Custom Reactor and Dante

[njaiswal]

In my little research, it appears Dante requires a pre-amp with per-channel "AES/XLR" output, then go into a Dante Controller, ethernet switch, then Dante adapter dongle for each Phantom.

Is it possible to skip Dante, and go directly from Pre-amp XLR-out to optical (via some form of converter), into individual Phantom Premier per channel?

No... the problem is that Devialet's software is unable to decode audio streams encoded in Dolby Digital or DTS.  As a result you need to send only PCM encoded audio streams to the Toslink port of a phantom.  PCM only supports 2 channels.  That's why you need an external processor to decode the surround audio tracks.   

If you're adventurous, JBL released a pro-sumer Pre-Amp (https://www.jblsynthesis.com/products/el...P-55-.html) that will decode surround sound audio and output the individual channels as discrete Dante channels.  Then you just map the Dante channels to your phantoms and you're good to go. :-)

I will still need the Devialet "adaptor" though, do I need to go with a designated regional/local vendor to get my hands on them?

You need a dante to Toslink adapter.  You can get a "bulky" one from micromedia.ch or if you can find a Devialet "pro" resller in your area, then you can get an Auvitran Devialet Dante adapter.