VAIL Amp Owner’s Manual
Contents
• VAIL Amp
• Wall Plate
• 24v Power Supply
• 6 ft CATS Cable
• 6 ft 16/2 Power Cable
• Paintable Snap-On Trim Cover
Safety Instructions
1. Read Instructions – All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the appliance is operated.
2. Retain Instructions – The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings – All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions – All operating and other instructions should be followed.
5. Water and Moisture – The appliance should not be used near water – for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, etc.
6. Carts and Stands – The appliance should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer,
7. Wall or Ceiling Mounting – The appliance should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.
8. Ventilation – The appliance should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For example, the appliance should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings; or placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings.
APPLICABLE FOR USA, CANADA OR WHERE APPROVED FOR USAGE
CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, AND INSERT FULLY.
ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES, INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU AU FOND.
9. Heat – The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, stoves, or other appliances that produce heat.
10. Power Source – The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance.
11. Power-Cord Protection – Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliance.
12. Cleaning – The appliance should be cleaned only as
13. Nonuse Periods – The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time.
14. Object and Liquid Entry – Care should be taken so that objects do not fall into and liquids not spilled into the inside of the appliance. PORTABLE CART WARNING
15. Damage Requiring Service – The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
a. The power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or
b. Objects have fallen onto, or liquid has been spilled into the appliance; or
c. The appliance has been exposed to rain; or
d. The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or
e. The appliance has been dropped, or the cabinet damaged.
16. Servicing – The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond those means described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
17. Grounding or Polarization – The precautions that should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeated.
NOTE: Prior to installation please check to make sure your intended wiring method complies with local regulations.
Introduction
The Vanguard Dynamics VAIL Amp is a compact high-performance digital stereo amplifier specifically designed to work with the Amazon Echo Dot (Gen 2) for a custom-installed single-zone audio solution. Add VAIL Amps and Echo Dots around a home or office for a full multi-room audio, smart paging, and intercom system, while taking advantage of voice control of all Alexa-compatible IOT devices like smart bulbs, light switches, thermostats, and more. With a second audio source, watch the game and stream music from Echo Dot at the same time, as VAIL Amp can play both sources simultaneously without any need to switch between sources. Connect the VAIL Amp to any mobile device via Echo Dot’s Bluetooth.
Key Features
- High-Performance Digital Amplifier 2 x 30Watts
- 4ohm/8ohm Switchable
- Provides Power to Amazon Echo Dot
- 3.5mm Aux Audio Jack for Amazon Echo Dot
- LINE In for Any Additional Audio Source
- Subwoofer Output
- Wall Plate Fits on Any Standard 1-Gang Box
- Extendable Connections From VAIL Amp to Wall Plate up to 100ft.
- CAT5 Cable – For Audio Input and Subwoofer Output
- 16/2 Speaker Wire – For Power
- 24v Power Supply
- Paintable Snap-On Square Trim Cover
- **Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) Sold Separately
Placement
The VAIL Amp can be mounted anywhere around a room, in the wall, in the ceiling, on cabinets, or on desks. We recommend placing the VAIL Amp in the proximity of where voice commands will most often be spoken from. For example, in a dining room, a great location can be close to the dining table. Avoid placement on the opposite side of the room. We also recommend placement height to be the same as your light switches to easily access the Echo Dot as an in-wall keypad.
OFF/4-OHM/8-OHM SWITCH
• OFF – OFF switch for the VAIL Amp is located on the front when installed onto a surface and hidden away once Echo Dot is mounted.
• 4-OHM – Connect any pair of 4 Ohm in-ceiling, in-wall, or bookshelf speakers OR any two pairs of 8 Ohm in-ceiling, in-wall, or bookshelf speakers. Power LED will turn ON.
• 8-OHM – Connect any pair of 8 Ohm in-ceiling, in-wall, or bookshelf speakers. Power LED will turn ON.
Note: Overloading the amplifier with the incorrect impedance or too many speakers may cause damage to the VAIL Amp
Wall Plate
The VAIL Amp wall plate was designed to match seamlessly to your electrical outlets. Recommended placement of the Wall Plate is next to an electrical outlet for easy access for the power plug. The wall plate has an analog audio input, subwoofer output, and power plug. The analog audio input provides a second audio source to the VAIL Amp for your custom speakers. The subwoofer output provides a convenient location to connect any powered subwoofer to add more bass.
Note: Second audio source must have a variable audio output. The VAIL Amp was not intended for audio sources with fixed audio outputs.
Wiring
The VAIL Amp was designed with flexibility in mind. The VAIL Amp uses a CAT-5 cable and a 16-2 AWG power cable to connect the VAIL Amp to the Wall Plate. Extend these common wire standards to mount the VAIL Amp and Wall Plate in opposite sides of the room if desired, up to 300ft, or a remote location like an equipment rack.
VAIL Amp Installation
1. Prior to actual installation of the VAIL Amp, it is necessary to run speaker cable to the amplifier location.
2. Use the provided cut-out template to align and cut opening. If you are not sure of potential obstruction behind the mounting area, start by cutting a small penciled mounting hole. Cutting a small hole at an angle first will make drywall repair much easier if necessary.
3. Once confirmed that there is no obstruction behind the mounting area, finish cutting the hole at a 90-degree angle.
4. Connect the speaker cables to the speaker output phoenix connector while ensuring polarity with the speakers, + to + and – to – and tighten with a small flat head screwdriver. Then plug into the back of the VAIL Amp.
5. Connect the CAT-5 cable and 16 AWG power cable to the back of VAIL Amp and feed through the wall opening to Wall Plate location.
6. Insert VAIL Amp into wall opening with micro USB and 3.5mm plugs for Echo Dot on the top of the amplifier and tighten the two mounting screws on the front of the amplifier.
Note: Do not overtighten mounting screws. This may damage the amplifier, wall surface, or both.
Wire Diagram
Wall Plate Installation
1. Choose a location for the wall plate, preferably near an electrical outlet.
2. Use the provided cut-out template to align and cut opening. If you are not sure of potential obstruction behind the mounting area, start by cutting a small penciled mounting hole. Cutting a small hole at an angle first will make drywall repair much easier if necessary.
3. Once confirmed that there is no obstruction behind the mounting area, finish cutting the hole at a 90-degree angle.
4. Feed CAT-5 cable and 16 AWG power cable through hole and connect to the back of the wall plate.
5. Use provided color-matched screws to secure wall plate to surface or low voltage single gang box or bracket.
Note: Color-matched screws are intended for any in-wall low-voltage single gang box or bracket.
6. Connect any local audio source with variable audio outputs with an analog RCA cable.
7. Connect any powered subwoofer using a subwoofer cable.
8. Connect provided 24v power supply to electrical outlet.
Amazon Echo Dot (Gen 2) Mounting
1. Connect the Micro USB Power Plug to the back of the Amazon Echo Dot.
2. Connect the 3.5mm audio plug to the audio output on the back of the Amazon Echo Dot.
Note: Do not forcibly pull on the micro USB or 3.5mm cables as this will damage the VAIL Amp.
3. Turn ON VAIL Amp to either 4-Ohm or 8-Ohm setting depending on impedance requirements.
4. Insert Echo Dot at a slight angle with connectors on top in first, then gently push on the bottom to fully mount Echo Dot.
5. Make sure Echo Dot buttons are level to the wall or surface.
6. You may need to adjust the two VAIL Amp mounting screws to ensure that the VAIL Amp is also level.
7. Clip on the trim plate with the four clip points located on the top, bottom, left, and right side of the VAIL Amp.
Note: Do not over-press the clip points. This may damage the amplifier, wall surface, or both.
Optional
VAIL Plug Power Supply (PPS) – When replacing in-wall volume controllers with the VAIL Amp, we recommend the PPS to convert speaker cable from the amplifier into injected power cables.