Focusrite has had a firm foothold in the growing world of Dante-networked hardware for several years, and one of the cornerstones of their RedNet products has been the PCIeNX card, designed for use with tower computers or expansion enclosures. With many studios and artists now using desktop or laptop computers with the equivalent processing power of those larger towers, they no longer have a PCI slot for expansion but may still require the power of low-latency, high-track-count interfacing. Focusrite has addressed this need with their new RedNet TNX Dante interface, which connects to both Mac and PC computers via Thunderbolt 3 protocol and serves as the hub for up to 128 channels of I/O at sample rates from 44.1 to 192 kHz, depending on the attached Dante-equipped devices. If you need even more I/O, a paid Dante+ upgrade is available, which allows for 256 channels of I/O, all running through the TNX at up to 96 kHz.
The RedNet TNX is an unassuming box wrapped in Focusrite’s now-familiar anodized red aluminum body with perforated black front and back panels for ventilation. The back panel also sports two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two Dante RJ45 ports that use Cat 5e (or higher) network cables, a power supply jack, a Reset button, and four embedded LEDs to display sync for the primary and secondary Dante ports. That’s it! The TNX is very slick and is essentially the aforementioned PCIeNX card in a portable enclosure that can be used with any modern computer.