Glensound Vita Plus Verified Review

The unit offers 12 balanced analog inputs and outputs on rugged XLR connectors, alongside AES3 digital I/O. Crucially, it also includes a dedicated headphone amplifier with a physical gain control, allowing an engineer to monitor specific incoming streams without patching through a separate console. The internal DSP is capable of routing any of the 64 incoming AoIP streams to any of the 12 analog outputs, providing massive flexibility for breakout applications. The "Plus" in the VITA Plus refers to its flagship feature: dual, hot-swappable battery bays. In standard broadcast interfaces, power loss means dead air. To solve this, Glensound equipped the VITA PLUS with two independent slots for L-series batteries (commonly used for professional camera lights). If one battery dies, the unit instantly switches to the second without a glitch in the audio clock.

In the demanding world of outside broadcasting, live theatre, and sports production, audio failure is not an option. Equipment must endure physical abuse, extreme temperatures, and the relentless pressure of a live timeline. While consumer-grade interfaces prioritise cost and features, professional broadcast equipment prioritises redundancy and ruggedness. Standing at the pinnacle of this philosophy is the Glensound VITA PLUS , a 12-channel Audio over IP (AoIP) interface that redefines what "roadworthy" means. More than just a converter, the VITA PLUS is a portable fortress for audio engineers, designed to provide pristine, networked audio in the most hostile environments on Earth. Uncompromising Physical Architecture The most immediately striking feature of the VITA PLUS is its construction. Unlike rack-mounted studio gear with delicate screens and plastic knobs, the VITA PLUS is encased in a custom-milled, solid aluminium chassis. This "unibody" design is not merely aesthetic; it serves a critical protective function. By eliminating seams and joints, the casing acts as a single, rigid block of metal. This makes the unit highly resistant to torsional stress (twisting) and impact, meaning it can survive being dropped, bumped on a flight case, or vibrating in a truck for hours. glensound vita plus

Furthermore, the VITA PLUS is engineered for the elements. It features a high Ingress Protection (IP) rating—specifically designed to repel dust and resist water jets. The Neutrik etherCON connectors are recessed and sealed, and the rotary encoders are capped with heavy-duty rubber. This ensures that a sudden rainstorm during a golf broadcast or a sandstorm at a motorsport event will not compromise the unit’s functionality. It is, effectively, a device that treats the weather as an adversary and wins. Beneath its rugged exterior, the VITA PLUS is a sophisticated networked device. It adheres to the AES67 standard, the industry’s lingua franca for AoIP, ensuring interoperability with equipment from manufacturers like Dante, Ravenna, and WheatNet-IP. However, Glensound has pushed the technology further by incorporating SMPTE ST 2110 standards. In high-end broadcast facilities, ST 2110 allows for the separation of audio, video, and ancillary data streams. The VITA PLUS handles this natively, accepting streams with seamless Precision Time Protocol (PTP) synchronisation. The unit offers 12 balanced analog inputs and