Synchronising Networked Audio at Scale with PTP+Squared
- Ian Gough
- Sep 3
- 3 min read
In any large-scale, distributed audio system, time is everything. When precision fails, the consequences are immediate: audio dropouts, drifting clocks, inconsistent AV performance, and the risk of complete service disruption. The impact of these failures can be significant, leading to reputational damage as well as direct financial costs when regulatory or service-level obligations are not met. For organisations where networked audio underpins critical communication and services, these risks simply cannot be tolerated.
This was the challenge facing a North American municipality-wide audio distribution network spanning multiple geographically dispersed sites. The system relied on protocols such as AES67 and Dante to deliver real-time audio across ten different locations, all connected in a hub-and-spoke topology. Each site operated its own Layer 2 network, complete with multicast routing and QoS configured to prioritise audio traffic.
On paper, the design looked robust. In practice, synchronisation was the weak link.
The Synchronisation Challenge
AES67 and Dante are powerful, but they both depend on one non-negotiable factor: reliable Precision Time Protocol (PTP). Without precise timing across the network, interoperability suffers, clocks drift, and audio quality deteriorates.
The existing infrastructure presented several barriers to achieving this level of precision:
PTP distribution was unreliable across Layer 2 segmented networks
Vendor equipment (in this case, QSC) offered limited PTP configurability, able to operate only as a Grandmaster or a Slave
While some PTP-aware Aruba switches were in place, boundary clock configuration proved difficult, resulting in intermittent sync issues
Redundancy was limited, leaving the system vulnerable to equipment failures or link outages
For a distributed network of this scale, the risks were clear: without a reliable and resilient timing backbone, the quality and continuity of audio services could not be guaranteed.
The PTP+Squared Solution
To solve these challenges, the network migrated to a PTP+Squared architecture powered by Timebeat’s Open Time Appliance. This approach introduced a scalable and highly accurate timing solution designed specifically for multi-site, multi-domain environments.
By deploying Open Time Appliances at key points in the network, PTP distribution was transformed:
End-to-end synchronisation across all sites, overcoming Layer 2 segmentation challenges
Multi-domain architecture for flexibility and interoperability between AES67, Dante, and other protocols
Seamless redundancy, with spoke sites receiving timing from central hubs and automatic failover between primary and secondary sources
Resilient continuity, ensuring timing stability even in the event of hardware failure or network disruption
The result was a network-wide timing infrastructure that not only eliminated dropouts and drift but also laid the groundwork for future expansion and new service capabilities.
Beyond Synchronisation: Resilience and Scalability
The benefits of PTP+Squared extend beyond simply making audio work. By creating a deterministic, fault-tolerant timing layer, the organisation gained:
Guaranteed audio quality, with consistent performance across all locations
Operational resilience, ensuring uninterrupted service under any circumstances
Future scalability, with an architecture capable of adapting to new technologies, additional sites, and expanded service requirements
With timing precision assured, networked audio stopped being a risk factor and became a reliable asset, powering critical services with confidence.
Why Timebeat
The Open Time Appliance was built to solve these exact challenges: delivering sub-microsecond precision, high availability, and scalability in real-world, multi-vendor environments. Coupled with PTP+Squared, it unlocks the flexibility and resilience that complex networks need to operate seamlessly.
For any organisation struggling with networked audio reliability or preparing to scale distributed AV systems, the lesson is clear: success depends on the strength of your timing infrastructure. With Timebeat, synchronisation is no longer the weak point — it’s the foundation.
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