The Tune Workflow provides you with all the tools to fine-tune, optimize, and monitor your Linea Research Devices. The following guides will cover... Arranging your System, Using the Quick Views, Equalisation, Crossovers, Limiters, Using Multi-Select, Using Overlay Groups and Output Channel Monitoring.
The Explorer View in the Tune Workflow provides a canvas for arranging Drive Modules. The guides will cover system arrangement in the Explorer and the use of Canvas Tools.
Explorer Canvas User Interface
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Sort View - Sort View will gather all the drive modules on the canvas and sort them into device and module order in the middle of the canvas.
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Fill - Fill will fit all Drive Modules on the canvas into view.
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100% - will reset the zoom value back to 100%
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Zoom Slider - The Zoom Slider enables you to adjust the zoom level on the canvas from 20% to 200%.
In the Tune Workflow, Quick Views allow you to easily see, edit, and compare common parameters across your entire system. Select a Quick View from the Tool Bar, and the relevant information will be displayed in the Quick View Area of the Drive Module.
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Mute - Mute Quick View displays the mute states across all inputs and outputs of the system. The Mutes can be toggled directly from the Drive module Quick View area.
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Meters - Meters Quick View displays larger metering for inputs, outputs, and protection limiting across all outputs of the system.
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Gain - Gain Quick View displays the current input and output gains across the system. If a Drive Module is a member of an overlay group, the overlay Gain will also be displayed in the quick view. It is also possible to make changes to the gain from the Quick View.
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Delay - Delay Quick View shows the current input and output delay across the entire system. If a Drive Module is part of an overlay group, the overlay delay will also be displayed in the Quick View. It is also possible to make changes to the delay from the Quick View.
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EQ - EQ Quick View allows navigation to input and output EQ in the Detail View.
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X-Over - X-Over Quick View allows navigation to output X-Over in the Detail View.
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Polarity - Polarity Quick View displays the polarity for all inputs and outputs of the system and allows direct toggling.
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Impedance -Impedance Quick View provides a real-time display of the impedance of the load on each output channel.
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Current - Current Quick View provides a real-time display of the current draw of each amplifier output.
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Drive Module Quick View Area - This area displays the currently selected Quick View information.
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EQ Graph - Displays the EQ curve for the selected input or output channel.
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Parametric / All Pass Filter Toggle - Toggles the filter type between parametric or all-pass filter for the selected EQ band.
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Bypass - Bypasses the selected EQ band.
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FIR - Load and enable/disable FIR files.
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EQ Drag Control - EQ Drag Control allows the manipulation of the EQ bands with a mouse or track pad.
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Copy and Paste - You can copy and paste EQ settings between inputs and outputs.
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EQ Toggle - Enables the comparison of various EQ settings.
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EQ Number Boxes - "Exact EQ settings can be entered using a keyboard."
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EQ Drag Point - The centre point of the EQ drag handle allows the EQ point to move freely in the frequency and gain domains.
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Frequency Drag Point - The Frequency Drag Point allows for the movement of the EQ point in the frequency domain while leaving the Gain unaffected.
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Gain Drag Point - The Gain Drag Point allows for the movement of the EQ point in the Gain domain while leaving the Frequency unaffected.
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Bandwidth Slider - The Bandwidth Slider adjusts the bandwidth or Q of the EQ point. You can also control the bandwidth by scrolling the mouse wheel when the pointer is on the EQ center point.
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Floating EQ Summary - Displays a summary of the currently focused EQ point.
The EQ Toggle feature allows you to quickly create and compare multiple EQ curves on any EQ in the system.
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Bypass - Bypasses the currently selected EQ
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Reset - Resets the EQ values for the selected EQ
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EQ Select - Selecta the EQ you would like to listen to.
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Delete - Deletes the selected EQ.
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Add EQ - Adds more EQs to compare.
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Select the input or output channel you would like to compare EQ on.
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Add your EQ to the EQ graph using the EQ drag handle or enter values using the EQ number boxes.
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Use the + button to add more EQ that you would like to compare with each other.
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Select the newly created EQs and add EQ to the EQ graph using the EQ drag handle or enter EQ values in the EQ parameters number boxes.
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You can double-click the letter next to the EQ to rename it.
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Enter a name for the EQ's
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You can now toggle between the EQs to listen to them by clicking on the circle next the the name of the EQ.
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Crossover Drag Handel - Use a mouse or track pad to drag the crossover point.
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Crossover Graph - Displays the crossover for the selected output.
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Crossover Frequency Number Box - Enter the crossover frequency in the number box with a keyboard
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Crossover Shape Selector - Opens the crossover shape selector.
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Crossover Shapes - All the crossover shapes available for the selected device.
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VX Limiter
The Virtual Xover pseudo-peak limiter (RMS calibrated) is at the core of the Linea Research VX Suite. This section will guide you through the usage and functionality of the VX Limiter, which can be operated in two distinct modes: VX Mode on or VX Mode off.
VX Mode Off: Conventional Limiter When VX Mode is off, the VX Limiter behaves similarly to a conventional limiter, but with enhanced functionality. It operates in a multiband form, meaning different frequency ranges are independently limited. Each band has optimized attack and release characteristics, which results in a more natural sound and reduces the effect known as “pumping.” In this mode, the only controls you need to adjust are:
•Threshold: This sets the limiter’s activation point, calibrated to the RMS dB value.
•Overshoot: This controls the maximum output level above the threshold that the limiter will allow, typically set between 6 to 8 dB. Avoid setting this value too low (less than 4 dB), as it can result in a harsher sound. This mode is suitable for most applications, especially when passive crossover networks are not involved.
VX Mode On: Virtual Crossover When VX Mode is on, you gain additional control with a virtual crossover. This introduces a low-latency, linear-phase crossover, creating two independent limiters per output. Each limiter can have its own Threshold and time-constant characteristics. This feature is more than just a frequency-conscious limiter. The output spectrum changes based on the level of limiting applied to each band, mimicking the behavior of a bi-amped system with individual limiters for each driver. This can provide better protection for specific components, such as a tweeter, by allowing for a lower threshold and faster attack/release times for higher frequencies. When VX Mode is engaged, the following parameters become available:
•Threshold: Set this to the desired RMS dB value.
•Overshoot: Set this between 6 and 8 dB for optimal results.
•Split Frequency: This is the crossover frequency, typically matching the passive crossover network.
•Threshold Hi: This sets the limiting threshold for higher frequencies, relative to the main threshold. For example, if the main threshold is set to 50V, and the Threshold Hi is set to -6 dB, the high frequencies will be limited to 25V (6 dB lower).
•Overshoot Hi: Similar to the primary Overshoot control, but for high frequencies. A value between 6 and 8 dB is typical. By using these controls, you can fine-tune the VX Limiter to suit a wide range of applications, providing precise and targeted audio limiting with minimal impact on overall sound quality.
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Thermal Limiter
Thermal limiting is crucial for protecting the most vulnerable part of a loudspeaker—the voice coil—from overheating. When a loudspeaker is in use, much of the electrical energy applied to the driver converts into heat within the voice coil. The close proximity of the voice coil to the magnet assembly allows heat to transfer between them, but this heat transfer is not perfect. As a result, the temperature of the voice coil can rise faster than the magnet assembly.
Estimating Voice Coil Temperature
While it is possible to estimate the temperature of the voice coil based on the input signal, doing so accurately requires knowledge of many detailed driver parameters, which is often impractical. Instead, the Thermal Limiter provides a powerful solution using just three key parameters:
1. Threshold level
2. Attack time
3. Release time
This approach models the voice coil’s temperature and adjusts the output signal to ensure the RMS power stays within safe limits, applying attack and release characteristics to simulate the thermal behavior of the driver’s voice coil and magnet assembly.
Adjustable Parameters for Thermal Limiting
1. Threshold - This parameter sets the continuous RMS voltage that the driver can safely withstand, calibrated at the amplifier’s output. You can disable the Thermal Limiter by setting the Threshold to its maximum “Off” value.
2. Attack Time - This defines how quickly the driver heats up, measured in seconds. Though this specification is rarely published, it can be calculated based on the thermal Time Constant of the magnet assembly, which is roughly proportional to its mass and volume. For smaller high-frequency drivers (HF drivers), an Attack time of around 50 ms is typical, while larger cone drivers may require values up to 5 seconds. Using faster attack times offers more protection but at the expense of lower average output levels.
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Excursion Limiter
The Excursion Limiter is designed to protect your loudspeaker driver from excessive movement (excursion) of the cone and voice coil, which can result in mechanical damage. This excessive excursion is primarily a concern at low frequencies, where the driver is most vulnerable.
To properly configure the Excursion Limiter, you need to understand the driver’s Excursion vs. Frequency curves at various voltage levels. Choose the curve where the slope steeply intersects the specified X-max value for the driver. Note the peak voltage and frequency at this point, as they will be used to configure the Excursion Limiter.
The Excursion Limiter typically requires only two parameters for setup:
Threshold - This is the peak voltage at the point where the excursion reaches the driver’s X-max. You can calculate this by multiplying the RMS voltage by 1.414 (the square root of 2). The threshold is calibrated at the amplifier’s output. To disable the Excursion Limiter, set the Threshold to its maximum “Off” value.
Frequency - This is the frequency corresponding to the peak voltage noted above, where the driver reaches its X-max.
Minimum Frequency (Optional) - Some applications allow the use of a Minimum Frequency (Min) parameter. This sets a frequency below which the limiter’s action levels off. By default, this is set to 5 Hz and typically does not need to be adjusted unless the application specifically requires it.
When using the Multi-Select feature in the Tune Workflow, you can easily configure and edit multiple inputs or outputs with the same settings.
Multi-Select User Interface
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Input / Output Selection - The blue border indicates selected inputs or outputs in the Explorer View.
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Input / Output Selection Summary - Displays the selected inputs or outputs in the Detail View.
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Ambiguous Settings - Settings that are different between multi-selected inputs or outputs are indicated with a ! .
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Absolute / Relative Mode Toggle -Toggling to Relative Mode will make Relative changes to Gain, Delay, in this mode changes to EQ will be disabled.
Linea Research Devices support up to 12 Overlay Groups that can be controlled by System Engineer 8. Overlay Groups allow EQ, Gain, Delay, and Mute to be overlaid on the input DSP of a Drive Module. Any Drive Module from any device can be a member of as many as 12 Overlay Groups.
Overlay Group User Interface
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Group Bar - The Group Bar represents a group in the Explorer View and can be placed on the Explorer Canvas like a Drive Module Bar.
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Group Membership Lock/Unlock- Unlocks the Group for adding or removing Drive Module Group Memberships.
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Add/Remove Drive Module - Located on the input of a Drive Module, clicking here will add or remove the Drive Module from the currently selected Group.
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Group Detail View - Clicking the Overlay Group Bar will open the Overlay Group in the Detail View and provide controls for EQ, Gain, Delay, and Mute.
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Group Mixer - Opens the Group Mixer.
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Add Group - Adds a new Group Bar to the Explorer View
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From the Tune Workflow click the Add Group button in the left hand toolbar to add a new Overlay Group
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In the Group Bar, give the Group a Name by clicking on the text box.
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Click the padlock in the top right-hand corner of the Group Bar.
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To add a Drive module to a selected group, click the colored "Add to Group" button. If the Drive module is already in the group, clicking the button will remove it.
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Click the padlock to lock the group.
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You have set up an Overlay Group. When you select the overlay group in the explorer, the name text box of the input drive modules that are members will be highlighted with the color of the selected group.
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With the group selected, you will now have access to the Overlay Group parameters in the detail view. You can add your overlay information to the group.
In the Tune Workflow, you can monitor device Outputs and view events from the logs tab on the Drive Module detail view menu bar.
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Logs Navigation - Switched detail view to display Logs for the selected Output.
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Protection Limiting - Protection Limiting gain reduction is shown in Red on the Logs graph.
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Output Impedance - Output Impedance is shown in blue on the Logs graph.
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Output Current - Output Current is shown in green on the Logs graph.
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Power Cycle Events - This list displays the time of the last device power cycle in hours and minutes relative to the current time.
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Counters - In the Counters section, you can view the counts for overcurrent, VHF mute, and protection events.