Installation issues
Styxx
Posts: 7
Hi all, I'm after some help after a nightmare attempted installation on the weekend. Apologies for the very long post, just trying to give as much info and background as possible in hopes that someone will spot something I've done wrong.
I have recently been working on upgrading our Soundweb Green system to Soundweb London. The old system was five 9088s (some 9088ii), one 9008 and one Jellyfish. I've chosen Blu-100s to replace the 9008 and 9088s and a Blu-10 to replace the Jellyfish. We have two buildings with multiple rooms that are all fed from these boxes. I spent a fair amount of time replicating the old patch with a few minor changes, with a view to making more changes once the system is up and running. The old system is linked by cat5 cables that run directly between boxes (no network switches or anything like that), these are to be re-purposed for Blu-Link. I've also made sure that there are network points available in each location for control over the system.
I had planned for installation of the new system on Sunday just gone. As all inputs and outputs are already in place, it should have just been a case of taking wires out of the phoenix connectors of the old system and putting them into the new system. First step was to position each box, power it up and plug it into the network. All works well, all boxes seen over the network. At this point I decided not to bother with the Blu-10 until everything else is working, as it's only a controller. Next step, we test the existing cat5 cable to make sure there's no breaks. Got a break in one cable, re-terminated and fixed it, otherwise all is fine. Plug the cat5 cables into the Blu-100s. The final step is to move all the connections from the Green to the Blu system. This ends up taking hours - some of the cables haven't been given much slack and the boxes are all tucked away, so not a fun job.
After powering up amps etc. we try to run the system. This is where we run into issues. I'm running the software off the computer in my office, so first logical trial is the bar below the office. Trying to run a source (a continuous background music source we use for reception areas etc.) over blu-link from a box in the other building and I'm getting nothing. If I move the fader on screen I occasionally get a little burst. I decide to try a source that's connected to the same box (tablet playing music behind the bar). This is much better, we're getting almost continuous playback but it drops out every so often - maybe once every two seconds or so. It's not popping or clicking, it's more like the volume is being turned all the way down and then back up very quickly. At this point I'm getting annoyed so I try another venue. Again I try a local source, I get the same as before - almost continuous but with constant dropouts. I've got limiters on every output which I have yet to set, so they're all still on their default -10dB. I set them all to +20db to make sure they're not triggering, no joy.
I visit a third venue to see what's going on there. This venue has 4 top speakers hung from corners of the room plus some subs. It's fed from 2 boxes - front and subs outputs from what used to be the 9008 and rear outputs and all inputs on the other box. This room is being used to show a couple of films (cinema system has its own independent speakers) and I manage to get in for 5 minutes between films. I didn't get a chance to feed anything to this room, but there's intermittent clicking coming through the speakers. Both speakers are connected to the same box and set on the same source, but the clicking is different on each side.
I finally try the lobby. This box seems to be fine, I'm playing a source plugged into the same box as the outputs and it's got no issues. I'm able to change the input to another local source and again it's fine.
I have recently been working on upgrading our Soundweb Green system to Soundweb London. The old system was five 9088s (some 9088ii), one 9008 and one Jellyfish. I've chosen Blu-100s to replace the 9008 and 9088s and a Blu-10 to replace the Jellyfish. We have two buildings with multiple rooms that are all fed from these boxes. I spent a fair amount of time replicating the old patch with a few minor changes, with a view to making more changes once the system is up and running. The old system is linked by cat5 cables that run directly between boxes (no network switches or anything like that), these are to be re-purposed for Blu-Link. I've also made sure that there are network points available in each location for control over the system.
I had planned for installation of the new system on Sunday just gone. As all inputs and outputs are already in place, it should have just been a case of taking wires out of the phoenix connectors of the old system and putting them into the new system. First step was to position each box, power it up and plug it into the network. All works well, all boxes seen over the network. At this point I decided not to bother with the Blu-10 until everything else is working, as it's only a controller. Next step, we test the existing cat5 cable to make sure there's no breaks. Got a break in one cable, re-terminated and fixed it, otherwise all is fine. Plug the cat5 cables into the Blu-100s. The final step is to move all the connections from the Green to the Blu system. This ends up taking hours - some of the cables haven't been given much slack and the boxes are all tucked away, so not a fun job.
After powering up amps etc. we try to run the system. This is where we run into issues. I'm running the software off the computer in my office, so first logical trial is the bar below the office. Trying to run a source (a continuous background music source we use for reception areas etc.) over blu-link from a box in the other building and I'm getting nothing. If I move the fader on screen I occasionally get a little burst. I decide to try a source that's connected to the same box (tablet playing music behind the bar). This is much better, we're getting almost continuous playback but it drops out every so often - maybe once every two seconds or so. It's not popping or clicking, it's more like the volume is being turned all the way down and then back up very quickly. At this point I'm getting annoyed so I try another venue. Again I try a local source, I get the same as before - almost continuous but with constant dropouts. I've got limiters on every output which I have yet to set, so they're all still on their default -10dB. I set them all to +20db to make sure they're not triggering, no joy.
I visit a third venue to see what's going on there. This venue has 4 top speakers hung from corners of the room plus some subs. It's fed from 2 boxes - front and subs outputs from what used to be the 9008 and rear outputs and all inputs on the other box. This room is being used to show a couple of films (cinema system has its own independent speakers) and I manage to get in for 5 minutes between films. I didn't get a chance to feed anything to this room, but there's intermittent clicking coming through the speakers. Both speakers are connected to the same box and set on the same source, but the clicking is different on each side.
I finally try the lobby. This box seems to be fine, I'm playing a source plugged into the same box as the outputs and it's got no issues. I'm able to change the input to another local source and again it's fine.
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Comments
The last thing I did was to alter the program for one of the problem venues. I take an input and route it direct to the output. Still suffering the same issues. At this point I decide to revert back to the old system, and spend the next few hours rewiring everything to make it all work again. We've only allowed one day for downtime so everything has to be up and running for Monday.
I'm nowhere near processing capacity on any of the boxes - the highest box is registering at 18% processing capacity. Same for logic, the highest logic processing is 4%. I've checked the compiler report, there's a pair of input feedback warnings (stereo output of a source matrix feeding back into the same matrix, selectors have been set so there can never actually be a feedback loop) and a bunch of unwired inputs and outputs from gains and crossovers - all stuff I know about and nothing to be concerned with. The only other thing worth mentioning is the fire alarm interface, I mis-programmed it to trigger when a signal is seen, I should have programmed it to work when signal is lost. Upon going online I spotted this and manually overrode it by unmuting the master mute button that it controls.
Does anybody have any ideas as to why the units are behaving the way they are? I'm really tearing my hair out over this!
The point is, if you need support right now or while on site, they will provide it. You could be waiting for months for someone to even read your post in the forum. If that's what you're looking for then thats fine. But this is just a kind reminder that you can get professional support if you want it. It is free and you can contact BSS or your distributor any time no matter how small or insignificant you think your question might be.