Why can't I get dual triggers when I try to duplicate pads?

[Swaledale]

I purchased a couple of stereo splitter adaptors - 1/4” Stereo Plug to Two 1/4" Stereo Sockets similar to these...



...with the aim of duplicating pads from the AUX1 and AUX2 inputs on my TD-12. However, what I find is that with one pad (a PD85) plugged in it works fine with head and rim, but when I plug in the second pad (another PD-85) I lose the rim on both pads. I get the same problem with cymbals - the rim trigger capacity is lost with two pads plugged in. I don't understand why this is happening. Can anyone help?

[TNT]

Each of your pads has two triggers. Each input jack on the module can only receive two triggers.

Even when you split the cable with your adapter, that same jack on the module can still only get two trigger signals. It just gets those two signals from two different pads after the split.

Mathematically: 2 pads with 2 triggers each = 4 triggers. After splitting, 4 pads will only yield 4 trigger signals. The module can only handle 2 trigger signals per jack.

Sorry! That's just the way it is.

I hope that I explained it well enough.

[ige87]

Sounds like its not a stereo splitter to me.

[Swaledale]

Hi TNT. Sorry but that doesn't seem to make sense to me. If I have two identical pads sharing the same trigger, the module doesn't know this... it just receives the trigger signal whether it comes from one pad or the other.

[Swaledale]

Sounds like its not a stereo splitter to me.

If I just have one pad plugged in I get dual triggering, so it is giving a stereo signal - the problem comes when both pads are plugged in.

[TNT]

Sorry but that doesn't seem to make sense to me.

In the normal configuration, a pad uses the tip of the cable connector for one trigger and the ring for the other trigger. When you split that cable to use two pads, the tip becomes one pad and the sleeve becomes the other pad.

And, ige87 is right... those aren't splitters. The vendor misrepresented them. Those adapters merely parallel the connection so that a person can use two sets of headphones. I didn't snap to that fact earlier. (it still won't work for what you're trying to do)

You need something like this: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ble?sku=333030



Perhaps someone else here could explain this better than I have.

[BarT]

I can only assume that connecting the second cable reduces the strength of the rim signal by spreading it down the extra wire. Have you tried various trigger type settings for those Aux inputs?


Bruce

[SuperPuss]

Just a guess here but it sounds like an impedance problem to me.
What you are doing is essentially connecting two rim piezo's and two head piezo's in parallel. As you may be aware, piezo's will generate a voltage when physically stimulated and will also vibrate in response to an applied voltage.
When you connect two in parallel (as you are with your splitter) the piezo that generates the signal will also send that signal to the other piezo connected to it (via your splitter) and will present a load to the signal, reducing it's amplitude.
I would try increasing the sensitivity and decreasing the threshold on the input with the two pads connected to make up for the lower amplitude signal from the pads.

[BarT]

When you split that cable to use two pads, the tip becomes one pad and the sleeve becomes the other pad.

Not with a stereo to stereo adapter.

And, ige87 is right... those aren't splitters. The vendor misrepresented them. Those adapters merely parallel the connection so that a person can use two sets of headphones. I didn't snap to that fact earlier. (it still won't work for what you're trying to do)

Perhaps someone else here could explain this better than I have.

The "merely parallel" is exactly what he is trying to do.


Bruce

[SuperPuss]

Guys, it looks like we were all writing our replies at the same time

[Tchagray]

Stereo

If those spliters are like the ones I have, it has a male plug (stereo - two pathways - left and right) molded to two mono females (either a left or right). There is only one signal coming into the stereo jack from either pad. You could wire one up yourself by using two stereo female plugs and siring them both to one male stereo plug. Not sure if there would be feedback betweem the pads, but each pad would send two signals to the TD-12.

[BarT]

Guys, it looks like we were all writing our replies at the same time

Nope. Midday here, not midnight.

And yours was sooooo much more technical than mine.


Bruce

[SuperPuss]

If those spliters are like the ones I have, it has a male plug (stereo - two pathways - left and right) molded to two mono females (either a left or right). There is only one signal coming into the stereo jack from either pad. You could wire one up yourself by using two stereo female plugs and siring them both to one male stereo plug. Not sure if there would be feedback betweem the pads, but each pad would send two signals to the TD-12.

The Ebay description is

1/4” (6.35mm) Stereo Plug to Two 1/4” (6.35mm) Stereo Sockets

so those adapters should be fine (as is proven when SD connects just one pad and it works).

There will be interaction between the two pads (as per my post HERE) but that will not cause any damage.

[TNT]

OK... I stand corrected. That's why we value Bruce so much here.

However, if a dual trigger jack could accept four triggers by using a stereo "paralleler" not "splitter," I'm SURE someone would have done that by now! And we certainly would have read on this forum that you can run more pads than Roland advertises. It really would help out a number of GAS attacks!

But, it sounds like SuperPuss is on the right track. Her recommendation seems logical. I'd be interested to find out if this works!



I could be wrong again... but the time stamp you're looking at shows the time a post was submitted based your own local clock. (Bruce, your post shows up as 6:27pm, which is the current time here in Italy)

[SuperPuss]

Bruce, are you sure we are not identical twins?