Omnia voco 8 User manual

OMNIA VOCO
®8
Powerful, networked mic processing for your entire facility.
USER’S MANUAL
For part numbers: 2001-00396-000, 2001-00421-000, 2001-00422-000, 2001-00423-000
VOCO 8 Software Version 1.15 Remote Gateway Version 3.5.1

Notices and Cautions
CAUTION:
The installation and service instructions in this manual are for use by qualified personnel only. To avoid electric
shock, do not perform any servicing other than that contained in the operating instructions unless you are qualified
to do so. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.
This instrument has an autoranging line voltage input. Ensure the power voltage is within the specified range of
100-240v. The ~ symbol, if used, indicates an alternating current supply.
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to the presence of uninsulated,
dangerous voltage inside the enclosure – voltage which may be sufficient to
constitute a risk of shock.
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to important operating and
maintenance instructions. Read the manual.
CAUTION: DOUBLE POLE/NEUTRAL FUSING
The instrument power supply incorporates an internal fuse. Hazardous voltages may still be present on some of the
primary parts even when the fuse has blown. If fuse replacement is required, replace fuse only with same type and
value for continued protection against fire.
WARNING:
The product’s power cord is the primary disconnect device. The socket outlet should be located near the device and
easily accessible. The unit should not be located such that access to the power cord is impaired. If the unit is incorpo-
rated into an equipment rack, an easily accessible safety disconnect device should be included in the rack design.
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not expose this product to rain or moisture. This unit is for indoor use only.
This equipment requires the free flow of air for adequate cooling. Do not block the ventilation openings in the top
and sides of the unit. Failure to allow proper ventilation could damage the unit or create a fire hazard. Do not place
the units on a carpet, bedding, or other materials that could interfere with any panel ventilation openings.
If the equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the protection provided by the equipment
may be impaired.

WARNUNG:
Die Installations-und Serviceanleitung in diesem Handbuch ist für die Benutzung durch qualifiziertes Fachperson-
al. Um Stromschläge zu vermeiden führen Sie keine andere Wartung durch als in dieser Betriebsanleitung aufge-
führt, es sei denn Sie sind dafür qualifiziert. Überlassen Sie alle Reparaturarbeiten qualifiziertem Fachpersonal.
Dieses Gerät hat eine automatische Bereichseinstellung der Netzspannung.
Stellen sie sicher, dass die verwendete Netzspannung im Bereich von 100-240V liegt.
Das Symbol ~, falls verwendet, bezeichnet eine Wechselstromversorgung.
Dieses Symbol, wo immer es auftaucht, macht Sie auf nicht isolierte,
gefährliche elektrische Spannung (ausreichend um einen Stromschlag
hervorzurufen) innerhalb des Gehäuses aufmerksam. Spannungen.
Dieses Symbol, wo immer es auftaucht, weist Sie auf wichtige Bedienungs-und
Wartungsanleitung hin. Lesen Sie die Bedienungsanleitung.
ACHTUNG: ZWEIPOLIGE ABSICHERUNG / NULLEITER ABSICHERUNG
Das Netzteil des Gerätes hat eine interne Sicherung eingebaut. Auch wenn die Sicherung durchgebrannt ist,
können auf einigen primären Bauteilen noch gefährliche Spannungen vorhanden sein. Wenn ein Austausch der
Sicherung erforderlich ist, ersetzen Sie die Sicherung nur mit gleicher Art und Wert für den kontinuierlichen
Schutz gegen Feuer.
WARNUNG:
Das Gerätenetzkabel ist die Haupttrennvorrichtung. Die Steckdose sollte sich in der Nähe des Gerätes befinden und
leicht zugänglich sein. Das Gerät sollte nicht so angeordnet sein, dass der Zugang zum Netzkabel beeinträchtigt ist.
Wird das Gerät in ein Rack eingebaut, sollte eine leicht zugängliche Sicherheitstrennvorrichtung in den Rack-Auf-
bau mit einbezogen werden.
Um die Gefahr von Stromschlägen zu verringern, darf dieses Produkt nicht Regen oder Feuchtigkeit ausgesetzt
werden. Dieses Gerät ist nur für die Benützung im Innenbereich. Dieses Gerät erfordert freie Luftzirkulation für
eine ausreichende Kühlung. Blockieren sie nicht die Lüftungsschlitze auf der Geräteoberseite und den Seiten des
Gerätes. Unzureichende Belüftung kann das Gerät beschädigen oder Brandgefahr verursachen. Platzieren Sie das
Gerät nicht auf einem Teppich, Poster oder andere Materialien welche die Lüftungsöffnungen beeinträchtigen
könnten.
Wird das Gerät anders als in der, vom Hersteller angegebenen Weise verwendet, kann der, durch das Gerät
gegebene Schutz beeinträchtigt werden.

USA CLASS A COMPUTING DEVICE INFORMATION TO USER. WARNING:
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy. If it is not installed and used as directed by
this manual, it may cause interference to radio communication. This equipment complies with the limits for a class
a computing device, as specified by fcc rules, part 15, subpart j, which are designed to provide reasonable protec-
tion against such interference when this type of equipment is operated in a commercial environment. Operation
of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference. If it does, the user will be required to eliminate
the interference at the user’s expense. Note: objectionable interference to tv or radio reception can occur if other
devices are connected to this device without the use of shielded interconnect cables. Fcc rules require the use of
shielded cables.
CANADA WARNING:
“This digital apparatus does not exceed the class a limits for radio noise emissions set out in the radio interference
regulations of the Canadian department of communications.”
“Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites applicables aux appa-
reils numériques (de class a) prescrites dans le règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le ministère
des communications du Canada.”
CE CONFORMANCE INFORMATION:
This device complies with the requirements of the EEC council directives:
♦93/68/EEC (CE MARKING)
♦73/23/EEC (SAFETY – LOW VOLTAGE DIRECTIVE)
♦89/336/EEC (ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY)
Conformity is declared to those standards: EN50081-1, EN50082-1.

VOCO 8 MANUAL
© 2014-2016 TLS Corp. Published by Omnia Audio/TLS Corp. All rights reserved.
TRADEMARKS
Omnia Audio, the Omnia logo and VOCO 8 are trademarks of TLS Corp. All other trademarks are the property of
their respective holders.
NOTICE
All versions, claims of compatibility, trademarks, etc. of hardware and software products not made by Omnia
Audio which are mentioned in this manual or accompanying material are informational only. Omnia makes no
endorsement of any particular product for any purpose, nor claims any responsibility for operation or accuracy. We
reserve the right to make improvements or changes in the products described in this manual which may affect the
product specifications, or to revise the manual without notice.
WARRANTY
This product is covered by a five year limited warranty, the full text of which is included in this manual.
UPDATES
The operation of VOCO 8 is determined largely by software. We routinely release new versions to add features
and fix bugs. Check the Omnia Audio web site for the latest. We encourage you to sign-up for the email notification
service offered on the site.
FEEDBACK
We welcome feedback on any aspect of VOCO 8, or this manual. In the past, many good ideas from users have made
their way into software revisions or new products. Please contact us with your comments.
SERVICE
You must contact Omnia before returning any equipment for factory service. We will need your unit’s serial
number, located on the back of the unit. Omnia will issue a return authorization number, which must be written
on the exterior of your shipping container. Please do not include cables or accessories unless specifically requested
by the Technical Support Engineer. Be sure to adequately insure your shipment for its replacement value. Packages
without proper authorization may be refused. US customers, please contact Omnia Technical Support at
[phone]. All other customers should contact local representative to make arrangements for service.

WE SUPPORT YOU...
BY PHONE / FAX:
♦You may reach our 24/7 Support team anytime around the clock by calling [phone].
♦For billing questions or other non-emergency technical questions, call [phone] between 9:30
am to 6:00 PM, USA Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
♦Our Fax number is [phone].
BY E-MAIL:
♦Technical support is available at [e-mail].
♦All other questions, please email [e-mail].
VIA WORLD WIDE WEB:
The Omnia Audio web site has a variety of information which may be useful for product selection and support.
The url is www.Telosalliance.com.
REGISTER YOUR PRODUCT
Did you know that all Telos Alliance products come with a 5-Year Warranty? Take a moment to activate your
coverage online at http://telosalliance.com/product-registration/ .
OMNIA AUDIO
1241 Superior Avenue E.
Cleveland, OH., 44114 USA
[phone] (phone)
[phone] (fax)
[phone] (24/7 technical support)
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

VII | Table of Contents
Intro A Letter from our CEO, Frank Foti VIII
Intro This Manual (Or: I don’t have time to read this thing!) IX
1The Omnia VOCO® 8 Story 1
2A few words about Livewire+/AES67 and Audio over IP 3
3Installation 6
4Front Panel Interface 12
5Remote Gateway 21
6User Account Overview 24
7“Live” Account 26
8“Admin” Account 35
9“Studio” Account 65
10 Navigating the “Studio” interface 85
11 Session and Preset Management 90
12 “Preset Settings” Tab 102
13 Adjusting Processing Parameters 104
14 Factory Presets 120
15 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 123
16 Specications 125
17 Live Preset Adjustment 127

VIII | A Letter from our CEO, Frank Foti
War of the Waves
Dear Valued Customer,
It’s with great pride and a tip of the hat to an incredible team that I congratulate you on your new Telos Alliance
product. Everything we do here at the radio division of the Telos Alliance is with one end goal in mind: To help
broadcasters declare victory in extremely competitive environments. By purchasing this product from us, in
essence, you have declared war on your competition.
After all, the majority of Telos Alliance employees were broadcasters themselves once, and the products we’ve
developed over the years have been designed as solutions to specific issues faced on the front lines of our industry.
We’re right there in the trenches with you and have the weapons you need in your arsenal.
Telos Systems is a catalyst to out-of-this-world sound, with the most powerful and popular broadcast telephone
systems in the industry; IP/ISDN codecs and transceivers; plus processing/encoding for streaming audio. We built
an industry on the back of these amazing telephony systems, and they are still going strong.
While we at the Telos Alliance never forget our roots, we are also blazing trails in terms of new technologies like
stream-encoding and AoIP, so that all types of broadcasters can excel in this ever-evolving digital world.
Omnia Audio not only lets you stand out on the dial with your unique signature sound via legendary audio
processors, audio codecs, and microphone processing, it lets you give your listeners a better streaming experience
across devices with innovative stream encoding/processing software and hardware.
Axia Audio is a driving force behind the AES67 AoIP standard, and its networked AoIP radio consoles, audio
interfaces, networked intercom, and software products continue to move AoIP adoption forward and help
broadcasters streamline operations with cohesive, smart, and feature-rich AoIP ecosystems.
Last, but certainly not least, 25-Seven has traditionally been known for its audio delays, but its Voltair watermark
monitor/processor has made a name for itself more recently as the disruptive product that helped broadcasters
take back their ratings and harness the true power of their listening audiences.
You work so hard on your programming day-in and day-out, it deserves technology that will optimize sound and
performance at every point in the airchain and online. Armed with Telos products, you have what you need to set
your competition squarely in your crosshairs.
With that, I’ll leave you to prep your armaments. I hope that you will enjoy your Telos Alliance products for many
years to come!
Sincerely,
Frank Foti
CEO, The Telos Alliance

About This Manual
The Obligatory “Read Me First” Section
Be honest—Show of hands. How many of you put your brand new VOCO 8 in the rack and tried to make it fly before you
even picked up the Quick Start Guide, let alone this manual? Were you a bit stumped? It’s OK. Most of us get excited
about a shiny new piece of gear and do the exact same thing—only to crack the manual when we reach a stumbling
block, searching desperately for the answer. If that’s you, or even if *gasp* you’re reading this BEFORE you install the
unit, read on!
The Omnia VOCO®8 combines 8 studio-quality microphone preamps with up to 8 licensable channels of 3-band mi-
crophone processing (2 are included standard). Other key features include full Livewire+/AES67 Audio over IP (AoIP)
connectivity, as well as analog and AES/EBU I/O, and a comprehensive IP remote control interface.
We realize that most people don’t actually LIKE reading manuals, but we’ve tried to make this one pretty straightforward.
The chapters are laid out in a logical order that (for the most part) follows the overall flow of the unit and the software.
Chapters dealing with the more complex setup functions and the audio processing parameters are a bit longer than the
others, but they’re still a relatively quick read.
We know you have a lot of things you could probably be doing besides reading this manual. If you REALLY don’t have time
to read anything else, start with the chapters covering Installation, Front Panel Interface, and Remote Gateway. If you’re in
even more of a hurry, jump straight to the Frequently Asked Questions at the end of this manual.
If after reading this manual you have any suggestions for improvement (or if you see something we might have missed)
send a note to [email protected].
As always, 24/7 support is available by calling 216-622-0247. During normal business hours, call us at 216-241-7225 or
e-mail [email protected].
Happy Processing!

1 The Omnia VOCO® 8 Story
Omnia®: It Begins.
From the very moment Telos Alliance CEO and Omnia Audio founder Frank Foti unleashed some of his first sonic
weapons of audio processing on the FM dial, Omnia had a singular mission: To enable radio stations to “Start Taking
Hostages” when it came to their audio. This meant delivering audio that was not only LOUD but also some of the CLEAN-
EST on the dial, free of distortion and other artifacts that plagued so many stations fighting the loudness war. We did what
many thought was impossible at the time; increased loudness AND made the audio cleaner. Contrary to what some may
believe, we aren’t simply about brute force loudness at all costs. The core passion of Omnia is to deliver audio that isn’t just
HEARD but FELT!
Since those early days, Omnia has produced some of the most widely used audio processors in the industry—from the very
first DSP based processor for FM that wasn’t simply trying to emulate analog processing, to the popular Omnia 6 which
quickly became an industry standard, to the versatile and cost effective Omnia ONE, and now the Omnia.7, Omnia.9, and
Omnia.11. They all reflect that same core passion that makes Omnia what it has become today.
Linear Acoustic®
In 2008 another group equally passionate about high quality audio on the television side of the industry, Linear Acoustic®,
joined The Telos Alliance. Tim Carroll, Telos Alliance CTO and Linear Acoustic founder, along with the whole team from
Linear Acoustic had developed a number of award winning products and technologies for DTV loudness management and
surround sound upmixing/downmixing. This talented team worked to apply their deep knowledge base and passion for
audio to the radio side of the industry. It was this partnership that brought products like the Omnia.7 to reality.

SECTION 1 | 2
THE OMNIA VOCO® 8 STORY
Sound4
In 2010, yet another company partnered with The Telos Alliance. Sound4, based in France, started by becoming
a Livewire development partner and incorporating Livewire technology into their line of audio processing cards.
The S4 team shared many of the same passions about audio as everyone else at The Telos Alliance.
The VOCO 8 is born
It was from the unique partnership of these three groups that the VOCO 8 came to be. The Omnia.S4 Voice 192
kHz 3-band 8-channel microphone processor card is at the heart of the VOCO 8, along with additional hardware
and software designed by the teams from Omnia, Linear Acoustic, and Sound4. It truly was a collaborative effort by
one of the largest audio processing R&D teams in the entire industry.
In VOCO 8, we have a product that reflects our passion as a company and continues the long-standing Omnia
tradition.

2 A Few Words about Livewire+ and AES67
What is Livewire+™ ?
Livewire+ is the pioneering technology invented by the Telos Alliance to convey low-delay, high-reliability audio over
switched Ethernet.
Introduced as Livewire™ in 2003, today’s Livewire+ is AES67-compliant. That means that it complies fully with the
AES67-2013 Interoperability Standard, allowing AES67 devices to connect directly to Livewire+ networks and exchange
audio streams. Livewire+ is also extensible, able to incorporate future AES standards when they are ratified. Livewire+ is
also backward-compatible with the RAVENNA™ networking protocol.
With Livewire+, a single Ethernet cable carries real-time uncompressed digital audio, device control messages, program
associated data, and even routine network traffic. An entire facility can be wired in hours, instead of weeks. All Axia Audio
studio products, and most products from other Telos Alliance brands, utilize Livewire+ networking technology. Expand-
ing or modifying your system is simple thanks to the inherent scalability and modularity of Livewire+.
Livewire+ offers a revolutionary change in how studios can be built. But at the same time, it’s a natural continuation of
general trends and what you already know.

SECTION 2 | 4
A FEW WORDS ABOUT LIVEWIRE+ AND AES67
How Livewire+ works
Livewire+ has an audio advertising system. Every source has a text name and numeric ID. These are transmitted
from source devices to the network. Devices that play audio build lists of all available sources from which users
can select.
UsingxNode audio interfaces, you enter the names of your input sources via any PC with a web browser.
Withplayout PCs attached to the network, you open a configuration window.
Livewire+ networks employ two types of audio streams.Livestreamshave small, frequent packets optimized
for live audio that requires very low (circa1 ms.) delay, for microphones and headphone audio.Standard
Streamsare also real-time streams, but with bigger packets, and are used for audio streams which don’t require
super-low latency - like audio from CD players, or that exchanged with automation system PCs. Devices that
connect to Axia networks can transmit and receive both stream types; the user selects which type to generate when
a device is initially configured.
A sophisticated phase-locked loop clocking system allows Livewire+ to use very small buffers for least latency
and ensures that audio channels remain time-aligned (as needed for multiple mics in a studio or for TV sur-
round-sound mixing.)
Converged Networks
An Ethernet network used for Livewire+ audio can also be shared with other data transmissions, such as file
transfers and web browsing. An Ethernet system with a switch at the center may have a mix of audio nodes and
normal servers, PCs, etc., because the Ethernet switch directs traffic only to where it is needed.
Even on a single link, traffic can be mixed because we use modern Ethernet’s priority mechanism to be sure audio
packets have first call on the link’s bandwidth. A studio audio delivery system can use this capability to download
an audio file from a server, for example, while simultaneously playing another audio file live.
Livewire+ maximizes the benefits of converged networking in the broadcast facility. Many stations using Livewire+
have computer data, telephone, audio, and control on a single network that uses computer industry standard
wiring, spurring cost-efficiencies throughout the plant.
Audio Quality
A Livewire+ network is a controlled, high-speed environment, with no risk of audio drop-outs from network
problems and plenty of bandwidth for many channels of high-quality uncompressed audio. We use studio-grade
48kHz/24-bit PCM encoding. Axia digital xNode audio adapters deliver 138dB of dynamic range, with less than
0.0002% THD. Even analog xNodes have 100dB dynamic range, < 0.005% THD, and headroom to +24dBu.
Livewire+ is standards-based
Since the very beginning, The Telos Alliance has based its AoIP networking technologies on standards. IP (Internet
Protocol), the networking standard that is the underpinning of nearly all critical business networks (and of the
Internet itself) is the basis for Livewire+ AoIP.
As charter members of the AES X.192 Working Group, we helped define the AES67 standard — and became the
first broadcast manufacturer to become AES67 compliant.
Livewire+ is so standards-based, in fact, that your audio can even be played by PC media playersthat support
standard protocols and uncompressed PCM audio. The Internet’s IP standard for streaming media, called RTP/IP,
is used for standard audio streams. RTP stands for Real-Time Protocol. It’s the Internet’s standard way to transport
streaming audio and video, just as TCP/IP is the standard for general data.

SECTION 2 | 5
A FEW WORDS ABOUT LIVEWIRE+ AND AES67
The Gold Standard
In the decade since the introduction of Livewire+, broadcasters have adopted it at an exponential rate; AoIP has
become the new standard for broadcast facilities.
Consider these facts:
♦There are over 6,000 studios worldwide built with Livewire+.
♦More than 5,500 networked Axia consoles are at work daily.
♦Over 80 Livewire+ Partner companies provide compatible hardware and software products.
♦There are more than 60,000 individual Livewire+ devices in the field.
♦Livewire+ is fully compliant with the AES67 Interoperability Standard.
Impressive, no? But there are even more exciting things in the future. The Telos Alliance, with one of the largest
R&D groups in broadcast, is fully committed to AoIP interoperability. We’ve been proponents of open standards
since Day 1, freely sharing our technology with interested Hardware and Software Partners. We were charter,
supporting member of the X.192 Working Group that defined the AES67 standard, and as founding members
of the Media Networking Allliance, are actively engaged in work to promote and enhance standards-based AoIP
networking.

3 Installation
Choosing a Location
The VOCO 8 uses 2 RU of rack space and is approximately 14 3 /4” deep. It should mount just fine in most standard 19”
equipment racks but you will want to choose a location where you can access the front panel controls and ensure that you
leave enough space behind the unit to accommodate the I/O connectors. Although it is not required, we recommend that
you leave 1RU above and below the unit if possible to allow air circulation.
A temperature-controlled fan on the left hand side of the unit provides cooling. This fan (while relatively quiet during
normal operation) may become audible if the internal temperature of the unit begins to rise as the fan speed increases.
You may want to consider mounting the unit in an equipment closet adjacent to the studio if elevated temperatures in the
mounting location could cause fan noise to become an issue.

SECTION 3 | 7
INSTALLATION
Mic/Line Inputs and Outputs
Each of the 8 analog inputs can accept either a microphone level signal (with selectable Phantom power and pad)
or a line level signal. Input connections are provided through a set of Neutrik “combo” connectors (pin 2 hot; tip
hot). Analog inputs and outputs are also provided on a pair of female DB25 connectors conforming to the Tascam
standard pinout.
Tascam standard DB25 pinout used for analog I/O (Female connector on chassis, male connector on cable)

SECTION 3 | 8
INSTALLATION
Input Status Indicator LEDs
Next to each of the combo connectors is an LED that indicates the status of Phantom power and the switchable -20
dB pad. These settings are controlled through the Remote Gateway software.
CAUTION:
Ensure Phantom power is only enabled on channels where it is necessary. Damage may result to
microphones or sources not designed to accept Phantom power.
♦Off: Phantom power off, pad disabled
♦Red: Phantom power on, pad disabled
♦Green: Phantom power off, pad enabled
♦Orange: Phantom power on, pad enabled
These LEDs will all briefly illuminate orange at power up but should reflect the current status once the unit is fully
operational.
Note:
Later software/hardware revisions changed the designation of the“Green”LED condition to indicate
whether or not a channel is licensed for audio processing. As of software version 1.15, all channels
should be available for basic preamp and I/O functions, regardless of whether or not processing
functions are licensed.

SECTION 3 | 9
INSTALLATION
AES/EBU I/O
The VOCO 8 provides 4 AES/EBU inputs and outputs on a female DB25 connector conforming to the Tascam AES/
EBU pinout.
Each AES/EBU interface carries 2 channels of audio—Microphones 1 and 2 will feed the left and right channels
of AES/EBU output 1, and so on. If your mixer or router will not “split” left and right from an AES/EBU feed, you
may wish to use only the even or odd channels.
Note that if you use a DB25 cable to directly connect this I/O to the AES/EBU DB25 port on another device, it
MUST use the Tascam pinout (not Yamaha) and the cable MUST reverse the appropriate input and output pairs
(input to output, output to input). Pre-manufactured cables are available which reverse the appropriate pairs and
adaptors are available to convert between Tascam and Yamaha pinouts.
Tascam standard AES/EBU DB25 pinout (Female connector on chassis, male connector on cable)

SECTION 3 | 10
INSTALLATION
GPIO
A pair of 15 pin GPIO ports provides 5 opto-isolated inputs and 5 solid-state relay outputs per port. These ports
are not currently implemented and are intended for future use (such as carrying GPIO traffic to and from an AoIP
network).
15 pin GPIO connectors using Axia pinout (Female connector on chassis, male connector on cable)

SECTION 3 | 11
INSTALLATION
Ethernet Connections
There are two 10/100 Ethernet ports on the rear panel; one interface is for control, the second is for Livewire+/
AES67 AoIP. Connect these ports to your network switches as appropriate. If you do not connect the VOCO 8 to
an existing network, you will need a cable connected directly from the control port to a Windows PC for initial
configuration of the unit (see the “Remote Gateway Software” section of this manual for further details).
AC Power Connections
The VOCO 8 features redundant power supplies. This is to accommodate facilities with dual power feeds to
each equipment rack fed from completely independent sources. Both inputs should be connected, preferably to
completely separate AC power sources such as conditioned utility power and UPS/generator, or at the very least
two different circuits in a rack. While the unit will still function with only one power supply connected, an error
message will be displayed on the LCD and in the remote software.