Complete Install Guide: SX Series

Install Guides

VSSL App Setup Instructions for Standalone SX Soundbar and SX Speaker*

*For setup instructions for the SX Subwoofer, please see the section below for SX Surround Sound Setup that matches the configuration that you are building, for example 5.1 or 5.2, etc.

Thank you for purchasing your VSSL. This Quick Start Guide is designed to help you set up your VSSL SX Soundbar or SX Speaker quickly and easily. Please follow the instructions below.

For technical support, please visit the VSSL Technical Support Knowledge Base at www.vssl.com where you can find more detailed technical information including tips for network troubleshooting as well as chat with a member of our dedicated VSSL Technical Support team.  You can also call for VSSL Technical Support at 844-340-9111.

Now let’s get started!

First, are you building a surround sound environment or just setting up an individual device?  As previously mentioned, for each supported surround sound configuration, see the appropriate configuration section of the Guide.  For individual device set up, please continue with the standalone setup instructions below.

For the setup of a VSSL SX Soundbar or SX Speaker:

1. Download the black icon VSSL application from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store using the links below according to the operating system of your phone (iOS or Android respectively).  You can also search for “VSSL” in each of these respective App Stores to locate the correct application.  Note: The gray icon VSSL Legacy application is an old version of the VSSL app which only supports legacy devices that have been discontinued.  You should only be setting up your VSSL device(s) using the black icon app.  The great news is that the black icon VSSL app delivers the same setup and management experience regardless of OS version.

2. Make sure that your phone is connected to your home Wi-Fi network and that you know the Wi-Fi password.  You will need both to set up your VSSL SX device using the VSSL app.  The VSSL app will help you to connect your VSSL device to your home network so that you can listen to music streamed from Apple Music, Spotify, etc.

3. Remove the VSSL SX Series device from its packaging and plug the A/C power cord into your power source.  No other cables are required.

5. Open the black icon VSSL application on your phone.  The VSSL application will automatically search for available VSSL devices to pair on your Wi-Fi network (so again, make sure that you are connected to Wi-Fi before starting the pairing process).  With the LED flashing blue, the device will appear in the application for setup either as a pop-up with a picture of your device or as a smaller notification at the bottom of the VSSL app screen with a small green “Setup” button. 

Note: If you do not immediately see your device appearing in the app for pairing, touch the green “Tap to scan” button at the top of the Settings tab to force the VSSL app to rescan for devices to pair.  Please be patient as the SX device is using Wi-fi and the Google Cast protocol and may need a minute to find your phone.

6. If after more than 2 to 3 minutes your device has not appeared for pairing, skip to step 19 below to reset your device and start again at step 4 above. 

If after 2 to 3 minutes following reset your device has still not appeared in your VSSL app for pairing, your device may be experiencing signal interference from surrounding Wi-Fi and other wireless devices.  At this point, we recommend skipping to the Google Home setup instructions below.  Please note: there is nothing necessarily wrong with your VSSL device.  However, as a wireless device, it is susceptible to signal interference from your surrounding environment.  By leveraging the Google Home application, we can overcome these setup challenges when we combine the embedded Google Cast protocol with the application best suited for identifying and setting up Google-embedded devices.  So no worries!

7. When the SX Soundbar or SX Speaker appears for setup in the app, you will first see it described according to its original manufacturing name.  You will be able to change this name in step 11 below, but it’s useful to note that if you are setting up multiple devices and want to ensure that you are setting up a particular device, the last 6 characters of the device name (for example “Smart speaker123abc”) will match the last 6 characters of the device’s “VSSL ID” located on the bottom of that VSSL device.  For either scenario above (full page pop-up or small green button), touch the “Setup” button to begin the pairing process for your VSSL SX device.

8. You will next hear a short confirmation tone from your VSSL device.  A message will also appear in the VSSL app asking if you were able to hear that tone.  Tap “Yes” to continue or “Retry” to try again.  If you did not hear your device or want to start the setup process over, see step 19 below for instructions on how to reset your device to start again.

9. Next, select the Wi-Fi network to which you would like to attach your VSSL device.  In the future, when you want to listen to music on your VSSL device, you will connect your music streaming service, such as Apple Music or Spotify, to your VSSL device on that Wi-Fi network using Apple AirPlay or Google Cast.

10. Your device has been updated with the latest firmware before being delivered to you.  However, the device will automatically check for new firmware when first being started and every time it is rebooted or reset. This will ensure that you always have the latest functionality and improvements.  The device will now perform that firmware check, update the firmware on the device if needed, and return a message “Firmware Update Successful!”  Click “Next.”

11. At this step, you have the opportunity to customize the VSSL device name.  Change the name according to personal preference or how you would like for it to appear in the Cast list of devices on your Wi-Fi network.  In the future, when you AirPlay or Google Cast to your VSSL device, you will look for this new name in the device list.  Click “Next” to save the new device name.

12. The setup process for VSSL SX devices now leverages the Google Cast protocol to speed setup and improve reliability.  To use the Google Cast protocol embedded within the SX device and the VSSL app, please accept Google’s terms & conditions for Google Cast usage by clicking “Accept.”

13. If you would like to further assist Google with improving Google Cast, then please select either “Yes I’m In” or “No thanks.”

14. If you would like to continue the setup process for Google Assistant, then select “Open Home App” or simply select “Skip” to proceed.

15. Your VSSL device is now paired to your Wi-Fi network. You now have the option to choose how you would like to access your VSSL device, either in standalone mode or as part of a surround sound configuration. If you want to use your VSSL as a standalone device, then select None. 

If you would like to pair the device to another VSSL device on your network as part of a surround sound configuration, then select that device or device configuration from the list of products with which to pair and proceed with your configuration setup.

16. When exiting the pairing process, you will be brought back to the Zones tab – the first tab within the VSSL app where all of the music zones within your environment can be seen.  You are now ready to stream music.

17. Open your music streaming app, such as Apple Music or Spotify, select the song that you would like to listen to, then select the Apple AirPlay icon on an iPhone or the Google Cast icon on an Android  and select the new name that you just assigned to your VSSL device from the list of devices on your network.  Your music should now be streaming through your VSSL device.

On the Zones tab, click on the down arrow beside your device name to change the volume for your device.  You can also use the volume slide in the music streaming app or the physical up-down volume buttons on your phone to increase or decrease the volume.  Because of VSSL’s Native Streaming™ capability, you can use any music app to listen to the streamed content of your choice rather than having to learn how to use a proprietary application.  The VSSL advantage is that our app does not complicate or stand between you and your music as our devices work natively with any music streaming service.  So just pick your favorite and enjoy!

18. Which leads us to the most important step, have fun!  (Don’t forget this step…this step is critically important and the reason you bought a VSSL!)

19. If at any point you need to restart the pairing process or factory reset your device, you can do so by inserting a SIM card tool or a paper clip into the reset hole located on the rear of your VSSL device.  After inserting the SIM card tool or paper clip and holding for at least 10 seconds, the VSSL device LED will flash orange on the SX Soundbar or yellow on the SX Speaker to indicate that the device has entered reset mode.  When you see the LED change to orange or yellow, you can remove the SIM card tool from the reset hole.  After the completion of the factory reset, the LED will change back to white again to indicate rebooting, and then royal blue as the device restarts pairing mode.  Note that with a device reset, the device name will also reset to the original manufacturing name versus the name that you gave the device in step 11 above.

Using Google Home as an Alternative for VSSL Setup

As a wireless surround sound system, VSSL SX Series devices require network connectivity and are best deployed on a network with strong Wi-Fi and minimal signal interference.  Nonetheless, given the diversity of network switches and network quality — plus the fact that users can often reside in areas of high wireless signal density and potential interference — the initial setup of VSSL devices can potentially be improved using the Google Home application as a setup alternative.  As we mentioned in the previous setup details, VSSL SX devices now benefit from embedded Google Cast both within the VSSL app as well as within the device itself.  As such, leveraging Google Home can help to overcome signal interference issues (Google Home sees Google Cast devices much easier) and facilitate the initial setup of the VSSL device.  You will return to the VSSL app afterward for management of the devices and surround sound environment.  To use Google Home to set up your VSSL SX device(s), please continue with the following steps.

1. If you haven’t already, download the Google Home application to your phone.  Google Home is available for both iOS and Android.

2. After opening the Google Home application, select “Devices” from the row of icons on the bottom of the application screen.

3. Select the “+Add” icon to initiate the setup process to add your VSSL device, then selecting “Google Nest or partner device” on the following screen.

4. Select your home location, if you have previously used Google Home, or “+ Create another home” to add your home location to the Google Home app.

5. The Google Home app will continue the setup process by “Looking for devices.” (Remember, the VSSL device needs to be in pairing mode with the blue LED visible on the front of your VSSL device.  See step 19 from the setup list above if you need to restart your device to re-enter pairing mode.) Once your unpaired VSSL device has been found, the Google Home app will identify your device — for example, “SX Speaker found” — along with its original manufacturing name (as described in step 7 above).  Click “Next.”

6. After “Connecting to Device,” Google Home will confirm that you heard a tone to correctly identify the device (the same as in step 8 above).  Click “Yes” to proceed.

7. Next, if you would like to help Google improve the app experience, choose “Yes, I’m in” or “No thanks.”

8. Google Home will now ask for the room or setting location of this device within your home.  You can use one of the preset locations or by scrolling to the bottom of the list, create a custom location name, then click “Next.”

9. At this step, you have the opportunity to customize the VSSL device name.  Change the name according to personal preference or how you would like for it to appear in the Cast list of devices on your Wi-Fi network.  In the future, when you AirPlay or Google Cast to your VSSL device, you will look for this new name in the device list.  Click “Next” to save the new device name.

10. From the list of possible Wi-Fi networks available, select your home Wi-Fi network.  Google Home will now connect your VSSL device to the Wi-Fi network that you selected.

11. After “Linking your SX Speaker,” for example, click “Continue.”

12. If you would like to set up Google Assistant, please do so here, or click “Next” to proceed.

13. The next several screens allow you to easily connect additional services to your device if you choose.  These services are optional and have no impact on the actual setup of your VSSL device (unless you actually choose to use Google Home for interfacing with your VSSL device), but are provided here by Google to ease the overall setup process. To select a default music service, check one of the listed music services, then click “Next.”  If you have a radio service, such as “Sirius XM,” you can add that as well on the following screen.  Click “Next” to proceed.  If you would like to link a video service, you can click “Next” to add any of those services or select “Not now” to proceed.  This is followed by the option of adding Live TV Services.  Again click “Next” to add those services or “Not now” to proceed.

14. Congratulations, you’re “Almost Done.” At the bottom of this Review page, click “Next” to proceed.

15. Your device has been updated with the latest firmware before being delivered to you.  However, the device will automatically check for new firmware to ensure that you always have the latest functionality and improvements.  If the device needs to update firmware, the application will automatically perform the update for you.  If a firmware update starts, this will take approximately 3 to 4 minutes to complete.  In addition to the on-screen communication, your device will indicate that it is in firmware update mode when the LED changes to purple on an SX Soundbar or pink on an SX Speaker.  If no firmware updates are available, you will see no mention of firmware in the app and no change to the device LED.  After the firmware update, “Update Complete” will be shown and you can click “Continue” to finish the setup process within Google Home.  

16. The final page is a tutorial of available services offered by Google.  You can select “Skip tutorial,” then “Finish Tutorial” to exit the Google Home setup process and return to the Google Home main screen.  Once again, if you click on “Devices” at the bottom of the screen, you should be able to see your newly added VSSL device in the room location to which you assigned it.

17.  Now, let’s return to the VSSL app.  Opening the black icon VSSL app, you should be able to refresh the VSSL device list by touching the “Tap to Scan” button on the Settings tab.  Your newly paired VSSL device will now be listed and named according to the customized name that you assigned the device or named according to the location to which you assigned it in the Google Home application along with the word “speaker” appended to the end of the device description, for example “Movie Room speaker.”  As a reminder, by selecting your VSSL device on the Settings tab in the VSSL app, you can change the name of the device in the Name field, and click “Return” on your phone keyboard to make your name change official.

18. At this point, you can return to step 17 in the VSSL App Setup Instructions above for initiating a music stream and of course, having fun!  And super important…don’t forget step 18!

VSSL App Setup Instructions for SX Surround Sound Configurations

5.1 Surround Sound (SX Soundbar, SX Subwoofer, two SX Speakers):

1. First, set up both of your SX Speakers in standalone mode using the Standalone instructions above.  Plug each device to power only when ready to set up.

2. Next, set up your SX Soundbar in Standalone mode using the same instructions above.  Again, wait until you’re ready to set up the Soundbar before plugging up to power.

3. Now, in the VSSL app, click the “Settings” icon at the bottom and select the Soundbar that you just set up. On the next Settings page for the Soundbar, click the arrow to the right of the Soundbar graphic in the section labeled “Products Layout.”


4. Select “Add Product.” You should see both of the SX Speakers that you have already set up. Select either one of the SX Speakers.

5. Select “Confirm” that the LED is blinking blue on one of the SX Speakers.

6. Select Left or Right to position this SX Speaker in your surround sound config and click “Done.”  The VSSL app will initiate the pairing process to connect that SX Speaker to your SX Soundbar.  Pairing should take about a minute.  Once pairing is complete, you’ll be returned to the Product Layout screen and you should see an icon for your SX Speaker now on the screen with the Soundbar.

7. Repeat steps 4 and 5 above to add your 2nd SX Speaker.

8. Now, to add your SX Subwoofer, plug in your Subwoofer to power.  In the VSSL app, the device will appear for pairing either as a pop-up or a notification at the bottom of the screen for “New Devices Found.”  Click the “Setup” button.  Select the SX Soundbar to which to pair the Subwoofer.  This will initiate the pairing process.  After pairing, select “Yes” for Bass Optimization.  Your 5.1 Surround Sound is now “Setup Complete.”

5.2 Surround Sound (SX Soundbar, two SX Subwoofers, two SX Speakers):

1. First, follow all of the instructions above for setting up a 5.1 surround sound configuration with your VSSL devices.

2. Next, repeat step 8 above to add your 2nd SX Subwoofer.  Nothing else is required.

7.1 Surround Sound (SX Soundbar, SX Subwoofer, four SX Speakers):

1. First, you will follow all of the instructions above for setting up a 5.1 surround sound configuration.  However, before you set up the Soundbar in step 2, you will need to set up SX Speakers #3 and #4 in standalone mode.

2. After setting up the fourth SX Speaker and then the SX Soundbar, proceed to step 3, adding the four SX Speakers sequentially to the Soundbar (two left and two right) before finally adding the Subwoofer.  Your 7.1 Surround Sound is now ready.

7.2 Surround Sound (SX Soundbar, two SX Subwoofers, four SX Speakers):

1. First, follow all of the instructions above for setting up a 5.1 surround sound before then completing the 7.1 surround sound instructions.

2. Next, repeat step 8 of the 5.1 setup above to add your 2nd SX Subwoofer.  Nothing else is required.

Streaming Music & Grouping with Apply AirPlay and Google Cast

Each music streaming service (ex. Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, etc.) uses different icons to represent their ability to stream audio to your VSSL device. Please use this link for additional instructions for each music streaming service: Streaming Music with VSSL. 

Apple’s AirPlay 2 makes multi-zone music streaming easy with the ability to select the desired rooms to which to stream as well as control each room's volume individually. Using Google Cast from Google, users have some additional steps that require interaction with the Google Home app in order to create Cast groups. As with AirPlay, the VSSL app can then be used to control volume for individual rooms. For additional information on creating Cast groups, go to Using AirPlay 2.