Laney BABELSWITCH User manual

Laney
MIDI Switcher and Signal Router
User Manual

UNPACKING
We strongly advise you to store away your original transit carton since in the unlikely event that your
unit should develop a fault, you will be able to return it to your dealer for rectification securely packed.
After unpacking your BabelSwitch, please check carefully for any signs of damage that may have
occurred whilst in-transit from the Laney factory to your dealer. In the unlikely event that there has
been damage, please re-pack your unit in its original carton and consult your dealer.
Thank you for purchasing the Laney BabelSwitch; we hope it provides greater flexibility to your MIDI
system.
Please read this manual as it will demonstrate how to get the best from the BabelSwitch.
The BabelSwitch requires an external 9V, 1A D.C. power supply: a suitable power supply is shipped
with your BabelSwitch.
In the event of loss or damage to the power supply, replacements should be purchased from you Laney
dealer. Failure to use the correct power supply could result in damage to your BabelSwitch.
The BabelSwitch should never be exposed to moisture or wetness since this would represent a possible
shock or fire hazard and may cause expensive damage to your valuable possession.
The BabelSwitch contains no user serviceable parts. In the unlikely event of failure, please return to
your dealer for repair.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
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THANK YOU

Laney
MIDI Switcher and Signal Router
Contents
In the interests of continuing product development
BLT Industries Ltd reserves the right to change specification
without prior notice. No part of this manual can be reproduced, copied
or transmitted by any means without the express written permission of BLT Industries Ltd.
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P1 Thank You
P 2 Contents
P 3 Declaration of Conformity
P 4 What it does ?
P 5 BabelSwitch Switch Functions
P 6 Application - Simple Midi Switching
P 7 Application -Simple Switching + FX switching
P 8 Application - Simple Switching + FX switching + Loop Switching
P 9 Application - Midi Boost
P 10 Application - Multiple Amp Set-up
P 11 Application - Typical set up
Appendix 1 Switching Specification + Multiple Amp Grounding
Appendix 2 Glossary
Appendix 3 Trouble switching
Appendix 4 Midi Implementation

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DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
Certificate No.: 1080
Ref: The Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations ( S.I. 1992/2372 )
The Electrical Equipment Safety Regulations ( S.I. 1994/3260 )
Date of issue: 17/04/98
Manufacturer: BLT Industries Ltd.,
Newlyn Road,
Cradley Heath,
Warley,
West Midlands,
B64 6BE
United Kingdom
Tel: (+44).(0)1384 633903
Fax:(+44).(0) 1384 639186
Model No. of Apparatus: BabelSwitch
Description of Apparatus Midiswitching device
Insulation and Earthing to Class 2.
Applicable Standards: EN55013: 1990
EN55020: 1988
EN60065: IEC65/5 (1985)
FCC Requirements for Class B computing equipment
Certificate: The apparatus to which this Declaration of Conformity relates , the particulars of
which are detailed above , conforms with the protection requirements of:
Council Directive 89/336/EEC relating to Electromagnetic Compatibility .
Council Directive 73/23/EEC relating to Low Voltage Directive .

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BabelSwitch - What It Does
The BabelSwitch provides midiswitching capability to all Laney amplifiers .It simply plugs into
the footswitch socket, provision is made for the BabelSwitch to mimic any of the range of Laney
footswitches.
The BabelSwitch decodes midi progam change instruction and provides the following.
1. Midi switching of footswitch function , allowing you to store your amp settings with your
favourite Midi Patches.
2. Switch FX in and out of your amplifiers FX loops via Midi
3. Midi controlled routing of preamp signals in multi-amplifier set-ups
4. Midi controlled routing of guitar level signals
All this information can be recalled via midi program change instructions
Operation
1. Connect your amp/midi setup.
2. Select a new patch on your midi controller/pedal board.
3. Select the amp switch setting via the BabelSwitch front panel controls.
4. Press STORE on the BabelSwitch.
Your amplifier switch setting will the be recalled the next time that patch is called.
BabelSwitch Operation

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BabelSwitch Switch Functions
1
12
12
11
11
10
97 86
1
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
3
2 3 4 5
Allows the connection of jack Socket A to either jack Socket B or jack Sockets C
(located on the rear panel)..LED indication shows which jack socket A is connected to.
Switches the status of the amp connected to the 5 pin footswitch skt
or the amp/s connected to the 2 stereo jacks
Indicates the BabelSwitch is receiving midi data.
Stores the current switch status of the Babelswitch at the last received midi program change
if depressed for 1 second - i.e. The last received patch change.
Switches power to the BabelSwitch.
Disconnect the d.c. Power from the BabelSwitch if it is not in use
Connect power to the BabelSwitch here - 9V 1A d.c. Via a socket for 2.1mm plug
Selects which midi channel the BabelSwitch responds to (0-15)If the BabelSwitch is required
to respond on all Midi channels select Omni - this overrides any channel selection.
BabelSwitch Midi Input - connect the midi out of your midi controller here
eg your pedal board. A thru connection is made for phantom powered devices using 7 pin Din leads
BabelSwitch Midi thru - connect other midi devices here.
A thru connection is provided for devices using phantom power on 7 pin DIN cable
Switching jacks - The tip of jack socket A can be connected to either the tip of jack socket labeled B
or the tip of jack sockets labeled C. See application notes for more information
These sockets allow remote control of combo’s/amplifiers with FS1/FS2 footswitches.
Simply connect a stereo/mono jack lead (as required) from one of these sockets to the footswitch
socket of your amplifier.
Connect a 5 pin din lead to the FS4 / FS5 socket on combo/head.
This will allow you to switch your combo/head via the front panel controls on the Babelswitch

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BabelSwitch Application Notes
BabelSwitch Application One - Simple Midi switching
The BabelSwitch provides
1) 4 channel switching outputs on a 5 pin Din socket and 2 stereo jacks
2) 2 channels of switching jacks.
The status of all the loop/parameter switches can be stored for recall via midi program change instructions.
Midi program changes are generated by midi foot pedal when a patch is changed.This facility allows you to
effectively store the switch setting of a combo/head for recall via midi.
1)Connect the Midi out of your pedal board board to the Midi in on your Babel Switch
2)Connect the 5 pin Din switch output to the FS4/FS5 socket on you combo/head.
3)Connect power to all of the above.
4)Select the required patch on your pedal board
5)Select the desired switch status of your combo/head using the BabelSwitch parameter switches.
6)Press STORE when you are happy with the settings.
7)The next time you recall that patch your combo/head will return to that stored setting.
Changing your sound now only requires the enabling of a patch on a pedal board/Midicontroller.
No need to reconfigure the pedal board then reconfigure amp.
The BabelSwitch retains all stored settings after power down for later use.
Midi Out
Midi foot controller / Midi FX board
Notes :
1) Ensure the amplifier / head front panel switches are in a state which allows remote control.
Refer to your amplifiers manual for information.
Guitar Amplifier
Midi In Footswitch Out
Footswitch Socket
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BabelSwitch Application Notes
BabelSwitch Application Two -
Simple Midi switching
FX Switching
The next step in building our midi set up is incorporating an external processor into the midi chain.
This could be in the effects loop of the amplifier or in the input line of the amplifier.
Doing this now allows us to store at the touch of a button :-
1)Amplifier Switch Status
2)Midi pedal board / FX board status
3)Multiple effects processor status
To get the best from this set up you will have to map FX within a processor to
program change /patches generated by the midi controller/pedalboard.
Refer to you fx processors manual to achieve this
Notes :-
1) Ensure the amplifier front panel switches are in a state which allows remote control.
2)We recommend that the BabelSwitch is connected directly after the Midi controller in a midi system as
FX processors generate program change instructions. (It is preferable that the BabelSwitch responds to
only midi information from the midi controller not program change messages from an fx processors)
We have provided thru connection for midi systems which provide phantom power down 7 pin DIN cables.
Midi Out
Midi foot controller / Midi FX board
Effects Processor
Guitar Amplifier
Midi In
Midi Thru
Midi In Output
Input
FX Return
FX Send
Footswitch Out
Footswitch Socket
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BabelSwitch Application Notes
BabelSwitch Application Three -
Simple Midi switching
FX Switching
FX loop switching
At this stage we now can from a single patch on a pedalboard recall amp status and FX processor programs.
The BabelSwitch allows us to switch FX in and out of an amplifiers FX loop, giving us midi muting
of an FX signal. The block diagram below demonstrates this set up.
With the Jack socket switching arranged as above , the Jack socket A switches between the `dry’ signal
from the amplifier or the wet signal from the Fx processor.
FX Send FX Return
Guitar Amplifier
Footswitch Socket
Midi Out
Midi foot controller / Midi FX board
Midi In
Midi Thru
Footswitch Out
Effects Processor
Midi In Input
Output
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Loop switches on rear off
BabelSwitch

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BabelSwitch Application Notes
BabelSwitch Application Three -
Simple Midi switching
Midi Controlled Boost
Midi Out
FX Send FX Return
Midi foot controller / Midi FX board
Guitar Amplifier
Midi In
Midi Thru
Footswitch Out
FX loop in side chain Mode
Control amount of boost using
Return Level Control
Footswitch Socket
The switching loops on the rear of the BabelSwitch also allow us to perform a midi controlled boost.
If you use the BabelSwitch to switch signal to the FX return sockets and the FX loop is in
side chain mode , a midi controlled boost is performed.
The effects return level control then determines the amount of level boost. This would be useful
when switching from a rhythm sound to a lead sound .
So on an amp such as the VC50 the following combinations would be available on channel A.
Channel A or
Channel A + Midi Boost
Channel A + Drive or
Channel A + Drive + Midi Boost
Similar combinations would available for channel B.This type of switching gives a greater number
of sounds available for recall by remote control.
So on a VC50 amplifier a
total number of 8 sounds
would be available for
recall via midi (not inc Reverb )
Loop switches on rear off
BabelSwitch
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