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Radial Engineering R800 8026 Catapult RX4M Audio Snake — main product image
Radial Engineering

Radial Engineering R800 8026 Catapult RX4M Audio Snake

★★★★★5.0 (1 reviews)

Run four channels of pro-grade audio over a single Cat 5 cable — the Catapult RX4M eliminates bulky analog snakes without compromising signal integrity.

$374.99*
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jun 28, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The Radial Engineering Catapult RX4M is the receive end of a 4-channel audio snake system that trades a traditional copper multi-core for a single Cat 5 or Cat 6 cable run. In live production and permanent installation environments, the value of this exchange is immediately tangible: the weight, stiffness, and storage demands of a multi-core disappear, replaced by a cable that's lightweight, universally available, and trivially long — venue tech closets stock Cat 6 by the roll. The RX4M accepts the signal delivered by a Catapult TX transmitter and presents it as four standard XLR outputs, compatible with any professional console, stage box, or converter. Both analog and AES digital audio are supported, meaning the system can serve equally as a mic-level send path from stage to FOH or as a digital transport between consoles and rack gear.

Radial's signal routing reputation is built on clean, interference-resistant designs, and the Catapult system reflects that philosophy — shielded twisted pair cable over the Cat 5/6 run keeps the noise floor low across practical distances, and the 14-gauge steel chassis on the RX4M is built for the physical reality of live production: stage floor placement, rack mounting, cable strain, and repeated setup cycles. What you hear at the console end of a properly installed Catapult run is a signal that's clean and undistorted, indistinguishable from a quality analog multi-core — with none of the bulk. Engineers who have made the switch for touring, theatre installs, or house-of-worship permanent rigs typically don't go back to multi-cores for these channel counts.

Specifications

Model
R800 8026
Type
Audio Snake

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Replacing a 4-channel multi-core with a single Cat 5 run dramatically reduces cable weight and bulk — load-in and setup time drops noticeably on live event rigs.
  • Cat 5/6 cable is universally available and inexpensive, making cable replacement and extension straightforward in any venue without specialized inventory.
  • Support for both analog and AES digital signals in a single unit gives engineers flexibility to adapt the signal chain as console and converter infrastructure evolves.
  • 14-gauge steel chassis construction delivers the physical durability expected of professional touring and install-grade signal routing equipment.
  • XLR connectivity on the receive end integrates directly with standard console inputs, stage boxes, and converters without adapters or level conversion.

👎 Cons

  • The RX4M is the receiver only — a Catapult TX transmitter is required at the source end to complete the signal path, representing additional cost and a second piece of equipment to manage.
  • Maximum channel count is fixed at four, which limits scalability for larger stage plots without adding additional Catapult pairs and additional Cat 5 runs.
  • Performance over very long runs or with unshielded cable in electrically noisy environments can degrade — careful cable selection and routing discipline is required to maintain the noise floor that professional audio demands.
  • The system requires both TX and RX units to be matched correctly for signal type (analog vs. AES digital) — mismatched configurations will produce no usable output, which can be a troubleshooting friction point under show pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

The RX4M is designed for use with Cat 5 or Cat 6 shielded twisted pair cable. The shielded variant is strongly preferred in live environments where RF interference, lighting dimmers, and power cables run parallel to audio — unshielded Cat 5 can pick up noise that manifests as hum or digital artifacts in the audio signal over longer runs.
Yes — the RX4M supports both analog and AES digital audio transmission over Cat 5/6. This makes it compatible with a wide range of sources and destinations, including standard mic/line-level signals and AES3 digital outputs from consoles and converters. Verify your Catapult TX transmitter unit is set to match the signal type for the run.
A well-constructed Cat 5/6 run with proper termination will maintain signal integrity comparable to a quality analog multi-core — noise floor remains low and frequency response stays flat across practical stage and studio run distances. The advantage is dramatic weight and bulk reduction: a single Cat 5 cable replaces a heavy multi-core, which matters significantly during load-in, touring, and installation work.
The RX4M features a 14-gauge steel chassis, which provides meaningful protection against the physical abuse of touring and live production — rack mounting, floor placement, and regular cable stress. The build quality is consistent with Radial's engineering standard for professional signal routing gear.
The RX4M is the receiver end of the Catapult system, accepting the Cat 5/6 signal from a Catapult TX transmitter and converting it back to four channels of analog or AES digital XLR outputs. The TX transmitter unit (sold separately) accepts your source XLR connections and sends them down the Cat 5 run. Both ends are required for a complete signal path.

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