Pedal with TRS cable

[lalaland]

Hi all,

I have just bought a FA06 with a EV-5 Expression pedal ( for contrl 1 input), a Boss FS-6 dual foot switch (for contrl 2 input) and a M-audio SP-1 (for hold input). The FS-6 dual foot switch has a stereo out which I wanted to use in contrl 2 pedal input with a TRS cable for patch up/down or sequencer play/stop type function. But the FA06 manual showed the use of TRS cable with the expression pedal only (contrl 1 input) and TS cable with the rest of the 2 pedal inputs (2 Roland DP-2 pedals with TS cable were shown for the hold and contrl 2 input).

My question is, can I use a TRS cable with the contrl 2 input as well? Shouldn't contrl 1 & 2 have similar feature/capabilities? I assume that a TRS/stereo cable would enable me to perform latch/switch type function involving FS-6's dual pedals (although I can use either pedal A or B individually via their respective mono out with a TS cable). I also assume that momentary type sustain/hold pedal uses a TS cable because their function is not complex two directional like an expression pedal. Please let me know if I am wrong.


Second Question:

My mixer has a balanced out. Since I am recording samples from mono mic and guitar signal via mixer, I don't need stereo, but for balanced signal, I want to use a TRS cable from mixer's Main L out to FA06's mic/guitar 1/4" input. But the manual didn't mention if the FA06's mic/guitar input is a stereo or mono and if it excepts balanced signal or not. I assume since FA06's main outs are balanced, inputs are balanced too (except the 1/8" line input). Any idea?

Your help will be much appreciated. Thanks.

[RoDi]

Both Ctrl inputs have same capabilities. However the choice of the connection cable depends on the control device you are using. A continues controller like a volume or expression pedal needs three wires/contacts, hence it is a stereo cable/plug. A switch needs two wires/contacts, so it is a mono cable/plug. Connecting two switches needs two cables, at least at the FA side. In your case you could use a y-cable (1xstereo to 2xmono) to connect the double footswitch to the FA.

Mic/Guitare input is mono/unbalanced. Use a mono cable to connect your mixer to the FA. This way the balanced output will be correctly terminated with one of the two signal contacts to ground.

Regards,
RoDi

[lalaland]

Thanks a lot RoDi for your suggestion! As I mentioned my dual foot switch Boss FS-6 has two pedals, both programmable to be used as either a momentary/continuous or a switch/latch padel with individual polarity switches. In addition, it has a stereo (TRS) output that I assume enable both padels acting as a on/off, start/stop or up/down unit, depending on their settings.



So if Fa06's pedal contrl # 2 accept TRS, then I can use the stereo output. Need to check out the FS-6 manual for setting details though.

Too bad Fa06's audio 1/4" input is mono/unbalanced! I have a Zoom G1Xon guitar multi effect processor whose stereo output I wanted to use for recording ping pong panning effects.

Thanks a lot again. Appreciate your help.

[lalaland]

Interestingly, after several try yesterday, I couldn't make both pedal A and B work using a stereo TRS cable with my FA06! I assigned the contrl pedal to increment button. I set both pedals to continuous mode but at opposite polarity, hoping that one pedal would increase the value and the other pedal would decrease it. But apparently, only pedal B works for increment only! If I change the polarity in FA06 pedal setup, the increment happens by 5 counts (jumps to 005 right after 001)! But pedal A doesn't work at all! I didn't try studio set up/down or favorite up/down settings but I am sure only one pedal would work there too!

Is there any MIDI controller number I missed that let me use the both pedals in opposite direction? Not all listed controller options in FA06's pedal setup screen comes with description, so I don't know their functions. Otherwise how this dual pedal unit like Boss FS-6 works with a single TRS cable as claimed by the manufacturer? Of course I can use two TS cables and assign pedal A to increment/up and pedal B to decrement/down, using FA06's contrl pedal 1 and 2 jack, but that was not my intention here.

[RoDi]

Thats what I tried to explain. The function is not defined by the cable. The TRS output of the foot pedal is the same as the individual A and B outputs, except that the A contact is on the ring, B contact on tip and ground on the shaft. Some amplifiers might be compatible to this setup. The FA does not support this kind of connection and there is no way to force it.

Regards,
RoDi

[RoDi]

Of course the FA has a stereo input:
The small 3.5mm audio input is stereo, line level. Use some adapter cable to plugin.

RoDi