Behringer Digital SnakeE S16 Owner's Manual

DIGITAL SNAKE S16 User Manual

DIGITAL SNAKE S16 User Manual

The S16 does not necessarily need to be used in conjunction with the X32 console. 

A pair of S16 units can be linked to send 16 channels to and from the stage, 

providing a high-quality digital snake that can work with any analog mixer. 
In this scenario, a master S16 will be placed at FOH near the main mixing console, 

and the other on the stage (see ’S16 as standalone snake’ hookup diagram). 

The FOH unit must be set to SN MASTER mode so that it can control the preamps 

of the unit on stage. All sends from FOH to the stage can be connected to 

INTPUTS 1-8 on the ’master’ S16, which will appear at the on-stage unit’s XLR 

OUTPUTS. Connect all the sound sources from the performers to INPUTS 1-16 of 

the on-stage S16. Channels 1-8 will appear at the ’master’ S16’s XLR OUTPUTS and 

channels 9-16 will appear at the ADAT OUTPUT. Connect the ADAT 9-16 OUTPUT to 

an ADA8000 or similar preamp to provide analog XLR outputs. The outputs from 

the ’master’ S16 and the ADA8000 can be connected to any sort of  main console 

for mixing, analog or digital. 
Note - when using a pair of S16 units as a standalone digital snake, 

the master unit at FOH is able to control the mic gains of the unit(s) on stage. 

However, in order to do so, one must press the SELECT/ADJUST button on 

the master unit so that the display reads “St 1”.
For recording applications, a single S16 can also be used as a high-quality mic 

preamp. Connect the sound sources to the INPUTS 1-16, and send those channels 

via ADAT to an interface or ADAT card installed in your computer. For this scenario, 

the S16 must be set to SPLITTER mode. 

The S16 head amp gain and phantom power settings can be controlled remotely 

via MIDI whenever it is used standalone, independent from X32 console products.
Note: The S16 will only accept MIDI controls when its preamps are not controlled 

via AES50 already. Connection to an X32 series console or another S16 in SN 

Master mode will always inhibit reception of preamp related MIDI commands.
The standard channel for transmit/receive of MIDI controls is 1. MIDI channel 2 is 

used when the SN slave unit is to be controlled via the SN Master unit.

SN MASTER “In 1-16” (FOH)

80…95

96…111

0…19

0, 127

1

1

Controls local head amps of master unit

Gain In 1-16, -2.5…+45 dB, 2.5 dB steps

48V Phantom 1-16 on/off

SN MASTER

“St 1-16” (Stage)

80…95

96…111

0…19

0, 127

2

2

Controls remote head amps of slave unit

Gain In 1-16, -2.5…+45 dB, 2.5 dB steps

48V Phantom 1-16 on/off

SN SLAVE

-

-

-

No MIDI transmission or reception when 

controlled by SN Master or X32 console

Ext Sync w/o  

AES50 preamp control

80…95

96…111

0…19

0, 127

1

1

Gain In 1-16, -2.5…+45 dB

48V Phantom 1-16 on/off

Note: The string 0xEE, 0x7E, 0x7E can be sent for testing if an S16 is 

communicating via MIDI. The response would be 0xEE, 0x7E, 0x7F when 

MIDI inputs and outputs of S16 are connected to the test interface.

A/D-D/A conversion 

  24-bit @ 44.1 / 48 kHz, 

(Cirrus Logic A/D CS5368, D/A CS4385)    

114 dB dynamic range

Networked I/O latency  

  1.1 ms 

(stagebox in > console processing* > 

stagebox out)

XLR inputs, programmable mic  

  16 

preamps, designed by MIDAS
XLR outputs 

8

Phones outputs, 1/4" TRS 

1 (mono)

AES50 ports, SuperMAC 

2

P-16 connector,  

  1 

Ultranet (no power supplied)
MIDI inputs / outputs 

1 /1

ADAT Toslink outputs (2x 8 Ch) 

2

USB type B, rear panel,  

  1 

for system updates

Design MIDAS
THD + noise, 20 dB gain, 0 dBu out 

< 0.006 % A-weighted

Input impedance XLR, unbal. / bal. 

5 kΩ / 10 kΩ

Non clip maximum input level, XLR 

+23 dBu

Phantom power, switchable per input  48 V
Equivalent input noise level,  

-128 dBu 

XLR (input shorted)
CMRR, XLR, @ 20 dB gain (typical) 

> 70 dB

CMRR, XLR, @ 40 dB gain 

> 80 dB

Frequency range, @ 48 kHz 

  10 Hz - 22 kHz 

sample rate, 0 dB to -1 dB
Dynamic range, analog in to analog    106 dB 

out (typical)
A/D dynamic range, preamp and 

  109 dB 

converter (typical)
D/A dynamic range, 

  108 dB 

converter and output
Cross talk rejection @ 1 kHz, 

  100 dB 

adjacent channels
Output level, XLR, nom./max. 

+4 dBu / +21 dBu

Output impedance, XLR, unbal. / bal.  75 Ω / 75 Ω
Phones output impedance / level 

40 Ω / +25 dBm (mono)

Residual noise level, XLR and TRS 

-87 dBu A-weighted

Display 

4-digit, 7-segment, LED

Front status LEDs 

AES50-A, red/green 

AES50-B, red/green 

HA Locked, red 

SN Master, green 

Splitter, orange 

Out +16, orange 

Out +8, orange

Meter 

Sig, -30 dB, -18 dB, -12 dB, -9 dB, 

-6 dB, -3 dB, Clip

Rear panel 

Splitter mode, orange

Switch-mode autorange power supply   100-240 V (50/60 Hz)
Power consumption 

45 W

Dimensions 

482 x 225 x 89 mm (19 x 8.9 x 3.5")

Weight 

4.7 kg (10.4 lbs)

*) incl. all channel and bus processing, excl. insert effects and line delays

AES50 is created and owned by the Audio Engineering Society. ADAT is a registered trademark of 
inMusic Brands, Inc. Toslink is a registered trademark of Toshiba Corporation. Cirrus Logic is a trademark 
of Cirrus Logic, Inc.