Functionality of Pass-Through boxes and Patch Bays
- jgncustomdesigns
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
When it comes to laying out a pedalboard, There are some fundamentals that each build starts with.
What pedals?
What patch cables?
What kind of board?
What kind of power supply?
Then comes the process of laying out the board and determining where each pedal goes.
Figuring out where each pedal is in the chain from start to finish.
getting the layout that gives you the best workflow whether in a live setting or in a studio.
Pedal Risers help tremendously in making each pedal accessible, but what happens when the first pedal in your chain (First thing your signal passes through on your board) needs to go in the middle of your board? Perhaps it has an odd jack placement.
Using a patch bay or pass through box can turn this issue in to a piece of cake!
(An added benefit to using a patch bay is that you are minimizing the wear on your pedals input and output jacks.)
by running the input of that pedal to a dedicated input jack at a more convenient spot on the side of your board, whether it be below the surface on a board like a PedalTrain, or on the top of your board if its a flat board.
You can make your inputs and outputs be in dedicated spots on your board, no matter where the last pedal in your chain is.
There have been many different approaches to this idea over the years, with some being made in pedal sized housings that minimize height but sacrifice options and become a hinderance in certain placements and others being pre-built in slots that are made in to the sides of boards like Creation Music Co. and Temple Audio.
We decided to make something new and unique with a more universal and modular approach.
We call this line the DSPCHR (Short for Dispatcher)
With several sub-series within the main product line.
DSPCHR
The Main Line DSPCHR is comprised of simple inputs and outputs.
We currently offer Locking TRS/TS & XLR inputs/outputs.
The options go from 1-5 Jacks at the time of this article but might expand to 6 Jacks.
This D-Type Jack system is all mounted up to a housing that is low profile and allows for the user to mount it to their board however they see fit. Below board for some, Above boards for others.
The profile of the housing allows for it to double as a pedal riser. The Length is determined by the number of jacks, The Width is 2-1/2" which is the perfect for most single effects units including but not limited to an Ibanez Tube Screamer, a Walrus Julianna, Boss TU-3...etc.
At 1-1/2" Tall it pairs well with our Pro Series Flat Risers (The 1-1/2" Variant) as well as the Sky Scraper.
The DSPCHR System comes ready to mount up using dual lock or velcro (Mounting Materials not included) and plug in. No additional wiring or set up needed. Just mount it to your board, Plug this up between your pedals and Guitar/Amp/Modeler/Etc.
Simply go to the DSPCHR with the amount of jacks you need, then follow the prompts for what kind of jack you want in each slot, press order and sit back and relax while we get your next pedalboard upgrade shipped out to you!
OPRATR
The OPRATR (Short for Operator) is a D-Panel frame that allows the user to mount their own Jacks to This D-Type Panel and mount it up in the tightest of spaces on their board. It is only 1" Thick, Length is dependant on the number of jacks and 1-1/2" in height. It comes ready to go with the screws needed to mount your D-Type panel mount jacks.
Mount it using your own dual lock or velcro.
You don't need to spend premium money on a board to add the premium features that you want. Save money, get the upgrades you want and have money left over to get the gear you need.
Select the OPRATR the select how many jacks you need and then press order. You're all set after that!
DSPCHR + IEC
The DSPCHR + IEC Gives you all of the previously explained functionalities of the DSPCHR System with the added feature of adding a dedicated IEC Power inlet that passes through to a 12" long IEC Power cable that you can run in to most power supplies. The convenient part of IEC is that for 1, it is low profile meaning it requires minimal space, but, if you get an IEC to NEMA/15amp adapter, you can convert to a standard style outlet to plug in anything under your board.
DSPCHR + HUB
This is is where we might absolutely change everything for you when it comes to your pedalboard layout and how you connect to and update your pedals. For the longest time, the best way to ensure you can connect your USB enabled pedals is to make sure the jacks are placed in a position along the outside perimeter of your board. However, Today, We offer a simple yet powerful solution.
Mount a USB HUB under your board.
The DSPCHR + HUB Series comes with a dedicated USB A passthrough.
You mount your own hub on or under your board, run it to this dedicated pass through.
Permanently Run your pedals to the usb hub, and now, you only have to plug 1 cable up to your board and can instantly access the usb enabled functions of any one or even all of your pedals at once. Gone are the days of weird layouts or tearing a pedal off your board to control, edit or updated your pedals.
The DSPCHR + HUB series comes in 1-4 Jacks + a dedicated USB A Pass Through.
DSPCHR + IEC + HUB
Now to bring it all together in one box.
if you've read through all of the previous options, then, you can probably guess what this means.
The DSPCHR + IEC + HUB gives you 1/4" Jacks, a USB A Passthrough and an IEC Jack all in one space.
Check out the DSPCHR system page on our site to see the full lineup and for videos explaining the products!
Comments