NuVo Simplese (NV-A4D) Four-Source, Four-Zone Whole-Home Audio System — Installation Manual

Installation manual for the NuVo Simplese System (NV-A4D) — a four-source, four-zone whole-home digital audio system with Decora-style zone keypads, IR repeating, and an Allport connection hub.

Overview

The Simplese System lets you listen to up to four independent audio sources across up to four zones from elegant Decora-style keypads (white, ivory, almond, and black inserts included). Generation D digital amplification runs cool compared to traditional analog amps, and an integrated IR repeater in each keypad lets you control audio sources wirelessly from any zone.

Package Contents

• NV-A4D — Four-Source, Four-Zone Amplifier
• 4x NV-A4DKP-DC — Decora Zone Controller Keypads (white, ivory, almond, black inserts/trim plates)
• NV-A4DRC1 — Remote Control w/batteries
• NV-A4DAP-DC — Decora Allport Multi-port connection hub
• NV-APC — Allport connection cable
• 1 pr. NV-REM1U — Single rack space rack ear mounts
• 4x NV-VEC — IR emitters with feedback LED
• NV-PC2 — IEC 2-wire power cable

Safety Warnings

• Prolonged exposure to high noise levels can cause permanent hearing loss. OSHA permissible exposure limits: 8 hrs @ 90dB, 6 hrs @ 93dB, 4 hrs @ 95dB, 3 hrs @ 97dB, 2 hrs @ 100dB, 1 hr @ 103dB. Wear ear protection when operating at high sound pressure levels.
• Risk of electric shock — do not open. No user-serviceable parts inside; refer servicing to qualified personnel.
• Do not use near water; do not block ventilation openings; do not install near heat sources; do not defeat the polarized/grounding plug.
• Unplug during lightning storms or extended non-use. Do not expose to rain or moisture.

Front & Back Panel Features

Front Panel

• Stand-by LED — lit when the amplifier is plugged into AC power.
• Zone LEDs — lit when that zone's keypads are turned on.

Back Panel

Keypad Controls

• Volume Level LEDs — indicate zone volume level.
• Volume button — independent audio level per zone.
• IR Receiver — under the volume button, for wireless source control.
• Mute — temporarily silences that zone.
• Power — turns that zone on/off; press-and-hold turns all zones off.
• Source Selection — four buttons select any connected source; the active button stays lit.

Installation

I. Prewire

The system uses Cat-5 cable (EIA/TIA 568A wiring) for keypad control, and 2- or 4-conductor 16-gauge speaker wire, all "homerun" from each zone to the Allport connection hub. Total Cat-5 run should not exceed 2000 feet system-wide, with no single run over 250 feet.

Cat-5 Crimping (EIA 568A pinout)

1. Strip 2-3 inches of insulation, exposing the 4 twisted pairs.
2. Untwist and fan wires into the correct color order: 1. Green Stripe, 2. Green, 3. Orange Stripe, 4. Blue, 5. Blue Stripe, 6. Orange, 7. Brown Stripe, 8. Brown.
3. Flatten and trim evenly, about 1/2" length.
4. Insert into the RJ45 connector so all 8 conductors touch the end; insulation jacket should extend past the crimp point.
5. Crimp firmly with a proper crimp tool (ratchet-type should stop clicking when fully seated).
6. Repeat the identical color scheme on both ends of the cable.

II. Speaker Wire Termination

Keep correct polarity: red/black typically denote positive/negative for 2-conductor wire; for 4-conductor wire, one speaker uses red/black and the second uses white(+)/green(-). Each zone supports only one pair of 8-ohm speakers — using more than one pair per zone can damage the amplifier.

III. Allport Termination

Both speaker wire and Cat-5 cable for each zone terminate at the back of the Allport hub. Cat-5 plug-in order doesn't matter, but label cables for reference. The final connection from the Allport to the amplifier uses the supplied Allport cable.

IV. Installing the Amplifier

Designed for shelf or rack mounting. Remove the two front-side screws on each side of the lid and use the longer screws included with the rack ears to mount in a rack (remove the feet first). Audio sources connect to the four RCA source inputs on the back panel.

V. IR Outputs

Four IR emitters relay commands from keypad IR receivers to source equipment. Two output frequency sections exist: 38kHz (most audio sources) and 56kHz (cable/satellite boxes). Match the output number to the corresponding source input number.

VI. Keypad and Zone Setup

Each keypad requires a zone setting via an 8-position rotary switch on the back (use a small slot-head screwdriver). Positions 1-4 assign zones 1-4; positions 5, 6, 7, 0 allow a second keypad in zones 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively. Additional keypads beyond the four Allport RJ45 jacks require a Cat-5 splitter.

Keypad Feature Shortcuts

• EQ Bass: Press Mute + Source 1 simultaneously, then adjust with Volume Up/Down.
• EQ Treble: Press Mute + Source 2, then adjust with Volume Up/Down.
• Source Grouping: Press Mute + Source 3. Volume Up enables group (shared source, independent volume/on-off); Volume Down disables.
• Master Mode / All On: Press Mute + Source 4 on any keypad to make it the master for the whole system (up to 8 zones) — controls on/off, volume, and source for all other zones. Repeat the sequence to turn off Master Mode. Any other zone can override by changing its own source/volume/power.
• All Off: Press and hold the Power button on any keypad until it goes completely dark.
• Volume Reset: Volume resets to a low level only after all zones have been off; otherwise a zone returns to its previous volume level.

Zone 4 Fixed & Variable Lineouts

Zone 4 includes two pre-amp lineout types for driving an additional amplifier (e.g. NuVo's P2100 200W stereo amp, though any amplifier works) — useful for an outdoor zone or large living area needing more than one speaker pair.

• Variable lineout: Simplese keypad controls the external amplifier's volume.
• Fixed lineout: External amplifier has its own separate volume control, independent of the NuVo keypad — useful for a linked outdoor zone.

All three output types (zone 4 amplified output, variable lineout, fixed lineout) can be used simultaneously.

Linking Two Systems for Eight Zones

Two Simplese systems can be linked via the back-panel 3.5mm LINK jack using a mono mini-patch cable, plus "Y" cables to link source inputs and IR outputs. This links the All Off command so triggering it from any keypad turns off all eight zones.

Mute Input / NV-MI1 Interface

The MUTE input (3.5mm mono) connects to the optional NV-MI1 Mute Interface, which temporarily mutes the system when a connected phone line or doorbell rings.

• Doorbell inputs accept AC or DC voltage from up to two doorbell chimes (Doorbell A / Doorbell B) via 2-conductor wire; polarity does not matter.
• Phone line input uses RJ-11 (Line 1: pins 3,4; Line 2: pins 2,5) — up to two phone lines can trigger a mute from ringer voltage.

Specifications

Manufacturer

NuVo Technologies, 4940 Delhi Pike, Cincinnati, Ohio 45238, USA · Ph: 513-347-2180 · www.nuvotechnologies.com