Functionality of Pass-Through boxes and Patch Bays
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)
DSPCHR CORE
When you need to add signal inputs and outputs in XLR, 1/4" or MIDI. The DSPCHR CORE series is the way to go. The Core series is simple and low profile. The core series does offer a simple and simple and no fuss way to get IEC and USB connections as well. The options go from 1-5 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 of the DSPCHR CORE series (Minus the IEC & HUB Options) 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.
DSPCHR PRO
Features Matter.
We made the DSPCHR PRO in order to deliver the most flexible way to add a power hookup to your board. Get a 10-amp Rated Power input that's protected with a fuse that allows you to choose, adapt and change the connections however you need.
The DSPCHR PRO will grow with you and adapt to your needs! while giving you the option for USB, 1/4" XLR and MIDI Inputs as well!
The profile of the housing of the DSPCHR CORE series (Minus the IEC & HUB Options) 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.
The DSPCHR PRO is 1-1/2" tall, Allowing you to use the SKY SCRAPER or 1-1/2" Pro Flat Risers to lift larger pedals using the DSPCHR PRO in tandem with those risers.
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!
IEC Power Options
The DSPCHR PRO Gives you all of the previously explained functionalities of the DSPCHR System with the added feature of adding a dedicated
IEC Jack that is protected by a 10-amp fuse. We know that powering your board is extremely important and something that should not be taken lightly. The Fuse will protect your board from power surges, giving you a little extra peace of mind. In the effort of full transparency to give the user some piece of mind, we went the extra mile with this build and all of the internal wiring is comprised of 14awg shielded wire and we completely shield these connections.
The output port is where the magic happens.
Instead of just having an output lead automatically attached, We devised a system that allows you to adapt this module to whatever your power needs are for your board. You can use an IEC output or A 3-Prong NEMA Style plug. We have a ton of options for you to choose from so that you can adapt the DSPCHR PRO Your Way.
For the DSPCHR CORE Series, we have options for a modular power port that can be mounted anywhere on your board to make connecting your board to power more accessible. It has a 1' lead that can be run to your power supply. The IEC is Extremely low profile and easy to squeeze in to tight spaces.
USB Power Options
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 CORE & DSPCHR PRO have options with a dedicated USB A & USB C 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.
We also have options that combine IEC Power, USB Connectivity and Audio/MIDI Passthrough so that you can Connect to your board YOUR WAY!
Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions!