Moog Music Forum

Can someone explain to me why… without to many big words… that you can't connect BOTH and MP-201 AND an EP-2 to the same pedal…

I 'assumed' this would be fine but when you connect both, neither work. I assume is due to one having a Stereo and one having a Mono input… but just wondered if anyone could explain the science behind why? I was wanting to have the last remaining spare channel in my MP-201 to run an LFO through my freqbox, which already has an EP-2 controlling one parameter… connecting both stops either working though…

Anyone?

Shep

Which pedal/fooger and which inputs on that pedal?

The fundamental (electrical) difference between the two controllers is as follows:

EP-2 is a passive device and 'accepts' the [usually] 5V across one of the contacts on the TRS (Stereo) plug. It then sends back to the pedal/Voyager/Phatty, a reduced voltage.

MP-201 only has 2 conductor jacks but since it has a power supply, it can send voltage.

Why did it 'short' out? no clue. Should work; I didn't see that you were trying to sum the voltages through a mult or anything? Reply w/the details of precisely what you are doing and we'll be able to give you a better explanation.

Originally I had it on my LPF - EP-2 controlling cutoff and the MP-201 controlling RES' via a LFO. Neither worked. The pedal worked still, but no controllers. Remove one and the other jumps to life.

After this I tested it in both my Freqbox and Ringmod in a few sockets, it's the same story with every combination of inputs.

Use a pair of EP-2's in a pedal - no problem. Use 2 or more inputs of the MP-201 on the smar pedal - No problem. Mix them - Nothing.

If one of the pedal inputs on a fooger has a TS in it, it shorts out the voltage on all rings of the other pedal inputs as well.
So if you're using a TS cable between the MP-201 and the fooger, the EP-2 won't work.
Using a TRS cable should do the trick.

Tidda

That sounds like a plan... But the manual for the MP-201 is quite clear with instructions to use TS cables unlike other expression pedals, due to the nature of how it operates... I assume Moog wouldn't state that if using a TRS cable will work fine?

I don't have a MP-201 so I wouldn't really know, but it doesn't seem very moog-like to make this stuff incompatible with each other.

Tidda

Pantherairsoft wrote:... the manual for the MP-201 is quite clear with instructions to use TS cables ...

Can't find that in the manual. Maybe I missed it.
But from the MF-101 manual:

When connecting one or more pedal control input jacks to a source of external
control voltage such as an analog synth or a MIDI-to-CV converter, you should use
patch cords with tip-ring-sleeve phone plugs. The ring terminal on the plug should not
be connected to anything, so that the MF-101's source of +5.7 volts is not shorted out.

Only thing I found in the MP-201 manual was that it uses 1/4" TS jacks.
My theory is that inserting a TRS plug will leave the ring unconnected at the MP-201 end so it won't hurt the MP-201.
You could also use/make a TS-to-TRS cable with the ring not connected to anything.

Tidda.