Yamaha’s Third Generation Rio3224-D3/Rio1608-D3 I/O Racks Deliver Enhanced Sound and Features
January 21, 2025, Hamamatsu - Yamaha Corporation has announced the third generation of its R Series I/O racks. Compatible with the RIVAGE PM series and DM7 series digital mixing systems, as well as Yamaha’s widely-used CL and QL series consoles, the new Dante-based Rio3224-D3 and Rio1608-D3 improve on the successful legacy of I/O racks which have been a fixture on live events for over a decade.
The first generation Rio3224-D and Rio1608-D debuted with the launch of Yamaha’s CL series digital mixing consoles in 2012. Since then, the R Series has expanded to include solutions for a wide variety of professional audio applications. These include the RMio64-D with MADI/Dante conversion functionality, the RSio64-D which connects Yamaha’s extensive range of mini-YGDAI cards to Dante devices and the RUio16-D, a utility I/O which connects USB and analogue I/O to Dante.
The third-generation Rio3224-D3 and Rio1608-D3 deliver advances in sound quality, functionality and energy economy, while maintaining the high performance that the R series is well known for.
Built around Yamaha’s core concept of an input section which captures stage sound with absolute precision, while the mixing engineer at the console adds vibrant colour, the Rio3224-D3 and Rio1608-D3 deliver lower noise levels and a wider dynamic range. This is the ideal foundation for delivering the True Sound intended by artists and sound engineers for audiences.
A new addition is a headphone socket, which can be used for checking the input and output sound, as well as the audio assigned to the last two Dante receive channels, which is useful when building complex networks. An additional (third) network port on the rear panel enables control and monitoring to be handled separately from Dante, a particular benefit for fixed installations. In addition, each output port is now equipped with delay, phase and level adjustment functions, which is especially beneficial for RIVAGE PM series users.
As with the previous generation, a front panel screen maximises control flexibility, while dual power supplies for redundancy give users peace of mind.
Importantly, power consumption of the Rio3224-D3 and Rio1608-D3 is 16% lower than earlier units, delivering a more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly solution.
“We are very pleased to introduce the third generation R Series I/O racks, continuing and improving on the success of units which have helped to bring high quality live music to literally millions of people in appreciative audiences worldwide over the past 13 years,” says Thomas Hemery, Senior General Manager of Yamaha's Professional Solution Division.
“Delivering even more accurate stage sound to mixing engineers, the Rio3224-D3 and Rio1608-D3 will also help to improve the workflow of users, giving artists and audiences the high quality sonic experience that they deserve.”
Please note that the Rio3224-D3 and Rio1608-D3 need the Yamaha mixing console firmware to be updated to the version which supports Rio-D3. This will be available for download during February 2025.
