Voodoo Lab

Thanks John. I figured the issue was actually with the DD500 and not the GCP, but I wanted to check here before I ditched the DD500. You had actually helped me out before on this and I took the advice to up the mA from the phantom power of the HEX to implement the MIDI splitter. That was great advice and I thank you again for it because it pretty much shows the GCP is definitely not the issue.

I really like the DD500. It seems that if I wait about 45 seconds or more between sending PC# it is o.k. This would be no problem during performances so I could live with it. I'll ask around on the DD500 forums if anyone else has seen this.

I'm running my GCP with the following MIDI chain

GCP> Midi Solutions Thru (2 way splitter) Out 1.> Hex > Source Audio Reflex > Source Audio Hub

_____________________(2 way splitter) Out 2. > Boss DD500 > Mesa Triple Crown 50

Everything but the DD500 works fine. The issue being that randomly the DD500 will not change banks when presets are recalled or when programming a preset. Stranger still is that when this happens the DD500 still reacts to MIDI input from the Source Audio Reflex sending MIDI CC...so I know MIDI is transmitting and being received by the it.

Also, the Triple Crown 50 still responds when the DD500 doesn't and it's after the DD500 so I know the DD500 is thru putting the MIDI PC# from GCP.

The problem is the same with and without the splitter. I've quadruple checked the MIDI RX / TX on the DD500, changed the cable, changed the MIDI channel, put the DD500 after the Triple Crown and everything else I can think of with no solution.

After losing my mind with this for months I spent yesterday ripping everything apart and re-assembling. I re-read the GCP manual and noticed the section on "filtering" where it mentions that the GCP won't double transmit info. I also noticed that this problem seems to happen when I am hunting for sounds and clicking through GCP > DD500 banks fairly quickly...so....

Does the GCP have some minimum amount of time that needs to pass before you can send another multi channel, multi PC# command that is completely different from the preceding command? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm getting ready to ditch the DD500 if I can't figure this out.

Thanks for the quick response! Would this current doubler cable have been included with the cables that came with my Mondo (bought new)?

Also, can I use two of the 9/12V(set to 9V of course) 400mA port = the ones that aren't isolated from each other.... or do I need to use the two isolated (non switchable) 9V 400mA ports?

I'm having trouble with my MIDI daisy chain and want to add a MIDI splitter / thru box. The model I'm looking at is this from Midi Solutions...http://www.midisolutions.com/prodthr.htm

This device draws its power from whatever is connected to its MIDI in. The literature seems to indicate its draw is 5mA. My current MIDI chain gets its power from the 400mA port on a Mondo which then powers a HEX which phantom powers a GCP.

Will my current setup support adding this MIDI splitter? I plan to place it after the HEX so the entire MIDI chain would look like this..

GCP>HEX> MIDI Splitter OUT 1>Source Audio Reflex> Source Audio HUB

MIDI Splitter OUT 2> Boss DD500 > Mesa Triple Crown Amp

I recently completed this PT Novo 24 build thanks in large part to Voodoo Labs gear.

285 presets? Surely you are joking you say! Well, sorta...let me 'splain. In this modern world of MORE! MORE! MORE! NOW! I wanted to provide a good title and "Bigger is better" and all that....

I'm definitely presenting this tongue in cheek because it more worked out that way than me planning it. It is true though that there are 285 presets just on the board, as follows:

128 in the Source Audio Reflex
128 in the Source Audio HUB
12 in the Source Audio KingMaker
6 in the Source Audio Lunar
2 in the Source Audio Stingray
9 in the EHX Stereo Talking Machine

All being powered by the Mondo and working seamlessly with the GCP and HEX. I absolutely LOVE the phantom power of the GCP via the HEX. Great great feature!

The GCP may seem a bit much for such a small board but it's really not. The box in the upper left is a MIDI box that stores presets for the 3 Source Audio pedals. The rig has a Mesa Triple Crown as it's heart which is full MIDI and finally there is a Boss DD500 (with something like a PitchFactor to be added later) in the amp FX loop that is also full MIDI.

The footswitch of the Mesa is around 75% the size of the GCP. When I realized the GCP could replace the foot switch (which would have been a separate piece on the floor anyway if I used an all in one controller on the Novo 24) it made the idea of having 2 pieces out front (pedalboard + GCP) a no brainer.

This setup frees up SO MUCH space on the pedal board it let me use a much smaller board than I originally planned. The modular aspect of having 2 small boards vs. 1 monster board has already paid huge dividends in transport alone.

So, here are the pics.

Looks pretty much like a standard board.


Some of the "Sleeper" components below deck.


The "Master Blaster" complete.


Thanks for your interest and time!

Fixed! Some oddness to it though, as always... MIDI comm. channels were set correctly on all devices and DD500 was not in Omni mode.

The root cause of the issue seems to be that I added things after I made some presets. When I first got the GCP I setup presets 1-16 in IA mode with the gear I had at the time. Later, I added a Source Audio HUB and REFLEX. Something about the way I set things up or made the presets got goofed up when I added these MIDI devices.

The actual symptom was that I had MIDI control of the DD500 when making a new preset and when I recalled, banking up (into new presets above #16) but lost it when I banked down (into old 1-16). After I went back and overwrote the old presets 1-16, combined with moving the DD500 1 up in the MIDI stream, everything works perfectly.

Thanks for the help John! Hope you have a good 4th.

Thanks for this John, I'll confirm the Rx channel and move it up the line before the amp and hopefully that will solve it. I'll post results either way.

I'm hoping someone can help me figure out what I'm missing here. I'm using a GCP to control a bunch of gear. The problem I'm having is that the last box in the MIDI chain responds to the GCP during preset creation, but does not respond on preset recall.

I'm using GCP in 4 preset per bank mode with IA

The MIDI chain is as follows with each piece of gear using MIDI Thru...

GCP > HEX > Source Audio Reflex (CH. 2) > Source Audio HUB (CH.1) > Mesa Triple Crown amp (CH.7) > Boss DD500 (CH. 16)

Problem Example:
- Select GCP preset 01 to edit
- While in edit mode, all gear in MIDI chain responds to GCP = moves through native preset banks
- Save GCP preset 01
*** Recall GCP preset 01 and everything except the Boss DD500 switches to the saved settings. The Boss just stays on last setting.

I have tried different banks and presets with the same result. MIDI comm from the GCP to the Boss DD500 is confirmed good because it responds during editing. Why won't it respond on recall? Thanks to anyone who can help me out with this.

Voltage doubling cable used with Mondo "Sag" taps confirmed good.

I purchased the Voodoo Lab voltage doubling cable and used the two voltage "Sag" taps which are adjustable from ~ 4.0 - 9.3 V and got the Good Vibes to work.... but it was interesting.

I did not get any wet effect until I had adjusted the voltage to ~9.8 V (matching the 9.83 V of the wall wart). So, this absolutely confirms that the Good Vibes needs 9.8 V to work properly. Not a big deal, but kind of an annoyance.

For now, I am still running the GV with the wall wart. I have set and taped over the trim knobs on the MONDO and will take measurements over the next few months as I gig the board to make sure that the adjustment holds. Once confirmed solid I'll power the GV from this tap.

I bought the GV specifically because of the expression pedal capability. I am still building this rig and so have slots to fill. One of the companies I've been very impressed with is Source Audio. I will be buying their One Series Lunar phaser unit and HUB system which gives expression pedal control over all of their pedals. The entire One Series and HUB are 9.0 V supply. The LUNAR phaser has a Uni-Vibe setting and I will be having a shootout between the LUNAR and GV. If the LUNAR is anywhere near similar to the GV then I will sell the GV.

The Good Vibes does not have a battery option, so it's in a different category.

Thanks for these recommendations. I contacted EHX tech support directly and they confirmed that the "Good Vibes" will not work using the Mondo's 9.0V taps. It's not an issue of amperage as the pedal only draws 45mA. Below is the response they sent me....

"Hello. Currently there is no work around that we have found.
We are aware that the unit does not work with the Voodoo labs unit. That particular unit needs to be used with its own power supply.
Maybe Voodoo Labs can find why it won't work but we designed the unit to work with its power supply and not a 3rd party supply.
Regards,"

So, to be clear, the issue is not an isolation or mA overdraw condition, it's a voltage condition.

I measured the outputs of the Mondo 9.0V taps with a Fluke and they read ~ 9.3 (+/- 0.05). The EHX wallwart read ~ 9.8. That 1/2 volt difference is the reason why the Good Vibes will power up, run all the LEDs and pass dry signal, but will not generate the effect

I had suspected this was the case because I also bought at the same time an EHX Stereo Talking Machine that uses the same power supply as the Good Vibes and the the Stereo Talking Machine has no problem running off the Mondo 9.0V tap. Different circuit with different requirements. Just like my Dunlop 535Q wah. That pedal says it needs 18.0V but it works just fine with the Mondo's 9.0V tap. (less headroom at 9.0V than 18V but works fine for my application).

Currently I am using the extension cord from the Mondo 120V extension outlet method until I get around to ordering the voltage doubling cable to use off the "SAG" outlet.

The Mondo manual has a pretty extensive list of companies / pedals that have special requirements. The Good Vibes is fairly new and so is not in the manual. I hope this thread will serve to help anyone that has the Good Vibes or any other pedal with oddball voltage requirements. I posted a thread in the EHX forums to let people know the specifics of my situation and that the Mondo "SAG" tap is the potential answer but even if it isn't, the courtesy outlet will also solve the issue.