VIA SUB User Manual Ensure to read all details in both the user manual AND the rigging manual before attempting suspension of the products. Rev 1.0, 2017

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Contents 1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 3

2. Specifications............................................................................................................................. 3

3. VIA SUB Cabinet Details ............................................................................................................. 4

4. Setup and use of VIA SUB........................................................................................................... 4

4.1. AC Mains connection.......................................................................................................... 4

4.2. Audio Connection............................................................................................................... 6

4.3. DSP Presets ........................................................................................................................ 6

4.4. VIA 8 Remote control software .......................................................................................... 7

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................... 7

COM CABLE ................................................................................................................................... 8

ID .................................................................................................................................................. 8

CONTROLLING THE VIA SERIES SPEAKERS....................................................................................... 9

4.5. Simple set up examples .................................................................................................... 10

4.5.1. With VIA FLY ............................................................................................................. 10

4.5.2. Ground Stack with VIA FLY ........................................................................................ 12

5. Accessories .............................................................................................................................. 12

5.1. VIA POLE MOUNT ............................................................................................................. 12

5.2. VIA SUB RAIN ................................................................................................................... 12

6. Troubleshooting ...................................................................................................................... 12

EQUALIZATION AND GAIN ........................................................................................................... 13

7. PRODUCT SERVICE & WARRANTY............................................................................................. 14

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READ ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDED IN THIS MANUAL

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operation and maintenance instructions.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user

to the presence of un-insulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

1. The following safety notices must be read and adhered to for safe operation of the VIA SUB. 2. Copies of this manual should be retained by the system’s installer AND end-user. 3. This manual must be read and understood and ALL warnings must be followed. 4. Follow all instructions to insure optimal product performance. 5. The VIA products are convection-cooled devices and require at least 6 inches (152 mm) of clearance

behind the enclosure to allow the heat sink to adequately cool the internal electronics. 6. DO NOT INSTALL NEAR ANY HEAT SOURCES! 7. Use ONLY the supplied AC Mains connector. 8. Protect the AC Mains power cord from being walked on or otherwise damaged and inspect for

damaged connections and damaged insulation. 9. The VIA series may be suspended. Read and understand the VIA Rigging manual before suspension. 10. Do not substitute suspension hardware. 11. Suspension should be attempted by a professional that is familiar with local and national codes and

safe suspension practices! 12. For safety reasons, do not place one loudspeaker on top of another without proper fastening systems. 13. Ensure the loudspeaker is securely installed in a stable position to avoid any injuries or damages to

persons or properties. 14. Before suspension, thoroughly check all rigging components for signs of wear, deformation or damage

which may compromise safety. 15. DO NOT suspend the loudspeakers if rigging components are damaged. Take steps to replace these

components before suspension. 16. The VIA series is not designed for permanent outdoor use. Ensure precautions are taken to protect

the electronics from moisture in outdoor environments! 17. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at the plugs, convenience

receptacles, and at the point where they exit from the apparatus. 18. This equipment must be supplied from a power system providing a PROTECTIVE EARTH Connection

and having a neutral connection, which can be reliable identified. 19. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or

moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and that no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.

20. The AC inlet is used as the disconnect device and shall remain readily operable. 21. No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus.

EMI CLASSIFICATION FCC CLASS B STATEMENT ACCORDING TO TITLE 47, CHAPTER I, SUBCHAPTER A, PART 15, SUBPART B According to the standards EN 55103 this equipment is designed and suitable to operate in E3 (or lower E2, E1) Electromagnetic environments.

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

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1. Introduction Thank you for purchasing the P.Audio VIA system and for your faith in us and our products. This product will provide you many years of useful service with proper use and care. Please read this manual completely and become familiar with the design and operation of this advanced active speaker system.

The VIA SUB was designed to provide easy to use low frequency sound reinforcement with cardioid dispersion characteristics. The VIA SUB may be flown in arrays by itself, or in combination with the VIA 8 or VIA 12 cabinets.

Ease of use with on board amplification and DSP Presets High output from the lightweight neodymium transducers Well controlled cardioid dispersion for minimal spill behind the enclosure Reliable amplification from PASCAL.

2. Specifications Specification VIA SUB

General Specifications

Type Active Subwoofer Woofer Size 18” + 12”

Woofer Voice Coil 4” Both Transducers HF Size N/A

HF Voice Coil N/A Cabinet design Plywood

Handles 2 on each side Pole Mount M20 Socket

Weight 55 kg / 121.3 lbs Dimensions(HxWxD) 540x630x791.5 mm / 21.3x24.8x31.2 in

Acoustic Specifications

Sensitivity (1w/1m) N/A -3dB Response 40Hz-100kHz

-10dB Response 35Hz-110kHz Maximum

Continuous SPL 125dB (1m, 1 cabinet) Maximum Peak SPL 128dB (1m, 1 cabinet)

Dispersion Cardioid Electrical

Specifications Impedance N/A

Input Line Level XLR Thru Line Level XLR

System Level Control Gain Control Power Output 1500w+1500w @ 1% THD Amplifier Type Class D with SMPS

Protection

Turn on delay; Short circuit protection; DC Voltage protection; Peak Voltage

Limiter; Over Temp Protection Indicators Power On, Limiter Active, Signal Present

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3. VIA SUB Cabinet Details

The VIA SUB is an active dual subwoofer system, set up to be used in a single cabinet cardioid configuration. The cabinet features a 3 point rigging system, remote control DSP and lightweight neodymium components. The back of the cabinet shows the 3000w amplifier on the left, rear rigging system in the middle, and the ports for the 12” woofer on the right hand side. It is the use of dual woofers that allows the cardioid dispersion pattern. The forward facing 18” woofer is in a ported cabinet, whilst the 12” rear facing woofer is loaded in a 6th order bandpass configuration.

4. Setup and use of VIA SUB ATTENTION: SEE RIGGING MANUAL FOR SUSPENSION DETAILS.

4.1. AC Mains connection The VIA series enclosures use the Neutrik Powercon TRUE1 © system for all AC mains connections, at universal voltages between 85-265Vac.

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NOTE: Due to the high power consumption of the VIA SUB, it is not allowed to link cabinets together. Separate power cables must be used for each cabinet.

Ensure cable of a sufficiently large diameter for the current capacity is used. P.Audio recommends the use of 2.5mm2 wire. Ready-made cable sets are available through P.Audio, and are included in Line Array ‘sets’.

To mate the AC mains cable with the AC mains connector on the amplifier, align the plug with the connector, insert the plug, and rotate clockwise until a ‘click’ is heard and the cable is locked into place. This locking mechanism also functions as the power switch for the amplifier.

To disconnect the cable end of the AC mains connector, pull back on the yellow thumb grip, and rotate the plug assembly counter-clockwise until the connector can slide out easily.

TIP: Always connect the cable before turning on mains power to avoid accidents. Likewise, also turn off mains power before disconnecting the cable. NEVER carry a live cable to the speaker before connection.

NOTE: DO NOT CONNECT THE AC MAINS END OF THE AC MAINS CABLE IN AN AREA THAT IS WET OR SUBJECT TO CONDENSATION OR DAMP CONDITIONS!

Once the AC mains cable is securely connected to both the amplifier and AC mains supply, the amplifier will be turned on. It is good practice to lower the volume level during turn on to avoid any unexpected loud audio. As such it is also recommended to connect signal cables before powering up the system.

NOTE: If the pilot light does not illuminate within 30 seconds the unit may have a fault. If this occurs, the unit should be returned to P.Audio for evaluation.

THERE ARE NO USER-SERVICABLE PARTS INSIDE. DO NOT REMOVE THE AMPLIFIER MODULE! (See the section below “Replacement of Components” for more detailed information).

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4.2. Audio Connection

The audio input on the VIA SUB amplifier is a balanced line level XLR type, with a paralleled THRU connection for linking to other speakers. The level control ONLY affects the amplifier being adjusted, so other amplifiers using the linked signal remain unaffected.

For best noise rejection, it is recommended that only balanced cables are used.

4.3. DSP Presets There are 8 factory-set presets available on the VIA SUB cabinets. Below is a description of the preset modes and their functions.

The VIA 8 and 12 cabinets feature an FIR crossover that introduces a latency of 5.3ms into the amplification system. This is already accounted for in the VIA SUB and SUB-218 subwoofers, but must be taken into account if any other speakers are used in the same system.

The VIA SUB features 2 different factory pre-set modes to adjust the high pass and low pass filters in the DSP software.

Preset 1: 30-100Hz Cardioid Mode Preset 2: 50-100Hz Cardioid Mode Preset 3: User Preset Preset 4: User Preset Preset 5: User Preset Preset 6: User Preset Preset 7: User Preset Preset 8: User Preset

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Usage Example – Small indoor event using VIA SUB for all low frequency In this situation, it is recommended to use preset 1 for full low frequency production.

Usage Example – Large event with suspended VIA SUB and ground-stacked 218 SUB. In this situation it is recommended that the VIA SUB be used to reinforce the mid low output from the line array. The larger 218 SUB can be used for the 30-60Hz band, whilst the VIA SUB can be used 50-100Hz. There are also situations where the 218 SUB can be used 30-100Hz, overlapping the VIA SUB as long as care is taken to align the outputs correctly.

4.4. VIA 8 Remote control software

The remote control software enables the user to adjust EQ, delay, polarity, noise gates and other aspects of the VIA series performance. Once the unit is connected to the computer, any changes made on the computer will become active, but will NOT be saved onto the amplifier, until the preset is stored onto the CXP series amplifier.

HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS Essential:

Windows computer running windows XP or newer operating system. At this time, compatibility with windows 10 is not guaranteed.

Spare hard drive space of 50MB

Recommended:

RAM 2GB Operating System Windows 7 Processor Dual core 2gHz or higher

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COM CABLE The COM cable is an accessory, available from P.Audio, which allows the user to take control of the VIA series amplifiers from any windows based PC. Upon connecting the COM cable and opening VIA software, a dialog screen will appear checking options for connecting to the device in question. To ensure communication occurs on the right COM cable, this must be selected from the drop down list.

For linking between amplifiers, standard CAT5 type cabling can be used.

To connect the COM cable to the VIA series amplifiers, simply connect the USB plug to the windows computer, and plug the other end into the socket on any available VIA series amplifier. Ensure to align the plug correctly and do not exert too much force onto the USB plug.

ID Once the required amplifiers are all linked together, the software can be started. To start the software, click start All Programs VIA-SUB VIA-SUB Application.

Once the COM cable is chosen, the software needs to know which units to communicate with. ID for VIA series amplifiers as set by the factory range from 1-32, although the user to is free to change this as they see fit with the ‘configure ID Device’ utility. The software can communicate with a maximum of 32 units at once.

Once all is set up, press OK and the software will launch.

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CONTROLLING THE VIA SERIES SPEAKERS Once the software is up and running, all connected speakers will be seen in the ID list to the left hand side of the screen. All parameters available to the user will be available by double clicking the device required to monitor, and the parameters screen will be displayed.

Across the top of the parameters window, there are several options available to the user:

Load – Allows loading of a preset file from a storage location such as the computer hard drive.

Save – Allows saving of the current parameters to a file in a storage location such as the computer hard drive.

Store – Allows storing of the current parameters to a preset location on the amplifier. Locations are provided to the user to enable this, and avoid writing over any factory presets. Once a preset is overwritten, the original preset file must be used to recover the data.

Recall – Loads a preset from the amplifier memory, remotely. This allows presets to be changed on units in inaccessible locations. However, once the COM cable is removed, the unit will revert back to the preset as indicated by the knob on the unit itself.

Setup – This is largely a factory operation to switch the amplifier from two-way to bridged mode. This is not required by the user unless some drastic last minute servicing is required.

From the parameters page, the following parameters can be adjusted:

Noise Gate – Allows the user to cut out background noise when the device is not in use. This can be especially useful when a lot of open microphones are picking up crowd noise, or making a stage very noisy.

Input Source – Allows the user to select between a noise source and the analog input. The noise source is especially useful when tuning the system to a particular room, or for fault finding.

Noise Generator – Provides level control and noise type when noise generator is selected as the input.

Phase – Polarity switching is allowed with the option of 0 or 180 degrees.

Delay – Delay can be specified in both time and distance.

DLF – DLF is a set of filters tuned specifically to make recorded music sound more dynamic at low levels. In the ‘music’ presets on the amplifier, this option is turned on.

High Pass Filter – All of the cabinets already have a high pass filter programmed in, but an extra high pass filter is provided to the user for crossover, or extra subsonic filtering.

5 Band Parametric EQ – Q factors up to 10 are available to give the user complete control over the sound of their system.

Mute – Separate mute controls are available for both output channels.

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Passwords:

OUTPUT = for editing parameters in detail

LIMCMP = to adjust clip limiter settings. This is not saved in the preset file.

It is highly recommended that in situations where the remote control software is being used, the amplifier should be set to presets 3-8, and any changes made in the software are subsequently saved into the preset 3-8 slot and power cycled to the amplifiers. This will ensure that if there is any power failure, the preset will be stored into the amplifier already.

4.5. Simple set up examples

4.5.1. With VIA FLY

The VIA FLY bar is designed to support a maximum of 16 VIA 8 or VIA 12 cabinets in a single array, up to 6 VIA SUB cabinets, or a combination of VIA SUB and VIA 8/VIA 12 cabinets with a weight not exceeding 480kg in any circumstance. For extreme down tilt angles, the maximum supported weight may be lower.

Ensure to check the weight of the array, and supported down tilt angles in EASE Focus before suspension.

To begin, attach the fly bar to the hoist using the included shackle. Do not substitute suspension hardware. Either 1 or 2 pick points may be used. It is recommended to ALWAYS use the included safety.

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The below safety is recommended to be always be used. The safety chain is rated for a static load of 2T. However, NEVER load the fly bar with a weight of more than 480kg.

After the fly bar has been attached, the VIA SUB cabinets may be attached to the Fly bar.

Read the VIA Rigging manual before attempting any suspension!

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4.5.2. Ground Stack with VIA FLY The VIA Fly bar may be locked in place with the VIA SUB or the SUB 218 subwoofer, but it is only locked against lateral movement. For heavy loads or in extreme winds, the Fly bar must be secured against tipping. The Fly bar, supporting structure or supporting subwoofers must always be placed on secure and level ground.

5. Accessories

5.1. VIA POLE MOUNT The VIA POLE MOUNT adaptor, in conjunction with the M20 pole stand can support the weight of 2 VIA 8 or 12 cabinets for small events.

5.2. VIA SUB RAIN

The VIA SUB Rain cover adds additional protection from small amount of rain from entering the connectors. However, for heavy rain, it is recommended that additional protection be made to protect the amplifier electronics from humidity and splashing water.

6. Troubleshooting The VIA series speakers are high-quality professional sound reinforcement system designed for use in both indoor, and dry outdoor applications. Some basic precautions will insure long-term reliability.

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EQUALIZATION AND GAIN The VIA series has all the required equalization and gain functions included in the internal digital signal processing circuits. Both the equalization and gain functions have been optimized for flat frequency response and maximized system dynamics.

If additional equalization is required, care should be taken to avoid excessive EQ in any frequency band, but particularly at low frequencies. Excessive equalization can produce “band selective” clipping and distortion. All EQ boost levels should be monitored if system distortion is present.

PROBLEM: Distorted sound

When input levels to the VIA amplifiers exceed 0.775 V RMS for line level inputs it is possible to produce system clipping or overdrive. Although the DSP processor has input limiters, it is still possible to “overdrive” the input section of the enclosure. If distorted sound is present the following steps should be taken.

Verify that the mixer’s output is not clipping or overloaded. If the output metering section of the mixing console is continuously in the “red” then the output level should be reduced. (Occasional “red” indications are usually fine and are dependent on the mixing console’s output capability).

Verify that excessive equalization is not present anywhere in the signal chain.

Verify that AC mains levels are within the required range.

Verify that the correct gain has been chosen on the rear gain control knob on the amplifier.

Voltage measurements on the AC Mains should be performed by a licensed electrician or individual trained in making high-voltage measurements.

If a harsh digital clipping sound is present, it is a sign that the input level to the DSP is too high. The gain from the mixer must be reduced.

PROBLEM: No sound

Verify that the amplifier pilot light is on. Verify that there is AC Mains voltage on the AC Mains input to the amplifier. If AC Mains voltage is present, verify that the fuse is not blown. If the fuse is not blown, try different presets to ensure there is no DSP issue. Verify that the correct fuse is inserted. Guidelines for this can be found earlier in this

manual, and on the amplifier panel itself.

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If the problem has not been fixed, please contact your local P.Audio distributor for service information.

NOTE: IF THE FUSE IS BLOWN REPLACE ONLY WITH THE SAME TYPE OF FUSE. THIS FUSE TYPE IS NOTED ON THE INPUT PANEL. THERE IS ONLY AN INTERNAL FUSE.

7. PRODUCT SERVICE & WARRANTY

There are NO user-serviceable parts inside the VIA Series amplifiers. The amplifier does NOT need to be removed in case of woofer service..

The VIA amplifier module MUST be serviced by a company authorized by P. Audio.

Replacement of Components

REPLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS MUST BE PERFORMED BY A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN OR ONE KNOWLEDGABLE IN THE REPLACEMENT OF TRANSDUCER COMPONENTS!

DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY REPAIRS UNLESS THE VIA SERIES AMPLIFIER HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM THE AC MAINS SOURCE!

In the event of 18” woofer failure, the woofer may be accessed by removing the front grille and then removing the woofer. This should be done by a qualified technician or contractor. There is no need to remove the amplifier panel in the event of a woofer failure. In the event of 12” woofer failure, the woofer may be accessed through the side panel.

Use extreme care when handling the VIA amplifier modules. The components are fragile and the module must not be set down on the component side or damage will occur!

Care should be exercised when disconnecting the amplifier module from each woofer. Be sure to observe the wiring polarity of both woofers. Ensure that both the woofers are wired with the correct polarity observed. This is critical for correct functioning of the cardioid function.