A stage box is a rugged metal housing used in the audio engineering

Audio engineering

An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...

 and entertainment

Entertainment

Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...

 fields to connect microphones and other sound equipment to the multicore cable

Multicore cable

An audio multicore cable is a cable which contains from 4 to 64 individual audio cables inside a common outer jacket. Audio multicore cables are widely used whenever multiple audio signals, for example from a number of microphones, need to be conveyed between common locations...

. It functions as an extension of the equipment cables, allowing for the sound desk to be situated further away from the stage

Stage (theatre)

In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience...

, and also as a single location for cables to be plugged in. The entire assembly of stage box and multicore cable is sometimes referred to as an audio snake or simply snake.

Design

The stage box typically houses between 16 and 24 female XLR connector

XLR connector

The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3 and 7 pins...

s (or "cannon connectors"), however the actual input configuration depends on the number of channels contained in the multicore cable

Multicore cable

An audio multicore cable is a cable which contains from 4 to 64 individual audio cables inside a common outer jacket. Audio multicore cables are widely used whenever multiple audio signals, for example from a number of microphones, need to be conveyed between common locations...

. All of the microphones and musical instruments connect to the stage box and then the multicore cable

Multicore cable

An audio multicore cable is a cable which contains from 4 to 64 individual audio cables inside a common outer jacket. Audio multicore cables are widely used whenever multiple audio signals, for example from a number of microphones, need to be conveyed between common locations...

 runs to the sound desk or audio mixer. There are often a small number (4-8) of Male XLR Connector

XLR connector

The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio, video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3 and 7 pins...

s on the stage box which are called returns. Occasionally these are 6.3 mm Jack sockets, but the use of Jack plugs or sockets on a multicore is strongly discouraged. The returns allow for the sending of line level audio from the sound desk to the stage for foldback

Foldback (sound engineering)

Foldback is the use of rear-facing heavy-duty loudspeakers known as monitor speaker cabinets on stage during live music performances. The sound is amplified with power amplifiers or a public address system and the speakers are aimed at the on-stage performers rather than the audience...

 and FOH

Front of House

Front of house is primarily a theatrical term, referring to the portion of the building that is open to the public. In theatre and live music venues, it typically refers to the auditorium and foyer, as opposed to the stage and backstage areas...

.

Multicore Cable

The multicore cable is a thick group of cables, roughly the same diameter as a British 2 pence coin, surrounded by a rubber jacket. One end of the cable will have many connectors, for use at the sound desk, whilst the other will link to the stage box. The multicore cable determines the number of connections available on the stage box. The manufacturer may indicate the number of channels available on a multicore cable by using a notation such as 12/4. This would have 12 inputs and 4 returns, all on separate channels.

Usage

The most common use for a stage box and multicore cable

Multicore cable

An audio multicore cable is a cable which contains from 4 to 64 individual audio cables inside a common outer jacket. Audio multicore cables are widely used whenever multiple audio signals, for example from a number of microphones, need to be conveyed between common locations...

 is in live sound reproduction, especially where an audience

Audience

An audience is a group of people who participate in a show or encounter a work of art, literature , theatre, music or academics in any medium...

 is present. The discreet multicore cable and stage box can be used to effectively manage the cables from the microphones, and allows for one single cable to be trailed from the sound desk to the stage

Stage (theatre)

In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and a focal point for the members of the audience...

.

Drop Boxes

Smaller stage boxes (typically with 2 or 4 connectors) with short length multicore cables are called drop boxes. These are typically used to carry microphone signals from one side of the stage to the other, or as an extension cable for a few channels on a larger stage box.