MegaBeat Audio Darth Fader User manual

MegaBeat
audio
Darth Fader
User Manual
Revision 2
January 30, 2021
INPUT
OUTPUT
9V
-
+
MegaBeat
PRESET FADE
DARTH FADER
DURATION
1
sec
40
MODE
FADE OUT FADE IN
FADE OUT/IN
DEPTH
10
dB
60
0-50 -40 -30 -20 -10
dB
True Bypass
1

MegaBeat Audio Darth Fader, User Manual
1 Description and features
Darth Fader is a true bypass fader pedal which
allows you to FADE OUT/IN live in an ex-
tremely easy manner.
Main features:
•True bypass to avoid tone-loss.
•3 presets to save your favorite configura-
tions.
•Adjustable fade duration from 1 to 40 sec-
onds.
•Adjustable fade depth from 10 to 60 dB.
•Completely hand-made by MegaBeat Au-
dio: from design and PCBs to painting and
assembly.
•High input impedance and low output
impedance to keep your tone.
•Power filtering to reduce noise introduced
by power adapters.
•Reverse polarity protection.
•Neutrik jacks.
•Ultra low distortion and low noise high
performance audio operational amplifiers.
2 Audio Jacks
Input Jack Signal input. Connect here your
instrument or the output of the previous device
on the signal chain.
Output Jack Signal output. Connect to your
amplifier or the next device on the signal chain.
3 Power
This pedal can be powered with a battery or an
adapter. In both cases, the pedal has a power
filter that reduces noise and imperfections com-
ing from the power source.
Power is switched by the input jack, so if this
jack is not connected, the pedal will be off and
will not use any energy from the battery or the
power adapter.
Battery This pedal can be powered with a 9V
battery. To replace the battery, carefully remove
the back cover held by screws. Alkaline batteries
are recommended.
Power Jack This pedal can be powered with
a 9V DC adapter. Polarity is center negative as
indicated on the pedal. Although the pedal is
protected against wrong polarity, please ensure
that the correct polarity is used. The use of an
adapter with the wrong specs, including voltage,
may damage the pedal.
When an adapter is connected, the battery
is disconnected automatically to prevent it from
discharging.
4 Knobs
Mode Knob With this selector you can
choose among the three pedal modes: FADE
OUT, FADE OUT/IN and FADE IN. See Modes
section for more detailed information.
Duration Knob With this Knob you can ad-
just the fade duration from 1 to 40 seconds.
Depth Knob With this knob you can adjust
the fade depth (maximum attenuation of the
fade) from 10 to 60 dB. For example, a FADE
OUT with a Depth of 30 dB will start at max-
imum volume (0 dB) and fade out down to an
attenuation of 30 dB.
5 Leds & Footswitches
Fade Footswitch and LED With this
footswitch you can start or stop the different
fades. The Fade LED will be red if a FADE OUT
is in progress, green if a FADE IN is progress
and off if the pedal is idle. See Modes section
for more detailed information.
Preset Footswitch and LED This
footswitch allows you to recall and save pre-
sets with your foot so you can do so during
your performance. The Peset LED indicates
the active preset. See Presets section for more
information.
Attenuation LEDs These LEDs show the
current attenuation of the pedal.
6 Modes
FADE OUT This mode starts at the 0 dB
position (true bypass). Pressing the Fade
footswitch, a FADE OUT will start. Once the
fade is finished, or at any time during it, you
can go back to the 0 dB position (true bypass)
by pressing the Fade footswitch again.
2

MegaBeat Audio Darth Fader, User Manual
FADE OUT/IN This mode starts at the 0
dB position (true bypass). Pressing the Fade
footswitch, a FADE OUT will start. Once the
fade is finished, or at any time during it, press-
ing the Fade footswitch again, a FADE IN will
start from the current position, which will finish
at the 0 dB position (true bypass). The fade di-
rection can be changed at any time by pressing
the Fade footswitch.
FADE IN This mode starts at the attenua-
tion set by the Depth parameter. By pressing
the Fade footswitch, a FADE IN will start un-
til the 0 dB (true bypass) position is reached.
Once the fade is finished, or at any time during
it, by pressing the Fade footswitch again, you
can go back to the attenuation set by the Depth
parameter, that is, the initial state.
7 Presets
Loading a preset By pressing the preset
footswitch, you can go through the different
saved presets. The Preset LED indicates the ac-
tive preset. The order of the presets is, and in
circular manner:
•No preset (Preset LED off)
•Red preset
•Green preset
•Orange preset
In the No preset situation, the knobs have
direct effect on the fade settings. When a preset
is active, the knobs have no effect and the saved
parameters are used.
Default presets By default, these are the
presets in the pedal. You can overwrite them
with your favourite settings.
Preset Mode Duration Depth
Red Fade out 20 seconds 60 dB
Green Fade out/in 3 seconds 30 dB
Orange Fade in 30 seconds 40 dB
Save preset To save a preset, follow the se-
quence below:
•Go to No Preset mode
•Adjust the MODE, DURATION and
DEPTH knobs as desired. Since you are
in the No preset mode, you can test it in-
mediately.
•Once adjusted, choose the preset where to
save by using the Preset footswitch.
•Press the preset footswitch and keep it
pressed for 2 seconds.
•The LEDs will flash indicating that the pa-
rameters have been saved in the preset.
This is the recommended sequence to save a
preset and have the certainty of what parameters
will be saved, but please note that every press of
the Preset footswitch longer than 2 seconds will
save the current status of the knobs in the active
preset, so the whole sequence is not required.
8 Technical Specifications
•Fade duration (adjustable): 1 - 40 seconds
•Fade depth (adjustable): 10 - 60 dB
•Input impedance: 1 MΩ
•Output impedance <100 Ω
•Power: 9V, battery or 2.1mm x 5.5mm
centre-negative DC connector (Boss-style).
•Current draw: 75 mA maximum
•Dimensions: 124 mm x 93 mm x 55 mm
•Weight: 380 g (9V battery included)
9 Video
You can watch a demo video showing how to
use the pedal on www.megabeataudio.com/en/
products/darthfader-v1.
10 Warranty
MegaBeat Audio provides an excellent warranty
for 2 years. Should any of our products fail, con-
tact us by our website (www.megabeataudio.
com) and we will repair it with no cost for you1
including components and labour and shipping
costs.
11 More info
You can find more information, demo videos or
contact us at our website:
www.megabeataudio.com
1If failure is not caused by an improper use.
3