Joyned, a prominent developer of networking technology for the professional audio sector, has officially announced its transition to Promoter Member status within the Avnu Alliance. This strategic escalation marks a significant milestone in the company’s trajectory, signaling a deepened commitment to the Milan protocol and a proactive stance in shaping the future of interoperable, high-performance media networking. By moving from its previous position as a Milan Associate Member to a Promoter Member, Joyned joins an elite tier of industry leaders dedicated to the advancement of Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) standards.
The Avnu Alliance is a global community of technology companies working together to create an interoperable ecosystem of low-latency, time-synchronized, and highly reliable networked devices using open standards. Within this alliance, the Milan protocol serves as a user-driven application layer specifically designed for the professional media industry. Joyned’s elevation to Promoter status places the company alongside some of the most influential names in professional audio, including Adamson Systems Engineering, Audiotonix (the parent company of brands such as DiGiCo, Allen & Heath, and Solid State Logic), d&b audiotechnik, L-Acoustics, Luminex, Meyer Sound, and PreSonus.
This transition is not merely a change in title but a fundamental shift in Joyned’s operational role within the alliance. As a Promoter Member, Joyned will now exert a direct influence on the technical and strategic direction of the Milan ecosystem. The company is set to take an active role in technical working groups, contribute to the refinement of certification initiatives, and foster broader industry collaboration. This involvement is aimed at ensuring that Milan remains the gold standard for deterministic, future-proof audio networking.
The Strategic Importance of the Milan Protocol
The professional audio industry has long struggled with proprietary networking solutions that often create silos, limiting the ability of equipment from different manufacturers to communicate seamlessly. The Milan protocol was conceived to solve this problem by leveraging the IEEE Audio Video Bridging (AVB) and Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) standards. Unlike other protocols that rely on third-party proprietary hardware or complex manual switch configurations, Milan provides a framework for professional-grade, plug-and-play interoperability.
For Joyned, the commitment to Milan is rooted in the belief that networking should be a transparent utility rather than a competitive barrier. By utilizing open standards, Milan ensures that audio data is delivered with microsecond precision, guaranteed bandwidth, and zero congestion-related dropouts. These features are critical in high-stakes environments such as large-scale touring, Broadway productions, and permanent installations in stadiums or concert halls.
The elevation of Joyned to Promoter status reflects the company’s growth and the increasing market demand for Milan-certified solutions. As more manufacturers integrate Milan into their products, the need for robust, accessible, and standardized implementation tools becomes paramount. Joyned’s expertise in developing these underlying technologies makes them a vital contributor to the alliance’s mission.
Leadership Perspectives on the Transition
The leadership at Joyned has expressed a clear vision for what this enhanced partnership entails. Fabian Braun, the Founder and CEO of Joyned, emphasized that the move is a logical progression for a company that views interoperability as a fundamental requirement for the industry.
"We have always been committed to Milan because we believe that interoperability should be a matter of course and not a differentiator," Braun stated. "As our technology is used by partners and our products reach customers worldwide, membership as an Avnu Alliance Promoter Member is the logical next step. It allows us to contribute not only through our products but also to strengthen the Milan ecosystem for the benefit of manufacturers and users alike."
This sentiment is echoed by Morten Lave, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Joyned. Lave, a veteran in the field of digital audio and networking, highlighted the technical opportunities that come with Promoter status. He noted that while Milan has a solid foundation, there is still room for evolution, particularly in how modern software-based products are integrated into the ecosystem.
"Milan has created a solid technical basis for interoperability," Lave remarked. "We look forward to contributing to its further development—especially in areas where modern software-based products can be better supported through certification without compromising the reliability and interoperability that make Milan successful."
Technical Contributions and Certification Initiatives
One of the primary responsibilities Joyned will undertake as a Promoter Member is active participation in the Milan Task Group. This group is responsible for defining the technical specifications and requirements that ensure all Milan-certified devices work together flawlessly. Joyned’s deep understanding of the software and hardware requirements for TSN will be instrumental in refining these specifications.
Furthermore, Joyned will focus on enhancing the accessibility of Milan-certified switch technology. In any networked audio system, the network switch is a critical component. Historically, configuring switches for AVB/TSN has been perceived as a complex task. Joyned intends to work within the Avnu Alliance to simplify this process, making it easier for manufacturers to produce, and for end-users to deploy, certified network infrastructure.
Another key area of focus is the Avnu EXCEP (Education and Certification Ecosystem Program). This initiative is designed to provide educational resources and training for engineers and technicians. By contributing to EXCEP, Joyned aims to bridge the knowledge gap in the industry, ensuring that the next generation of audio professionals is well-versed in the advantages and implementation of Milan and TSN.
A Chronology of Milan and Joyned’s Involvement
To understand the significance of this announcement, it is helpful to look at the timeline of Milan’s development and Joyned’s role within it.
- 2018: The Milan protocol is officially introduced at InfoComm by the Avnu Alliance, backed by founding members like d&b audiotechnik, L-Acoustics, and Meyer Sound. The goal is to create a pro-audio-specific profile for AVB.
- 2019-2021: The first wave of Milan-certified products hits the market, including loudspeakers, processors, and switches. The industry begins to recognize the benefits of a deterministic, open-standard protocol.
- 2022: Joyned emerges as a key player in providing implementation solutions for manufacturers looking to adopt Milan. The company joins the Avnu Alliance as an Associate Member, focusing on lowering the barrier to entry for smaller and mid-sized manufacturers.
- 2024: The Avnu Alliance expands its certification program to include more rigorous testing for software-based endpoints and advanced switch features.
- August 2026: Joyned is officially promoted to Promoter Member status. This transition coincides with a broader industry shift toward IP-based workflows and the "democratization" of high-end networking technology.
Broader Implications for the Professional Audio Industry
Joyned’s promotion is a clear indicator of the maturing landscape of networked audio. For years, the industry was divided between various proprietary and open protocols. However, the consolidation of major manufacturers around Milan suggests a move toward a more unified future.
The "democratization" of technology, a concept frequently championed by Fabian Braun, suggests that high-performance networking should not be reserved only for the largest manufacturers with the biggest R&D budgets. By providing the tools and contributing to the standards that make Milan implementation easier, Joyned is enabling a wider variety of companies to offer interoperable products. This leads to more choice for the end-user and a more resilient marketplace.
From an engineering perspective, the focus on software-based products is particularly relevant. As the industry moves toward virtualization and software-defined audio processing, the networking protocol must be able to accommodate these changes without sacrificing the deterministic nature of the hardware-based systems of the past. Joyned’s expertise in this area will be crucial as the Milan Task Group looks to the future.
Analyzing the Impact on Market Competition
While Milan competes with other protocols like Audinate’s Dante or the AES67 standard, its unique selling proposition lies in its reliance on the Ethernet layer (TSN) for synchronization and bandwidth reservation. This eliminates the "best effort" delivery model of standard IT networks, which can be prone to jitter and packet loss.
By strengthening the Milan ecosystem, Joyned and its fellow Promoter Members are positioning Milan as the premier choice for mission-critical applications. The inclusion of Joyned—a company specifically focused on the "how-to" of networking implementation—complements the "who’s who" of loudspeaker and console manufacturers already in the Promoter tier. This creates a holistic support system for the protocol, covering everything from the silicon and software levels to the final user interface on a mixing console or amplifier.
Conclusion and Future Outlook
The announcement that Joyned has become a Promoter Member of the Avnu Alliance is a pivotal moment for the Milan protocol. It signals a phase of aggressive growth and technical refinement. With Joyned’s leadership now integrated into the alliance’s decision-making framework, the industry can expect a renewed focus on certification efficiency, educational outreach, and the integration of modern software workflows.
As the professional audio world continues to converge with IT standards, the work of the Avnu Alliance and its members becomes increasingly vital. Joyned’s elevated role ensures that the voices of both technology providers and end-users are heard, paving the way for an era where audio networking is as reliable and ubiquitous as the electricity that powers it. The collaboration between Joyned and the Avnu Alliance represents a shared commitment to an open, interoperable future—one where the focus remains on the quality of the sound and the success of the performance, supported by an invisible but invincible network.
