The number of modules you can sync to your COBRA 18R2 controller depends on your firmware version, the module types you’re using (6M, 18M, 36M, or 72M), and how you assign channels. Each synced module gets a unique address, and channels group modules to fire together. Below are the limits:
- Firmware 5.1 or lower: 200 addresses (A00–A99), 100 channels (0–99), 1800 total cues.
- Firmware 6.0 or higher: 400 addresses (A00–A399), 200 channels (0–199), 3600 total cues.
Module Types and Addresses
The COBRA system works in banks of 18 cues. When you sync a module to your 18R2, it’s assigned a starting address (e.g., A00), but larger modules use additional consecutive addresses internally—one per bank of 18 cues. Here’s how they appear to you and their cue counts:
- 6M (6 cues): Shows as 1 address (e.g., A00), 1 bank – Set to cues 1–6, 7–12, or 13–18 within a bank.
- 18M (18 cues): Shows as 1 address (e.g., A00), 1 bank
- 36M (36 cues): Shows as 1 address (e.g., A00), 2 banks – Reserves A00 (Bank A) and A01 (Bank B)
- 72M (72 cues): Shows as 1 address (e.g., A00), 4 banks – Reserves A00 (Bank A), A01 (Bank B), A02 (Bank C), and A03 (Bank D)
For example, a 72M synced at A00 displays as A00 on your controller, but it occupies A00 through A03 internally, with each bank (A, B, C, D) covering 18 cues. You can assign each bank to any of the 100 (5.1 or lower) or 200 (6.0+) channels for firing control. A 36M at A00 uses A00 and A01 (Banks A and B), while 6M and 18M modules use just one bank each. You don’t manage these extra addresses—they’re automatic—but they reduce how many total modules you can sync within the address limit (200 or 400). The 6M’s flexibility lets you stack up to three per channel (e.g., one at 1–6, one at 7–12, one at 13–18) to cover a full 18-cue bank. If you hit the address cap, unsync the controller to reset to A00 and re-sync (see ).
Key Limits by Firmware
| Firmware Version | Max Addresses | Max Channels | Max Cues | Module Type | Addresses per Module | Cues per Module |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 or lower | 200 | 100 | 1800 | 6M | 1 | 6 |
| 18M | 1 | 18 | ||||
| 36M | 2 | 36 | ||||
| 72M | 4 | 72 | ||||
| 6.0 or higher | 400 | 200 | 3600 | 6M | 1 | 6 |
| 18M | 1 | 18 | ||||
| 36M | 2 | 36 | ||||
| 72M | 4 | 72 |
Mixing Modules
Mixing module types is common in shows and impacts how many devices you can sync due to both address and channel limits. Each module type consumes a different number of addresses—6M and 18M use 1, 36M uses 2, and 72M uses 4—so a mix heavy on 72M modules reduces your total synced devices compared to using mostly 6M or 18M modules. For example, on firmware 6.0+, you could sync 400 x 18M modules (400 addresses) but only 100 x 72M modules (400 addresses), as the latter uses addresses faster.
Channeling adds another restriction. With 100 channels on 5.1 or lower and 200 on 6.0+, each module typically needs its own channel to fire independently, unless you share channels. If you mix 200 x 18M modules on firmware 6.0+, you’ll hit the 200-channel limit before the 400-address limit, leaving half your address capacity unused unless you assign multiple modules to the same channel. The 6M helps here—stacking three per channel (covering cues 1–6, 7–12, 13–18) lets you sync more modules without burning through channels as quickly. A mix with many 36M or 72M modules can max out channels and addresses sooner, limiting total devices. But in all cases, the total number of unique cues stays the same.
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