MegaBeat Audio Loop Skywalker User manual

MegaBeat
audio
Loop Skywalker
User’s Manual
Revision 2
May 16, 2011
INPUT
OUTPUT 9V
-
+SEND
RETURN
MegaBeat
audio
LooP SKYWALKER
1

MegaBeat Audio Loop Skywalker, User’s Manual
1 Description and features
Loop Skywalker is a versatile audio loop pedal
which lets you, among other possibilities:
•Add true-bypass to any pedal
•Switch between two amps
•Switch several pedals with only one
footswitch
•Select between two instruments
•Mute a signal or an instrument
•Use as a standard footswitch for other de-
vices
•And much more...
Main features:
•True-bypass to avoid tone-loss
•Completely hand-made by MegaBeat Au-
dio: from design and PCB’s to painting
and assembling
•Small size enclosure
•Completely passive: power (battery or
adapter) is optional and only needed for
LED
•Reverse polarity protection
•Neutrik jacks
2 Audio Jacks
Loop Skywalker has 4 audio jacks: Input, Send,
Return and Out.
As shown on the next graphic, when the loop
is off, signal goes directly from In to Out. When
the loop is on, signal goes from In to Send and
from Return to Out.
OUTPUT RETURN INPUT
SEND
LOOP ON
LOOP OFF
Many different uses can be achieved depend-
ing on the setup. For more detailed information,
check Setup Examples.
3 Power
Pedal can be powered with a battery or an
adapter. Power is only needed for LED so pedal
can be used with no power at all. With LED off
no energy is used.
Battery This pedal can be powered with a 9V
battery. To replace battery dismantle the pedal
carefully. Alkaline batteries are recommended.
Power Jack (9V) This pedal can be powered
with a 9V DC adapter. Polarity is center neg-
ative as indicated on the pedal. Don’t connect
a wrong polarity adapter even though pedal is
protected and nothing would happen.
When an adapter is connected, battery is dis-
connected automatically to prevent it from dis-
charging.
4 LED & Footswitch
Led shows pedal status. Pedal status is changed
by footswitch.
5 Setup Examples
Because of Loop Skywalker versatility, many dif-
ferent uses can be found with different setups.
Some interesting ones are shown next.
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MegaBeat Audio Loop Skywalker, User’s Manual
5.1 Add true-bypass to any pedal
Loop Skywalker can add true-bypass to any
pedal with the following setup:
IN
OUT
INPUT
OUTPUT
Non True Bypass
NTB-1
INPUT
OUTPUT 9V
-
+SEND
RETURN
MegaBeat
audio
LooP SKYWALKER
Non true-bypass pedal must be always on
and is switched by Loop Skywalker footswitch.
5.2 True-bypassing several pedals
with one press
Loop Skywalker can be used to enable/disable
several pedals with only one press, adding true-
bypass to them also.
The necessary setup can be seen on the fol-
lowing example with two pedals:
IN
OUT
INPUT
OUTPUT
Non True Bypass
NTB-1
INPUT
OUTPUT 9V
-
+SEND
RETURN
MegaBeat
audio
LooP SKYWALKER
GAIN
0
dB
30
INPUT
OUTPUT
Ghost Booster
9V
-
+
MegaBeat
audio
It can be extended to as many pedals as
needed.
5.3 2 instruments switching
Loop Skywalker can be used to select between 2
instruments1with the following setup:
OUT INST. 2
LOOP ON
INST. 1
LOOP OFF
INPUT
OUTPUT 9V
-
+SEND
RETURN
MegaBeat
audio
LooP SKYWALKER
When the loop is off, INST.1 is selected.
When the loop is on, INST.2 is selected.
1More generally, any two signal sources can be used.
2If both amps share grounding, it can be convenient to isolate the signal to one of them with a transformer to avoid
ground loops.
3

MegaBeat Audio Loop Skywalker, User’s Manual
5.4 2 amps switching
Loop Skywalker can be used to switch between
two amps2with the following setup:
IN
AMP. 2
LOOP ON
AMP. 1
LOOP OFF
INPUT
OUTPUT 9V
-
+SEND
RETURN
MegaBeat
audio
LooP SKYWALKER
When the loop is off, signal would get AMP.1.
When the loop is on, signal would get AMP.2
5.5 Muting a signal
Loop Skywalker can mute a signal with the fol-
lowing setup:
IN
OUT
LOOP ON
INPUT
OUTPUT 9V
-
+SEND
RETURN
MegaBeat
audio
LooP SKYWALKER
When the loop is on, IN signal would get
OUT and when the loop is off, OUT would be
muted.
5.6 Use as footswitch
Loop Skywalker can also be used as a standard
footswitch for controlling amps channels, effects
options, etc.:
There are two kinds of footswitches: Nor-
mally Open (N.O.) and Normally Closed
(N.C.)3. The most common footswitches are
Normally Open (N.O.).
Out works as a Normally Open (N.O.)
footswitch and Send as a Normally Closed (N.C.)
footswitch.
N.O. N.C.
INPUT
OUTPUT 9V
-
+SEND
RETURN
MegaBeat
audio
LooP SKYWALKER
6 Technical Specifications
•Current draw (on) ≈8 mA
•Current draw (bypass) = 0 mA
•Dimensions: 113 mm x 60 mm x 55 mm
•Weigth (without battery) = 200 g
7 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 you4
including components and labour and shipping
costs.
8 More info
You can find more information, demo videos or
contact us at our website:
www.megabeataudio.com
3Normally Open (N.O.) and Normally Closed (N.C.) have opposite behaviour, so if you don’t get the expected result,
you can use the other.
4If failure is not caused by an improper use.
4

MegaBeat Audio Loop Skywalker, User’s Manual
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