This guide serves to assist both new and experienced users in locating quick answers and further reference materials pertaining to the configuration, operation, and troubleshooting of your ION Audio Product.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- User Manuals, Warranty, and Product Registration
- ION Audio Portable Speakers
- ION Audio Total PA Series
- Bluetooth and Wireless Stereo-Link®
- EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter
User Manuals, Warranty, and Product Registration
This section contains quick answers and links to the most common questions regarding registration, warranty, and manuals.
User Manuals
What does my user manual include?
Your user manual is an invaluable resource in learning the ins and outs of your ION Audio Product. More often than not, the answer to your questions can be quickly answered by the contents within. Though there are variabilities from product to product, all ION Audio user manuals will contain the following useful information:
- Box Contents: This is a list of all items and accessories contained within your products packaging. If you feel you may be missing an item or accessory, reference against this list to check.
- Setup Instructions: Reference this section for quick instructions and diagrams pertaining to the initial setup and configuration of your product.
- Features: If you need to check what a particular button, knob, input, or other component of your product controls, reference this section.
- Operation Instructions: This section is your one-stop-shop for learning all of the methods by which you can control and use your product. Whether it be Bluetooth connection, Microphone configuration, App control, or any other primary function, its instructions will be found in this section.
- Troubleshooting: Having trouble with your product? This section will likely contain the answer.
- Technical Specifications: All pertinent technical statistics and specifications, including output wattage and power/battery information, can be found here.
I've lost my user manual! Where can I download a copy?
For most ION Audio products, your user manual and other helpful materials are available for download on the product's page at IONAudio.com. Simply search for your product in the product list or search "ION Audio *Your Product Here*" in your preferred search engine.
Product Registration
I need help registering my product!
Fear not! If you are having trouble registering your ION Audio Product, please reference our complete registration guide linked here: How do I register my product?
What if my product fails to register?
Registration to your inMusic Profile is only necessary for products that include bundled software downloads. If your product does not include these downloads, you may receive a message when attempting to register reading "The given serial number does not match any product." If you receive this message, check your user manual to see if any software downloads are bundled with your product. If none are listed, registration is not necessary and does not have any bearing over your warranty eligibility.
Warranty Information
Where can I find my warranty documentation?
If you'd like to access a digital copy of your product's Manufacturer's Warranty Policy, please use this link: ION Audio Safety & Warranty Manual
This document details the length of the warranty term, what is covered, and important safety information regarding the use of your product. Please reference this document if you believe you may need to make a warranty claim or have questions about your coverage.
ION Audio Portable Speakers
If your ION Audio product is a battery-powered, portable speaker, this section contains quick answers and links for the basic questions regarding the care and operation of your unit.
What type of battery does my speaker use?
To determine the exact specifications of your battery, please refer to the Technical Specifications listed in your user manual. For ION speakers that feature removable sealed lead-acid batteries, you can find a direct link for replacements via the support article linked below:
What Battery Should I Order for My Portable Speaker?
If your product charges via USB cable, it is indicative that the battery is built-in and not replaceable. Most batteries of this type are lithium-ion batteries, which are the same type used in most mobile phones and tablets.
I'm having issues with battery power. What can I do?
If your product features a sealed lead-acid battery and is failing to power on or exhibiting suboptimal charging behavior while disconnected from wall power, it may be indicative that the battery has experienced attrition in capacity and needs to be replaced.
For devices of this nature, there are important care guidelines to consider in aid of maximizing your battery's operational lifetime. Sealed lead-acid batteries are the same type used in automobiles, so the best practices for ongoing care are very similar. For detailed instructions, please reference the support article linked below. This article also contains instructions to guide you in replacing your battery, should the need arise:
How to Replace the Battery in an ION Portable Speaker
If your product features a non-removable lithium battery, please double check that the charging supply you're using meets the minimum output specifications outlined in your device's technical specifications. For most devices, this requirement will be 5V, 2A. However, it is best to check your user manual to confirm as such. If issues continue, try swapping cables or charging bricks to check if the behavior changes, then contact support if issues persist.
If your speaker is failing to power on while plugged into AC power, it is indicative that a hardware issue may be at play. If this is the case for your speaker, please contact support for assistance.
ION Audio Total PA Series
This section contains useful information and resources in aid of the configuration, maintenance, and performance pertaining to your Total PA series speaker.
Setup and Configuration for Playback and Performance
As is the case of all ION Audio products, the most thorough resource for guidance in configuring your Total PA is your user manual, which contains full connection diagrams, features lists, and operational tips. However, one element that's easy to miss during initial setup is the existence of multiple volume parameters, which are not present on simpler products and portable Bluetooth speakers. In particular, you'll find the following parameters on your Total PA:
- MAIN volume: This is the master volume of the speaker and affects all underlying parameters.
- SOURCE volume: This parameter affects the input volume of input devices connected via Bluetooth or AUX. This parameter must be turned up along with the MAIN volume in order for Bluetooth/AUX playback to be properly projected.
- MIC 1 volume: This is the input volume for MIC channel 1.
- MIC 2 volume: This is the input volume for MIC channel 2.
For optimal performance, these volume parameters must be brought into proper balance. This process is called Gain Staging. Please reference the following procedures for optimal gain staging with your Total PA speaker.
- Power on your speaker and reduce all volume parameters to zero.
- Connect your input device (phone/tablet/computer, etc) via Bluetooth or AUX. Set the device's volume to 70-80%, then set the SOURCE volume to ~50%
- If you are using microphones, connect a microphone to either input and raise the corresponding MIC volume to ~50%
- Begin audio playback from your input device and slowly raise the MAIN volume until you've reached your desired overall volume level. If needed, you can increase the SOURCE and MIC volumes to add extra volume, but be mindful that too much input gain will overdrive the speaker and reduce sound quality or damage the internal drivers.
- Adjust the MIC and SOURCE volumes until they reach a good balance for your performance.
Linking Two Speakers via XLR
All Total PA models feature a MIX OUT port that allows you to link your speaker to another Total PA speaker via an XLR cable. This configuration provides the most optimal sound quality and performance, and is the only configuration that allows microphone input to be passed to both speakers. For step-by-step instructions on doing so, please reference the guide linked below:
ION Audio | Linking Your Speakers Wired Connection Guide : ION Audio
For guidance on linking your speakers wirelessly via Stereo-Link, please reference the Bluetooth and Stereo-Link sectionlater in this article.
My Total PA is shutting off after 15-20 minutes. What can I do?
All Total PA speakers that include a built-in AM/FM radio are equipped with an energy-saving ERP mode in compliance with FCC regulations. If your speaker meets this description and you are experiencing unwanted shutdowns, it is likely that you need to configure your volume parameters to conform with the input thresholds pertaining to ERP mode. Please follow the instructions in the guide linked below to properly configure your Total PA speaker's volume parameters to avert unwanted shutdowns.
ION Audio Total PA | ERP Mode and Your Total PA Speaker : ION Audio
If your Total PA does not include an AM/FM radio and you are experiencing unwanted shutdowns, it may be the result of a power or hardware behavior. If this is the case for you, please contact support for assistance.
Bluetooth and Wireless Stereo-Link®
I'm having trouble connecting to Bluetooth. What can I do?
If you experience issues connecting via Bluetooth to your ION speaker, please follow the troubleshooting steps outlined in the guide linked below, keeping the following in mind:
- It is always best practice to restart your phone, tablet, or computer prior to engaging with further troubleshooting. In many cases, this measure can solve the problem immediately.
- Any Bluetooth channels ending in '_BLE' cannot be used to send audio and are used exclusively for app control. For assistance on App configuration, reference the 'App Control' section of your user manual.
- Bluetooth connections are very sensitive to transmission distance and physical obstacles. Be sure you are as close as possible to your speaker when attempting to connect.
Are my speakers compatible to link via Stereo-Link?
In most cases, ION Audio speakers can connect to one other identical model via Stereo-Link unless otherwise specified in your user manual. If you are unsure, check the "Linking Two Speakers" section of your user manual to confirm.
My speakers are connected via Stereo-Link, but I can only hear the microphone from one speaker.
Stereo-Link operates on a 100% Bluetooth basis, so non-Bluetooth signal, such as microphone or AUX input, cannot be passed between speakers via Stereo-Link. To pass microphone or AUX audio to both speakers, they must be connected via XLR cable. If your speaker does not have an XLR input, it is not capable of this type of connection. For further instructions and technical details of this limitation, please reference the article below:
ION Audio Stereo-Link | Why Can't I Hear my Microphone Through Both Speakers? : ION Audio
EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter
Where can I download the software?
The final release version of EZ Vinyl/Tape Converter can be downloaded for Windows and MacOS via this link: Convert Vinyl and Tapes (ionaudio.com)
I'm having trouble with EZ Vinyl. What can I do?
In the case that EZ Vinyl is not compatible with your Windows system, please see the "Advanced Conversion" section of the above guide for instructions on converting with Audacity, which is a free and open-source alternative that is supported on all operating systems.