ProAudio Config Tool - Guide

Modified on Wed, 22 Apr at 6:48 PM

What is the Config Tool?

The Config Tool lets you configure your ProAudio matrix from a PC — no command-line required. All changes apply instantly, but must be saved or they'll reset on power cycle.

⚠️

Always save your changes. Any settings you change will revert to their defaults if the unit is powered off before saving. Use the Save button in the sidebar after every change.

Download

Available to registered installers at www.monitoring.pulse-eight.com/Downloads/ProAudioConfigTool listed under the downloads tab.

You'll need an Installer ID — contact your distributor if you don't have one.

How it works

The tool talks to your ProAudio matrix over your network and sends the same commands as a PuTTY terminal but with an intuitive installer focussed UI

The Sidebar

The sidebar runs down the right side of every tab. It shows device info, network settings, and the tools for saving and restoring your configuration.

System Info

At the top you'll see your device model, firmware version, and three toggles:

Below these is the Master Volume control (in dB) — this affects all zones at once.

Network Settings

Shows the current IP address, subnet mask, and gateway. You can also enter a Static IP here for when DHCP is turned off. Changes here take effect once you click Set Static IP.

Save Settings and Factory Reset,

Tick the checkboxes next to the settings you want to save or Factory reset, then click the corresponding button.

Any category with unsaved changes will turn red in the sidebar, making it easy to spot what still needs saving.

Save Selected

Saves ticked settings permanently. A ^SS command is sent and the matrix confirms with ^+$ in the command history.

Factory Reset Selected

Resets ticked settings to their factory defaults. Tick All for a full factory reset.

Backup & Restore

Tick the settings you want to back up, then click Backup. Choose a location on your PC to save the file.
To restore, click Restore and select your backup file. The tool will send all the required commands automatically.
After restoring, save the settings to make them permanent. If something looks wrong, reboot the matrix before saving to go back to the previous state.

Restoring to a second matrix? When prompted "Do you want to restore the IP address?", click No. Two units on the same IP address will conflict and neither will respond correctly.

Command History

At the bottom of the sidebar is a live feed of every command sent to and from the matrix regardless of where it is being sent from (e.g. Control System or ProAudio Config Tool). This is useful for troubleshooting — you can see exactly what's being sent and whether it's being acknowledged.

You can also type PuTTY commands manually into the box at the bottom (e.g. ^SZ @1,0$) and press Send.

Stereo Zones TAB

This is the main tab for controlling your analogue audio outputs. Each zone has its own column with multiple sub-tabs accessible via the small icons at the top of each zone.

General Tab (default view)

Each zone shows three icon buttons at the top:

Button	What it does
Hard Mute	Completely disconnects the zone from any audio source - the equivalent of setting the source to nothing. Use for silencing a zone entirely, not for everyday muting.
Soft Mute	Mutes the volume using the audio processor. This is the normal way to mute a zone - audio keeps flowing but is silenced.
Zone Power	Powers the zone on or off. No audio will pass when the zone is off. Green = on Grey = off.

Current Source

Click the source box under a zone to pick which input to route to that output. A list of all available inputs appears — select one, or choose None to route nothing.

Zone Locking

The padlock icon ()next to the source box is for Zone Locking — this links multiple zones together so they always follow the same source.

Volume

The slider controls the output volume for that zone. Drag left to reduce volume, right to increase.

Lip Sync Delay

Adds a delay to the audio to compensate for video processing lag. Use zone delay when the video processor is between the matrix and the screen. Use input delay (on the Input tabs) when the processor is between the source and the matrix.

Maximum combined delay (source + zone) is 170.65 ms. Exceeding this silently caps at that value.

Output Gain

Fine-tunes the volume level for a specific zone to match the sensitivity of the amplifier being used. Range: −24 dB to +24 dB. Useful when different zones use different amplifier models.

EQ Tab

Accessed by clicking the EQ icon at the top of a zone. Provides Bass, Treble, and 5-band equalizer sliders. Experiment freely — these won't harm the matrix. Click the header above to any slider (e.g. Bal, Bass, Treb, etc.) to return it to default.

Levels Tab

Accessed by clicking the levels icon. Controls volume limits and mute behaviour for the zone.

Setting	What it does
Min Volume	Sets the lowest usable volume. Going below this fully mutes the zone — avoids the "noise floor" of a quiet room. Raising back up jumps straight to minimum level.
Max Volume	Prevents the volume being set above this value — protects speakers and amplifiers from being over-driven.
Mute Level	Sets how much the volume drops when muted. 0 = no reduction, 248 = maximum reduction.
Mute Level Mode	Jump = instant mute. Timed = fades over a set time. Sloped = smooth gradual fade in and out.

Filter Tab

Accessed by clicking the filter icon. Sets a high-pass or low-pass filter for the zone. Typically used when configuring a zone for a subwoofer. See the subwoofer setup guide for details.

Digital Zones Tab

Controls the digital (coaxial) audio outputs. These have fewer options than analogue zones — no volume or EQ controls, since the digital signal passes through unprocessed.

Setting	What it does
Hard Mute	Disconnects the digital zone from its source. Same as the analogue version.
Input	Select which source this digital output plays. Click the box to pick from the full input list.
Audio Routing	Switch between Independent Zone (digital zone picks its own source, supports Dolby 5.1/DTS) or Mirror Analog Zone (mirrors the matching analogue zone, converts to PCM stereo). Coax 1 mirrors Analog Zone 1, Coax 2 mirrors Zone 2, and so on.

When set to Independent Zone, you can pass Dolby 5.1 and DTS audio — but only from digital sources, not analogue inputs.

Stereo, Coax & Optical Inputs

These three tabs look identical and work the same way — one for each input type. Adjustments here affect all zones using that input, rather than a single output.

Setting	What it does
Delay	Adds lip sync delay on a per-source basis. Use this when a video processor is connected before the source reaches the matrix. Range: 0 to 170.65 ms (shared with any zone delay on the same path).
Gain	Adjusts the level of this input from −24 dB to +24 dB. Use to match the output levels of different source devices so everything sounds the same volume when you switch between them.
Mode	Changes how the stereo channels are handled. Options include normal stereo, mono mix, left-only, right-only, and channel swap. Useful for sources that are mono or have unbalanced channels.

Paging

Used to set up doorbell chimes, announcements, or any triggered audio event. Two physical switch inputs on the back of the unit each trigger a configurable preset.

Wiring the Switch Inputs

Both switches connect to the phoenix connector on the rear of the unit. There are two wiring options:

Dry Contact

For simple push buttons, relay triggers, or doorbells. No voltage passes — just a circuit open/close. Best used with Timed On mode.

Trigger Voltage

For devices that send a low-voltage signal (e.g. intercom, alarm panels, home automation). Can stay active as long as voltage is present.

Switch Configuration

For each switch, set the Mode, choose a Preset, and (for timed modes) set a Time.

Mode	When to use it
Disabled	Switch is not in use.
Active On	Page plays while the button is held / voltage is present. Page stops when released. Good for intercom-style hold-to-speak use.
Active Off	Page plays while the circuit is open / voltage is absent. Useful for "alarm active" indicators.
Timed On	Press triggers a page that plays for a set duration — regardless of how long the button is held. Best mode for a doorbell.
Timed Off	Triggered when circuit opens or voltage drops. Page plays for a set duration.

Preset Setup (Preset 1 & Preset 2)

Click the Preset 1 or Preset 2 tab to configure what happens when that preset is triggered.

Setting	What it does
Initial Delay	Wait time before the page starts (0–30,000 ms).
Minimum Page Time	How long the page must run before it can end (0–120,000 ms). Ignored in Active On/Off modes.
Test Page	Simulates a trigger for testing — enter a duration and click the button. Status shows "PAGE ACTIVE" while running.

Per-Zone Settings

Each zone can be configured independently for how it behaves during a page:

Setting	Options
Allow Paging	Allow Paging – zone plays the page. Do Not Disturb – zone is completely unaffected. Mute Only – zone goes quiet but doesn't emit the page audio.
Source	Which input to switch to for the page audio (e.g. the input connected to your doorbell chime).
Mute During Page	Unmute during page – forces zone on so the page is always heard. Hard mute – silences the zone for the duration. Leave mute state alone – only plays in zones already active.
Page Volume	The volume level the zone plays at during the page.
Vol Mute	(Analogue zones only.) Ramps current audio down when the page starts, then ramps back up when it ends.

Advanced

This tab contains system flags and LED settings. For most installs, clicking Set To Suggested is all you need. Only change individual flags if you have a specific reason to.

The flags labelled ECO and ASY must be enabled for the Config Tool to function correctly. Don't turn them off.

Front Panel LED

Choose how the LEDs on the front of the unit behave: Always Off, Always Dim, Always Bright, or Auto (changes based on activity). Set brightness levels for dim, bright, and off states.

System Flags

Flag	What it controls
XIO	Enables Extended I/O numbering mode. Required by some control systems — check your driver's readme. In this mode, setting a zone to a non-existent source just mutes it.
CRE	Adds a carriage return + line feed to command responses. Useful when testing with terminal software. Safe to leave on.
ECO	Required. Sends a response string whenever a command changes a setting. The Config Tool needs this to stay in sync with the matrix.
ACK	Sends `^+$` after each error-free command to confirm it was accepted. Helpful for troubleshooting.
ASY	Required. Sends a response any time a parameter changes (e.g. from a control system or front panel). Keeps the tool's display up to date.
MJP	When on: pressing volume up on a muted zone jumps back to the previous unmuted level first. Good for single-user scenarios. When off: volume increments from wherever it currently is — safer in shared spaces.
UVL	When on: sending a volume command to a muted zone automatically unmutes it. Useful for touch panel control systems that send absolute volume values.

⚠️

Click Set To Suggested to apply Pulse-Eight's recommended flag settings. Review each flag against your specific install before accepting — suggested settings may not suit every setup.