PBC 10 Loop 7 issue

Fit2praise

Member
Good afternoon! I can't wrap my head around this issue:
I have drives in the first 7 loops. I just switched my Protein to where it is using TRS cables for independence on both channels of that pedal. I'm doing that in channel 5 and 6. Channel 7 is a Tumnus I use for a boost. The PBC is not opening loop 7 when I hit the button. It lights up under the switches button like it is supposed to but the "7" in screen stays hollow. I think I did everything correctly on the buttons page. It is set up exactly like all my other drive buttons. What can I do to make this work right?
 
Have a look at your Audio settings, see if loop 7 is locked. It will have a closed lock icon if locked, an open lock if not locked.
 
I've looked in the general settings because on the switches button page that is the kill switch for just dry signal. In the IA actions:
Audio, Signal, 1. Dry Mix, Off, On.
In IA Settings the IA Link button is checked.
Send on Preset is checked
Updated State on Present Changed is checked.

Button mode is normal
Button type is IA

What else can I check?
 
Ron, you're awesome! Thanks for the fix! I had already done that but forgot to update along the way and the settings got lost. Thanks for the tip on the IAlink setting too!

Have a great day!
 
Sorry to reopen such an old thread, but I think I may be experiencing the same, or at least similar, issue as the original poster. Short story is, loops 7-10 randomly lock up in either an on or off state. The lights under the foot switches turn off and on as they should, but the loop does not follow the switch state. Sometimes it will be that I'm playing with loop 9 on for the Ventris, and after turning that loop off, the loop stays open with the Ventris affecting the signal. The light for loop 9 is off, and the screen shows it's off, but the pedal is clearly still open and affecting the signal. And the opposite happens as well. I'll be testing a different pedal with loop 9 off, then I'll try to turn it on with the foot switch. The light turns on under the switch, but the effect does not get added to the signal.

A little backstory... I'm in the process of resurrecting my pedalboard that has been out of commission for awhile. The first thing I had to do was install a new screen on my PBC Mastermind. That all seemed to go smoothly, and after installation, the screen is perfect. I then started the re-wire with the goal of running my Strymon Flint, Source Audio Ventris and Strymon Timeline in parallel - loops 8-10 - and then later adding a Strymon CloudBurst to loop 7 and also run in parallel. I got through all of the wiring in the mono-only loops 1-6, and everything was working as it should. Then I started working on my TRS-TRS and left/right-TRS cable for the Strymon Flint, which is where things went haywire.

I have the V1 Flint, which requires a jumper to be set internally to receive a stereo signal in the single input. I made sure the jumper was set correctly before testing the patch cables I created. Also, after creating the cables, I tested continuity with a digital multimeter, and everything is right. Tip to tip, ring to ring, and sleeve to sleeve all complete their circuits, and there are no sounds emitted from the multimeter when testing tip to ring, tip to sleeve, etc. More on this below, because I have since confirmed the cables are working.

Now to more information about the problem. After I created the TRS-TRS cable to go from the send of loop 8 into the Flint input and the right/left-TRS cable to go out of the right and left outputs of the Flint back into return of loop 8, no effects were getting applied to the signal. I set the PCB to Loop mode, turned on only loop 8, and only my dry guitar signal came through my amp, so the patch cables were carrying sound. I did some troubleshooting for some time to see if it was my cables or the PCB, and thought at first it was my cables. Then I hooked up the Ventris to loop 9, and everything worked. While I couldn't test my TRS-TRS cable for the Flint, I did test the left/right-TRS I created going back to the return of loop 9, and it worked. So something had to be wrong with my other cable or something in the PCB.

I kept fiddling with things, and then saw the same thing happen to the Ventris in loop 9. I was playing with loop 9 in the on position and the signal was effected. I then turned loop 9 off, but the loop was still open as the Ventris' effect were still applied to the sound as described in my first paragraph. That got me to thinking there's a glitch and I unplugged the PCB and turned it back on. After that, everything worked and I thought it was fixed. However, a couple minutes later, it started happening again.

I can't reproduce exactly what causes it, but when the loop gets locked in the on or off state, I simply unplug the PCB and plug it back in, and everything works correctly for a couple of minutes before going out of whack again.
 
It sounds to me like the top and bottom circuit boards are not connected well. Open it up and check the rigid connector between the two circuit boards. It should be well seated, and you should see little or none of the gold pins that connect the two. The pins could be a little misaligned. Also, overtightening the screws that secure the circuit board to the rubber standoffs can cause them to twist, which makes them longer and pushes the circuit boards apart.
 
Thank you for the quick response again. Your support is incredibly timely and much appreciated.

I opened up the unit really quick and thought I'd show photos to make sure I'm understanding you. The first pic might be the culprit but not sure of course. Is the cable linking the two boards what you were talking about? Also, when you talked about the misalignment, is that what could be happening on the "bottom-board" pic in the "J29" plug?

If it is, I'm not sure sure how to make that plug stay plugged in straight. the wife goes over some raised circuitry that tends to make the plug move out of alignment. First, do you think that could be the cause. Second, what can I do to make sure it stays aligned?

bottom-board.jpegtop-board.jpeg
 
The cable isn't the problem, it's the tall 32 pin header on the other side of the board. That's the one that carries communication between boards. It needs to be well seated, with no gap, for it to work correctly. Before reconnecting, make sure that all of the gold pins are straight, and when reconnecting it, you may need to guide it to make sure the pins go into the socket on the other circuit board.
 
Ahh, I see what you're talking about. I forgot about those pins on the bottom of the top board. I checked the pins and socket, and everything looks good. I put the PCB back together making sure the pins were aligned and all the way seated. Couldn't test much, but playing for a few minutes seems like that may have fixed the problem. I'll test more tonight and see if I run into any issues, but hopefully that takes care of the problem.
 
Ok, I'm pretty sure that fixed the problem. I was bale to get all my patch cables created for the 8-10 loops, and all pedals are working correctly. When I switch loops on an off, the effects actually turn on and off, so the pins not getting seated correctly must have been the problem.

Thank you very much for the quick replies and fast resolution!
 
Ok, I'm pretty sure that fixed the problem. I was bale to get all my patch cables created for the 8-10 loops, and all pedals are working correctly. When I switch loops on an off, the effects actually turn on and off, so the pins not getting seated correctly must have been the problem.

Thank you very much for the quick replies and fast resolution!
Great, I'm happy to hear it's working now!
 
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