Carl Martin Octa-Switch / Octa Switch - Demo [True Bypass Looper]

[SteveShoreITE]

Does this amp channel switch? along with loop switching.

[DemoColorScheme]

@SteveShoreITE

I don't think it does, but, I wouldn't be surprised if someone modded it so it could. I guess that wouldn't be hard to do. It's just a bunch of relays.

[mertles02]

wow,interesting re: the Axe FX. If you could recommend one unit over the other, which ould you suggest,taking into account versatility, and creating interesting sounds,G-system or Axe FX?I could probably only afford one for the time being. Would either be suitable for noisy art rock?The problem I've found is that most guitarists (other than your good self) that use these units, demo them in a shred or U2 setting, nothing wrong with that but it gives the impression that's all they're for.

[DemoColorScheme]

@mertles02

Axe-Fx (ULTRA - if you can) - without a doubt. The G-System is more of a switcher / post-effects processor. The Axe-Fx is amp modeling, effects, placement freedom (the G-'s routing can't be changed), recording. I use them both, but that's only because I've had the G-System for ages. I'm used to it and I feel comfortable with it using it as a MIDI controller. It also allows me to use my 4 fav. pedals live, so I can throw some pre-gain delay and reverb to create some different sounds.

[mertles02]

@DemoColorScheme thanks loads, i swear, last question. could you use stomps with the Axe FX alone (without the TC) if you wanted and switch what's on the AXE FX with stomps in one switch, i.e does the AXE FX have that capability, like the G system does?

[DemoColorScheme]

@mertles02

Well, no, not directly. However, the Axe has a MIDI out and I presume you can let it act like the G-System by sending a MIDI signal to the switcher you're using (for instance, the Effects Gizmo). So yeah, I think it can be done.

[mertles02]

@DemoColorScheme thanks yet again, you've helped me no end, I'll continue to spread the good word to all I know.

[mertles02]

is there an alternative to this model on the market, one where you can have banks for different songs and more pedals, say 16? Is the TC G-system able to take many stomp boxes?

[DemoColorScheme]

@mertles02

The G-System can only take 4 pedals in front of the pre-amp (not in the FX loop of your amp). I suggest looking at something rack-based and getting a drawer for your pedals. I used a RJM Music Effects Gizmo a while back and really enjoyed it. The G-System I used to control that unit with MIDI. However, it can only take up to 12 pedals. Something that can take 16 is gonna be hard to find, mate ... However, you can use two of them, no problem.

[mertles02]

@DemoColorScheme thanks - always a great advisor

[DemoColorScheme]

@mertles02

My pleasure!

[mertles02]

@DemoColorScheme how do you personally switch then? is it a case of a combo of one midi switch then on/off of the actual stomp effects once you are inside that group? i.e. the TC, then selecting the actual stomps as you require them? I was think of the RJM funnily enough alongside an All Access for the controller. Either that or a CAE switcher but I'm unaware of the expense.

[DemoColorScheme]

@mertles02

I don't, actually. I don't use that many rack units and pedals anymore, especially not live. I use a G-System with 4 pedals (Keeley C4 Compressor, Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret, EHX Deluxe Memory Man, BOSS RV-5) and a Fractal Audio Axe-Fx ULTRA. I use a bunch of other pedals and tape delays in the studio, but for live, I'm good this way.

[mertles02]

@DemoColorScheme ah man! that must be such a relief to make that decision. I was thinking of just going for amp + TC G-system and a few pedals myself, so much less hassle and you don't get overwhelmed. Problem for me is that I love the sound of stomps, but I have to admit I do find them overwhelming, you can't use all of 'em! I guess I could carry on getting stomps and approximate them with a G-system for live work. Thanks again for letting me pepper you with questions!

[DemoColorScheme]

@mertles02

No problem, really!

I still love pedals as well, but really, live it doesn't matter all that much, but, it depends on what you want and what you're willing to do. I narrowed it down to those 4 pedals, but that's also due to the fact that the G-System and Axe-Fx ULTRA have their own effects, so it's not like I'm left with nothing. And ... in all honesty: the Axe-Fx is way more interesting than most of the stompboxes I've had.

[jem7772]

How does this work with pedals that come before the amp and the others that are in the amps effects loop ? Do all the pedals have to be before the amp ???

[DemoColorScheme]

@jem7772

You can try to place the FX loop in a loop on the Octa-Switch and hook up time-based effects in the loops after that.

[DemoColorScheme]

@BabyTuckoosLP

You don't sadly. The Octa-Switch doesn't have MIDI.

[NickNARDONE]

Awesome vid thanks!

[Jmnabinger91]

can it do amp channel switching?

[DemoColorScheme]

@Jmnabinger91

Not directly, no, but there might be an indirect way of doing it.

[MrMushroomBrain]

We In TRANSVESTITEstallion Loves Flashing Dirty Old Machines...

[Saesangism]

Can I use one pedal for several loops?

[DemoColorScheme]

@Saesangism

Well, I don't really think that would be wise. Why would you?

[Saesangism]

@DemoColorScheme

Let's say I have one loop with distortion pedals and one with compressor/chorus. If I would like to use reverb in both of those loops, would I then need two reverb pedals?

[DemoColorScheme]

@Saesangism

No, you can program 'patch 1' (for instance) to have your compressor (loop 1), chorus (loop 2) and reverb (loop 8).

[coolness7]

What do you mean by "pop free"? Thanks

[DemoColorScheme]

@coolness7

Some of these units build up an electrical charge and release it with each push of one of the buttons, which creates a 'pop' sound in the audio path.

[mattias4life]

Is it possible to connect several pedals to each Loop? like three pedals in loop 1, two pedals in loop 2 etc.. and when you turn on loop 1 all three pedals go on?

The question is basicly if you are limited to 8 pedals on this unit?

[DemoColorScheme]

@mattias4life

Yes, like you can see in this video, I have more than one pedal in some loops.

[sportsportsport]

Can you assign different presets of the DL4 to each switch?

[DemoColorScheme]

@sportsportsport

Nope. The DL-4 can't be controlled by anything but the DL-4. It doesn't have MIDI or anything.

[JerryBeatFreak]

So basicly you can stack effects on each chanel? Have I got this right? So like you can have several fx on each switch?

[DemoColorScheme]

@JerryBeatFreak

Yup! :)

[JerryBeatFreak]

@DemoColorScheme That's awesome. must have. Haha ;)

[William102582]

Can you use it like one knob per pedal then mix 2 or 3 knobs together? Can it work like that? thanks, William

[DemoColorScheme]

@William102582

Knobs? Are you talking about the footswitched or the white DIP switches?

[William102582]

@DemoColorScheme I mean the footswitch, hahhaha I don't know why I wrote knob

[DemoColorScheme]

@William102582

I don't get what's so hard for you here? If you would assign 1 pedal per patch and create 3 patches with 1 pedal then you'd lose the whole point of the Octa-Switch, to switch from, let's say, 7 pedals to 2 or whatever. But yes, if you want, you can do it like you asked.

[JRNicholson27794]

hey i was wondering,

i saw another demo of this, and every time the guy tapped a different switch to use different pedal combinations, the previous pedal selection's were turned off, does this always happen or could i use it so i can have each individual pedal on its own input and if i needed turn every pedal on at once?

thanks

[DemoColorScheme]

@JRNicholson27794

I'm not sure what you mean? The Octa-Switch allows you to create patches. So, it you have loop 1 + 2 + 3 active in your first patch, then you can assign your second patch to have loop 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 active, or have loop 2 + 4, active. It allows you to turn on several pedals, but the pedals you want to turn on, that's up to you.

[aledeville]

@DemoColorScheme

I think JRN means, whether you can kick in two loop-selections. When you always put one pedal in one loop, and selector number one only selects loop 1 etc. Can you turn two loop on then? I don't think so, because the light of loopbutton 1 goes off when you press the loopbutton nr. 2.

[DemoColorScheme]

@aledeville

Nope, it can't do that. Of course not. That's the cool thing about the Octa-Switch. It's not a 'normal' TB looper where if you have 8 pedals in one loop each, you have to click 8 times to turn them all one. With the Octa-Switch you can assign it so that all the 8 loops can be activated at one.

[JRNicholson27794]

@DemoColorScheme sorry, what i meant was if i turn switch 1 on, does that turn anyother switches that were on, off, or could i have all of them on at once, with a different pedal coonected?

Am i making any more sense?

[DemoColorScheme]

@JRNicholson27794

I'm gonna send you a PM ..

[tommyshim123]

I currently play through a marshall tsl, and a few pedals. would i be able to use this product while setting two of the switches to my amp sound? say 1 for my crunch, 2 for my clean, and 3 for my lead?

[DemoColorScheme]

That's a very good question. But no, it can't do that. You can bring an entire amp in a loop, but you can't switch the relays on your amp with a simple send and return. You COULD try hooking up one loop to the relays input via the send of one loop. It MIGHT switch from channel 1 to 2 but I'm not sure if it'll work since relay-switching is done via a stereo jack while pedals operate mono jacks.

[Nerular]

Thanks for the video... Did you try any other pedal switchers before getting this one?

[DemoColorScheme]

Nope, I didn't. I researched TB loopers and ended up with this one.

[gabemaru]

Oh, that's great, thank's a lot :).

[gabemaru]

Hey man, do you think you can also use this as an A/B switch? Maybe assigning the final bank's send to the second amp.

I'm really interested in this and I wanted to know if I can change from the top boost to the normal channel of my Vox C30 directly through this, without having to use an additionla A/B switch like I do now ( I use a Lehle and it's great, but I'd really like to do it all in one ).

Thanks,

Gabe.

[DemoColorScheme]

Yes, you can. In my new setup I'm using loop 6 to route another amp with it's effects [G-System] through the Octa-Switch.

It's completely do-able!

[monohenrik]

how do you bypass the unit? Do you click one of the switches twice?

[manuflecky]

hey, thank you very much for this video! you answered many questions!

keep it up

[DemoColorScheme]

My pleasure! That's what I'm for.

[deathmetallica2nd]

hi can i connect 10-12 analogs? into this unit?

though i need jst 5 patches to b used??

and do u recommend any other unit like this thru which i can make patches but it shud b cheaper for about 100-150 $

since this unit costs about 350$

reply soon

[DemoColorScheme]

First: there's is nothing cheaper than the Octa-Switch, at least, with this flexibility.

And of course you can put 10 or 12 pedals in here, you can fit in as much as you want, that's what I said in the video. You just need to take into account that you have EIGHT loops, so you'll be putting some pedals into one loop.

Good luck.

[AlwaysRendering]

what kind of cables what you recommend for the loops? I'm also very psyched to get me one of these.

[DemoColorScheme]

Doesn't matter much. Get some high quality cables like Lava or George L's.

[rodrigozamo]

I´m looking forward for this unit but if I have a volume pedal is it better to plug it before the input or into one of the loops? I wanna put it after a distortion but before the delays

[DemoColorScheme]

Depends! If you put it in front you have one loop free! You'd have to have one that is compatible with your application. Low impedance ones are uses after pedals with buffers and high impedance ones are used right after guitars with passive pups / high impedance with active ones, like EMGs.

So, low impedance after buffers.

In your case it would be a low impedance volume pedal into a loop after your dirt pedals? Assuming you have dirt pedals. And then, are they true bypass or buffered?

[amberience]

I'm looking for a unit like this. One thing that is of the utmost importance to me is that switching between loops is INSTANT. Is the Octaswitch instantly switching between presets, or is there a gap of silence or delay?

[DemoColorScheme]

The switching is instant.

[cbellanga]

hi mate, firstly thanks for the demo. it helps a lot. I would like to double check something with you.. maybe a stupid question but anyway .. how do you select you pure clean sound? Is there any way to deselect all loops so in theory you're listening the pure guitar tone? Would you be able to do that stepping (and deselecting) in an active loop for example? Thanks again!

[DemoColorScheme]

Thanks, I appreciate it! I can be quick and clear about the clean sound setting;

you can NOT deactivate a loop by stepping on it again - so, if you want a clean tone you need to have preset that has none of the DIP switches engaged. This will give you 7 loops instead of 8. Yes, I know, it's a bitch .. I was disappointed by this as well when I first found this out. But I just had a loop with just the DMM in it - so when I needed a clean sound - I stomped on the DMM to turn it off.

[robertodebourg]

This pedal is amazing... My performance has improve dramatically! Not only stops the tap dancing by activating up 8 pedals at once but enhances your sound just by running your signal through it... I'm gonna make a video of my set-up and will upload it so you see how I work my wah outside of the octa-switch and I'm thinking about running my tuner also out of it so I can run 2 extra pedals...

Best pedal I've ever bought.

[DemoColorScheme]

I'm glad you like it!

[ACS1271990]

quick question...does it run all your pedals into the front of your amp or does it run them all through the fx loop? or can you run certain pedals through the front and some through the fx loop?

[DemoColorScheme]

You can only do one of the two though I have to admit that I've never tried it in the FX loop of the amp. I HAVE created one gigantic patch where I routed it to my soundcard and ran my keys through it.

Do some research, you might find out. I don't have it hooked up here right now but honestly, I don't think it wasn't designed for that.

[ACS1271990]

so you just run all the pedals into the input of your amp including time based effects? does it sound ok?

[DemoColorScheme]

Yep. I'm running a '69 Silverface [modded to Blackface] Twin Reverb. There's no amp that takes effects in front of it as well as the Twin Reverb.

[Taker6115]

Hey Dude,

Thats wrong! You can run with your pedals into the front, through the fx loop and both.

You go with the guitar in the Looper IN, then put your OD on 1, your pre-amp (amp in -> fx send) on 2 and the modulation-efects on the rest. Then with the OUT from the looper in fx-return. So you have (for example) your OD or Wah into the front of the amp, but your modulations-effect's in the fx-loop.. I hope you understand, I'm not an english-speaking-guy xD

Greetings from germany

[DemoColorScheme]

Have you tried this? Since I'm missing something .. Where do you have your dry signal going INTO the amp? You just have the guitar going into the INPUT and your OD in '1' - and the time-based effects in the rest. So I'm missing where the OD and your dry signal are going to since you only have one out - which you seem to be using for the FX loop return.

[DemoColorScheme]

I've recently found out this IS possible. I've even hooked up another amp to one of the loops to control what goes into which amp.

[alvarez1284]

Oh you know it I WILL, AGAIN THANKS!!!!!!

[alvarez1284]

No I was being serious, I've been thinking about buying a midi controller or some sort of switching system to control my pedals and midi effect processors. So I was very serious, THANKS!!!!!

[DemoColorScheme]

I see! Well, thank you then!

And the Octa-Switch would be a good choice. It's simple, not THAT big, affordable and it has the options of assigning pedals with the DIP switches. This was/is really important to me.

Anyways, I hope you have fun with this unit! Presuming you're gonna get it.

[alvarez1284]

Man that was the most helpful demo on this piece of beautiful gear easing tool. THANKS AND KEEP IT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DemoColorScheme]

Ha, I hope you're not being sarcastic.

If not, thanks!

[worfol]

Can you still turn pedals on and off with your feet without using the octaswitch? or are the only switches you can press are the ones on the octaswitch when it is active.

[DemoColorScheme]

Of course you can .. If not, that would almost negate the use of the Octa-Switch.

[sluscen]

can you also choose the order of the pedals/loops in the different patches, f.e. in patch 1 you have the order loop 1 then 2 then 3, and in patch to you have loop 3 then 1 then 2? that would´ve been reaaly useful if that is the case!

[DemoColorScheme]

Nope, this isn't possible. Still, this is one of the most versatile true-bypass loopers out there, especially in this price range.

[ribsrobs]

Is it one loop at a time, or is it possible to hava multiple loops engaged? As having two of the stomps pressed down at the same time....

[DemoColorScheme]

It depends. I call the 'loops' where you put the pedals in, the stomp surfaces I'd call 'patches'. You can program the patches to have all 8 loops engaged, or just one, or 1 and 7, etc. But you can't have to patches running at the same time.

[DemoColorScheme]

two patches* that is! Excuse the typo.

[imdesigner]

great video! ive been wondering how this works, i think i may pick one up!

thanks for posting!

[DemoColorScheme]

Good to hear this has helped!

[clark2852]

Cool video. My question is can you run more than one pedal on the same loop? It appeared that you could, but I'm having trouble hearing over a screaming kid. :) Thanks.

[DemoColorScheme]

Yup, you can run as many pedals as you'd like.

[300jet]

thanks man...awesome review!

[DemoColorScheme]

You think? :D I can't think of a more basic review than this.

[tg4878]

Thanks much! Are the pops your were referring to in the audio?

[DemoColorScheme]

You mean, in this vid? No, you can't hear 'em well. But there are some pops when you switch. But you can 'bypass' that simply by pressing the button on the correct time so you'll have a smooth transition between patches, you won't notice it then.