Ultra VP Virtual Pinball Machine Sound And Intensity Knobs Recomended settings

     (614) 208-7780           www.recroomworld.com          info@recroomworld.com

ULTRA VP VIRTUAL PINBALL MACHINE

Sound & Intensity Knobs

Recommended Settings Guide 

-  applies to all ULTRA VP Models - 

Revision 9/9/2021

This guide will help you fine tune your ULTRA VP sound settings in order to hear the surround sound feedback (SSF) as intended. It also helps you set the intensity knob settings correctly.

If you have questions please call us for support at (614) 208-7780

SURROUND SOUND SETTINGS IN VISUAL PINBALL

In order to increase the ball rolling/ball collision sounds please double check that your sound effect volume bar is set to 100% in Visual Pinball Preferences first (this should already be set that way but if it isn’t this is a crucial adjustment). 

• In order to access Visual Pinball, press X on your keyboard to exit our Pinup Popper Menu. 

• Bring up Windows File Explorer (you can type in File Explorer in the hidden search bar). To show the search bar just move your mouse cursor to the left edge of the main playfield.

• Go to C:\vPinball\VisualPinball and double click VPinballX.exe to launch it. It will open a file -> open dialog.  Press ESCAPE to exit that dialog.

• Use the mouse to select the PREFERENCES → AUDIO OPTIONS menu item. 

• Increase the SOUND EFFECTS volume to Max (100%) by sliding the slider to the right all the way (see red arrow on the picture below). 

• While you are there, go ahead and select Speakers (Realtek Audio) for both of the listboxes to the right (see blue highlights on the picture below). 

• Click the OK button to save the settings.  FILE →  EXIT or press the X button on the upper right of the title bar to exit VPinballX.exe. 

REALTEK AUDIO CONSOLE SETTINGS

To maximize the SSF (ball rolling effect coming from the surround speakers) on the ULTRA VP you want to increase the decibel output as much as possible in the RealTek Audio Console. 

1. Open the Windows Start Menu  →  then open RealTek Audio Console

2. Click Speakers on the left column

3. Scroll down and enable Room Connection 

4. Increase the gain to +10 db on the four smaller "surround" speakers (not the taller front speakers or subwoofer - see red arrows on the picture below)

5. Change the distances of the speakers (as green arrows on the picture below)
   Left & Right Front Speakers - 5 ft, Subwoofer - 5 ft, Rear Surround Speakers - 3 ft , Front Surround Speakers - 1 ft 

6. You can experiment with the equalizer settings if you want but we usually leave it on its default “None”

7. Exit RealTek Audio Console

RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER SETTINGS

Secondly, you must have the amplifiers on the inside of your ULTRA VP set correctly or it will be difficult to hear those surround sound feedback (SSF) sounds. 

PRIMARY MAIN AMPLIFIER SETTINGS

(MAIN STEREO AND SUBWOOFER CHANNELS) 

Open the ULTRA VP coin door with your key. Look inside and you will find the main Lepy amplifier in the front to the right of the coin box (next to the main controller board). 

Set the knobs as shown in the picture below… (knobs from left to right):

• SUB VOLUME to 50% (noon - vertical)

• X-OVER to 50% (noon - vertical)

• TREBLE to Max (100%)

• BASS to 60% (1pm)

• VOLUME to 45% (11am) (or lower depending on your preference - the lower the more you will hear the surround sound SSF effect) - ignore the picture showing 50%

Note: You can experiment with the main VOLUME knob. You will find that lowering the volume will allow you to hear the surround sounds more since the rear speaker amplifiers are maxed out. 

SURROUND SOUND AMPLIFIER SETTINGS

(MAIN STEREO AND SUBWOOFER CHANNELS) 

A little further back (behind the crossbar) you will find two (2) additional Lepy amplifiers that are responsible for the surround sound speakers (transducers). You need to change the settings on BOTH of these amplifiers to the following settings (settings are the same for both) ...

Set the knobs as shown in the picture below… (knobs from left to right):

• SUB VOLUME to Max (100%)

• X-OVER to Max (100%)

• TREBLE to Max (100%)

• BASS to Max (100%)

• VOLUME to Max (100%)

Note: Leave these settings at all times on both rear amplifiers, no need to adjust ever again.

SHAKER MOTOR INTENSITY SETTING

(CONTROLS HOW HARD THE MACHINE WILL RATTLE WHEN THE SHAKER MOTOR GOES OFF) 

The Shaker Motor Intensity Knob can be found on the LEFT side when you open up the coin door, right under the Blue and Red buttons. On the picture below you can see that the intensity know is set at about 11 o’clock position (40% of max power). We recommend that setting, it seems to be the ideal setting based on our gameplay experience. You want to avoid having it set too high to where it affect ball movement (remember, the gyroscope that enables nudging will be affected by the shaker motor if too intense). 

PINUP POPPER TABLE VOLUME SETTINGS

(CONTROLS HOW LOUD THE TABLE OR JUKEBOX IS INSIDE OF PINUP POPPER) 

The two Volume Control Buttons (Red and Blue) that affect the table or Jukebox volume levels inside of Pinup Popper can be found on the LEFT when you open your coin door, just above the Shaker Motor Intensity Knob (see picture below). 

When you press those buttons a green volume bar will show up on lower portion of the main playfield display. We like to keep that level at about 80% when we play. We recommend leaving the coin door open at all times for easy access.

GLOBAL WINDOWS VOLUME KNOB SETTING

(CONTROLS HOW LOUD THE MAIN WINDOWS VOLUME IS FOR ALL SPEAKERS AT ONCE) 

The Volume Knob under the front side of the ULTRA VP controls the GLOBAL WINDOWS VOLUME and affects ALL the 7:1 speakers at once. This knob allows you to quickly MUTE all sounds emanating from the ULTRA VP by tapping the button. Tap it again to unmute. Turning that knob will affect the general volume of the ULTRA VP. Considering all the other settings we just went through, we like to keep it at close to maximum volume but feel free to experiment...

BEST TABLES TO TEST

(THESE TABLES EXCEL ARE DIFFERENT THINGS) 

• HURRICANE (1991 Williams) - BEST TABLE TO TEST THE SSF SURROUND SOUND - 

Make sure you choose the VISUAL PINBALL version and not the Pinball FX3 version. Only Visual Pinball supports surround sound. This table is incredible to demonstrate the transducer speakers showcasing the ball rolling sound up and down and across the playfield left to right
.

• HARLEY DAVIDSON (1999 Sega) - BEST TABLE TO TEST THE SHAKER MOTOR - 

This table is awesome to demonstrate and set the shaker motor intensity while also supporting SSF. Lots of FUN!