Review: RSS By Roland S4000 Digital Snake System

Roland has used computer networking technology to send audio long distances, over lightweight cable with superb audio transfer quality. Its system offers built-in redundancy, expansion capabilities and multiple system configurations. So, has it developed the definitive ‘digital snake’?

I like to try new technologies so when I was asked to give this digital snake system a go, I said ‘sure, why not?’. I’ve been an audio crash test dummy for a long time. I was probably the first to adopt PZM microphones back when Ken Wahrenbrock had just invented them in his garage in Downey, California (before he sold the patent to Crown), and a few years back I was the first to use Yamaha’s flagship PM1D professionally. I have lived through the digital revolution and have only a few scars to show for it. So, I fondly remember the first new Roland kit I put into service and, as it happens, it was one of the last analogue devices Roland produced – an RE-201 Space Echo. Just plug it in and… wow! Those were some effects. But that was some time ago and, in the ensuing decades, Roland has concentrated its efforts in the world of digital… and it shows in the Digital Snake system.

How many of you out there hate to read manuals? My guess is that nearly all of us find owner’s manuals so boring (like a self-induced coma), or badly written/translated (‘is this really English or have they decided to boycott all functional prepositions?’), or so thick, in the smallest type, you start to despair. So, true to my undying abhorrence for manuals, I unpacked the S-4000S 40-channel I/O modular rack, the S-4000H 32×8 FOH unit and the S-4000R remote-control unit, put the manual to one side, had a quick look, plugged them in, cabled them up and, hey presto, the system came to life and passed clean, clear audio. The remote-control unit was self explanatory and simple to use. Success.

So let’s look at the components of the system.

S-4000S ‘STAGE BOX’

The S-4000S is, as it were, the stage box or stage facilities panel. So this is where I would plug satellite multicores, additional stage boxes or microphones and DIs direct into the XLR inputs. There are also return lines from the slave S-4000H. The front has all the usual connectors – 32 female input XLRs (in eight modules of four each), eight male output XLRs (in two modules of four each). There are the Main and Backup standard RJ45 ports using sturdy Neutrik ‘EtherCons’ in the REAC (Roland Ethernet Audio Communication) module. Here you connect two Ethernet cables (one Main, one Backup), either Crossover cables for direct communication with the S-4000H unit or connect via straight-through Ethernet cables to dual Ethernet Switching Hubs to use as a split system for sending broadcast feeds, to a multitrack recorder or a monitor board; or with enough S-4000Hs to all three. Cat 5e Ethernet cable is recommended. Below the XLRs is the REAC mode switch with M (Master), S (Slave) and SP (Split) settings. To the left are the Midi In and Out connectors. Then a D-sub nine-pin labelled ‘Remote’, REAC and Control LEDs, and a ‘Mute All Outputs’ button and the power switch with a protective door. The back of the unit is fitted with an IEC jack with cord restraint for mains voltage and a Neutrik PowerCon for use with the optional S-240P external power supply and some cooling fans. This all seemed straightforward – nothing too alarming. Back to the business end, on the front, each of four balanced XLRs contained within the one of the eight SIAD4 input modules is equipped with a variable gain preamp, a 24-bit/96k A/D converter, 48V phantom power and a pad. The eight male XLRs are housed in two SO-DA4 modules and are running eight corresponding 24-bit/96k D/A converters. The rep from Roland told me that the ‘benchmark for the mic pre design was Focusrite’ and it’s very classy – accepting signal levels from -65 to +10dBu, with bucket-loads of headroom at +28dBu. More on variable gain later.

S-4000H FOH UNIT

The S-4000H is the jack-of-all-trades box. It can be put into service anywhere you need audio: put it next to the FOH console and patch according to the event’s needs; it can be used as a unit to split audio to any destination that’s called for… there are too many possibilities to mention, but anywhere you might need to split audio off to, you can. The front panel has many of the same connectors and features as the S-4000S: Main and Backup EtherCons, REAC mode switch, Midi I/O, LED indicators and the Mute All ‘panic button’. Additionally, there are five female DB-25 connectors – four labelled as Outputs 1-8, 9-16, 17-24 and 25-32 – and these carry audio from the S-4000S inputs. Breakouts to XLRs are provided by the SC-A0805DM cables. The remaining DB-25 is labelled Input 1-8, and can be used to send audio to the S-4000S. The SC-A0805DF breakout cable makes these available as XLRs. The power-on switch is also located on this panel. The back panel houses the IEC and PowerCon connectors.

S-4000R REMOTE CONTROL UNIT

This is the remote control unit. Via a RS-232C cable I could control +48V on/off per channel, the 20dB pad and the preamp gain control that gives a range of -45 to +10 without pad, –65 to –10 with pad. In addition, 10 memory presets can be stored and recalled with this unit. Signal and clip indicators are lined up across the top. There is a handy channel settings lock-out button and a ‘clip clear’ button. That’s it; a simple, easy-to-use interface. I did download the Roland S-4000 Remote Control Software for PC. This actually looked even friendlier, as I could see all settings at the same time. I didn’t have a chance to use the software, but in future, this would be my preferred option.