NuVo Grand Concerto (NV-I8GMS/NV-I8GXS) — Whole-Home Audio System Installation Guide

Complete installation and setup guide for the NuVo Grand Concerto (NV-I8GMS) and Grand Concerto Expander (NV-I8GXS) whole-home audio distribution systems, including control pad reference, wiring, Configurator Software setup, accessories, and troubleshooting.

Safety Instructions

• Do not use this product near water (bathtub, sink, pool, wet basement, etc.).
• Do not block ventilation openings or place the unit in an enclosure that impedes airflow.
• Do not install near heat sources (radiators, stoves, other heat-producing amplifiers).
• Do not defeat the safety purpose of a polarized or grounding-type plug; consult an electrician if the plug doesn't fit your outlet.
• Unplug during lightning storms or extended periods of non-use.
• Refer all servicing to qualified personnel — no user-serviceable parts inside.
• Hearing safety: extended exposure to high sound levels can cause permanent hearing loss. Per OSHA, permissible exposure drops from 90dB at 8 hours down to 103dB at 1 hour. Wear hearing protection when working near this amplification system at high volume.

Grand Concerto Amplifier Back Panel

• Variable Output: preamp lineouts for driving an external power amplifier, volume-controlled by that zone's Control Pad.
• Fixed Output: constant-level preamp lineouts for an external amplifier — not affected by the zone's volume control.
• Source Inputs: up to 6 audio sources via standard stereo RCA.
• Speaker Outputs: 6 of the 8 zones are amplified (40W/channel), accepting 16-gauge 2-conductor speaker wire.
• Source Link: connects to the Grand Concerto Expander System to create 16 total zones (cable supplied with Expander).
• Zone Trigger Outputs: 12V outputs to trigger an external device (e.g. auxiliary amplifier) per zone.
• IR Emitter Outputs: pass keypad IR commands to source equipment. Outputs 1–6 map to sources 1–6; SUM outputs 1 & 2 pass all IR signals.
• SYS ON: constant 12V output for turning on external equipment when any zone is active.
• EXT. MUTE: temporarily mutes system audio (e.g. for doorbell/phone), used with the NV-MI1 Mute Interrupt accessory; can also trigger whole-house paging.
• Network Input (RJ45): carries zone information from Control Pads via the supplied Network Cable.
• Digital Link: connects to the Expander System for 16-zone configurations.
• RS232: bidirectional serial port for external home automation control, configuration, and programming.
• AC: detachable power cord input.

Control Pads & Remote

• NV-I8GCP 2.7" OLED Control Pad: 8-line OLED display, source indicator, volume bar graph, Menu/Power/Play-Pause/OK/Forward-Reverse buttons, built-in IR receiver, magnetic white/ivory/almond/black trim plates, on-screen clock.
• NV-E6GCP 1" OLED Control Pad: compact screwless wall-plate version with the same core controls (Power, Menu, Play/Pause, OK, Forward/Reverse, IR receiver).
• NV-CTP36 Color Touch Pad: full source display with album art, plus status icons for Party Mode, Exclusive Source, Mute, Sleep, Lock, Do Not Disturb, and Page Mode; touch transport controls and Home/Power buttons.
• NV-WCPS Wireless Control Pad: battery-powered OLED remote-style pad with Zone selection button to switch which zone it controls.
• NV-GRC1 Remote Control: handheld IR remote with Power, Volume, Source/OK, Play/Pause, Menu, Sleep, Mute, and 12 direct-access Favorites buttons (F1-F4 plus a 1-12 grid).

Installing the System

CAT5 Wiring

The system uses "homerun" CAT5 cable (Control Pad communication) plus 16-gauge 2- or 4-conductor speaker wire from each zone back to the amplifier location. Use standard EIA/TIA 568A wiring, unshielded twisted pair, terminated with RJ45 connectors. Maximum total CAT5 run: 2,000 feet system-wide; keep any single run under 250 feet for best reliability. Always test each run end-to-end with a CAT5 tester — improper termination is the most common cause of setup failures.

Speaker Wire & Amplifier Installation

Terminate speaker wire runs, mount the Grand Concerto amplifier (rack ears included), and install the NV-I8GEZP EZ Port hub, which connects source equipment and IR emitters to the amplifier.

Source Equipment & IR Emitters

Connect audio sources via RCA to the Source Inputs. For NuVoNet-aware NuVo sources, set them up per the NuVoNet-specific instructions in the full manual. For third-party source components, attach IR emitters to the corresponding numbered IR Emitter Outputs so the system can control them.

Expanding to 16 Zones

Add the Grand Concerto Expander System (NV-I8GXS) via the Source Link and Digital Link connections to double zone capacity from 8 to 16.

Grand Concerto Configurator Software

Desktop software (connected via USB-to-RS232 or direct RS232) used to configure the system beyond what's available at the Control Pads:

• IR Libraries: select/assign IR command sets per source component; each library supports a configurable carrier frequency (30–56kHz — Cable/Satellite typically needs 56kHz).
• Defining Sources: name and configure each of the 6 source inputs.
• Macros: program multi-step automated command sequences.
• Zones: configure each zone's behavior, name, and defaults.
• System Settings: global configuration options.
• Update System: push firmware/configuration updates to the Grand Concerto amplifier.

Control Pad Menu Features

• Favorites: up to 12 user-defined presets accessible directly from the NV-GRC1 remote's F-buttons.
• Sources: browse and select among the 6 configured audio sources.
• Advanced Zone Control: per-zone settings including remote control and IR receiver behavior (e.g. disabling IR reception if affected by sunlight or fluorescent/plasma lighting interference).
• Setup: Favorites 1–12, Zone Settings, Source Settings, and System Settings, all accessible from any Control Pad.

Accessories

• NV-I8DLS IR Learning Station Interface: captures and records new IR codes from a source's original remote directly into the Configurator Software's IR library, for source devices not already in the built-in library.
• NV-MI1 Mute Interrupt Adaptor: connects to the EXT. MUTE input to automatically duck/mute whole-house audio when triggered (e.g. doorbell or phone system).
• NV-LSI24 Local Source Interrupt: a passive (non-amplified) device that lets an already-amplified local audio source override the Grand Concerto system and play through the local zone speakers; the incoming signal must already be amplified.
• NV-LSA40 Local Source Amplifier: a 40W amplifier module for driving local zone speakers from an interrupted local source, with dedicated speaker and amplifier connections plus a keypad passthrough.
• NV-LSA40PD Local Source Power Distribution Hub: powers up to 4 zones of NV-LSA40 amplifiers from a single 28VDC/5A supply.
• NV-D2120 / NV-D460 Auxiliary Audio Amplifiers: add power for additional non-amplified zones (7, 8, 15, 16) using the Grand Concerto's fixed or variable lineouts. The D2120 is a single 120W stereo amp; the D460 has two independent stereo inputs (A/B). Note neither has its own volume control — fixed-output connections need an inline volume control. Amplifiers can auto-power via incoming audio signal or a 12V trigger from the Grand Concerto's SYS ON output or zone-specific triggers.

RS232 Interface

The RS232 port enables two-way communication for home automation integration, configuration, and programming. The RS232 protocol document is available from NuVo's Prozone site (nuvotechnologies.com/prozone).

Specifications

Package Contents

NV-I8GMS Grand Concerto System: NV-I8GM main amplifier, 6x NV-I8GCP Control Pads (white/ivory/almond/black trim), NV-GRC1 remote, 6x NV-VEC visible IR emitters, NV-I8EZP EZ Port hub, 3-meter NV-NC1 network cable, rack ear mounts, North American power cable.

NV-I8GXS Grand Concerto Expander System: NV-I8GX expander amplifier, 6x NV-I8GCP Control Pads, NV-GRC1 remote, NV-SLC audio link cable, NV-DLC digital link cable, rack ear mounts, North American power cable.

Troubleshooting