Octatrack setup with Strymon Big Sky pedal

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hi there!

How do you setup the following? Which cables would one require?

Octatrack to Strymon’s Big Sky pedal to Speakers

Thanks

#2

You can just go from the main outs of the Octatrack into the Bigsky with two 1/4“ mono (TS) jack cables and the out of the Bigsky into your speakers.
Which cables you need depends on which kind of speakers you use.

You can also use the Bigsky with the Octatrack as a send effect.
Connect the Bigsky to the cue outputs of the Octatrack (again with two 1/4“ mono (TS) cables, then go from the Bigskys outputs with two 1/4“ TS cables into the inputs of the Octatrack (you can use input pairs AB or CD) and raise the volume of that input pair in the Octatracks mixer.
Now you can send each of your tracks into the Bigsky using cue level in studio mode or by cueing them if you use normal mode.
This way you decide which tracks you want to send to the Bigsky.

According to the Strymon website you can also use balanced 1/4“ TRS cables, but simple mono TS cables are sufficient.

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#3

:roll_eyes::face_with_monocle:

Umm … 1/4" cables out of OT into BigSky. 1/4" cables out of BigSky into monitors. :neutral_face:

#4

Your answer was far more generous than mine. :+1:t2:

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#5

My speaker has an XLR output and I have directly hooked them to the Octatrack using TRS cables. However, I do have a question on the cables. Can I use 1/4” mono TRS cables instead of TS i.e. Octatrack to Big Sky and back?

#6

Are those active studio monitors?
Then you can use a balanced 1/4“ to XLR conection.

Should work.

#7

Yes, they are active monitors. Thanks a bunch for your help :slightly_smiling_face:

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#8

this was very helpful.

Am I right to say that the elektron boxes (analog heat, rytm, octatrack) have balanced outputs? (and the strymon doesnt, so doesnt make sense to use balanced cables?)

#9

You can use balanced TRS cables with Strymon pedals but you will not receive the benefits of balanced connections as the Strymon inputs are unbalanced. I say this because some unbalanced inputs will not work at all with balanced TRS cables IIRC.

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#10

I think all Elektrons are impedance balanced vs. being a fully balanced output. There is a difference that I keep forgetting. Given that synths output at high levels, you really don’t need to bother with balanced (TRS) cables unless you have some kind of unique setup or are experiencing excessive noise (which would be strange).

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#11

MD Mk1 and MM Mk2 had unbalanced outs, others are impedance balanced. Balanced trs cables or unbalanced ts work.

Here’s an article about the differences:

https://www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/q-how-impedance-balancing-audio-different-normal-balancing

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#12

impedance balanced = non-balanced with a facelift

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#13

That article was fantastic. I never knew the difference (or lack there of).

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#14

Ah, I guess I should have said all modern elektron machines.

#15

Cue outputs to Big Sky, Big Sky outputs to input A & B. Track 1 (or 1 & 2 if you want two separate mono channels) as THRU channels for A & B inputs and then just route whatever channels you want to add reverb to to the Cue outputs for resampling.