SOUNDALIGN™ Support

Why can’t I access the SoundAlign interface?

There are few reasons why the SoundAlign interface may not be accessible, to resolve the issue follow the troubleshooting steps below.

  1. First ensure that the speakers are powered on and connected to a network. If the network connection is successful, the speakers will display their IP address on the home page of the rear-panel LCDIf there is no network connection the LCD will display ‘No IP address’. In this case check that the ethernet cable is fully inserted and that all other network equipment is powered and functioning.
  2. Ensure that the device from which you are accessing the SoundAlign interface (PC, Mac, mobile phone, or tablet) is on the same network as the speakers. A mobile phone may have temporarily disconnected from your network’s Wi-Fi.
  3. If you are using a PC or Mac, ensure that it is connected to the network only by a wired ethernet connection OR a Wi-Fi connection. Connecting via both Wi-Fi and a wired connection at the same time can confuse the network.
  4. Ensure that you are using a supported browser. Most browsers are supported, except for Microsoft Internet Explorer and early versions of Microsoft Edge (prior to v79).
  5. Open a new browser window and access the SoundAlign interface via http://soundalign.local
  6. Some devices, network hardware or network configurations will not support http://soundalign.local/. In this case the interface can be accessed by navigating directly to the speaker’s IP address (as displayed on the rear-panel LCD).
  7. If you have followed all of the above steps and have not successfully loaded the SoundAlign interface:
    • Turn all speakers off
    • Reset or power cycle all network equipment
    • Re-power all speakers and repeat the steps above
What do the different colours of the illuminated logo on the front of the monitor denote?

The illuminated PMC logo on the front of the speaker indicates the speaker’s status.

COLOUR STATUS
White Normal Operation
Off (logo not lit) Normal Operation with brightness set to Min, or speaker is not powered
Red Driver protection systems active
Blue* Speaker is selected in SoundAlign
Pulsing Turquoise / White* Speaker is the current speaker in SoundAlign
Flashing Blue / White or Green / White* Speaker is carrying out firmware update

 

*Activated through SoundAlign web interface only.

Why is the illuminated PMC logo flashing blue/white or green/white?

The illuminated PMC logo on the front of the speaker will flash blue / White or green / White while it is performing a firmware update. During this process, do not disconnect the power or network connection from the speaker. This process takes around 60 seconds.

Why is the LCD screen on the rear of the speaker blank?

There are several reasons why the LCD screen could be blank:

  1. The speaker is not powered on.
  2. The speaker is performing a firmware update. In this case the illuminated PMC logo on the front of the speaker will flash blue/white and/or green/white. During this process, do not disconnect the power or network connection from the speaker. This process takes around 60 seconds.
  3. The LCD’s contrast is set incorrectly. To resolve this:
    1. Ensure the speaker is powered on.
    2. Press and hold the PARAMETER encoder
    3. Rotate the VALUE encoder to adjust the contrast. Keep rotating the encoder in the same direction for up to 30 seconds.

If none of the above steps resolve the problem, locate and contact your Dealer or Sales.

Why does the LCD panel on the rear of the speaker have a star/asterisk (*) in the bottom right-hand corner?

The star (*) at the bottom right corner of the rear-panel LCD indicates that the controls are in coarse mode. While in coarse mode the encoders will change parameter values in larger steps, which can be useful when sweeping the frequency of an EQ between 20 and 20,000 Hz or making any other large adjustment. Switch between coarse and fine mode by pressing the VALUE encoder.

Why are my speakers not playing any audio?

There are several reasons why your speakers may not be playing any audio, check the following:

  • Verify that your signal source is outputting audio by connecting it to another device.
  • Check that your speakers are set to the correct input type (Analogue, Digital or Expansion Card).
  • If the speakers in question are subwoofers, they may have been set to Sub Bypass mode. Sub Bypass mode can be disabled either via the SoundAlign interface or by power-cycling the speakers.
  • If none of the above remedy the issue, Power cycle your speakers.

If the issue remains, locate and contact your Dealer or Sales

Why do my speakers lack bass?

The speaker may appear to lack in bass output if the bass management filter has accidentally been applied.

On the rear-panel controls navigate to the Subwoofer HPF/LPF Enable page and set it to OFF:

Or, in the SoundAlign interface open the info box for the speaker in question, where the status of the bass management filter will be displayed:

If the bass management filter is active, disable it via the radio button on the SoundAlign main window:

What will happen if I plug an AES3 digital signal into the speaker while it is set to Analogue input?

If an AES3 digital signal is fed into the speaker whilst set to receive analogue signals, the speaker will emit a sound like low-level pink-noise. This is not a fault and will cause no harm to the speaker.

What Max Analogue Input setting should I apply?

If your signal source has a maximum output level of +20dBu or less set the Max Analogue Input of your speaker to the +20dBu setting.

If your signal source has a maximum output level of more than +20dBu set the Max Analogue Input of your speaker to the +24dBu setting.

What Position setting should I apply?

If your speaker is more than 0.5m (20”) away from all walls /ceiling /floor set the Position to FREE.

If your speaker is within 0.5m (20”) of one wall set the Position to WALL.

If your speaker is within 0.5m (20”) of two walls, or one wall and the ceiling or floor, set the Position to CORNER.

If your speaker is within 0.5m (20”) of three walls (e.g two walls and the ceiling or floor, also known as a tri-corner) set the Position to CORNER and set the low-shelf EQ to -4dB at 45Hz.

NB: The PMC8-SUB and PMC8-2-SUB are pre-equalised for placement on the floor. If a sub is positioned close to one wall, select the ‘Wall’ mode, and if positioned close to the corner of two walls select the ‘Corner’ mode.

The diagram below can help to identify the correct setting for each position:

A = FREE
B = WALL
C = CORNER
D = CORNER plus -4dB low shelf at 45Hz

Why is an XBD system better than a standalone subwoofer?

Both a conventional subwoofer and XBD system will increase the LF extension and headroom of your monitoring system, whilst also reducing distortion, but setting up your subs as an XBD system will also bring further benefits.

When a subwoofer is positioned under a full-range speaker we know the exact position of the two speakers in relation to each other. Setting both speakers to XBD Mode applies the correct crossover and delay settings to perfectly integrate the two speakers together, removing the difficult and time-consuming process that is normally required to correctly integrate a speaker and subwoofer. This means less time worrying about your set-up and more time focusing on your mix.

When an XBD system in linked through the SoundAlign interface, the two speakers unify to appear as a single XBD speaker. This makes it much easier to apply EQs or other settings to both speakers simultaneously.

Why don’t I get a mic and DSP software to correct my monitors for the room?

MC has tested many automatic room correction systems and we believe that they have several shortcomings using this approach. Even the most sophisticated automated systems do not address the subtle nuances that can be identified by the human ear, and we have found that these systems usually introduce as many problems as they solve. Our approach is to provide you with the tools to perform room correction (parametric EQs, position & desk filters) and leave you, the user to decide what settings you prefer. Investing the time to manually adjust the monitors to your environment will not only give a better overall result, but you will help you understand more about your room acoustics and your monitors in the process.

If the FAQs did not resolve your issue, please contact your local PMC representative for further assistance