CRITICAL Configurator Information

[ICUDoc]

I am writing this thread because in the last few weeks I have had many problems getting my Devialet 440 Expert Pro CI working perfectly.
I am not a stupid person (although I am man and do stupid middle-aged-man things) and so I am hoping to make this plain for all Devialet users to save them the frustrations I have experienced.
Only by standing on the shoulders of giants can one see so far, so I pay homage and refer you to these threads- seminal sources of important information:
Baddog’s Thread
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-AIR-3-Be...5#pid41595
Pim’s thread (with Axel)
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-How-to-c...l-s-method
 
It seems to me that there have been MULTIPLE threads crying out for help when the Configuration appears to not be working.
eg Nemal1’s problem
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-SAM-work...-unit-only
gtahan’s problem
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Setup-Du...Expert-400
mdconnelly’s problem
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Expert-P...sappearing
MusicFirst’s problem
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Weak-Com...Monoblocks
Carcrashboy’s problem
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Errors-w...ght=chrome
Daniel’s Problem
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Bug-for-...-dual-mono
https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Issue-Fi...-Use-Error
 
I do not pretend to be the first person to discover this, but I have never seen it so bluntly, so here goes:

When you make a Configuration for a Dual-mono system, after you save ONE amp’s Config file (eg Master first), you then go back to save the other, but the CONFIGURATOR WILL CHANGE THAT FILE WITHOUT TELLING YOU. So your second Config file will be rubbish.

Eg in the last few weeks, I have had it change my Ethernet settings, my speaker delay settings, my Chaining Input settings. Drove. Me . Crazy. Thought I had a busted system.
The solution is to follow Pim’s / Axel’s directions to the letter: never reuse an old config file. Start afresh every time, for Master AND then a second time start afresh for the Companion.
When you make one for the Master, make a NEW one from scratch including the Master and Companion and THEN download the Companion one. Otherwise, some Companion settings will be changed.
I saved a Companion file, then went back to the same Configurator screen and simply re-saved it (I changed nothing) and then compared the files using WinMerge. Check this out:
They are DIFFERENT despite me changing nothing:
  "CONTROL_CONFIG":{
    "TRIG_IN_MODE":"DAISY_CHAIN_SLAVE",
    "TRIG_OUT_MODE":"OFF",
    "USB_INIT":"ON",
    "RADIO_CTRL":"OFF",
    "RADIO_MAX_REMOTE":1,
    "WIFI_CTRL":"OFF",
    "BT3_MODE":"MUTE",
    "BT4_MODE":"MENU_TONE",
    "KEY_RADIO":"",
    "RS232_CTRL":"OFF",
    "RS232_BAUDRATE":115200,
    "RS232_ECHO_MODE":"OFF",
    "RS232_CMD_ACK_MODE":"OFF",
    "RS232_AUTO_SEND_STATUS_MODE":"OFF",
    "RS232_TARGET":"Devialet",
    "SPDIF_CTRL":"OFF",
 
Compared to:
  "CONTROL_CONFIG":{
    "TRIG_IN_MODE":"OFF",
    "TRIG_OUT_MODE":"OFF",
    "USB_INIT":"ON",
    "RADIO_CTRL":"OFF",
    "RADIO_MAX_REMOTE":1,
    "WIFI_CTRL":"OFF",
    "BT3_MODE":"MUTE",
    "BT4_MODE":"MENU_TONE",
    "KEY_RADIO":"",
    "RS232_CTRL":"OFF",
    "RS232_BAUDRATE":115200,
    "RS232_ECHO_MODE":"OFF",
    "RS232_CMD_ACK_MODE":"OFF",
    "RS232_AUTO_SEND_STATUS_MODE":"OFF",
    "RS232_TARGET":"Devialet",
    "SPDIF_CTRL":"ON",

As you can see, this change will result in the “Companion amp won’t act as a Companion” problem
Since I (finally) learned this, every re-configuration has gone smoothly.
All the best.