Support Index

General

• How do I get an Aviom unit repaired?

  In the US, call Customer Support at 610-738-9005 ext.2 to request a Return Authorization number. We will help verify that the unit requires repair and help you through all the arrangements. Most repairs are completed within three to seven business days (not counting shipping). International customers should contact their dealer or Aviom distributor to arrange repairs.

• Where can I purchase Aviom products?

  Pro16 Series products can be purchased through a variety of Authorized Resellers, including retailers, e-tailers, and full-service A/V contractors and systems integrators. To find a reseller near you, go to our Where to Buy section. Pro64 Series products can be purchased through select contractors and integrators. An Aviom Manufacturer's Representative can help you find a contractor well matched for your needs. To find your Aviom Manufacturer's Representative, visit our Where to Buy section.

• Can Pro16 and Pro64 products be used together?

  Yes, but with some restrictions. Pro16 Series Personal Mixers, output modules, and network devices can be used in Pro64 systems. Pro16 input modules and console cards cannot. The ASI A-Net Systems Interface is required to connect compatible Pro16 devices to a Pro64 network.

• How do I know if I should use Pro16 or Pro64?

  It depends what your requirements are, and remember that Pro16 and Pro64 devices can be used together. In general, use Pro16 if all you're doing is personal mixing or if you want the simplest audio distribution platform there is. Pro64 is the better choice if you want to use higher sample rates, need digital I/O, want remote control mic preamps, or have the highest standards for audio performance. If you're not sure, give us a call at 610-738-9005 ext.2, or fill out our online support form.

Monitor Mixing

• What do I need to build an Aviom personal mixing system?

  The minimum you need is an input module (such as the AN-16/i) or console card (such as the Aviom16/o-Y1), plus at least one Aviom Personal Mixer (such as the A-16II). Adding more Personal Mixers to the system allows more musicians to make customized mixes, and you can connect those mixers either in a daisy chain or in a star configuration using an A-Net Distributor (such as the A-16D Pro). Mounting accessories such as the MT-1 and MT-X) will help you position your Personal Mixer where you want. Check out the Pro16 System Builder worksheet for help customizing your system.

• What kind of mixing console do I need?

  An Aviom personal mixing system can be connected to nearly any analog or digital console and can even be used without a console. You don't need a large console to get lots of personalized monitor mixes.

• What's the difference between the A-16D and A-16D Pro?

  Both are used for making star configurations in a Pro16 system and both can be used to provide A-Net data (the audio signals) plus DC power to compatible devices. The difference is that the A-16D essentially relocates the external power supply from the back of the remote unit (for example, an A-16II Personal Mixer) to the back of the A-16D; you'll still need one external DC power supply for every unit you want to power remotely. The A-16D Pro, on the other hand, has internal power supplies, so all you need to power it and all the remote units is one IEC power cable. The A-16D Pro also has locking EtherCon connectors, has flanges for rack mounting, and has a passive A-Net Thru jack (which is particularly useful for sending a copy of the A-Net signal to another A-16D Pro.

• What do I do if I have more than 16 channels I want to mix?

  The Aviom personal mixing system is a 16-channel system because we've found that giving musicians more than 16 channels to mix is really overly complicated. With too many channels to sort through, they can't make adjustments quickly enough, don't make good mixes, and can get distracted from their real job which is playing music. When you're thinking about the channels to send to the Personal Mixers, think in terms of what the musician might be thinking of. For instance, most musicians want to turn the "drums" up or down, without thinking about the kick drum, snare drum, overheads, tom mics, and so on. So the engineer should make a submix of drums to send to the Personal Mixers. However, larger ensembles may have a hard time agreeing on what 16 channels they want to mix. The drummer and bassist, for example, may want separate control over the kick drum, while the vocalists want every vocal mic broken out separately. That's what a multizone system does: by providing different sets of 16 channels to different sections in the ensemble, every musician can get the customized control they need without having to work through so many channels that they have to be part engineer and part musician.

Digital Snakes

• What is the maximum Cat-5e cable length?

  For Pro16 systems, cables can be up to 500ft/150m between powered devices. For Pro64 systems, cables can be up to 400ft/120m. Excessive use of cable couplers or failure to follow best practices for the installation of Cat-5 cable may reduce performance.

• Can I use an Ethernet switch?

  A-Net uses only the physical layer of Ethernet and so is not compatible with any device, such as an Ethernet switch, that is looking for Ethernet data packets. All A-Net devices can be connected in a daisy chain or in parallel using an A-Net Distributor for Pro16 connections or a Merger Hub for Pro64 connections. These devices have been designed specifically for real-time high-fidelity digital audio connections and require no management or complex configuration.

• Are Aviom mic pres remote controllable?

  The AN-16/i-M Mic Input Module, which is the Pro16 mic-level input module, has set-and-forget mic pres with analog gain control and cannot be controlled remotely. The Pro64 mic input module, the 6416m can be controlled from anywhere in the Pro64 system in a variety of ways. The MCS Mic Control Surface is a simple hardware controller that can control up to 64 channels of mic inputs, plus the presets on the 6416m modules in its Control Group. Pro64's m-control™ feature also allows the 6416m to be controlled from compatible Yamaha digital consoles. Finally, the Pro64 Network Manager™ can be used to control all mic pre settings (including device presets and network-wide scenes) from a PC. Any combination of remote control methods may be used in the same system.

• Can have Aviom Personal Mixers in my digital snake?

  Yes, and many do exactly that. If you have a Pro64 digital snake, use the ASI A-Net Systems Interface to interface to your Personal Mixers. If you have a Pro16 digital snake, the AN-16SBR System Bridge can be used to combine up to four 16-channel Pro16 streams onto a single cable. Each stream may be used for your snake or for sending audio to the Personal Mixers.

Audio Networks

• What's the difference between Auto Mode and Manual Mode?

  Most Pro64 systems use Auto Mode. In Auto Mode, there are absolutely no directional restrictions on signal flow, and no matter how your network is connected or where your inputs and outputs are, your audio will be available everywhere, as the system builds the network stream automatically (up to 64 channels). In addition, once a channel is active in the network, the Pro64 network protects that channel, and no other channels will be allowed into that A-Net Slot in the network. For most users, Auto Mode is the perfect blend of simplicity and power. Manual Mode removes those protections and requires the operator to build a network stream manually. The network provides two independent streams (up to 64 channels each), and each audio I/O device must be set to transmit or receive its audio from a particular stream. Both streams are directional, so it's important to pay attention in Manual Mode systems to where devices are and how they're connected. All transmit and receive settings are accessed on the front panels of the I/O devices. Manual Mode also allows channels to be overwritten, and while this removes some security, it also removes the limitation on the number of channels that can be in your network. Manual Mode is well-suited for larger systems that have clear directional requirements and is not recommended for systems that have a more decentralized layout or which will be frequently reconfigured. Note that at this time Pro64 Network Manager supports only Auto Mode systems.

• What's the difference between the A port and the B port on the back of most Pro64 devices?

  In Auto Mode systems, there is no difference. Both ports are always bidirectional (both in and out), and they can be used completely interchangeably. In Auto Mode, you don't need to pay attention to which ports you're using. In Manual Mode systems, the A and B ports correspond to the stream that each I/O device is using for its audio. An input module can be set to transmit its audio out its A port, its B port, or both ports. An output module must be set to receive audio from either its A port or its B port. To help keep track of which port is which, Aviom recommends that Manual Mode systems be wired connecting A to B, A to B, A to B, and so on.

• What kind of fiber can be used?

  Pro16 systems can be used with third-party fiber optic physical layer media converters. Refer to the Application Note "TITLE HERE" for more information. The Pro64 Series includes integrated fiber optic connectivity with the MH10f Merger Hub. The MH10f has two SFP slots but is not sold with transceivers. This allows you to select fiber transceivers that match your installation's requirements. Single- or multi-mode may be used, but be sure that both the cable and the transceivers have the same specifications. The MH10f requires Fast Ethernet. Existing fiber lines ("dark fiber") may be used as long as there are no Ethernet devices connected.