USING STEREO EFFECTS

Hi guys ... new to the forum. Just got my PBC. I need some direction (to a thread) that will address how to (if possible) have loops 7-10 wired for stereo (Mobius, Timeline, Big Sky, H9) for my rig using 2 Mesa Boogie Lonestar Specials (using the standard setup like Ron has diagramed for stereo using Insert Cables in 7-10. My question (not intended for this thread) is this; can I use my stereo rig as mono (Lonestar Specials are heavy, heavy) on the fly without changing the cabling in those specific loops. Meaning, I'd like to run stereo in my studio (and live for gigs), but for practice, I'd like to run mono using only 1 Lonestar Sepcail (the 1x12 ... it's much lighter). Please direct me to the proper thread, I've sifted through and can't seem to find the thread that addresses this scenario. I'm in the building phase and really don't want to follow the wrong wiring path. Thanks for anybody's assistance.
Tim
 
You can leave everything the way it is and use one output for your one amp and you'll be fine. The only thing that would be an issue is if you have any ping-pong delays that bounce between left and right side, or any panning effects. When running mono, you would only get half of the repeats and only one side of the panning.
 
You can leave everything the way it is and use one output for your one amp and you'll be fine. The only thing that would be an issue is if you have any ping-pong delays that bounce between left and right side, or any panning effects. When running mono, you would only get half of the repeats and only one side of the panning.

To eliminate that ping pong issue, could I simply disconnect the "In 2" and "Out 2" on all of the stereo pedals so these pedals function in mono?
 
You can leave everything the way it is and use one output for your one amp and you'll be fine. The only thing that would be an issue is if you have any ping-pong delays that bounce between left and right side, or any panning effects. When running mono, you would only get half of the repeats and only one side of the panning.

Nevermind that last post ... with an insert cable that is not going to work ... I believe.

I haven't purchased the Strymons yet, so I'm limited on my knowlege as to whether I can make a setting to mono within the pedal itself ... so I'll have to wait until they Strymon's arrive. Thanks, and I'm sure I'll have a few more questions down-the-road.
 
On some pedals, unplugging one side (left or right) cables from the pedal will make it operate in mono, with the left and right outputs mixed down. I don't think that's the case with Strymon pedals, though. You'd have to ask them to be sure.
 
I just stumbled on this switchcraft part, which looks like it will come in handy for making cables for mono/stereo situations:

288 1/4" Mono 2 Conductor Cable Mount Plug, Nickel Metal Handle w/Solder Lugs & Cable Clamp (wide insulator between tip and sleeve allows use of two conductor plug in 3 conductor jack without shorting)
 
Hi guys,

I have some trouble running stereo pedals on my Mastermind PBC while having both mono and stereo pedals in the stereo loops 7-10. When I use two amps, Output B does not behave as expected. I have a mono overdrive pedal in loop 7, a Strymon Mobius (also in mono!) in loop 8 and a Timeline and a BigSky (both in stereo) in loops 9 and 10. I followed the instructions on the "Using Stereo Pedals with the Mastermind PBC" blog entry with no luck:
  • I used a "ring disconnect" cable for the (mono) input of the Timeline
  • I used insert cables for the output of the Timeline and both the input and the output of the BigSky
My question is: in addition to the above, do I need to build "ring disconnect" cables for my mono (in and out) pedals in loops 7 and 8 or those pedals should work with normal mono cables?

Thank you very much and congratulations, I'm delighted with my Mastermind PBC!

Javier
 
Last edited:
Loops 7 and/or 8 need ring disconnect cables if you run them in parallel.

If you let me know what output B is doing exactly (or not doing), I can be of more help. Let me know what it does with no loops on, with loop 7 on, loop 8 on, etc.
 
Hi, thanks for the quick reply!

I'm running everything in serie for the moment, so I *think^my cable configuration is OK. I isolated the problem so maybe you can guess what is going on.

Switches on my Mastermind PBC are set to Mono -> Stereo OUT, Mono Output OUT. My cable and pedal configuration is as follows:
  • Loop 7: Mono in - mono out overdrive pedal
  • Loop 8: Mono in - mono out modulation pedal (Strymon Mobius in pre/post configuration)
  • Loop 9: Mono in - stereo out delay pedal. Input 1 of the Strymon Timeline is connected with a "ring disconnect" cable and an insert cable goes back to the Mastermind PBC from both outputs of the pedal. (NOTE THAT INPUT 2 IS NOT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING)
  • Loop 10: Stereo in - stereo out reverb pedal (Strymon BigSky with an insert cable for both input and output signals)
With those cable settings I get the following problem: EDIT My signal is stereo if everything is bypassed. If I activate loops 7 or 8, signal becomes mono (output B is muted). Even with loops 7 or 8 activated, if I activate loop 9 signal becomes stereo again (that doesn't happen with loop 10).

Any guidance or ideas of what may be going on would be very appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

Javier
 
Last edited:
You need mono to stereo converter cables coming from the outputs of the mono pedals - that'll fix it.
 
Hi there! The problem was fixed with the cables you suggested, but a new problem appeared! Now if I activate loops 7 and 8 at the same time I get no signal in mono - no matter how I configure the back switches of my Mastermind. Those pedals work fine when combined with other loops but not together. Any suggestions o_O?

Thank you once again,

Javier
 
Maybe you have left and right reversed on one pedal? Not sure if that would do it, but it's something to check...
 
With loops 7 and 8 simultaneously on both Output A and B are silent. Also, if i switch the mono/stereo converter cable coming out of pedal 7 to a mono cable or a ring disconnect cable signal works fine in mono, while in stereo the original problem unsurprisingly reappears. Maybe I need ring disconnect cables for the input signal of loops 7 and/or 8?

Thanks you very much for your time and your help.
 
Are you using any pedal in parallel? If so, try running in series and see if the problem goes away. If that fixes it, then make sure all mono input pedals are using a ring disconnect cable. That'll fix the pedal when using it in parallel.
 
Where can I get 6 - 8 y cables for stereo fx pedals? I don't really like a popular brand that rhymes with sosa.

I guess I need them to be 2-3' long

Can't seem to locate much with a google search.
 
Back
Top