Connecting a PX8+ and a control switcher

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oorisilb
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2020 11:01 pm

Connecting a PX8+ and a control switcher

Post by oorisilb »

I have a PX8+ and I want to connect my amps 4 switches (channel, gain, boost) to the PX8+. The amp (Fuchs modified Blackjack) has a Cat5 cable jack to control the switches. Fuchs said they can sell me a breakout box which will take the Cat5 on one end and convert that to four 1/4" jacks.
Question 1: If I connect those four 1/4 Jacks to a VL control switcher, how do I then connect the control switcher to the PX8+?

Question 2: Does the control switcher take up one loop or 4 loops on the PX8+? Or can it work both ways depending on whether I want individual control of the amp settings from the px-8 plus itself (using 4 loops for that) or whether I want to save and conserve loops in which case is there a way to plug that control switcher into just one Loop on the px8.

Question 3: To program pedals and amp settings into a preset on the PX8+, do I simply engage the pedals I want, and also engage the switches on the control switcher that connect to the settings I want in the preset, and then store the preset?

If you have other ideas on how to accomplish but I'm trying to do, or have more questions about what I'm trying to do and Rouge provide an answer, just let me know. I'm learning, and open to all input.

Thank You.

JohnClark
Posts: 7494
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 2:33 pm
Location: The Lab

Re: Connecting a PX8+ and a control switcher

Post by JohnClark »

Welcome!
Here are some answers to your questions.

1. The Control Switcher will connect to the PX-8 via a MIDI Cable. MIDI Out of the PX-8+ to the MIDI In on the Control Switcher.

2. The Control Switcher won't take up any of the PX-8+ Loops. You will still have all eight PX-8+ Loops for effects. Adding the Control Switcher will add four more "loops" for controlling your amp.

3. Preset programming for the Control Switcher will be to recall a preset on the PX-8+, press the appropriate buttons on the Control Switcher for how you want the amp set for this preset, then store the changes on the Control Switcher. After that, every time you recall this PX-8+ preset it will also set the amp to the state you've saved on the Control Switcher.

Once you have this stuff in front of you you will need to do the following programming steps to the Control Switcher as shown in its manual. (Just be sure to use the Control Switcher manual that matches the unit you have... programming is different between the model with Red Buttons vs. the older model with Black Buttons.)
1. Set the Control Switcher to respond to MIDI Program Changes.
2. Set the Control Switcher to respond using MIDI Channel 1.

Let us know if you get stuck!
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oorisilb
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2020 11:01 pm

Re: Connecting a PX8+ and a control switcher

Post by oorisilb »

Thanks John. That's really helpful. In follow up:

1. Is there any way to set up a system where in addition to having the amp channel selections in various PX8+_ presets as yo described above, I am able to manually over-ride the preset and make a change to the amp channel selection? (like I can do from within a preset on the PX8+, where I go into the mode that lets me add or subtract a pedal from a preset while in the preset.)

2. If I have the midi connector on the PX8+ going to the channel switcher, is there a way to also tie in and program another midi controlled pedal (or more than one) Like a Strymon Timeline, or more likely for my Pog2 once I get the midi ad on installed? Do I just go into the first midi device from the PX8+ and then out of that device into the next midi device in series? I am new to midi and looper switching but have a bit of an engineer's mind. Thanks.

3. If I want to daisy chain a second PX8+ to my current one, is there any advantage to the PX8+ versus getting a used PX8 since the second one will not be used in the preset mode?

Thank You for your great products!

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