AudioControl Maestro M8 User Experience Manual
Home Theater
s y s t e m
™Maestro M8™
Home Theater Preamplifier
Surround Sound Processor
User Experience Manual
AudioControl
Making Good Sound Great
22410 70th Avenue West • Seattle, WA 98043 USA
Phone 425-775-8461 • Fax 425-778-3166
www.audiocontrol.com
©2014. All Rights Reserved
®
®®
®
Home Theater
s y s t e m
™Maestro M8™
Home Theater Preamplifier
Surround Sound Processor
User Experience Manual
AudioControl
Making Good Sound Great
22410 70th Avenue West • Seattle, WA 98043 USA
Phone 425-775-8461 • Fax 425-778-3166
www.audiocontrol.com
©2014. All Rights Reserved
®
®®
®
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Maestro M8™
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table of Contents
IntroduCtIon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Key features and HIgHlIgHts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
a guIded tour of tHe Maestro M8
Front Panel Features .................................11
Rear Panel Features .................................12
Remote Control ....................................14
Set-Up & Configuration ..............................18
Unit Placement .....................................18
Speaker Considerations and Placement ..................18
Power Wiring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Audio Connections ..................................19
Video Connections ..................................20
navIgatIng tHe set-up Menus
Initial Display Configurations ..........................23
Input Configuration .................................24
General Setup ......................................27
Auto Setup ........................................29
Speaker Types ......................................30
Speaker Distance ...................................31
Speaker Levels .....................................31
Video Inputs .......................................31
Video Outputs ......................................32
Surround Modes ....................................33
Zone Settings ......................................34
Network ..........................................35
playIng audIo fIles vIa networK audIo & usb sourCes . . . . . . . . .36
autoMatIon IntegratIon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
troublesHootIng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
speCIfICatIons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Maestro M8™
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Greetings from the rainforest
On behalf of everyone at AudioControl we want to congratulate you on
your selection of the Maestro M8 Home Theater Preamplifier Surround
Sound Processor. Whether this is your first venture into home theater or
you are a long time seasoned audio veteran, you will truly enjoy the performance of our amazing sounding processor.
While there are many components involved in creating a truly awesome
home theater from room design, speaker placement, and ultimately system
calibration, selecting the proper products is always very critical. For that
reason AudioControl created the Maestro M8 to provide maximum enjoyment and flexibility which all contribute to a truly awesome home theater
experience.
AudioControl’s passion for high quality, meticulous attention to detail and
professional sound heritage shows itself in the dozens of awards we have
won for our designs, products and service. This manual is designed to help
you get the most from your Maestro M8 home theater processor. Even
though you’re dying to plug it in and start pushing buttons, please read
through this user guide and learn about the Maestro M8.
that does as much as the Maestro M8, deserves all the explanation it can
get. Given the complicated nature of the Maestro M8, we also recommend
you visit our website for updates to this manual. Continued technology
changes/improvements will require more information. (www.audiocontrol.
com - click “Home Theater”)
IntroduCtIon
Any component
Enjoy the experience.
Your Friends At AudioControl
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Maestro M8™
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Key features and HIgHlIgHts
Key Features Of the Maestro M8
While the AudioControl Maestro M8 is equipped with a large number of
features and functions that were designed to maximize your theater experience, we want to draw your attention to a few that deserve extra attention.
These will be the features you will want to mention to your friends, family
and co-workers to impress them when they ask you about the home theater
components you have auditioned.
UltraHD 4k Scaling and Pass Thru
Your Maestro M8 has been equipped to deliver stunning UHD resolution –
3840x2160 – 4 times the pixel density of a 1080p signal from any source.
Just set the resolution to 4k in the Video Settings menu connect to a 4k
UltraHD display, and then sit back and enjoy!
Video Bypass
Out of the box, the Maestro M8 is configured with the video bypass on.
This enables high definition and 3D HDMI video signals to pass through
directly to the display device, leaving the Maestro M8 to make good sound
great. With Video Bypass on, analog video inputs, such as component or
composite, will still be passed through the scaler for upconversion and
output via HDMI. Please keep in mind that when the Maestro M8 is in
Video Bypass mode, on screen volume overlays, audio mode changes, base/
treble adjustments etc…will not be displayed. Pressing “Menu” however
will engage the video scaler and yield a menu screen to your display so that
you can make adjustments if necessary.
HDMI Inputs and Outputs
The Maestro M8 is equipped with numerous, individual audio and video
inputs and outputs, including a large number of HDMI (High-Definition
Multimedia Interface) inputs and outputs. The new generation HDMI
inputs will allow the Maestro M8 to interface with Blu-Ray players, satellite and cable decoding boxes plus traditional DVD players that also have
HDMI connectors. HDMI is an uncompressed all digital interface standard
used on many home theater products. This format can be used for sending
audio, video, and control signals over short
distances.
AudioControl
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Maestro M8™
The dual HDMI outputs are assignable to allow for priority switching via the display device. Component and composite signals can
also be automatically upconverted, scaled
to their maximum potential resolutions and
output through the HDMI ports.
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Key features and HIgHlIgHts
2 Channel Balanced Audio Inputs
Pristine audio fidelity is had in all modes of the Maestro M8. This is heightened by the unique balanced two channel inputs found on the back panel
for the BD and AV inputs. The inputs are paralleled inputs with the RCA’s
so no discrete input selection is required other than analog. So if you are
using a 2 channel source, such as the Oppo BDP-105, you have a perfectly
paired source and processor to harness a pure listening mode.
Dolby™ Volume
A constant annoyance for home theater users has been the significant
differences in volume levels as you switch between channels or sources on
your televisions and in your home entertainment systems. Variances in volume levels in DVD and Blu-ray Disc™, digital music files, compact discs,
and broadcast entertainment programming each compound the problem,
forcing you to reach for the remote controls to adjust. Dolby Volume lets
you select a preferred listening level and enjoy all of your entertainment
sources at the same volume level. For complete information on Dolby Volume,
go to
www.dolby.com/us/en/consumer/technology/hometheater/dolby-volume.html
Multiple Surround Sound Formats
The Maestro M8 supports the latest surround codecs of Dolby True HD
and DTS-HD Master along with traditional formats of Dolby Digital 5.0
and DTS High Resolution. A powerful 32 bit DSP processor enables the
Maestro M8 to decode all current discrete surround digital formats available for 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1. In addition your Maestro M8 has the capabilities
to process two channel signals using Dolby Pro Logic II, Pro Logic IIx and
DTS Neo to provide multi-channel output.
Audio Return Channel (ARC)
Connect either of the 2 HDMI outputs to an HDMI 1.4 display device
ARC (Audio Return Channel) enabled input to receive the audio signals
from the sources connected directly to the display. The ARC source selection on your Maestro M8 is labeled Display.
Multi-Zone Operations For 2nd Zone
Since we know your audio and experiences may extend beyond one room,
the Maestro M8 is equipped with outputs for a secondary zone. This means
you could be enjoying your home theater in one room and another member
of the family could be listening to their favorite CD in another room. The
Second Zone is also equipped with a video output so you can expand your
video options even more.
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Maestro M8™
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Key features and HIgHlIgHts
Inputs For Networked Audio and USB Sources
The Maestro M8 is designed to operate with most of today’s traditional
source units, like CD and DVD players. Additionally it can receive audio signals over a computer network via an Ethernet input or from a USB
source. You will want to contact a professional audio integrator for more
information on properly using these functions.
Extensive Automation Integration
An automation system is what really pulls most high-end home theaters
together. It puts the full power of the system at your fingertips. While
the Maestro M8 will operate with a number of IR remote controls, it is
equipped with a dedicated RS-232 control (labeled “Control”) and an
extensive command library to control all aspects of the Maestro M8. Using this port requires a fair amount of programming and automation skills
which are typically best done by professional custom installations companies. Check out the AudioControl dealer locator on our web site for more
info: www.audiocontrol.com
Award-Winning Quality
The Maestro M8, like all AudioControl Perfection Theater components,
is backed with a comprehensive five-year parts and labor warranty. This
comes from a company that has been designing and manufacturing performance audio components in the USA since 1977.
We Want to Hear From You
Before you get too entrenched in the features of your Maestro M8, we
encourage you to take a moment and visit the AudioControl web site at
www.audiocontrolregistration.com and register your new Maestro M8. It
allows us to keep a record of your purchase of the Maestro M8. Needless to
say when you are in the pleasure business like we are, we love to hear from
our customers so feel free to include some comments. You will also want
to keep your own record of the serial number and put your sales receipt or
invoice in a safe place. This is very important in the unlikely event that
the Maestro M8 needs to be serviced or for proof of ownership if somebody
takes a fancy to your theater system in the middle of the night. Insurance
companies have no imagination when it comes to components like the
Maestro M8 being part of the theater system. This concludes the “gentle
reminder” section of this manual.
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Maestro M8™
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AudioControl
guIded tour of tHe Maestro M8
u v
wyx
z
Front Panel Features
u
MENU - Pressing this button will allow access to the Set-Up Menu functions of the
Maestro M8.
v INPUT (+ and – buttons) - These buttons
allow the user to select an audio and video source
for playback or scroll through the OSD (OnScreen Display) when using the menus.
w SELECT - Used in conjunction with the
Set-up Menu function, this button allows you to
enter selections you have made.
x INFO - User can select the information that
appears on the display of the Maestro M8 and
also is used in navigating the OSD (On-Screen
Display).
y MODE - User can select between Stereo
and surround modes that are available from the
source unit and also is used in navigating through
the OSD (On-Screen Display).
z DIRECT - When using two-channel analog
inputs, this button defeats all digital signal processing and directs the two-channel analog input
|
from the selected source to the front outputs. Use
this button when you want to do some serious
quality two-channel listening.
}
~{
{ DISPLAY - This cool blue display allows you
to see the basic functions of your Maestro M8. It
is important that you have an external display
device connected to one of the rear video connectors for complete viewing of all menus during
set-up.
| ZONE - Allows user to select between the
Main Zone and Zone 2.
} MUTE - Need to answer the phone, but still
keep an eye on the TV? Just press the Mute button to turn off the sound. Press it again and the
audio gracefully ramps back up to where you were
so rudely interrupted.
~ VOLUME CONTROL BUTTONS - Same
function as Volume Knob but in a push button
format.
MASTER VOLUME CONTROL KNOB -
This nice polished knob lets you adjust the volume
in selected zones (Main and Zone 2).
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Maestro M8™
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guIded tour of tHe Maestro M8
z ~{
Rear Panel Features
y
x
w
|}
v
u
u MAIN POWER SWITCH - The only time to
turn OFF the Maestro M8 with this switch is when
the system will not be used for some time. Normally
this switch is left on. When this switch is turned off,
you cannot turn the Maestro M8 On or Off via any
other method.
v VOLTAGE SELECTION - The Maestro M8 is
designed to operate with either 110-120V volt or 220240V line voltages. You will want to set this switch to
match up with your local power voltages.
w POWER CONNECTION - All good AC power
flows in here.
x ZONE 2 VIDEO OUTPUT - This second zone
output enables viewing a source independently of the
main theater system.
y DIGITAL AUDIO CONNECTIONS - The
Maestro M8 features assignable coaxial and optical digital audio inputs and outputs. While we have
labeled them with the names of typical source units,
these connections as assignable via the internal
menus.
z ANALOG AUDIO INPUTS - Connect the
appropriate analog two channel stereo outputs and
inputs from your source units here.
{ ANTENNA CONNECTIONS - These inputs
should be connected to the AM and FM antennas
that are supplied with your Maestro M8. For optimum reception you may want to consider a roof
mounted external antenna.
| CONTROL PORT - Use this connection to con-
trol the Maestro M8 with an automation system.
} NETWORKED AND USB AUDIO INPUTS -
Your Maestro M8 has the ability to accept audio files
via an Ethernet connection or from a USB mass storage device.
~ 12 VOLT TRIGGER OUTPUTS - These three
outputs provide a +12 volt signal to control the
power amplifiers, source units, video projector, screens
and curtains in the theater. The Main Trigger output
is active whenever the Maestro M8 is turned on; the
Video Trigger 2 is active whenever a video source is
selected.
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Maestro M8™
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guIded tour of tHe Maestro M8
IR (INFRARED) INPUTS -These jacks enable
use of external IR sensors and emitters for installations where it is not desirable (or practical) to use the
front panel IR.
MAIN AUDIO OUTPUTS - These RCA outputs feed audio signals to external power amplifier(s).
(Our customers tell us that our AudioControl Savoy
7-channel amplifier works great in these situations).
HDMI INPUTS & OUTPUTS - These inputs
allow the Maestro M8 to accept digital audio and
video signals from source units equipped with HDMI
(High Definition Multimedia Interface) outputs.
Make sure your HDMI cables are properly inserted
into these connectors and that there no sharp “pulls”
on the cable that may prevent your connectors from
making a complete connection.
COMPOSITE AND COMPONENT INPUTS -
These are for the video inputs and outputs from your
source units. If you are planning on using the second
zone video outputs, you should ALWAYS connect a
Composite video input from each source.
HEADPHONE CONNECTOR - This jack accepts an 1/8” input for using headphones with impedance ratings of 32 to 600 ohms.
AUX INPUT - This Aux input is used in conjunction with the auto-setup microphone. Additionally it can also accept either analog or optical digital
signals.
BALANCED AUDIO OUTPUTS - These
outputs allow you to send high quality audio signals to
amplifiers with balanced XLR type inputs. This type
of configuration supports maximum noise rejection
from the audio cables and its recommended for applications where you are sending audio signals over a
long distance.
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Maestro M8™
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Control of your Maestro M8
Control app for the Maestro M8
The Maestro M8 ships with the HTR-1 remote however you have another
convenient option for set up! Download a remote for your iPad! Just search
iTunes for the “AudioControl Remote” and download it to
your iPad.
To set up your Maestro M8 with the app, connect your
AudioControl receiver to your home network using an Ethernet cable. Make sure you have a display (TV or projector)
connected. Press the menu button and go to the General
Settings window (one down from the Input Configuration).
Navigate to the bottom of this settings page and under “Control” select “IP”. Now open the AudioControl Remote app and
select your receiver from the menu.
Important note: your iPad and your Maestro M8 receiver must
be on the same network. There is a video tutorial at the app
page in iTunes – likewise on our website if you need more info
about how the app works.
And another important note – the app is designed for the iPad
only.
HTR-1 Remote Control
The AudioControl HTR-1 Home Theater Remote is an eight device
“universal” IR remote controller with back-lit buttons. You can set up the
remote for full control of your AudioControl receiver plus various AV
sources and displays via the extensive library of device codes found on our
web site. The HTR-1 is also a “learning remote” which means that you can
capture the codes of your existing remotes if you find that the library does
not contain the codes for your device.
Being that the HTR-1 can control your Maestro M8 as well as many other
AV sources and displays, many of the buttons have more than one function depending on which device/source or mode you are using the remote
in. We will ease into the complexities of the remote’s multi-function modes
after a quick description of the basic features below.
Please note: Device code library, instructions on programming the remote
and more control and automation documents are available on our website
at: http://www.audiocontrol.com/t35/c5568/1033/Support.html
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Maestro M8™
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Multifunction Remote
LED Indicator
Control of your Maestro M8
Remote Features:
Multifunction Remote - It can control up to 8 devices! Automatically configures to the mode of control of the source selected per the
source buttons.
LED indicator - This red LED will blink when a key is pressed. It will
also blink multiple times when a device code is input for programming
or signal the beginning and end of a programmed sequence.
Back-lit Keys - The keys are back-lit to make it easy for you control
your AV devices in a dimly lit room.
Low Voltage Indicator - The red LED will flash 5 times after a normal key
press to tell you that new batteries are needed.
Other useful items:
Time Out - After entering into the programming state of the remote,
30 seconds after the last button is pressed, the remote returns to normal operation.
Stuck Key Timeout - If the remote has slipped into the cushions of your
couch and a button is pushed in for more than 30 seconds, the remote will
stop sending IR information to conserve the battery. It will resume normal
operation after the button has been released.
General Functions:
The Device or Source keys allow you to switch between your various inputs
on the Maestro M8. After pressing the device key, the remote actually
changes it’s configuration - it now is the source’s remote control. So if you
have programmed the STB with the learned codes from an Apple TV remote – after pressing the AV button, the remote buttons will automatically
configure to the Apple remote key-map as programmed. Volume control
remains locked to the Maestro M8 “AMP” mode however. This is so that
anytime you press these keys, you are controlling the Volume or Mute state
of the Maestro M8 regardless of the device you are controller (BluRay or
your Cable box for instance).
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Maestro M8™
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