MONGOOSE
Design Manual
8
The Benefits of a Mongoose
To most effectively design a system containing a RAD network, you need to understand its benefits so you
can take full advantage of them. For example, when using RADs, not only can you place line-level audio
and a microphone within the same conduit, you can place it on the same cable!
Following is a brief discussion of how key aspects of an audio system are handled within a Mongoose
system versus a typical analog system.
Less Expensive Cabling and Conduit
The foremost advantage of the Mongoose system is its use of CAT 5 cables for audio distribution. We don’t
have to tell you the cost benefits of using CAT 5 versus shielded audio cables and conduit. But bear with
us. Since we’re highlighting the benefits of a Mongoose, we’ll expound a bit more on the cost savings. Not
only is CAT 5 cable much less expensive than shielded analog cable, use of CAT 5 cable eliminates the
need for conduit. In addition to that, a RAD can transmit up to four channels (two input, two output) over
one CAT 5 cable. To top things off, the RAD is also able to transmit power and a data signal – all on that
same CAT 5 cable. To provide all this functionality in an analog world would require pulling six times the
amount of cabling needed by the RAD network as well as the use of conduit to house all that cabling! So
not only is the medium itself less expensive, but the difference in time and labor costs is huge. As a matter
of fact, by using CAT 5 cables, it may be possible for some economies of scale – why not have the IT folks
pull and terminate your CAT 5 cable at the same time they pull the data wires for the building?
Simpler Cable Termination
Your installers will be happy to know that they can toss their soldering irons aside. Terminating connections
in the Mongoose system involves nothing more than the simple process of crimping CAT 5 cables. And
unlike soldering, the crimping process does not require electricity.
An added benefit is the automatic testing that the Mongoose performs on each connection. When
the installer terminates and connects the CAT 5 cable to the RAD, the Mongoose automatically tests
the connection (assuming, of course, that the Mongoose is connected and powered on). The status of
the connection is immediately reported via the status lights on the RAD. If there’s a problem with the
connection, it can often be solved by simply re-crimping the cable – a much easier process than having to
re-solder a connection.
Better Sound Quality
Susceptibility to noise interference is much greater with analog than with digital transmission. Replacing
your analog channels with a RAD network immediately provides you with far superior sound quality –
especially if you’re transmitting the signal over substantial distances. In addition to eliminating noise
interference, the RAD’s transmitters and receivers have a high common mode range.
Digitizing the audio at the wall eliminates the mounting, expense, and trouble of isolation transformers
traditionally used in analog applications. Plus, passing low frequencies through analog isolation
transformers requires large cores and therefore more space. RADs save the space and pass those low
frequency Barry White vocal pronouncements to your application’s dual 18-inch subwoofers without
compromise.
