Biamp Active Plus LVH-900AP Series User manual

LVH-900AP (Active Plus, Dual Cabinet) ALC
configuration
This article provides step-by-step instructions for configuring Biamp's Community ALC (Amplified Loudspeaker
Controller) for operation with the LVH-900AP series of Beamforming Venue Horns.
Overview
The LVH-900AP "Active Plus" models generally require 11 amplifier channels.
Two ALC1604D 4-channel amplifiers need to be configured as bridged mono for the four LF sections. One ALC404D is
used in 4-channel mode to drive the three mid-frequency sections and one ALC404D is used to drive the four high-
frequency sections in the cabinets. A total of 11 speaker level pairs most commonly drives the dual cabinet array.
All band pass filters, FIR filters, and limiters are included in the ALC presets. The user has the option to apply an input
EQ across the 11 amplifier channels for tuning and commissioning in the ArmoníaPlus software. Equalization must be
applied to the full 2-cabinet array to maintain the intended beamforming.
Care must be taken when recalling the three separate files from the speaker library. There is one file each for LF, MF,
and HF.
Each ALC must have its input matrix configured after loading the presets. It is highly recommended to use the same
Dante or Analog input to drive each ALC, per dual cabinet system for ease of integration and to maintain the
beamforming.
Powersoft ArmoníaPlus 2.0 software is required for programming. Always download the latest amplifier and speaker
preset files from the A+ Marketplace to ensure you have the most up to date Beamforming presets. Should a firmware
update be required for your ALC, you must have an active internet connection.
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ALC configuration
1. Open Armonia+, Select "New project For Live Sound
Project"
2. Select the "design" and "Add" Button at the bottom of
the screen
3. Select the "speaker" button at the top of the screen
and select the desired Community Professional speaker
model to add. There are 3 separate files for LF, MF, and
HF that must be added to the workspace.
4. The speakers will appear in the workspace. Arrange
as shown.
5. "Add" (2) ALC1604D's from the "Amplifier" tab at the
top of the screen.
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6. "Add" (2) ALC404D's from the "Amplifier" tab at the
top of the screen.
7. Your screen should look like this. If you make a
mistake you may highlight an object and use the "Trash
can" icon in the lower right corner of the screen to delete
an item.
8. To switch the ALC1604D amplifier to Bridge mode,
activate the "Link" button at the bottom of the screen.
9. Use "CTRL-Left Click" and highlight channel 1+2, 3+4
and the same on the 2nd 1604D.
10. The "Bridge" indicator highlights at the top of the
screen, click it to bridge the channels.
11. When bridged, a single white dash appears on the
face of those (4) channels
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12. To place the amplifiers in a rack (for ease of
organization), select the "Add" button at the bottom of
the screen again.
13. Select "Rack" next to the Amplifier tab. Click on the
default description above it and label as desired.
14. To load the amplifiers into the rack, click the "Assign"
button on the rack and click on each amplifier.
15. "Add" an "Adv Group" from the groups dropdown
above the speaker images. To assign the "Advanced
Group" to the speakers for system equalization, click the
"Assign" button on it then click each speaker.
16. Once the Advance Group is assigned to the
speakers it will look like this.
The "Adv Group" acts the the system equalizer across all
channel inputs. We never equalize individual amplifier
channels in a LVH-900 system.
17. To link amplifier outputs to loudspeakers we must
select "Link" at the bottom of the screen.
18. Select "Split Mode" above the speaker. The
speakers will show vertical lines thru it denoting the (11)
driver sections.
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19. To link speaker inputs to amplifier outputs work left
to right.
20. Select L1, it will turn orange. Click on
ALC1604D bridged channel 1. The speaker input side
will automatically index to the next input, click
ALC1604D bridged channel 2 etc.
22. Continue the process for Mids and Highs taking care
to properly assign "Left to Right" starting on amplifier
channel 1 of the ALC404D.
23. Once all speaker inputs are linked to amplifier
outputs as shown here, the band passes, limiting and
Beamforming settings are loaded into the amplifier
channels.
24. Double check your work to ensure it will match the
speaker wiring prior to applying signal to the system.
25. The amplifier outputs are intentionally muted in the
Beamforming presets.
26. Once synchronized to physical amplifiers you may
select the "Tune" tab in the lower left of the screen and
"Mute" function.
27. When you click on the speaker image, mute buttons
will be shown at the bottom of the screen and available
for use.
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28. You may also select amplifiers to un-mute individual
channels.
29. Armonia+ has a handy pink noise generator for initial
testing if you select the "TestSys" tab at the bottom of
the screen in "Tune" mode.
30. When you select the "EQ" tab at the bottom, far right
of the "Tune" screen you will be brought to the "Input"
EQ for the system. Beamforming presets have a preset
50Hz High-Pass filter.
31. A number of filter types may be selected from the top
of the screen and dropped onto the graph. There are
highly sophisticated and flexible equalization functions
which you may want to read up on.
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32. The system EQ curve will be displayed on the
"Advanced group" graphically.
33. We may configure the input signal source by
selecting the "Config" button and the "Input" button on a
per amplifier channel basis.
34. To configure the input matrix of racked amplifiers,
select "Config" and "Matrix" at the bottom of the screen
and select the input routing. Select the same input for all
3 cabinet sections.
35. Adjust your input matrix as appropriate for your
application. Double clicking on an input it will turn it up to
"0 dB". You may manually adjust the matrix level also.
36. A wide range of diagnostic functions may be shown
by selecting the "Show" tab at the bottom of the screen.
37. A more condensed overview of amplifier functions
and monitoring may be found by selecting "System List
at the top of the screen.
Further reading
•LVH-900 series installation manual
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