FX8 Mark II Relays?

D

Drako

New Member
Hello
I´m new owner of FX8 MKII, and I have a question about switching of my ENGL Powerball2 with fractal.
From manual I´m not really understand how to set switching of channels from amp. Thank you.
 
You have to connect the FX8 relay output with the appropriate footswitch input on the Powerball using a trs cable. Then open FX8-Edit, choose a preset, open the config tab and there you`ll find "Relay 1" and "Relay 2". There you can set the switching for the different scenes of the preset.
 
I did it, exactly what manual says, but I still don´t know how to control amp channels through FX8 MARK II.
 
Could you please provide some more information? For example what happens, when you change the settings (from 'off' to 'tip' to 'ring' to 'both') of the relay that is connected to the amp? Which input did you use on your amp? Do you use the right relay mode for your amp ('latching' or 'auto off')?
 
I don't know the Engl Powerball amp, but if any help, I own a Mesa Lonestar. It uses a TRS jack to control channel switch and solo boost. I found out what was shortened in the TRS at the different stages. Then I set up the Relay accordingly per scenes and presets.

However, in the FX edit program I could not get it to save relay settings per scenes etc, so I had to do that manually on the FX8.

To Fractal guys:
Please please fix the bugs on the FX8... we are happy customers too...... No new features is OK, but please fix the bugs.
 
I conected FX8 MARK II from Relay 1 to S.A.C. output in ENGL. I have no idea which mode to use- Tip, Ring or Both. I want to switch my channels Clean, Crunch, Drive and Lead with my Fractal instead of footswitch Z-9.
 
From the manual of the Powerball about the S.A.C. port:

CAUTION: Connect only the ENGL Z-9 Footswitch to this 6.3 mm (¼") stereo jack!
Connecting any other switching device may damage it and/or the amp's circuitry!
Insert and remove the Z-9's cable to and from the S.A.C. Port only when the amp is
switched off!

The S.A.C. is ONLY for the Engl footswitch. To switch channels you have to connect the relay 1 (or relay 2) out of the FX8 to the channel up/down input on the Powerball. It is even written under the S.A.C. port on the amp that you only should use the Z-9 with this port. You can't switch all the functions of the Powerball with just one relay, that's simply not possible (technically). You can only use the different footswitch inserts on the back with relays, so to switch all functions (Loop/Gate, Master/MidBoost, Channel1-2,3-4) you'd need three relays.

After connecting the relay output of the FX8 to the channel up/down footswitch input on the Powerball you have to try which relay setting on the FX8 activates which channel of the Powerball. For example:

OFF = Clean
Tip = Crunch
Ring = Drive
Both = Lead

If you want to switch all functions of the Powerball and not only the channels you could use a midi switcher (like Engl Z-11) between the FX8 and the Powerball.
 
Last edited:
AllanH said:
However, in the FX edit program I could not get it to save relay settings per scenes etc, so I had to do that manually on the FX8.
Click to expand...

That's interesting. I never had a problem saving relay settings per scene using FX8-Edit. I have a mark I and a mark II both on 5.03 and they work perfectly together with my Palmer Fat50 (switching all functions via relays) and Diezel VH-4 (switching via midi).
 
assinger said:
From the manual of the Powerball about the S.A.C. port:

CAUTION: Connect only the ENGL Z-9 Footswitch to this 6.3 mm (¼") stereo jack!
Connecting any other switching device may damage it and/or the amp's circuitry!
Insert and remove the Z-9's cable to and from the S.A.C. Port only when the amp is
switched off!

The S.A.C. is ONLY for the Engl footswitch. To switch channels you have to connect the relay 1 (or relay 2) out of the FX8 to the channel up/down input on the Powerball. It is even written under the S.A.C. port on the amp that you only should use the Z-9 with this port. You can't switch all the functions of the Powerball with just one relay, that's simply not possible (technically). You can only use the different footswitch inserts on the back with relays, so to switch all functions (Loop/Gate, Master/MidBoost, Channel1-2,3-4) you'd need three relays.

After connecting the relay output of the FX8 to the channel up/down footswitch input on the Powerball you have to try which relay setting on the FX8 activates which channel of the Powerball. For example:

OFF = Clean
Tip = Crunch
Ring = Drive
Both = Lead

If you want to switch all functions of the Powerball and not only the channels you could use a midi switcher (like Engl Z-11) between the FX8 and the Powerball.
Click to expand...

Now, after setting Relay in correct input I found that:
OFF= Clean
Tip= Drive
Ring= Crunch
Both= Lead

I tried program footswitch for channels 1-4, but if I put Relay on 5-8 they on, or off together- not separately.
 
Drako said:
Now, after setting Relay in correct input I found that:
OFF= Clean
Tip= Drive
Ring= Crunch
Both= Lead

I tried program footswitch for channels 1-4, but if I put Relay on 5-8 they on, or off together- not separately.
Click to expand...

I did it!!! In config I set Off, Tip, Ring and Both, after that in Footswitches I used Tip/ Latching everything FX8- Edit and now I can switch amp channels from FX8 MARK II. Many thanx... without your help I´m lost ;)
 
Drako said:
I did it!!! In config I set Off, Tip, Ring and Both, after that in Footswitches I used Tip/ Latching everything FX8- Edit and now I can switch amp channels from FX8 MARK II. Many thanx... without your help I´m lost ;)
Click to expand...

Glad I could help you - now have some fun with the FX8 and your Powerball!:)
 
assinger said:
That's interesting. I never had a problem saving relay settings per scene using FX8-Edit. I have a mark I and a mark II both on 5.03 and they work perfectly together with my Palmer Fat50 (switching all functions via relays) and Diezel VH-4 (switching via midi).
Click to expand...

Hmmm.. strange... I always have had a feeling that my FX8 is dodgy in many ways regarding the software. I used the Fractool to convert presets from my Axe FX II and strange things occured. It would not save changes to the compressor block, all other blocks where fine., I had to reset the unit again and re-load firmware 5.03. Now it is ok, except not handling relays in axe edit, and another fun thing, my expression pedal will only calibrate from app. 5-95% not 0-100% (i'm sure I'm doing it right) using my Ernie Ball volume pedal and TRS cable (which woked as a charm on my Axe FX)...

Oh forgot... sometimes it freezes after using the tuner....

Sorry, i didn't mean to hijack the thread, just felt like answering the reply :)
 
Guess there is really something wrong with your unit. I regulary use the tuner on my FX8s, they never freeze and like I said before, setting relays with FX8-Edit works flawless. Regarding the calibration I think that's what calibration is for. My mission pedals don't calibrate form 0 - 100% either, but the software should translate the 5-95% to the full range of the parameter you change with the expression pedal. You can check this for example with a whammy effect. If you activate a whammy going a full octave up it should start and end at the right note - and in my case it does.
 
Hmmm, strange. I might need to reset my unit and reprogram it all to see if it helps.

The thing is , when my calibrated volume pedal goet from 5-95% I actually think thats how it is, since heel down is not totally muted as it should be....
 
I wonder if there's a Fractool issue. I have used my v1 FX8 for a few years with no issues, but recently pulled some AX8 presets into it with Fractool. Since then I've been have weird things happen with relays (on/off settings won't save). I worked around them, oddly enough by moving the relays to different footswitches...
 
macfly said:
I wonder if there's a Fractool issue. I have used my v1 FX8 for a few years with no issues, but recently pulled some AX8 presets into it with Fractool. Since then I've been have weird things happen with relays (on/off settings won't save). I worked around them, oddly enough by moving the relays to different footswitches...
Click to expand...
yes, I think thats it. I came from and Axe FX II to a tube amp with the FX8. I converted my presets from my Axe FX II using Fractool, and I have been weird things going on...... First the compresseor block would not save changes, relays do not save, it can freeze up once in a while, I cant calibrate my volume pedal to be 0-100% (it is always 5-95%)
I need to figure out how to do a factory reset....
 
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