Solution for patchbay problems with the 104 and the MuRF

OysterRock · Post by **OysterRock** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 1:12 am

Here is a little tip for all you moogers out there who use your moogerfoogers with a patchbay. I don't know if this has been mentioned before, but I'm going to put it out there.

If you have a moogerfooger Delay or MuRF you may have noticed that the pedals don't work properly when some of the jacks are plugged into a patchbay and left without a CV plugged into them. This can be remedied by taking a 1/4'' jack plug (you can buy them separately from cables at places like Radioshack or you could take one off of an old cable you're not using) and soldering a jumper wire between the tip and the sleeve. Now plug this into the patchbay when not in use instead of leaving nothing plugged in and BLAMO, problem solved! Here's some pics:

The jumper wire:

Plugged in when not in use:

I've only tried this with a TS cable, but I'm sure it will work with a TRS. I've also only done this with the 104z, but I'm assuming it will work with the MuRF, too.

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:39 pm

Hi Oysterock,

So if your only using TRS, then you just make the jumper connections at the sleave and tip, and do nothing with the ring?

So I've noticed my MF 101 does not give me smooth sine wave tone when self oscilating, like it did before I got it into the patchbay. It wobbles sporadically when nothing is plugged into the audio in jack. Still wobbles, but not as much with a jack plugged into the audio in.

I'm assuming this patchbay solution, basically makes the MF think there is nothing plugged into it(complete the original signal path)

I'm just finishing getting all of my MF's into my patchbay, two more cables left to make, then its on to making cable for the Sherman, E.H. Bass micro synth, and my soundcard, ohh and then more cables for actual patching

Almost there!

OysterRock · Post by **OysterRock** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:02 pm

Suburban Bather wrote: So if your only using TRS, then you just make the jumper connections at the sleave and tip, and do nothing with the ring?

I would assume so.

So I've noticed my MF 101 does not give me smooth sine wave tone when self oscilating, like it did before I got it into the patchbay. It wobbles sporadically when nothing is plugged into the audio in jack. Still wobbles, but not as much with a jack plugged into the audio in.

Hmm, I haven't had (or maybe noticed) this problem. I would guess that you are picking up noise fluctuations causing the cutoff to change. The dummy plug thing might work for this if it is too much of a problem.

I'm assuming this patchbay solution, basically makes the MF think there is nothing plugged into it(complete the original signal path)

Correct. The 104 and 105's cv jacks work differently than the other moogerfoogers.

ohh and then more cables for actual patching

Tell me about it. There are some good patch cables to be had on ebay for a decent price.

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:51 pm

Cool, this should fix it then. I just have not really been doing much of anything but making cables lately. I'll post the results, as soon as I try it out.

I've seen a couple cable vendors on Ebay. I got my patchbay from "Hotwired" on Ebay, much cheaper than getting it from Zzounds, Musicians Friend, etc...... I did the math on how much pre assembled cables cost compared to making them your self. The dollars saved by making them your self is huge. Just time consuming, but worth it in the end.

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:19 am

Ok, my Lowpass is deffiniately picking up signal (rate and frequencey) from my Ring Mod. Audio out on the Lowpass going to the mixer, nothing else is plugged in. Its like I have an invisible LFO from the Ring Mod and into the Lowpass, Unreal!. Now when I plug an instrument into the audio in jack on the Lowpass the problem goes away. I still have not tried the jumper on the plug trick, but if the problem stops when I plug an instrument in then this tells it will work. But still WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wireless modulation, Ha!!

I'm using Mogami 2549 mic cable, regular Neutrik trs plugs, Neutrik NYS-SPP-L patchbay, Furman Pl-8 II power conditioner, and individual Visual Sound Onespot power adapters on each MoogerFooger.

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:17 pm

Ok, update! The dummy plug trick works(TS plug with a jumper connecting the tip and sleave together)

Thanx OysterRock!

Now my 101 and 102 behave themselves. I kind of like having this quirk(now that I can control it), wireless modulation of the 101 from the 102.

willi · Post by **willi** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 7:59 pm

Have you tried it on a different electrical system, or perhaps isolating the MF101/102 by temporarily using a battery pack to power the units? I'm wondering if perhaps this 'wireless' modulation is actually being carried by the power cabling somehow. I've got extremely noisy power at my home in Hawaii, which causes all kinds of weird interactions between devices. It seems a little odd to have this interaction wirelessly, unless one of your units does not have proper RF shielding...?

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:18 pm

No, I have not tried isolating them.

I am using "One Spot" power adapters since the wall warts take up space for other outlets on my power conditioner. I did try using power supplies that came with the Moogerfoogers and no change.

I don't have the slightest clue what is causing this. But this dummy plug trick solves the problem so no big deal.

If I'm picking up any radio waves, I'm not aware of it. However at one of my friends houses, he picks up a "Christian Radio Station" on his Fender guitar amp. But thats in another neighborhood a good 7-8 miles away from where I am.

There was a thread not too long ago about shielding your Moogerfoogers. Something like, putting a sheet of copper or foil on the inside of the MF's case.

I'm over this very minor problem since its fixable. Thanx for your input though!

OysterRock · Post by **OysterRock** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 10:51 pm

There is a sorts of noise around you where ever you are. Some circuits are so sensitive to noise that even waving your hand over it or touching part of it can cause fluctuations.

I don't seem to have this problem. If your 102's LFO is modulating your 101 even when nothing is plugged in to it, then something is leaking somewhere. I don't think its the Furman or the Onespots, maybe your patchbay is the problem?

Suburban Bather · Post by **Suburban Bather** » Thu Dec 21, 2006 11:46 pm

It just might be the patchbay. Without anything plugged in to the input of the 101. I can touch the jack on the patchbay that corresponds to the 101 input and it triggers the filter.

Only requires a very minor workaround so, I'm not mad at all.

This drives the point home even further. You get what you pay for. I should've opted for one of the higher end patchbays, but its still working out for me.

OysterRock · Post by **OysterRock** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:52 am

I have a crappy Behringer patchbay that works great. I was think of getting a Neutrik because my Behringer isn't TRS, but now i may reconsider.

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:32 pm

does anyone know if making these jumper connectors will work with a TRS patchbay?

i have a behringer like oysterrock, but it's the px3000, which is balanced, so i'm a little confused as to whether i would be able to run a TRS patch cable from say my 104z to the PB, and have a TS "jumper connector" on the other side of the isolated patch channel and get the desired effect of having the signal chain ''unbroken''. wouldn't a TS cable on the other side short out the moogerfooger on it's way back?

thanks!

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:19 pm

CTRLSHFT wrote:does anyone know if making these jumper connectors will work with a TRS patchbay?

i have a behringer like oysterrock, but it's the px3000, which is balanced, so i'm a little confused as to whether i would be able to run a TRS patch cable from say my 104z to the PB, and have a TS "jumper connector" on the other side of the isolated patch channel and get the desired effect of having the signal chain ''unbroken''. wouldn't a TS cable on the other side short out the moogerfooger on it's way back?

thanks!

::bump:: seriously, no one else has tried this yet? any responses would be awesomely appreciated.

latigid on · Post by **latigid on** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:43 am

I'm surprised you havent tried yourself! Anyways, I'm gonna try an experiment within the next few days with an oldschool telephone patchbay (one set of TRS sockets only). Basically, I'm going to loom individual TRS cables to each input and output of all my effects and a few synths.

Normalled, half-normalled and all that carry on won't matter; it's all hardwired. Inserting a jack will open two switches on the socket itself, so a closed switch (no jack inserted) will short the tip and sleeve to seperate grounds. So, careful wiring could effectively short two connections together, which would have the same effect as inserting a dummy plug...

Of course, you dont need to use the switches on every connection, just the ones requiring a dummy plug.

I'll let you know how I get on.

CTRLSHFT · Post by **CTRLSHFT** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:22 pm

latigid on wrote:I'm surprised you havent tried yourself! Anyways, I'm gonna try an experiment within the next few days with an oldschool telephone patchbay (one set of TRS sockets only). Basically, I'm going to loom individual TRS cables to each input and output of all my effects and a few synths.

Normalled, half-normalled and all that carry on won't matter; it's all hardwired. Inserting a jack will open two switches on the socket itself, so a closed switch (no jack inserted) will short the tip and sleeve to seperate grounds. So, careful wiring could effectively short two connections together, which would have the same effect as inserting a dummy plug...

Of course, you dont need to use the switches on every connection, just the ones requiring a dummy plug.

I'll let you know how I get on.

cool, thanks for the reply. yeah i'd love to try it myself, but before i go buy a ton of connectors and solder everything, i figured it might be a good idea to hit up the forums to see what other people might've experienced.

i can attest that TRS connector plugs like this:

won't work (i bought a bunch thinking this would solve the problem with me having to solder anything). i noticed if you pull it out halfway, and get it just right, the desired effect seems to work, but not for everything on the 104 and 105, and theres still a limitation in the available sweep range on both units. i'm not sure if by making all the channels isolated on the patchbay makes them no longer balanced or not, so theres another variable to consider (i'm guessing not though, cuz -+ stuff like triangle waves seem to modulate just fine.)

hmmm..

thanks again, i'll post too once i get a few TS connectors and try the jumper cable idea out with this patchbay.