Input Mixer for Cube 80XL

Paul Gavic · Post by **Paul Gavic** » 5 Mar 2013 11:46 am

I want to use my single input Roland Cube for guitar and steel but need to reduce the number of switches I have during performance. Currently an AB switch switches the guitar or steel into the circuit but I also have to switch the amp simulator and I usually forget one or the other or both. So I usually carry the big Fender amp with two channels and the problem is solved, but my back gets sore and the VibroSonic isnt a good match for my Tele. I tried an ABY switch but, as I suspected, the two signals cannot be mixed that way. So a small mixer circuit may be the only solution but not a good one conveinience wise. Ideally I would like to have a mixer of sorts permenantly on/in my PedalPower pedalboard or use the Roland FS-6 switch so I could hit one button to switch guitars and amp simulator at the same time. Ease during set up and live performance is critical. With lots of Forum users trying the Cube I thought there might be some good ideas out there.

Iestyn Lewis · Post by **Iestyn Lewis** » 5 Mar 2013 12:24 pm

I use this for the same purpose, it's pretty compact. Needs a wall wart for power though.

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-XEN ... ords=xenyx

Paul Gavic · Post by **Paul Gavic** » 6 Mar 2013 11:23 am

Thats what I thought but was hoping for a less complicated solution.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 6 Mar 2013 1:45 pm

The Rolls company are right in there, I have a stompbox-sized MX56 4-channle mixer no longer made but they still have a lot of little boxes to do that stuff. Passive, active, 9 volt battery etc.

http://www.rolls.com/

This might even get you afloat:

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-MICROMI ... d_sim_MI_5

There tends to be profit-driven "feature creep" on this stuff, when all you need is a couple knobs and noise out the hole. Passive might not work, something still needs to push the, umm, stuff through it.

Paul Gavic · Post by **Paul Gavic** » 6 Mar 2013 2:47 pm

Dave I like that MX400 idea it's only 2"x4" and I could plug it into the 12v pedal power supply built into my board. I could even mount it on the board but would have to decide which pedal to give up. As it is I could set it on the floor (maybe put a gaurd over the buttons). Its about the same size as my DOD A/B switch. Might give it a try for $20...Thanks

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 7 Mar 2013 9:22 am

I'm not, umm, personally guaranteeing in a legally-liable sense that a Behringer anything is necessarily going to fix your life. Just whack away, you know? Now IF you have some kind of processing on both/all instruments, a preamp in an acoustic/electric, pickup load/Matchbox/Sarno BB or Freeloader type thing on a steel, passive would work. Just buy a little box and put a few jacks and a switch on it, marginal soldering skills are fine - there's nothing to burn up or destroy in it no matter how bad you are. Or you know somebody who can build it for $5. But if you're mixing passive & active or two passives, you need juice from somewhere.

Paul Gavic · Post by **Paul Gavic** » 7 Mar 2013 1:22 pm

I definetly need a active mixer. Ideally something like the Behringer except two channels and trim pots so I could mount it permanantly under my pedal board and then mount the jacks right on the frame. Set it and forget it, get to the gig and plug in. Kind of like this http://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=82 but less expensive. Might build something. Or just use the Fender.