ProAudio: Locking Two (or More) Zones Together (Config Tool)

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Locking one zone to another makes it automatically follow that zone's source, volume, and tone controls — commonly used to keep a subwoofer in sync with the main speakers, or to make several zones in the same space (like a backyard or hallway) behave as one.

This covers zone locking, source, volume, and:

Locking two or more zones together so they behave as one
Sending volume to one zone and having another follow it
Making one zone always switch to the same source as another
Making a subwoofer follow the same source as the main speakers

You'll need the ProAudio Config Tool, available to registered installers at monitoring.pulse-eight.com/Downloads/ProAudioConfigTool.

Selecting Your ProAudio Switch

Open the Config Tool and select your switch.Pick your ProAudio unit from the Device Discovery list. If it isn't listed, enter its IP address directly in the Connect by IP Address section at the bottom of the page.

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Select your switch from the discovery list, or connect by IP address.

Locking a Zone

The example below locks Zone 2 to Zone 1. You can lock as many zones as you like to the same target zone — just repeat this process for each one.

Locate the zone you want to lock.Find the zone that should follow another zone — in this example, Zone 2 — and open its lock control.

Locate the zone that should follow another zone.

Choose the zone to lock to.Select the zone you want it to follow from the list — in this example, Analog Zone 1.

Choose the zone this one should follow.

Confirm the lock.Zone 2 will now show "Locked to Zone: Zone 1," and its volume control becomes read-only, since it now follows Zone 1's level. Zone 1 itself won't show any visible change.

Zone 2 is now locked to Zone 1 — its volume slider is disabled and follows Zone 1's level.

What Follows vs. What Doesn't

Follows the locked zone	Stays independent
Volume (including mute)	Equalizer settings — lets a subwoofer use different EQ than the main speakers
Bass and Treble	Output Level — lets a subwoofer's level be trimmed independently
Source changes	Lip Sync Delay — lets timing be compensated separately per output

Re-locking a zone that already has followers will silently unlock them. If a zone is already being followed by others and you lock it to a different zone, every zone following it reverts to unlocked. The same happens if a zone is accidentally set to follow itself — it unlocks, and so does everything following it. There's no confirmation prompt for this, so double-check the lock chain before changing it on a zone you know others are following.

Backing Up the Zone Lock Settings

Back up after every change. Without this, a power outage can silently revert your zone locks.

Tick "Zone Audio Parameters."On the right-hand side of the Config Tool, check the box for Zone Audio Parameters.

Click "Save Selected."The Command History should show ^SS 512$ followed by ^+$, confirming the save was accepted.

Tick Zone Audio Parameters, click Save Selected, and confirm ^SS 512$ / ^+$ in the Command History.

If you're scripting this over serial or TCP/IP instead of using the Config Tool, zone locking uses the same underlying ^LZ @zone,zoneToFollow$ command — see Direct Serial Command Reference.

Need help with zone locking?

Our support team can help troubleshoot Config Tool or zone lock issues.

UK: 01202 413 610 | US: (858) 748-8250 | support@pulse-eight.com

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