The PRO knobs are the touchscreen members of the WVC knob family. They keep the precision encoders of the Dual and Quad knobs and replace the small monochrome displays with a 2.41" AMOLED touchscreen, so live system data sits under your hand alongside the volume control. This guide covers the PRO knobs only. For the Single, Dual, Concentric, and Quad knobs, see the Knob Guide.
Overview
A PRO knob is a controller, not a standalone device. It pairs with one WVC, WVC-LITE, or WVC-PRO base station over an encrypted AuralSync wireless link, and shows what that base station reports.
Compared with the other knobs in the family, a PRO knob adds:
- A touchscreen you can swipe and tap, in addition to the encoders
- A live supply-voltage readout with a scrolling trend, permanently on screen
- A lower panel you can switch between amplifier temperature, per-group volume faders, and (on a WVC-PRO base station) live spectrum, oscilloscope, and waterfall views
- A rechargeable battery with USB-C charging and an automatic sleep timer
- Over-the-air firmware updates performed by the knob itself
- Playback buttons for the music on your phone
- On an Android phone, a Song list of your music app's songs and a Now Playing screen
- On an Android phone, the cover of the song that is playing. See Song covers
From the Advanced menu you can also link another base station, pair another knob, set up channel groups, and check Smart Home. You can also remove the phones paired to your base station. See Advanced Menu.
PRO Knob Variants
| Variant | Encoders | Channel groups | Push buttons |
|---|---|---|---|
| WVC Dual PRO Knob | 2 full-size encoders | 2 | Both encoders press |
| WVC Quad PRO Knob | 2 stacked concentric encoders, giving 4 independent rings | 4 | The inner shaft of each stacked pair presses |
Both variants use the same touchscreen, the same battery, and the same firmware. Both are compatible with every WVC base station model. See Channel Groups and Multi-Unit Control for how groups are defined on the base station.
On the WVC Quad PRO Knob all four rings turn, but only the inner shaft of each stacked pair presses. The push switch on a stacked concentric encoder acts on the center shaft, so the outer ring is rotate-only. This matches the Quad Knob.
The Main Screen
The main screen is split into three areas.
The top bar has the LF Audio logo at the left, with knob firmware 4.15.4 or newer. It also shows the wireless signal strength to your base station, a two-letter label for the wireless mode the link is running in, the battery level, and a compact readout of what your base station reports and the lower panel is not already showing: master volume and amplifier temperature. Supply voltage is not repeated up here, because the voltage readout below it is permanent. Protection status icons appear in the top bar too when they apply. A shield shows while the Intelligent Drive System is armed, a crosshairs while Competition Mode is on, and a flashing warning icon if IDS reports a low-voltage or high-temperature condition.
The link-mode label reads LR in Long Range mode, the mode that reaches the furthest; HS in High Speed mode, which refreshes the Spectrum and Oscilloscope panels faster; and -- when there is no mode to report yet. It sits next to the signal bars because the two answer different questions: the bars show how strong the link is, while this shows which mode it is using. A link can be strong and still be in Long Range mode, and that is not a fault. See High Speed Link.
The upper half is a permanent supply-voltage readout over a scrolling trend graph. This never changes, on any panel, so system voltage is always one glance away. A smaller readout beside the voltage number shows the minimum and maximum seen, either over the visible window or over all time, depending on the Min/Max setting.
The lower half is the panel you choose. A strip under it carries the volume bars and the panel dots. When the playback buttons show, they sit along the bottom edge. The strip moves up and the panel gets shorter to make room. See Playback Controls.
The Volume Strip
The volume strip sits under the panel and shows live levels. It has one bar per channel group your base station reports, up to 8 groups, laid out in two rows. Each bar is color-coded to its group. If your system has more than 8 groups, groups 9 and up are not shown. Turning a ring changes only its own group, so groups 9 and up keep their level. The MASTER entry on the volume dial is different: it sets every group to the same level, groups 9 and up included. See Touch Controls.
On the Volume panel, the strip hides, because the faders there show the same levels. The faders grow to fill its space.
On a WVC or WVC-LITE base station, Volume is the only panel. So you see the faders, and the strip does not show.
Each bar carries two values at once:
- The solid fill is the level actually playing on that group. While a change you have just made is still being confirmed by the base station, it shows the level you asked for instead, so a turn is visible the moment you make it. The knob keeps asking for about three seconds; if the base station never confirms, the fill returns to the level that is really playing.
- The dimmer band behind it is that group's own set point.
On a system with no slaved groups these are the same. If you have slaved one group to another, the difference between the two is exactly the amount the parent is holding it down by. See Channel Groups and Multi-Unit Control.
The bar you have just turned is outlined for a couple of seconds. Bar colors repeat after four groups, so on a larger system that outline is how you tell which group your hand landed on. On the Volume panel, its fader is outlined instead.
Tap any bar to open the large volume dial for that group. On the Volume panel, tap a fader instead.
Changing the Lower Panel
Swipe left or right anywhere on the main screen to move the lower half to the next panel. The swipe can start on a volume bar or a playback button. It does not count as a tap on them. Only the panels your base station can actually feed are offered. A row of dots under the panel shows how many there are and which one you are on; they are indicators, not buttons.
With only one panel, there are no dots.
You can also let the knob cycle panels for you. Turn on Auto Swap in Settings and set Swap Time to how many seconds each panel should hold. Below Swap Time there is a Show / Hide row for each panel your base station offers. Set a panel to Hide to leave it out of the cycle. You can still swipe to it.
Panels
| Panel | Shows | Available when |
|---|---|---|
| Oscilloscope | Live left and right waveforms, combined or split | Paired with a WVC-PRO base station |
| Spectrum | Live frequency bars per channel | Paired with a WVC-PRO base station |
| Waterfall | Scrolling spectrum history, as a 3D range or a flat heatmap | Paired with a WVC-PRO base station |
| Temperature | Amplifier temperature, one reading per probe input | Paired with a base station that has probe inputs. The panel is offered whether or not a probe is plugged in; an unused input shows no reading |
| Volume | Faders, one per channel group (up to 8), with set point and slaving shown. With many groups, they sit in two rows | Always, on a WVC base station |
On the analysis panels, a control in the top-left corner switches the view style: 3D or flat for the waterfall, combined or split traces for the oscilloscope. On a 6-channel WVC-PRO a second control on the right picks which channel pair you are looking at. Your choice of panel and view style is remembered and comes back after a restart. With knob firmware 4.14.8 or newer, so is the channel pair you tap.
With knob firmware 4.14.8 or newer, an analysis panel that has no data for a moment shows Waiting for data.... It fills in on its own. Reconnecting... means the knob has no link to your base station. You may see it for a moment right after the knob turns on, before the first data arrives. If the link drops, it shows for a moment, and then the knob shows its "Signal lost / Reconnecting" screen. Older knob firmware shows NO DATA instead.
See Signal Analysis Features for what the analysis views measure, and Temperature Probe for the probes themselves.
Playback Controls
Connect your phone to your base station over Bluetooth. Then buttons for its music can show along the bottom of the screen. Left to right, they are previous, play/pause, next and Song list (the button with a list icon).
Without the Song list button, the other three sit in the middle.
These buttons and the song name show only when Playback is On. To turn it on, open the menu, choose Settings, and set Playback to On. That row appears only when your base station supports it. If it is missing, update your base station. Previous, play/pause and next control what is playing on your phone, even with the LF Audio app closed.
The Song list button needs Playback too. It shows while the LF Audio app is connected on an Android phone. With Song list on, it shows only when your music app shares its songs. See Song list.
A line above the buttons shows the song and the artist. It needs Song list on in the LF Audio app. Song list needs an Android phone. See Turn on Song list.
The song's cover can show at the start of that line. The line gets a little taller to fit it. See Song covers.
While music plays, a small equalizer icon moves before the song name. The time shows at the right end of the line, for example "1:23 / 3:45". That means 1 minute 23 seconds into a song 3 minutes 45 seconds long. A thin line above the song name fills up as the song plays. Sometimes there is no time to show. Then your music app's name may show there, for example YT MUSIC.
Tap the song name to open Now Playing. See Now Playing.
When the song name shows, you can also jump through the song, if your music app allows it:
- Hold previous to jump back 10 seconds.
- Hold next to jump ahead 10 seconds.
Keep holding to keep jumping. A short tap still works as usual.
The time, Now Playing and these jumps need the latest firmware on the knob and your base station. The time and the jumps also need the latest LF Audio app.
The play/pause button shows play or pause to match your music. It changes as soon as you tap it. When the knob cannot tell, it shows both symbols. This happens with an iPhone, or with Song list off.
When these buttons show, the volume strip moves up. The lower panel gets shorter. Nothing is covered. The buttons hide in the camera view.
On the Volume panel, the buttons hide if you have 6 or more groups. The song name hides with them. This keeps the faders easy to read.
On a WVC or WVC-LITE base station, Volume is the only panel. So with 6 or more groups, the buttons do not show at all.
After the knob starts, the buttons wait until the knob hears from your base station. Then they all appear together.
When no phone is connected, the buttons go away.
If you link more than one base station, connect your phone to your primary base station. That is the one your knob is paired with. The buttons and the Song list work only through it.
Song list
On an Android phone, the LF Audio app can show your music app's songs on the knob. To set it up, see Song list.
Song list keeps working with the app closed. Once it is set up, it starts by itself when your phone's Bluetooth connects to your base station. See When the app is closed.
- Tap the Song list button, the right-most button along the bottom.
- The Song list opens on the song playing now. It has a play symbol. Earlier songs are above it, and look dimmer. The songs that come next are below it. If your music app does not say which song is playing, the list opens at the top.
- Turn an encoder to move the highlight. You can also scroll with your finger.
- Press the encoder to play the highlighted song. You can also tap a song.
Your music app plays the song. The knob goes back to the screen you opened the list from. To leave without picking a song, swipe right or choose Back at the bottom of the list.
The Song list closes by itself if your phone disconnects. It also closes if Playback is turned off.
A row reads "..." until its song loads. If the list says "Couldn't load songs", go back and open it again. If it says "Turn on Song list in the LF Audio app", turn on Song list in the app. See Turn on Song list.
The longer list holds up to 250 songs, with earlier songs too. It needs PRO knob firmware 4.14.9 or newer and the latest LF Audio app. Your WVC base station needs firmware 4.21.0 or newer. Open Base Info. CPU1 FW and CPU2 FW must both be 4.21.0 or newer. See Longer Song list. With any older one, the list starts at the song playing now. You see up to 50 songs. Some music apps do not let you play an earlier song. See What the list shows.
Now Playing
Now Playing gives the song that is playing a screen of its own. It works on an Android phone with Song list on. See Turn on Song list.
Tap the song name above the buttons, and Now Playing opens. It shows the song and the artist. Under them, a slider and the time show how far into the song you are.
With knob firmware 4.15.4 or newer, Now Playing has the same top bar as the main screen. The LF Audio logo is at the left. On the right are the signal bars, the LR or HS label, the battery, the status icons and the gear.
Your system voltage shows in that bar too, to one decimal. Next to it is the temperature of the first probe with a sensor plugged in, in your Temp Units setting. Each one shows only when your base station reports it.
They sit next to the icons on the right. When the right side is full, they move to the left, in place of the logo. With both showing, they are usually at the left. At the left, when the crosshairs or a warning icon shows, only the voltage shows. The temperature comes back a moment after the icon goes away.
On an Android phone, the song's cover can show behind the song. See Song covers.
If your music app allows it, you can move through the song:
- Drag the slider. The song moves there when you let go.
- Tap back 10 or forward 10 to jump 10 seconds. They show a curved arrow around the number 10.
- Turn an encoder. Each detent moves 5 seconds, or more with Fast Mode on. The slider follows your turn. The song moves there when you stop turning.
On the touchscreen, only a drag moves the song. A tap on the slider does not. The slider is easy to grab. You do not have to hit it exactly. Start your drag anywhere from just under the artist down to the time.
After you move through the song, the slider and the time carry on from the new spot.
If your music app does not allow it, the slider, back 10 and forward 10 are dimmed. Turning an encoder then does nothing. If the music app does not share how long the song is, there is no slider and no time. When a new song starts, the slider may wait at 0:00 for a moment, until the new song's time comes in. If no song ever shows a slider or a time, update the LF Audio app.
Press an encoder to play or pause. You can also use the buttons:
- The top row has back 10, play/pause and forward 10.
- The bottom row has previous, Song list and next. The Song list button shows only when your music app shares its songs.
To go back, swipe right or tap the arrow at the top left. Start the swipe on the song name or the buttons. You can also press and hold an encoder.
Now Playing closes by itself if your phone disconnects. It also closes if Song list or Playback is turned off.
If tapping the song name does nothing, update the knob and your base station.
Song covers
On an Android phone, the knob can show the cover of the song that is playing.
- Above the buttons, the cover sits at the start of the song line. A music note shows until the cover arrives. It also shows for a song with no cover.
- On Now Playing, the cover fills the screen behind the song. It is dimmed, so the words stay easy to read. It shows a moment after Now Playing opens.
The cover behind Now Playing needs High Speed mode. When High Speed is in use, the label beside the signal bars reads HS. See High Speed Link. In Long Range mode, the cover still shows above the buttons.
Covers need all of these:
- An Android phone with the latest LF Audio app, with Song list on. See Song list.
- Knob firmware 4.15.4 or newer.
- A WVC base station with firmware 4.22.0 or newer. Open Base Info. CPU1 FW and CPU2 FW must both be 4.22.0 or newer.
- Playback set to On in Settings.
Your music app must share the cover. If it does not, the music note stays.
Encoder Controls
Each encoder ring controls one channel group. Every ring behaves the same way.
Rotate
Rotate to change the volume of that ring's channel group. One detent is one step, at any speed. The volume strip updates as you turn, and the bar you are turning is briefly outlined. On the Volume panel, its fader is outlined instead.
If Fast Mode is on, each detent moves the volume by the Fast Mode Speed setting, 4 steps by default. See Volume Modes.
To make the knob turn the other way, change Direction in the Knob Settings.
On Now Playing, a turn moves through the song instead, if your music app allows it. Fast Mode makes each detent move further there too. Direction works there as well. See Now Playing.
Short Press
A short press runs the action set by Click Function in the Knob settings:
- Speed (default): toggle between normal and fast volume steps. A brief message confirms which mode you switched to.
- Mute: sets every channel group and the master output to zero. This includes groups 9 and up, which the strip does not show. A brief message confirms it, and every bar in the volume strip drops to zero. It is not a toggle: pressing again does not bring the sound back. To bring the sound back, turn an encoder or drag the volume dial. With more than one channel group, an encoder brings back only its own group. To bring every group back at once, swipe up to open the dial. Tap the first dot, MASTER, then drag.
On Now Playing, a short press plays or pauses instead.
Double-Click
A double-click nudges the rings on to the next channel group. What moves depends on Group Mode:
- In Linear, the default, every ring steps together, so the rings keep their spacing.
- In Dynamic, only the ring you double-clicked moves.
- In Manual, nothing moves. Your assignments are pinned.
The volume strip briefly outlines the bar the ring now drives, so you can see where it landed. On the Volume panel, the strip is hidden, so the fader that ring now drives is outlined instead.
In Linear and Dynamic the nudge does not last. The automatic layout comes back when the knob restarts. It also comes back when your base station's group count changes, or when you set Group Mode to Linear or Dynamic. Manual is the mode that sticks. Double-click does nothing if you have only one channel group.
On Now Playing, a double-click plays or pauses instead.
Long Press
Press and hold to open the menu. In a menu list, turn the encoder to move the highlight. Press to pick the highlighted row. The Song list works the same way: turn to move the highlight, and press to play that song.
Some rows flip with one press. These are any row that is just On or Off, plus Volume Units, Temp Units, Min/Max, Direction, and the Show / Hide rows. Other rows with a value take three steps, for example Brightness, Click Function and Group Mode. Press to start changing the value. Turn to set it. Then press again to finish.
On Channel Groups, Pair WVC, Pair Knob and Now Playing, press and hold goes back instead of opening the menu. After you choose Start, going back from Pair WVC restarts the knob. Going back from Pair Knob after Start cancels the pairing.
Some screens need the touchscreen. The encoder does not work on them:
- The keyboard for a group name, the base station name or a WiFi password. Tap OK to finish. To leave without saving, tap Back (on the WiFi keyboard it reads List). Swiping right also goes back, one step at a time. Do not press and hold on a keyboard. That opens the main menu. On the group name keyboard, it also throws away your changes on the Channel Groups screen.
- The color picker. Tap OK to keep the color, or Cancel to leave it as it was. Swiping right or pressing and holding also cancels.
Touch Controls
| Gesture | Where | Does |
|---|---|---|
| Swipe left or right | Main screen | Change the lower panel |
| Swipe up from the lower half | Main screen | Open the large volume dial |
| Tap a volume bar | Volume strip | Open the large volume dial on that group |
| Tap a fader | Volume panel | Open the large volume dial on that group |
| Tap previous, play/pause or next | Bottom of the main screen | Control the music on your phone |
| Tap the Song list button | Bottom of the main screen | Open the Song list |
| Tap a song | Song list | Play that song |
| Tap the song name | Bottom of the main screen | Open Now Playing |
| Hold previous or next | Bottom of the main screen | Jump back or ahead 10 seconds, if your music app allows it |
| Drag the slider | Now Playing | Move to that part of the song, if your music app allows it. A tap on the slider does not move the song |
| Tap back 10 or forward 10 | Now Playing | Jump back or ahead 10 seconds, if your music app allows it |
| Tap the number in the middle | Volume dial | Mute every group, or bring the levels back |
| Tap the X at the top | Volume dial | Close the dial. Needs knob firmware 4.15.4 or newer |
| Tap the gear | Top bar | Open the menu |
| Long press | Main screen | Open the menu |
| Swipe right | Any menu screen, or Now Playing | Go back. On Now Playing, start the swipe on the song name or the buttons |
| Tap a row | Any menu screen | Select or change that setting |
Holding a playback button or a bar in the volume strip does not open the menu. When you let go, it works like a tap. Holding previous or next jumps through the song instead, if your music app allows it.
The swipe that opens the volume dial has to start in the bottom half of the screen. An upward swipe that begins in the top half is treated as an ordinary gesture instead.
The volume dial closes on its own after a few seconds of no input. To close it sooner, tap the X at the top. The X needs knob firmware 4.15.4 or newer. On a system with more than one channel group, it shows one entry at a time, with a row of dots to switch between them:
- The first dot is MASTER. It sets every channel group to the same level, groups 9 and up included.
- The other dots are your channel groups, up to 8. Each one changes only that group.
Swiping up opens the dial on the entry you used last. It starts on MASTER. Tapping a bar or a fader opens it on that group. If you turn a ring while the dial is open, the entry the dial is showing moves too. So a turn with MASTER showing sets every group.
Mute From the Volume Dial
The dial shows the hint "tap % to mute".
- Swipe up to open the volume dial.
- Tap the number in the middle.
Every channel group mutes, groups 9 and up included. The dial shows MUTE.
Tap the number again to bring the levels back. This works only while everything is still silent. If a level changed in the meantime, the tap mutes again instead.
Volume Modes
Two independent settings affect how the encoders move the volume.
Fast Mode is the short-press toggle described above. Normal steps one level per detent. Fast steps by the Fast Mode Speed setting, 4 by default. It is not stored per ring, so it applies to whichever ring you turn.
Volume Mode, in the Knob settings, controls whether the encoders change the volume:
- Normal: every detent counts.
- Vib Guard: the knob ignores isolated detents and only starts moving the volume once it is sure you are deliberately turning it. Use this if heavy bass makes the encoders creep on their own.
- Locked: rotation does not change the volume at all. Presses still work.
Volume Mode does not apply on Now Playing. Even with Vib Guard or Locked, a turn there moves through the song.
Mapping Encoders to Channel Groups
Group Mode, in the Knob settings, decides how rings map onto the channel groups your base station reports:
- Linear (default): the rings are spread evenly across your groups and re-balance automatically when a group is added or removed. A double-click steps every ring on together.
- Dynamic: the same automatic spread, but a double-click steps only the ring you clicked.
- Manual: you assign each ring yourself, and it stays there.
Linear and Dynamic produce the same at-rest layout. They differ only in what a double-click does. In both, the automatic layout comes back when the knob restarts or when the group count changes. Manual is the only mode whose assignments persist.
In Manual, a Knob row appears for each ring, letting you pick its channel group. These rows only appear when you have more than one group, and a Dual PRO shows two of them rather than four.
For example, on a WVC Quad PRO Knob with two channel groups, two rings drive each group; with four groups, each ring drives its own.
Knob Settings
Open the menu, then Settings > Knob.
| Setting | Options | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Clockwise, CCW | Clockwise |
| Fast Mode Speed | 2x to 50x | 4x |
| Click Function | Speed, Mute | Speed |
| Group Mode | Linear, Dynamic, Manual | Linear |
| Volume Mode | Normal, Vib Guard, Locked | Normal |
| Knob 1, Knob 2, and so on | The channel groups your base station reports, up to 8 | Spread across your groups |
Direction reverses the knob, for menus, for volume and on Now Playing. Fast Mode Speed sets how many steps each detent moves while Fast Mode is on.
The Knob menu appears only on a knob whose encoders are configured. If the whole menu is missing, see Troubleshooting.
Settings Menu
The main Settings screen carries the display and system preferences.
| Setting | Options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | 10% to 100% | Applies immediately |
| Volume Units | dB, % | Changes the volume readouts and faders |
| Temp Units | °F, °C | Shown only on a base station with temperature probe inputs |
| Min/Max | All-Time, Window | Source for the voltage minimum and maximum readout |
| Playback | On, Off | The playback buttons, the song name, the time and the Song list button at the bottom. Off hides them all. Shown only when your base station supports them. A new knob, or one after a Factory Reset, starts with On. After an update, it keeps its old setting, which may be Off |
| Enable High Speed | On, Off | Ask the base station for the faster wireless mode. On by default, see below |
| Auto Swap | On, Off | Cycle the lower panel automatically |
| Swap Time | 2 to 60 seconds | How long each panel holds. Shown while Auto Swap is on |
| Volume, Temp, FFT, Scope, Waterfall | Show, Hide | Shown while Auto Swap is on, one row per panel your base station offers. Hide leaves that panel out of the cycle. FFT is the Spectrum panel and Scope is the Oscilloscope panel |
| Sleep | On, Off | The inactivity sleep timer |
| Sleep After | 30 seconds to 2 hours | How long before the knob sleeps |
| Knob | Sub-menu | Encoder behavior, see above |
| Colors | Sub-menu | Theme presets and per-element colors |
| WiFi | Sub-menu | Saved networks used for firmware updates |
| Camera | Sub-menu | Camera picture settings |
In Colors, Reset All Colors asks you to confirm first. So does removing a network in WiFi. With knob firmware 4.14.8 or newer, a touchscreen tap on Confirm Reset or Confirm right after it shows does nothing, so wait a moment.
High Speed Link
The knob and your base station can talk in one of two wireless modes. Long Range mode reaches the furthest. High Speed mode carries more data, which makes the Spectrum and Oscilloscope panels refresh several times faster.
This setting is On by default, the same as on the WDD-LITE display and the RTC. Leaving it on costs nothing at a distance, because the base station only speeds the link up when the signal is strong enough to carry it and drops back on its own when it is not.
Leaving it on is a request, not a command. The base station makes the final decision and speeds the link up only when the knob is close enough to it and its own firmware supports the faster mode. With the setting off, the link stays in Long Range mode whatever the conditions.
A knob updating from an earlier firmware keeps whatever this setting was already on. The default applies to a knob that has never had it set, so if yours reads Off after an update, that is your previous choice being preserved, not the update failing. Turn it on here.
There is no restart. The change takes effect within about ten to twelve seconds, and the LR / HS label beside the signal-strength meter in the top bar shows which mode is actually in use.
High Speed makes the Spectrum and Oscilloscope panels refresh faster. With knob firmware 4.15.4 or newer, it also lets the song's cover show behind Now Playing. See Song covers. The Waterfall panel already streams at its own fixed rate and refreshes at the same speed in either mode, so it is not the panel to test this on. The voltage, volume, and temperature readings are unaffected too.
If the knob disconnects or stops responding when you carry it away from the base station, leave Enable High Speed off. Long Range mode trades analysis refresh rate for reach, which is the right trade when range is the problem.
Base Settings
Base Settings, on the main menu, controls the base station rather than the knob: IDS mode, minimum voltage, maximum temperature, Competition Mode, RCA gain, volume curve, volume floor, Clip Detection and voltage drift. A row shows only when your base station supports it. See Intelligent Drive System and RCA Gain.
- RCA Gain: turning it on shows a warning first. Turn the knob to pick Enable Gain or Cancel, then press. Or tap one. A press with nothing picked cancels.
- With RCA Gain on, the knob lists each unit (Unit 1, Unit 2, and so on). Under each unit is a gain row for each channel (Chan 1 gain, Chan 2 gain, and so on), with a preview of its output.
- Floor Level: shown when Volume Floor is on. Each knob detent moves it 0.5 dB. A swipe moves it 5 dB.
- Clip Detection: Off, Low, Medium or High. Shown on a WVC-PRO or WVC-PRO 6 with base station firmware 4.4.1 or newer. See Signal Analysis Features.
- Voltage Drift: each knob detent moves it 0.01. A swipe moves it 0.05.
Status Lights
Two small indicator lights sit under the top face.
| Light | Means |
|---|---|
| Dark | Connected to your base station and working normally |
| Slow purple flash | Searching for a base station, connecting, or the link has dropped |
| Slow red flash | A fault the knob cannot recover from |
There is no light for charging state here, no light for a firmware update, and no light confirming a successful pairing. Once the knob is set up, a dark knob is a healthy knob. Both lights are also dark during first-run setup, before the search begins.
The charge indicator is separate; see below.
Both lights may glow briefly at power-on, until the knob takes control of them. This is normal.
Battery and Charging
The PRO knobs run from an internal rechargeable cell and charge from the USB-C port on the knob body.
- The USB-C port is charge only. It carries no data, and it is not how firmware is updated. See Firmware Updates.
- A charge indicator on the knob shows charging in progress and switches when the cell is full.
- The knob charges whether it is switched on or off, so you can leave it on a charger overnight with the power switch off.
- The cell is protected against over-charge, over-discharge and over-current.
The battery level appears in the top bar. For a fuller view, open the menu and choose Battery, which shows the current level, the pack voltage, and a graph of the recent discharge. While the knob is plugged in, it shows Charging in place of the percentage, even once the battery is full.
The knob estimates its battery percentage from pack voltage, so treat the percentage as an indication rather than a measurement. The pack voltage on the Battery screen, and the discharge graph, are the readings to trust.
Do not store or charge the knob in a vehicle in direct summer sun. Lithium cells degrade rapidly above roughly 140°F (60°C). See Temperature Care.
Sleep
The knob blanks its screen after the period set by Sleep After, then drops into a deeper sleep shortly afterwards. Turn any encoder or press any button to wake it. You come back to the panel you left.
Four things are worth knowing:
- Touch does not wake the knob. This is deliberate, and it is the one place a PRO knob behaves differently from the WDD-LITE display. A knob is handled: it gets brushed by a sleeve, knocked by a passenger, and shaken by the system it is sitting in front of. Any of those would relight a display that wakes on touch, and on a battery device that is a flat pack by the end of a show. Turning or pressing an encoder is a deliberate act, so that is what brings the screen back.
- Touch still keeps a lit screen awake. While the screen is on, touching it counts as activity and postpones the sleep timer exactly as turning an encoder does. So the screen never blanks while you are working it: touch is ignored only once the screen is already dark.
- The knob sleeps even while it is charging. This is deliberate: it is a battery device with a bright screen, and there is no reason to keep the panel lit on a charger.
- Waking the knob does nothing else, with one exception. In Competition Mode, a turn on the main screen also changes the volume. A press only wakes the knob. So waking it cannot open a menu or mute your system by accident.
While the knob is sitting in the WiFi setup screens the screen still blanks on the same timer, but the network activity carries on. While the knob is searching for a base station, the search is stopped when the screen blanks, so an unpaired knob left next to a base station that is switched off does not flatten its battery hunting for it. It does not resume by itself when the base station comes on: turn an encoder, or plug the knob in, and the search restarts.
Turn Sleep off if you want the display to stay on permanently.
Competition Mode
Competition Mode is a base station setting for SPL contests. Turn it on in Base Settings > Competition, or in the LF Audio app. If the base station hears no paired knob or display for about 6 seconds, it acts:
- Mute sets every channel group to 0 at once.
- Limit Vol slowly turns every channel group all the way down. It goes from full volume to 0 in about 10 seconds.
In both modes the volume does not come back up by itself.
With knob firmware 4.12.3 or newer, the knob works like this in Competition Mode:
- The screen still turns off after the Sleep After time.
- The knob stays connected to the base station. Your system does not mute or turn down.
- On the main screen, a turn still changes the volume. This works even while the screen is off. The same turn also turns the screen back on.
- While the screen is off, a press only turns it back on. It does not mute or change the speed.
- In a menu, a turn only wakes the dark screen.
- If the base station turns off, the knob sleeps as normal. This takes about a minute.
This is different from the Single, Dual, Concentric, and Quad knobs. Their screens stay on the whole time in Competition Mode.
Turn Competition Mode on while the knob screen is on. If you turn it on from the app while the screen is off, the knob misses it. With no other knob or display connected, your system then mutes or turns down. Turn or press an encoder to wake the knob. Then turn the volume back up.
Older PRO knob firmware turns off its wireless link when the screen goes dark. This happens even in Competition Mode. If no other knob or display is connected, your system then mutes or turns down. Update the knob, or turn Sleep off. See Firmware Updates.
Advanced Menu
Open the menu and choose Advanced. The rows are:
- Update Firmware, Repair Firmware and Update Base. See Firmware Updates.
- Pair WVC, Channel Groups, Pair Knob and Smart Home. See below.
- Forget Phones. See Forget Phones.
- Forget Base and Factory Reset. See Pairing.
Some rows show only when your base station supports them. Pair WVC, Channel Groups, Pair Knob and Smart Home need a WVC base station and knob firmware 4.12.3 or newer. Forget Phones needs base station firmware 4.20.0 or newer and knob firmware 4.14.3 or newer.
Channel Groups
Set up your channel groups from the knob.
- Channel Groups: how many groups you have.
- Group 1 Name, Group 2 Name, and so on: tap one to rename that group. A keyboard opens. A name can be up to 10 characters.
- Group 1, Group 2, and so on: set the group to Standalone, or relative to another group.
- One row per base station, with its model (for example Unit 1: WVC-PRO): under it, pick the group for Channel 1, Channel 2, and so on.
Your changes go to the base station when you leave the screen. Stay connected to your base station when you leave. If the link is down, your changes are not sent.
When you leave, any group with no channels is removed. The groups after it are renumbered. A removed group's name is lost. A group that was relative to it becomes Standalone.
See Channel Groups and Multi-Unit Control.
Pair WVC
Pair WVC links another WVC base station to your system.
- Choose Pair WVC, then Start.
- Get the new base station ready. A new base station only needs power. A used one must be reset: hold its reset button for about 3 seconds.
- Pick the new base station from the list.
When Pair WVC ends, the knob restarts and reconnects to your own base station. It also restarts if you leave after choosing Start.
If the new base station cannot be linked, the screen says why: Update Needed, Not Compatible, Already Linked, Reset Needed or Not Added. Each offers Retry and Cancel. See Linking Units.
Pair Knob
Pair Knob adds another knob or display to your base station.
- Choose Pair Knob, then Start. Your base station gets ready to pair.
- Choose Next. Power on the new knob. Open its Advanced menu and do a factory reset.
- Choose Next. When the new knob shows its main screen, choose Done.
If you choose Cancel, switch your base station off and on again. This ends its pairing mode.
Smart Home
Smart Home shows your base station's Home Mode and smart home pairing state. From here you can turn Home Mode on or off, retry a failed connection, read the pairing code, and re-pair or decommission. Each action asks you to confirm first. On the touchscreen, a tap on Confirm right after it shows does nothing, so wait a moment. See Smart Home Integration.
Forget Phones
Use Forget Phones when a phone cannot pair with your base station. It removes every phone paired to the base station. You do not need a phone to use it.
- Choose Forget Phones.
- The screen asks: "Remove every phone paired to your base station? Each phone must pair again with the BT Pin."
- Cancel is picked first. Turn an encoder until Forget is outlined. If Cancel stays outlined, turn the other way. Then press the encoder. Or tap Forget. A tap right after it shows does nothing, so wait a moment.
- The screen shows "Removing phones..." This can take up to about 12 seconds.
- Read the result. Then tap OK or press an encoder. A press right after the result shows does nothing, so wait a moment.
To stop, choose Cancel, swipe right, or press and hold. Nothing is removed.
Then do this on each phone:
- Open your phone's Bluetooth settings. Forget the base station.
- Close the LF Audio app fully. Then open it again.
- Pair again. Enter the BT Pin from Base Info. See Bluetooth Pairing.
Good to know:
- It removes every phone, not just one. Each phone must pair again.
- Your knobs and displays stay paired. The BT Pin does not change.
- It clears only the base station your knob is paired with. Linked base stations keep their phones.
- A phone with the LF Audio app may pair again by itself. So Forget Phones is for a phone that cannot pair. It does not keep out someone who knows the BT Pin.
Forget Phones shows only while the knob is connected to the base station. The knob needs firmware 4.14.3 or newer. The base station needs firmware 4.20.0 or newer. In Base Info, every firmware number must be 4.20.0 or newer. One base station update usually updates them all. If one is still older, update the base station again.
To learn what each result means, see Forget Phones.
Pairing
On first power-on the knob walks you through a short setup, then searches for base stations in pairing mode.
- Put your base station into pairing mode.
- On the knob, follow the setup prompts and tap when ready.
- The knob lists the LF Audio devices it can find. Tap your base station.
- The knob negotiates its encrypted link and lands on the main screen.
The list refreshes while it is open, so a base station you switch on afterwards appears on its own within about ten seconds, without rescanning by hand. Swipe right to force a rescan.
To unpair, open the menu and choose Advanced > Forget Base. This clears the pairing and restarts into setup, and keeps your other settings. Factory Reset, on the same screen, erases every setting as well.
Both ask first. The screen shows two rows: Confirm Forget (or Confirm Reset) and Cancel. The highlight starts on Cancel, so pressing twice does not unpair or erase the knob. To go ahead, turn an encoder to the confirm row and press. Or tap it. A tap on the confirm row right after it shows does nothing, so wait a moment.
See Wireless Security for how the link is protected, and Antenna Options and Range if the knob struggles to reach the base station.
Firmware Updates
The knob updates itself over the air. It needs a WiFi network with internet access for the download; it does not use the USB-C port.
- Open the menu and choose Advanced.
- Choose Update Firmware.
- If the knob does not already know a network, it offers a list of nearby WiFi networks. Pick yours and enter the password.
- The knob downloads and installs, showing progress, then restarts.
The same screen also has Repair Firmware, to reinstall the newest version after an interrupted update, and Update Base, to update your base station. On a multi-unit mesh that row reads Update All Bases.
For which WiFi the knob uses, saved networks, what the screen shows during an update, Repair Firmware and Update Base, see PRO Knob Firmware Updates. See Firmware Updates for the base station side, and check the current published versions at help.lf-audio.com/firmware-updates.
The PRO knobs have their own firmware, separate from the other knobs in the family. On the firmware updates page they appear as WVC Dual PRO Knob / WVC Quad PRO Knob.
If the Update Fails
A failed update does not change the firmware already on the knob. You can safely try again.
Most failures come down to WiFi. Move the knob closer to your router, or keep your phone hotspot next to it, and start the update again. For what each message on the screen means and what to do, see If the Update Fails.
System Information
Open the menu and choose System Info for the knob's own diagnostics: firmware version, hardware version, connection state, signal strength, message counters, and free memory. Base Info, on the same menu, reports the base station it is connected to: model, hardware version, firmware versions, uptime, name, and Bluetooth pairing PIN.
To rename your base station, open Base Info and choose Name. A keyboard opens. Type the new name, up to 15 characters. Tap OK to save, or Back to leave without saving. The knob needs firmware 4.12.3 or newer. The WVC base station needs CPU1 FW 4.12.2 or newer. It also needs CPU2 FW 4.13.1 or newer. Until then, Name has no pencil icon. One base station update usually installs both. If CPU2 FW still shows an older number, update the base station again. You can also use the LF Audio app. In the app, tap the gear icon on your base station's monitoring screen. Open the DEVICE tab. Its first tab shows Device Name. Edit the name there. See Device Settings.
Have both to hand when contacting support.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Screen says "Signal lost / Reconnecting" | The base station is off, out of range, or on a different wireless channel | Confirm the base station has power. The knob re-finds it automatically, including after a channel change. If it never recovers, see Antenna Options and Range |
| Purple lights flashing, stuck searching | Not paired, or paired to a base station that is switched off | Switch the base station on, or re-pair via Advanced > Forget Base |
| Left unpaired overnight, still not paired in the morning | The pairing search stops when the screen blanks, and does not resume on its own | Turn an encoder to restart the search once the base station is on |
| Rotating does nothing, but the touchscreen works | Volume Mode is set to Locked, or the knob left the factory without its encoder configuration | Check Settings > Knob > Volume Mode first. If the Knob menu is missing entirely, contact support |
| Volume creeps on its own at high output | Vibration is reaching the encoders | Set Settings > Knob > Volume Mode to Vib Guard |
| Turning the knob goes the wrong way | The Direction setting | Change Settings > Knob > Direction |
| The knob restarted after Pair WVC | Expected. It restarts at the end of every Pair WVC run | It reconnects to your own base station by itself. See Pair WVC |
| An encoder controls the wrong group | Ring-to-group mapping | Set Group Mode to Manual and assign that ring, or set it to Dynamic and double-click that ring alone. In Linear a double-click moves every ring together |
| A ring goes back to its old group after a restart | Expected in Linear and Dynamic, where a double-click is a temporary nudge. A change in the group count also resets it | Use Manual if you want the assignment to stick |
| No spectrum, oscilloscope, or waterfall panels | Those panels need a WVC-PRO base station | Expected on WVC and WVC-LITE |
| A spectrum, oscilloscope, or waterfall panel shows "Waiting for data..." (on older knob firmware, "NO DATA") | The data paused for a moment, or the link is still coming back after the knob wakes | Expected for a moment after you swipe to the panel or wake the knob. It fills in on its own. If it stays, check the signal in System Info. See Panels |
| Tapping Confirm does nothing | On the touchscreen, a confirm ignores a tap right after it shows. This stops a quick double tap from acting by mistake | Wait a moment, then tap it again. Or turn an encoder to it and press. This is on Confirm Forget and Confirm Reset in Advanced, and the Confirm in Smart Home. With knob firmware 4.14.8 or newer, it is also on Confirm Reset in Colors and the Confirm in Settings > WiFi |
| No temperature panel | The base station has no temperature probe inputs | Expected on WVC and WVC-LITE. The panel comes from the base station model, so connecting a probe to a base station without probe inputs cannot add it |
| Temperature panel is there but shows no reading | No probe connected to that input | Connect a temperature probe |
| Screen goes dark while you are watching it | The sleep timer | Raise Sleep After, or turn Sleep off |
| Tapping the dark screen does not wake it | Expected. Touch is ignored while the screen is off, so a sleeve or vibration cannot relight the knob and flatten the pack | Turn or press any encoder. Touch still keeps the screen awake once it is on |
| Your system muted or turned down when the knob screen went dark | Competition Mode is on, the knob firmware is older than 4.12.3, and no other knob or display was connected | Update the knob. Until then, turn Sleep off. See Competition Mode |
| Your system muted or turned down right after you turned on Competition Mode | The knob screen was off, so the knob missed the change. No other knob or display was connected | Turn or press an encoder to wake the knob. Then turn the volume back up. Next time, turn Competition Mode on while the screen is on. See Competition Mode |
| Turning the knob changed the volume while the screen was dark | Expected in Competition Mode, on the main screen | See Competition Mode |
| Firmware update fails to start | No usable WiFi network | Check the password under Settings > WiFi, and confirm the network has internet access |
| Update stops with "Update failed - weak WiFi signal" or "Update failed - unstable WiFi" | A weak WiFi signal is the likely cause | Move the knob closer to your router, or keep your phone hotspot next to it, and try again. See If the Update Fails |
| A group is missing from the volume strip | Your system has more than 8 channel groups. The knob shows the first 8 | Expected. Turning a ring changes only its own group, so groups 9 and up keep their level. The MASTER entry on the volume dial, and Mute, set every group. See The Volume Strip |
| No playback buttons along the bottom | Playback is off, no phone is connected, or the base station needs an update | Turn on Playback in Settings. If Playback is not in Settings, update the base station. Connect your phone to your base station over Bluetooth. See Bluetooth Pairing |
| No playback buttons or Song list button, and you link more than one base station | Your phone is connected to a linked base station | Connect your phone to your primary base station. That is the one your knob is paired with |
| No playback buttons on a WVC or WVC-LITE base station | You have 6 or more channel groups. Volume is the only panel there, and the buttons hide on it | Expected. The song name and the Song list button hide too. See Playback Controls |
| The playback buttons go away on the Volume panel or in the camera view | Expected. They hide in the camera view. On the Volume panel, they hide if you have 6 or more groups | Swipe to another panel, if your base station has one. See Playback Controls |
| No Song list button | Playback is off, nothing is playing, or the phone is an iPhone. The LF Audio app may not be running. The knob, base station or app may need an update | Turn on Playback in Settings. Start a playlist in your music app. Song list works with Android phones. Open the app and connect to your base station. Update the knob, the base station and the app. If the playback buttons are missing too, start with the rows above. See Song list |
| The Song list says "Turn on Song list in the LF Audio app" | Song list is off in the app, or the app has no access to your music app | In the app, tap Settings and turn on Song list. If it is on already, tap Open Settings under the switch. Turn on access for LF Audio. See Turn on Song list |
| The Song list says "Couldn't load songs" | The songs did not arrive in time | Go back and open the Song list again. Keep your phone near the base station |
| The song name shows, but there is no Song list button | Your music app does not share its songs, for example Spotify Free, or the playlist is very long | See Which music apps work |
| The song name and the Song list button went away | Playback was turned off, the LF Audio app was stopped, or your phone disconnected | Check that Playback is On in Settings. If it is, your phone may have disconnected. Song list comes back when your phone connects again. If it does not, open the app. See When the app is closed |
| Holding previous or next changes the song instead of jumping 10 seconds | Your music app does not allow it, the song name is not showing, or the knob, base station or LF Audio app needs an update | Some music apps do not allow jumping. Check that the song name shows above the buttons. Update the knob, the base station and the LF Audio app. See Firmware Updates |
| On Now Playing, the slider, back 10 and forward 10 are dimmed, and turning an encoder does nothing | Your music app does not allow moving through the song | Expected with that music app. Play, pause, previous and next still work |
| On Now Playing, a tap on the slider does not move the song | Expected. Only a drag moves the song | Drag the slider. Or tap back 10 or forward 10, or turn an encoder |
| A swipe right on Now Playing moved the song instead of going back | The swipe started on or near the slider, anywhere from just under the artist down to the time | Start the swipe on the song name or the buttons. Or tap the arrow at the top left, or press and hold an encoder |
| Tapping the song name does nothing, and no time shows | The knob or the base station needs an update | Update the knob and the base station. See Firmware Updates |
| Now Playing opens, but no time shows | Your music app does not share how long the song is, or the LF Audio app needs an update | Live radio and some music apps share no time. Update the LF Audio app |
| No song cover, or a music note in its place | The cover has not arrived yet, the song has none, or the knob, base station or LF Audio app needs an update | Covers need the latest LF Audio app on an Android phone, with Song list on. Update the knob to 4.15.4 or newer. In Base Info, CPU1 FW and CPU2 FW must both be 4.22.0 or newer. Your music app may not share covers. See Song covers |
| The cover shows above the buttons, but not behind Now Playing | The cover behind Now Playing needs High Speed mode | Check that the label beside the signal bars reads HS. If it reads LR, set Enable High Speed to On in Settings. A knob updated from older firmware may have it Off. See High Speed Link |
| No voltage or temperature in the top bar of Now Playing | The knob needs firmware 4.15.4 or newer, or there is no reading to show | Update the knob. They sit next to the icons on the right, or at the left in place of the LF Audio logo. The temperature shows only when a probe is connected. At the left, it also hides while the crosshairs or a warning icon shows. See Now Playing |
| A phone cannot pair with your base station, even after you forget it in the phone's Bluetooth settings | The base station still holds the old pairing | Use Forget Phones. Then pair the phone again. See Forget Phones |
| No Forget Phones in the Advanced menu | The knob is not connected, or the base station or the knob needs an update | Connect to your base station. Update the base station to 4.20.0 or newer, then the knob to 4.14.3 or newer. See Forget Phones |
| A phone paired again by itself after "Phones removed" | On Android, the LF Audio app remembers the BT Pin and pairs again | Expected. See A phone may reconnect by itself |
| Battery percentage looks wrong | The percentage is estimated from pack voltage | Use the pack voltage in the Battery screen as the reading to trust |
For base station faults rather than knob faults, see Troubleshooting.
Related Articles
- Knob Guide covers the Single, Dual, Concentric, and Quad knobs
- Channel Groups and Multi-Unit Control
- Signal Analysis Features
- Intelligent Drive System
- Song list
- PRO Knob Firmware Updates
- Firmware Updates
- Troubleshooting