GX Expander Getting Started Guide
GX4816
Before starting please check www.allen-heath.com for the latest mixer
firmware and product documentation.
AP11651
GX4816 Getting Started Guide 2 AP11651 Issue 1
This product complies with the European Electromagnetic Compatibility
directive 2014/30/EU and the European Low Voltage directive 2014/35/EU.
Any changes or modifications to the product not approved by Allen & Heath
could void the compliance of the product and therefore the user’s authority to
operate it.
GX4816 Getting Started Guide
Copyright © 2018 Allen & Heath. All rights reserved.
Allen & Heath Limited, Kernick Industrial Estate, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9LU, UK
http://www.allen-heath.com
Limited One Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
Allen & Heath warrants the Allen &Heath -branded hardware product and accessories contained in the
original packaging ("Allen & Heath Product”) against defects in materials and workmanship when used
in accordance with Allen & Heath's user manuals, technical specifications and other Allen & Heath
product published guidelines for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the date of original purchase by the
end-user purchaser ("Warranty Period").
This warranty does not apply to any non-Allen & Heath branded hardware products or any software,
even if packaged or sold with Allen & Heath hardware.
Please refer to the licensing agreement accompanying the software for details of your rights with respect
to the use of software/firmware (“EULA”).
Details of the EULA, warranty policy and other useful information can be found on the Allen & Heath
website: www.allen-heath.com/legal.
Repair or replacement under the terms of the warranty does not provide right to extension or renewal of
the warranty period. Repair or direct replacement of the product under the terms of this warranty may be
fulfilled with functionally equivalent service exchange units.
This warranty is not transferable. This warranty will be the purchaser’s sole and exclusive remedy and
neither Allen & Heath nor its approved service centres shall be liable for any incidental or consequential
damages or breach of any express or implied warranty of this product.
Conditions Of Warranty
The equipment has not been subject to misuse either intended or accidental, neglect, or alteration other
than as described in the User Guide or Service Manual, or approved by Allen & Heath. The warranty
does not cover fader wear and tear.
Any necessary adjustment, alteration or repair has been carried out by an authorised Allen & Heath
distributor or agent.
The defective unit is to be returned carriage prepaid to the place of purchase, an authorised Allen &
Heath distributor or agent with proof of purchase. Please discuss this with the distributor or the agent
before shipping. Units returned should be packed in the original carton to avoid transit damage.
DISCLAIMER: Allen & Heath shall not be liable for the loss of any saved/stored data in products that are
either repaired or replaced.
Check with your Allen & Heath distributor or agent for any additional warranty information which may
apply. If further assistance is required please contact Allen & Heath Ltd.
ALLEN&HEATH
GX4816 Getting Started Guide 3 AP11651 Issue 1
IMPORTANT - Read before starting
Safety instructions
Before starting, read the Important Safety Instructions printed on the sheet supplied with the equipment.
For your own safety and that of the operator, technical crew and performers, follow all instructions and heed
all warnings printed on the sheet and on the equipment panels.
System operating firmware
The function of the GX Expander is determined by the firmware (operating software) that the mixing system
runs. Firmware is updated regularly as new features are added and improvements made.
Check www.allen-heath.com for the latest version of mixer firmware.
Software licence agreement
By using this Allen & Heath product and the software within it you agree to be bound by the terms of the
relevant End User Licence Agreement (EULA), a copy of which can be found at www.allen-
heath.com/legal. You agree to be bound by the terms of the EULA by installing, copying, or using the
software.
California Proposition 65 warning
This product may contain a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer, or other birth defects
or other reproductive harm. For more information see www.allen-heath.com/legal.
Further information
Please refer to the Allen & Heath website for further information, knowledgebase and technical support.
For more information on mixer setup and mixing functions please refer to the mixer Firmware Reference
Guide available for download at www.allen-heath.com.
Check for the latest version of this Getting Started Guide.
General precautions
• Protect the equipment from damage through liquid or dust contamination. Cover the expander
when it is not being used for a long period.
• If the equipment has been stored in sub-zero temperatures allow time for it to reach normal
operating temperature before use at the venue. Recommended operating temperature is 0 to 40
degrees Celsius.
• Avoid using the equipment in extreme heat and direct sunlight. Make sure the ventilation slots are
not obstructed and that there is adequate air movement around the equipment.
• Clean the equipment with a soft brush and dry lint-free cloth. Do not use chemicals, abrasives or
solvents.
• It is recommended that servicing is carried out only by an authorised Allen & Heath agent. Contact
details for your local distributor can be found on the Allen & Heath website. Allen & Heath do not
accept liability for damage caused by maintenance, repair or modification by unauthorised
personnel.
Register your product
Register your product online at www.allen-heath.com/register.
GX4816 Getting Started Guide 4 AP11651 Issue 1
Packed items
Check you have received the following:
• GX4816 expander
• Getting Started Guide AP11651
• Safety Sheet
• IEC mains lead
Introduction
The GX4816 is an I/O Expander for Allen & Heath digital mixing systems. It provides 48 remote controlled
mic/line preamps and 16 XLR line outputs, as well as 2 DX ports for further system expansion or connection
to the ME personal mixing system. The GX4816 connects to the mixer over a single Cat5e cable.
Contents
IMPORTANT - Read before starting ............................................................................................................ 3
Packed items ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Contents ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
1. Installing the Expander .................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Free standing .......................................................................................................................... 5
1.2 Rack mounting and flight casing............................................................................................. 5
1.3 Rack ears ................................................................................................................................ 5
2. Front Panel ...................................................................................................................................... 6
3. Rear Panel ....................................................................................................................................... 7
4. Connect and power up .................................................................................................................... 8
4.1 Mixer connection ..................................................................................................................... 8
4.2 DX Expander connection ........................................................................................................ 8
4.3 ME connection ........................................................................................................................ 8
5. Dimensions ...................................................................................................................................... 9
6. Technical specs ............................................................................................................................. 10
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1. Installing the Expander
1.1 Free standing
The Expander can be operated as a freestanding unit for shelf or floor use.
Ensure adequate air flow around the unit. It must not be covered in any way. Always
stand the unit on a firm flat surface away from any soft furnishings or carpet.
1.2 Rack mounting and flight casing
The GX4816 is designed as a 19 inch rack mount unit and occupies 5U of rack space. The plastic feet may
need to be removed before rack mounting; retain them for future use.
For rental, touring and other portable use, we recommend that you use a professional grade flight case.
Ensure natural convection of airflow around the unit by allowing good ventilation
below, in front of and behind the unit. Rack equipment known to produce a
significant amount of heat should not be mounted directly below the unit. Forced
convection by means of a rack mounted fan-tray may be desirable in situations
where space is restricted and the ambient air temperature is high.
1.3 Rack ears
The rack ears can be detached for shelf or floor operation. They are secured to the sides of the Expander
with 3 screws each as indicated below. Use a Pozidriv screwdriver to remove the rack ears. Fix in place
using the M6*12 countersink pozi screws provided, with a torque setting of 6N-m.
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2. Front Panel
Input sockets – Balanced XLR mic/line inputs with +48V Phantom Power
indicator. The preamps are built into the GX4816 and their Gain, Pad and +48V are
controlled from the mixer via the Cat5 link.
The +48V indicator detects voltage at the socket whether supplied by the GX4816 or
received from an external source.
Output sockets – Balanced XLR outputs operating at nominal +4dBu level.
Mains power – IEC connector and power switch for the built-in universal
voltage PSU. This accepts voltages from 100 to 240V AC. Secure the cable to the
plastic P-clip using a T20 screwdriver.
Heed the safety warnings printed on the panel.
Status indicators – The Ready indicator lights up when the output sockets
are ready to pass audio after power up. Power indicates the correct functioning of the
PSU.
GX port – EtherCon port for connection to the mixing system over Gigabit
Ethernet. A single Cat5e (or higher) cable carries multichannel audio at 96kHz and
control.
DX ports – EtherCon ports for connection of DX Expanders over Fast
Ethernet. Each cable carries 32x32 channels of 96kHz audio and control. Connect a
single DX32, or up to 2x DX168 / DX164-W per port.
DX1 and DX2 on this device cannot be used for redundancy
purposes.
When connected to a ME-U, ME-1 or ME-500, the DX2 port is
self-configured as a 40ch, 48kHz output only port for the ME
personal mixing system. Channel names and stereo links are
communicated to connected ME systems, and the ME output
patch temporarily replaces the output patch to the DX2 port.
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2 3 4
5
6
3 1 5 2 6
4
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3. Rear Panel
Vents – Ensure good ventilation and avoid obstruction of vents while
operating. Avoid dirt or liquid ingress.
Fan – Ultra-quiet fan. Make sure the ventilation opening is not obstructed.
Kensington Lock - A slot for fitting standard Kensington anti-theft security
devices.
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3
3
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2
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4. Connect and power up
4.1 Mixer connection
Plug a touring grade CAT5e (or higher specification) cable up to 100m long between the GX Expander and
the mixer.
Refer to www.allen-heath.com for cable requirements, recommendations, and a list
of CAT5 cables available to order.
GX4816 requires SQ firmware V1.3 or higher. Check www.allen-heath.com for
compatibility with other products.
Switch on the mixer first, then the GX Expander. The GX port Lnk/Err indicators flash at a steady rate
when the link is established. The red error indicator lights if a communication error is detected.
If the firmware in a connected GX Expander is not the same version as that in the
mixer, then the mixer will automatically update the GX firmware during power up.
This can take up to 20 seconds. During this time the Lnk/Err indicators on the GX
Expander flash at a fast rate. Once updated normal flash rate is restored.
4.2 DX Expander connection
Connect a single DX32, or up to 2x DX168 / DX164-W per DX port.
DX Expander inputs will appear as inputs 65-96 (DX1) and 97-128 (DX2) on the GX link / SLink.
DX Expander outputs will appear as outputs 65-96 (DX1) and 97-128 (DX2) on the GX link / SLink.
DX1 and DX2 on the GX4816 cannot be used for redundancy purposes.
4.3 ME connection
Connect a ME-U, ME-1 or ME-500 to the DX2 port on the GX4816. Channel names and stereo links are
communicated to connected ME systems, and the ME output patch temporarily replaces the output patch
to the DX2 port.
Mixer (SLink port)
GX
DX 1
DX A
DX 2
DX A
DX B
DX A
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5. Dimensions
390.00mm/15.3"
183.80mm/7.2"
229.50mm/9.0"
441.00mm/17.4"
100.1mm/4"
481.60mm/18.9"
221.50mm/8.7"
255.0mm/10"
115.60mm/4.6"
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6. Technical specs
Inputs
Outputs
Mic/Line XLR Inputs
Balanced XLR, +48V phantom power
Analogue XLR Outputs
Balanced, Relay protected
Mic/Line Preamp
Fully recallable
Output Impedance
<75Ω
Input Sensitivity
-60 to +15dBu
Nominal Output
+4dBu = 0dB meter reading
Analogue Gain
+5 to +60dB, 1dB steps
Maximum Output Level
+21dBu
Pad
-20dB Active PAD
Residual Output Noise
-95dBu (muted, 22Hz-22kHz)
Maximum Input Level
+30dBu (PAD in)
Input Impedance
>4kΩ (Pad out), >10kΩ (Pad in)
Mic EIN
-127dB with 150Ω source
Phantom Power
indication
Per socket, internal or external
phantom power sensing, triggered at
24V
Power
Temperature
Mains Voltage Operating
Range
100-240V AC, 50/60Hz
Operating Temperature
Range
0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)
Mains Power
Consumption
80W max
Dimensions and
Weights
Width x Depth x Height x Weight
GX4816
481.6 x 255 x 229.5 mm x 8kg
(18.9” x 10” x 9” x 17.6lbs)
GX4816 (boxed)
560 x 385 x 310 mm x 10kg
(22” x 13.3” x 12.2” x 22lbs)
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