM-R4180LK receiver in A-T’s Engineered Sound Wireless System also integrates with the Audio-Technica LINK protocol, offering “simple, smart and scalable high-quality audio.” Audio-Technica says the  Digital audio source signals delivered via Audio-Technica LINK can be individually assigned to the input channels of A-T 6- or 10-channel Digital SmartMixers. In addition, the ATDM-1012DAN mixer can bridge Audio-Technica LINK audio channels to a Dante network for interoperability with third-party devices. Audio-Technica says its LINK offers efficient system audio routing and control within the ATDM Mixer Web Remote.

According to the company, an advantage of Audio-Technica LINK interconnectivity is its ability to power Audio-Technica LINK microphone solutions without the need for a power cable, external power supply, or PoE switch. Where necessary, Audio-Technica LINK extenders are available to extend the number of downstream devices that can be powered.

Audio-Technica says the Audio-Technica LINK is not an internet protocol (AV-over-IP), but it does operate via readily available CAT 5e or better cables. Audio-Technica LINK’s flexibility and scalability (via daisy-chaining) make it ideal for any A-T Commercial Audio installation, no matter the size or use case. And because Audio-Technica LINK is not a network protocol, the company says it provides an inherently secure independent data chain.