The software allows the user to choose between Wizard Configuration (a complete guided procedure), performing the configuration manually, or a mix of both. The Wizard Configuration guides the user through the steps to define the main setup settings in few minutes and with automatic tools (such as de-EQ, etc.). In Manual mode, the more expert user can use all the bit Drive tools to create the configuration that fits the needs of the vehicle and the system at hand.
Note: Once the Configuration Wizard process begins, all Input EQ settings are restored to their defaults. Even if the Wizard process is not completed, these settings are reset to their initial values.
Note: After the Configuration Wizard process is completed, all manual functions are available for use. These changes can be made without repeating the Wizard process.
3.1 WIZARD CONFIGURATION
The Wizard Configuration guides the user through the steps to define the main setup settings in few minutes, with the help of automatic tools. Optionally, automated de-EQ and de-Time can be performed during the wizard process.
Before proceeding, the proper test tracks are required: link (Test Tracks | Audison - car audio processors, amplifiers and speakers).
Note: Use only the test tracks specified for AF bit devices. Other test tracks may yield poor or wrong results.
It is important to know in details the system to be tuned, since these informations will be asked during the wizard setup. In details:
￭ What kind of input channels (Pre In/Speaker In);
￭ What kind of input signals (ex: Front Left or Center or Subwoofer etc.);
￭ What kind of speakers (ex. Front 3-way or Sub stereo or Rear 2-way etc.);
￭ Presence of passive crossover filters;
￭ If there are companion amplifiers to increase the number of output channels;
￭ If the amplifier outputs will be used in Bridge mode to increase the power rate;
￭ The distance of the speakers from the listening point, to set automatically the time delays.
Note: If the speaker distances have not yet been measured, these values can be entered later in the process.
IMPORTANT: during this procedure, we suggest to disconnect the SPEAKER OUT harness from the amplifier to avoid any risk of damage.
START THE GUIDED PROCEDURE
- Connect the outputs of the player to the inputs of the AF
Note: To avoid any issues due to low battery voltage, connecting an automotive 12V power supply (capable of 20A of current) to the battery is recommended.
Note: AF bit amplifiers feature PC POWER ON, which maintains the “on” state for the device as long as the PC is connected to the amplifier via USB. This makes device configuration much easier in modern push-to-start vehicles, which have timer-controlled accessory circuits.
- Connect the source outputs to the device inputs;
- Turn on the device and connect it to the PC. Launch the bit Drive application;
- Select the device connected on the splash screen;
- Click on the icon to start the Wizard Configuration;
Note: if the device already had a setup saved in its memory, it is suggested to do a reset procedure (see sect. 2.2), restart the device and then run the Wizard Configuration.
1. Start
Press Start to start the wizard procedure.
2. Sources
In this section, the user can enable the Optical auxiliary input and an additional input SPDIF Coaxial or Optical if the input extension card F2O is installed.
Press Next to proceed to the following step.
Note: If the Optical source is not in use, but is left enabled in this step of the Wizard, a DRC AC controller might be used to select the Optical input, and the result would be no sound at all. For this reason, it is recommended to disable the Optical input when not in use if a DRC AC is present in the system.
3. Input configuration
Set the type of used Input channels: Low Level (PRE-IN) or High Level (SPEAKER IN).
Note: Each channel can be used in either Low Level or High Level mode, but both inputs cannot be used for the same channel at the same time! If using both types of input, select High Level, and then after the Wizard process is complete, edit the settings for the channels using the Low Level inputs.
Note: The ART signal-sensing turn-on function works only on Channel 1 of the SPEAKER IN connector - if Channel 1 is only used on the PRE IN harness, ART will not operate.
In case of a source with more than 8 signals, the user can add 4 more analog input channels, for a total of 12 with the the F4IN optional accessory. The F4IN can handle more input voltage than the native inputs of the AF bit amplifier, up to 32V RMS.
Note: The AF bit cannot accept both F4IN and F2O at the same time.
￭ Manual setting: click on User defined to set manually the list of input signals.
￭ Input presets: click on one of these presets as appropriate. The input signals will be properly assigned.
Note: the default configuration for all Input Presets is for odd-numbered input channels to be used with Left-channel signals, and even-numbered input channels to be used with Right-channel signals.
For configurations where there is no dedicated signal for the Sub in the source, you can choose where to take the signal for a possible Sub output of the amplifier. The default setting is to derive it from the Fronts inputs, but by clicking it opens the drop-down menu to change your choice if you prefer.
Press Next to proceed to the following step.
In the following section set the input channels for the Optical source (if enabled).
Press Next to proceed to the following step.
Note: Some TOSLINK sources inadvertently flip the left and right channels, and this setting allows this issue to be addressed.
4. Input sensitivity
Procedure for automatic calibration of the input sensitivity. Press Next if the user wants to do this procedure manually later on (see sect 5.2.1), otherwise Press Start to run the automatic procedure:
￭ Play the track “1-SineSweep” from the source.
￭ Set all tone controls to zero (flat).
￭ Set Balance and Fader controls to the centre.
￭ Set the source volume to the maximum undistorted level.
Note: The Virtual LEDs in the bit Drive software do not indicate the maximum undistorted level of your source. The Virtual LEDs illuminate red when the input voltage exceeds the selected voltage threshold. To test for the maximum undistorted level of the source unit, use Audison’s bit Drive test tool, or an oscilloscope.
If the input signal’s maximum undistorted level cannot be confirmed with test equipment, set the source’s volume control at 75-80% of the maximum level. If the source unit does not indicate its volume level setting, safely turn the source volume control to its maximum, then to its minimum, counting the presses required to reach a 0 volume level. Then turn the source volume up appropriately. For example, if there are 60 steps to go from full volume to 0 volume, turn the volume control 45 steps up from 0.
￭ MANUAL SETTING
Set the sensitivity of each input by clicking on the drop-down menu to change the voltage scale. To choose the scale correctly, observe the color of the virtual LED:
- Red -> voltage scale too low compared to the input signal (KO)
- Absent color -> signal absent or with too low level (KO)
- Green -> voltage scale greater than the input signal (OK)
Once the green color is obtained, it is recommended to reduce the voltage scale to the minimum value necessary to keep the LED green. In this way it is possible to take advantage of the maximum possible gain in the Input section.
￭ AUTOMATIC SETTING
Click Start to begin the automatic procedure for calibrating input sensitivities. Click Next if you want to perform this step manually later (see section 5.2.1)
DO NOT perform this procedure with a low source volume level setting! Signal-to-noise will suffer resulting in high levels of noise. If a “variable loudness” circuit is present, the frequency response results at higher volumes will be poor.
Once this volume level is selected, keep the volume at this level until the process is completed! If the vehicle accessory circuit timer expires and you must turn the accessory circuit back on, confirm that the source volume is still set to the proper level.
￭ At the end of the procedure, stop the track playing from the source
￭ At the end, all Virtual LEDs for all used input channels should illuminate green.
Note: If “no signal” is detected on a channel during this process, but the Virtual LEDs indicate that signal is present, ensure you are using the correct test track and try again. If the issue continues, skip to the next step and set the input sensitivity manually after the process is complete.
Press Next to proceed to the following step.
5. Input delay / Polarity check
Procedure for automatic calibration of input delays and input polarity.
The user can press Next to skip the process. To perform the pocess: Press Start to perform the following steps:
￭ Play the track “3-Pulse” from the source.
￭ Press Start and wait until the analysis ends.
The software shows the time delays detected in the source, and automatically applies the correction to realign the signals in the time domain.
Press Next to proceed to the following step.
6. Input DE-EQ
Procedure for automatic Input de-Equalization. The user can press Next to skip the process.
To perform the process:
￭ Play the track “1-SineSweep” from the source
￭ Press Start and wait until the analysis ends
For the selected channel the graph shows in yellow the signal coming from the source and in blue the same signal coming with the correction applied by the processor.
The analysis will be performed for all the input channels defined at the step 3.
Press Next to proceed to the following step.
Note: if any errors occur during the process (signal not detected, level too low, etc…) a warning will be displayed. If this occurs, the user can decide whether to retry, or skip the de-eq for the channel, or abort the process and proceed to the next step.
7. Output setup
The user can choose whether to set manually the outputs or among a list of preloaded models.
￭ Manual setting:
By clicking on the empty car icon you can manually select all the exits, recalling them from the drop-down menu below. From here you can select both the type of speaker connected and the normal or bridge configuration.
￭ Preloaded models: click on the desired model and the Output list will be automatically filled in.
By clicking again on the User defined window (the diagram of the car with no speakers), the user can then modify manually the list the preloaded speakers. This allows adding options like Bridged channels, changing a speaker type in the list etc…
The user can also choose to insert the speaker model from the Audison or Hertz catalogue. The software will then load a crossover optimized for the performances of each speaker type.
Press Next to proceed to the following step.
8. Speaker distances
Different path-lengths to the various speakers can result in poor sound caused by comb-filter cancellations. Delay is a tool often used to eliminate cancellations caused by path-length differences. After entering the distances from the listening position to each speaker into this panel, the software will calculate and apply the appropriate delays to each output channel. If the distances are not yet measured, the user can select “Skip” and enter the distances later.
Press Next to proceed to the following step.
9. Default volatile data
IMPORTANT: Be sure to configure these settings appropriately before finalizing the device to ensure proper operation of the product even after power loss. Otherwise you may lose the audio signal output and some vehicle safety sounds may not be played. These features include hands-free calling, automatic emergency calls, and parking sensors. In addition, the vehicle may not have sufficient volume, or sufficient level for the subwoofer, or may have poor sound level due to incorrect memory selection, or Final Tuning disabled.
10. Finish
Press Done to end the Configuration Wizard.
Note: At this point, the user may want to view the results of the de-EQ process in the electrical Input RTA, and may decide to optimize it by making adjustments to the input EQ settings. The user may also decide to test for phase-manipulation in the OEM signal. To do this, a mono pink noise test track (track 4) is required. See Section 4 for more information.
At the end of the procedure, the software shows at the bottom the loading bar of all the data set in the Wizard configuration.
3.2 MANUAL CONFIGURATION
Instead of using the Wizard Configuration, the user can decide to configure manually the device. In that case, we suggest to follow the sequence of operations below:
- Define sources (see sec. 5.1).
- Define Input channels (see sec. 5.2)
- Define Output channels (see sect 5.3)
- Set crossovers (vedi sez. 5.4)
- Set the Mixer I/O routing (see sect 5.5)
- Set the output delays (see sect. 5.6)
- Set the Output EQ and Final EQ while using the acoustic RTA to measure the result (see sect. 5.8, 5.11)