| Software | Protocol | Max Channels | Free? | Notes | |----------|----------|--------------|-------|-------| | (Virtual Audio Cable) | Custom | 2 | Yes (donation) | Not networked, just internal routing | | Sonobus | Peer-to-peer | 16 | Yes | Great for remote collaboration, not multichannel Dante | | AES67 Virtual Device (Linux) | AES67 | Varies | Yes | Requires Linux skill; no official Windows/macOS version | | SoundJack | Proprietary | 2 | Yes | Low latency, but not Dante-compatible |

Dante is a networked audio technology that sends uncompressed, multi-channel audio over IP (usually standard Gigabit Ethernet). Instead of using analog multicore cables or proprietary digital snakes, Dante lets you route audio between devices — microphones, mixers, amplifiers, speakers — using standard network switches.

None of these will let you interface with a Yamaha CL5, Focusrite RedNet, or Shure ULX-D on a Dante network. That’s why DVS is worth the money. Dante Virtual Soundcard is not expensive by pro-audio standards. A single XLR cable costs more. A coffee habit for two weeks costs more.