Behringer S16 Digital Snake Stagebox

Behringer S16 Digital Snake — Replace Your Analog Multicore With One Cat 5e Cable

The Behringer S16 is a 16-input / 8-output digital stage box engineered to retire heavy analog snakes in live sound rigs. Built around Klark Teknik SuperMAC (AES50) networking, it carries 16 Midas-designed remote-controllable preamps and 8 analog returns to a front-of-house console over a single shielded Cat 5e cable up to 100 m. The S16 is the right choice for bands, houses of worship, and small-to-mid touring productions that need clean, low-latency stage-to-FOH connectivity without hauling dozens of XLR looms.

What Sets the S16 Apart in the Digital Snake Category

Two features make this stage box unusually flexible for its tier. First, dual AES50 ports let engineers cascade a second S16, SD16, or SD8 directly — no merger or router required — doubling channel count to 32 inputs / 16 outputs while preserving remote preamp control. Second, a built-in Ultranet output delivers a digital split straight to a Behringer Powerplay P16 personal monitoring rig, so each performer gets a custom mix without adding a separate splitter onstage.

Midas Preamps and Conversion — Sound Quality That Travels

Each of the 16 inputs runs through the same Midas-designed preamp architecture used in the X32 console, with switchable 48 V phantom power, individually adjustable gain, and a -128 dBu equivalent input noise floor. Conversion is rated for a 106 dB analog-in-to-analog-out dynamic range, 109 dB A/D dynamic range, and a 10 Hz to 22 kHz frequency response at 48 kHz sample rate.

• Mic Preamps: 16 Midas-designed, fully programmable — same lineage as the X32 console, remote-controlled from FOH
• Dynamic Range (A/D/A): 106 dB typical — enough headroom for quiet vocals and loud drum overheads in the same rig
• Phantom Power: 48 V switchable per input — powers condenser mics and active DIs channel by channel

AES50 Networking and Stage Connectivity

AES50 (Klark Teknik SuperMAC) is the protocol that makes the S16 a true digital snake: 48 bidirectional audio channels at 48 kHz, or 24 channels at 96 kHz, all over a single Cat 5e cable with phase-aligned clock distribution and comprehensive error detection. The chassis also exposes dual ADAT optical outputs, MIDI In/Out for lighting and module control, and a front-panel headphone jack assignable to any input, output, or P16 stream.

• AES50 Ports: 2 etherCON, Klark Teknik SuperMAC — cascade two units for 32-in / 16-out without a router
• Cat 5e Reach: up to 100 m — covers most venues on a single lightweight cable
• ADAT Outputs: 2 × TOSLINK, 8 channels each — feeds a recording rig or backup split without re-patching

Tour-Ready 2U Chassis and Universal Power

The all-steel 2 RU chassis is built for daily rack-mount duty, and the auto-ranging "Planet Earth" switching power supply accepts 100-240 VAC at 50/60 Hz so the unit travels internationally without a step-up transformer. Front-panel LED metering plus a 7-segment display keep gain staging visible from the stage.

• Chassis: 2 RU all-steel rackmount — drops into any standard 19" rack or flight case
• Dimensions: 48.3 × 22.6 × 8.9 cm — compact enough for shallow racks and side-stage carts
• Weight: 4.7 kg — light enough for one person to carry to a balcony mix position

Who Should Choose the Behringer S16

The Behringer S16 is the right choice for bands, churches, and small-to-mid touring productions that already run an AES50-equipped digital console (X32, Midas M32, Wing) and want to retire their analog snake. It also fits rental houses and AV integrators who need a flexible I/O box that can drop into a P16 personal monitoring rig, an ADAT-equipped studio, or a stand-alone splitter feed. Engineers who value remote preamp control from FOH — adjusting gain and phantom power without walking to the stage — will get the most out of this unit.

Behringer and the X32 Ecosystem

Behringer designed the S16 as the onstage companion to its X32 digital console, sharing the same Midas preamp lineage and Klark Teknik SuperMAC networking that defines the X-Series ecosystem. By building to the AES50 standard rather than a proprietary protocol, the company ensured the stage box also works with Midas M32 consoles and any third-party mixer that exposes AES50 ports — a deliberate move that turned the S16 into one of the most widely deployed digital snakes in its price tier.