Q.  Will the Rang^TM Chorus*Delay pedal alter my tone when the effects are turned off?
A.  No. The audio path through all our E Series pedals is pristine.

Q.  Can the Rang^TM Chorus*Delay pedal be controlled by a MIDI controller?
A.  Some functions can be remotely controlled. Presets may be recalled by sending external MIDI Program Change commands on channel 16 to your Chorus*Delay pedal. Program Change 1 recalls Preset 1, Program Change 2 recalls Preset 2, etc.

Q.  Can the Rang^TM Chorus*Delay pedal create reverse leads live?
A.  Yes. This is one of the possibilities using the Reverse delay. It's also cool to blend in some of the forward signal for a different effect.

Q.  Does the Rang^TM Chorus*Delay pedal have ping-pong delay?
A.  Yes. When connected to a stereo rig, the Clean delay alternates repeats between the left and right channels. Schweeeeet!

Q.  Latest software?
A.  Version 2.1 - It adds the ability to control Decay Rate with an expression pedal and support for the Side Car^TM Controller.

Q.  How do I receive software updates?
A.  Software will be sent to you as an email attachment. Save it in a convenient directory on your computer. You will need some modest hardware to download the new software. A typical setup involves a USB cable going from your computer to a USB/MIDI interface, which can be bought for as little as $29. A MIDI cable goes from the USB/MIDI interface to the Pedal Link^TM In jack on your Rang^TM pedal. Recently I've seen all-in-one solutions that comprise a single cable that has a USB connector on one end, a MIDI connector or two on the other end and embedded electronics. Launch an application that can play MIDI files and set it to output data on MIDI channel 16. The file we sent is a MIDI file, so open and play it. You may get a warning saying something like "There is no note data in this file." That's cool as there isn't, only a bunch of SysEx commands. After the file plays, all the clock display lights turn on bright yellow to indicate the new software has been received. Then a second or two later they all turn bright green to indicate the new software has been permanently saved. That's it. Power down, place the pedal back in your rig and enjoy the expanded capabilities. Here's the setup I use. I have an HP computer running Windows 7 operating system, and use a program I purchased on the net called Sweet MIDI Player 32. A demo version of this program is free and works great. My USB/MIDI interface is an M-Audio Fast Track Pro. It works like a charm.

Q.  Permanent loop storage?
A.  The III loses its mind when power is removed; no loops are saved. However, your parameter settings are preserved.

Q.  MIDI sync?
A.  No. The connectors on the back are MIDI capable but only support SysEx commands and support for the Side Car^TM Controller. We are currently working to add some basic MIDI commands to allow syncing to drum machines, but there is no guaranty on whether or when this will come about.

Q.  Recording time?
A.  Sampling at 48KHz, the III records for 8 minutes 46 seconds in mono. Sampling at 24KHz, the time is 17 minutes 32 seconds. Record with 24KHz sampling and Octave active (half-speed), and recording time is over 35 minutes. Stereo recording cuts all times in half.

Q.  Memory?
A.  The III has 64MB of memory and it is not expanable.

Q.  Compact flash cards?
A.  There is no card slot for removable media.

Q.  Will the Rang^TM III improve my sex life?
A.  Yes, and some users have experienced an improved sense of well being too.

Q.  XLR connectors?
A.  There are no XLR connectors. There are 2 unbalanced ins, 2 unbalanced outs and an expression pedal jack. All connectors are 1/4" phone jacks.

Q.  Playing multiple loops?
A.  Yes, the III can play 4 loops at once, either synced or completely independent of each other.

Q.  USB port?
A.  There is no USB port.

Q.  Sales outside of the USA?
A.  Regardless of where you are, if there isn't a dealer close by, we'll be happy to sell directly to you.

Q.  Shipping outside of the USA?
A.  Shipping via airmail with insurance is about $46 to almost anywhere on the globe.

Q.  Is the Side Car^TM Controller ready?
A.  Yes, sir. Some stores are stocking it, but you can buy directly from us if you're having difficulty finding one.

Q.  Does the Side Car^TM Controller require an additional power supply?
A.  No. A "power splitter" cable is included so the SC can share the III's 1000mA power supply. It's good to share.

Q.  How does the Side Car^TM Controller connect to the III?
A.  With a 3' standard MIDI cable, which is included.

Q.  What is the Wholly Roller^TM Volume - Expression Pedal?
A.  It's a small controller based on the foot roller that appeared on our earlier loopers. The beauty of it is that it's much smaller than a traditional volume pedal and provides a nice visual reference to see the current level.

Q.  When will it be available?
A.  By the end of Feb 2012.

Q.  Will it work as a continuous controller when connected to a MIDI controller?
A.  Yes. We think many players will use it this way.

Q.  How can I get a new power supply?
A.  To purchase a new Boomerang^® power supply directly from us, send a check for $24.00 along with a complete return address to Boomerang; PO Box 3788; Grapevine, TX 76099-3788. A power supply will arrive on your door step through the ancient miracle of snail mail. Or you may make a PayPal deposit to the account under mnelson@boomerangmusic.com.

Q.  What power supplies do you have in addition to North American?
A.  We have power supplies for Australia, Japan, United Kingdom and Western Europe. If we have no power supply for your country, we ship your pedal without one and discount the price by $10.

Q.  What are the power requirements for the Rang^TM III and Chorus*Delay?
A.  The E-Series pedals are very forgiving and will work with many types of power supplies. Most supplies with the one of the following output specifications will work:

Always OK
1) 9VAC, 600 to 1000mA
2) 9VDC positive tip, 600 to 1000mA

Usually OK *
3) 9VDC negative tip, 600 to 1000mA

* If your DC supply is ISOLATED the polarity of the plug doesn't matter (can be either + centered or - centered). If the supply is not isolated (either directly or through other pedals which may be connecting one side of the supply to the audio common) you must use a + center plug.
* In order to provide for some flexibility in power sources for the E-Series pedals, the power jack is NOT connected directly to the audio signal ground but is routed through a full-wave bridge rectifier prior to a connection to all internal circuitry. This approach allows for the use of AC power sources and auto-sensing of DC power sources but mandates that the power source MUST BE FULLY ISOLATED from any direct or indirect path to the ground side of any audio/control inputs or outputs connected to the pedal. A direct path could be created by using a power supply that uses a 3-wire mains plug and has one side of the output connected to the mains ground (rare). An indirect connection can occur when a single power source is 'daisy chained' between several pedals and one or more of the additional pedals has its audio ground connected directly to one side of its power jack (common). In this case one wire in the power cable attached to the E-Series pedal is indirectly connected to the audio signal ground and this violates the full isolation requirement. This situation cannot only create a 'ground loop' hum problem but could also severely damage the power supply and/or the E-Series pedals. In general it is recommended that the E-Series pedals always be powered with the power adapter supplied with each unit. Boomerang Musical Products, Ltd. cannot be held responsible for any damages which result from the use of any power source other than the one supplied with each unit by BMP.

Q.  What are the power requirements for the Original and Rang^TM Plus loopers?
A.  Our first two loopers can only operate with AC power. A compatible supply must have these output specs: 9-10VAC, 500-1000mA. A standard stomp box 9VDC supply will NOT work with the Rang^TM Plus or Original.

Q.  What do the different output specifications on power supplies mean?
A.  All power supplies that plug into the wall are called AC adapters because the wall power is AC (Alternating Current), but they can OUTPUT either AC or DC (Direct Current). There are NO polarity issues with a power supply that outputs AC; this only applies to power supplies that output DC.

Voltage rating of a power supply
Stated in V (volts), this is the critical number. Running a 9V device on an 18V power supply will make it run hot and cause damage. A 9V device won't run on a 6V power supply.

Amperage rating of a power supply
Stated in mA (milliamperes), this is the current rating and represents a maximum capability. Unlike the voltage, it is not a constant value. The power supply will deliver only what the device asks for. If a pedal wants 600mA and the supply can provide only 300mA, then it won't work though no damage will occur. On the other hand a pedal needing 400mA will work OK with a 750mA supply.

The Case Against True Bypass  by  Pete Cornish (© Pete Cornish 2003)   http://www.petecornish.co.uk

The "true bypass" function, which is promoted by some, can create dreadful problems with a system that uses many pedals. Take for instance a 15 ft guitar cable linked to ten pedals, each linked by a 2 ft cable, and then onto the amp by a 30 ft cable. If all pedals have "true bypass", and are off, then the total cable length hanging on the guitar output will be 63 ft. This will cause a huge loss of tone and signal level particularly if the guitar is a vintage type with low output and high impedance. The amp volume is then turned up and the treble control increased to compensate for the losses. The inherent background noise now increases by the amount of the gain and treble increase and is usually, in my experience, too bad for serious work. If one of the pedals is now switched on, then it's (hopefully) high input impedance (and usually low output impedance) will buffer all the output cables from the guitar and the signal level will rise due to the removal of some of the load on the pickups (i.e.: 17 ft instead of 63 ft of cable). The treble will rise and the tone and volume will not be as before. If that pedal was say a chorus or delay, devices which are usually unity gain, then your overall signal level and tone will vary each time an effect is added...not a very good idea.

Some pedals have an input impedance which is far from high in real terms; the input impedance of the vast majority of amps is 1 Megohm (one million ohms) and in my experience there are few effects pedals that have the same input impedance. A load on the guitar of less than 1 Megohm will reduce the volume and high frequency content of the pickup signal thus giving rise to complaints that "this pedal looses tone/volume" etc. Many effects I have tested have an input impedance of less than 100 Kilohms (ie: only one tenth of the amp input impedance) and cause serious signal losses in the effects chain.

My system, which I devised in the early 70's, is to feed the guitar into a fixed high impedance load, which is identical to the amp input, and then distribute the signal to the various effects and amps by low impedance buffered feeds. This gives a constant signal level and tonal characteristics, which do not change at all when effects are added. The proof that this works are in the recordings of our clients: Roxy Music; The Police; Queen; Pink Floyd; Bryan Adams; Lou Reed; Dire Straits; Paul McCartney; Sting; Jimmy Page; Judas Priest; Black Sabbath....

So the answer to your question re "true bypass" is no, I do not use this system in my Effects Boards/Racks as it can seriously degrade your sound. All my current effects pedals (excluding Vintage Series) which are derived from our large systems have, as the main input stage, a fiendishly clever pre amp that has the same characteristics as the input of a tube amp (1 Megohm/20pF), a highly efficient filter to eliminate the possibility of radio breakthrough and a low output impedance so that any following pedals/ cables etc. will not impose a load on the guitar signal. This pre amp is fitted to all our large stage systems and has always met with huge approval; not only from the guitarist but also the PA operator who is so happy to have constant level and tone presented to his mixing board. I go further with large systems and provide several inputs, each with the isolating pre amp and a gain compensation pre amp so that many different guitars can be level matched into the system. In addition a 20 segment PPM type display provides visual indication of signal level in our Effects Boards and Rack Systems.

Unit 5, Silveroaks Farm, Hawkhurst Lane, Waldron, Heathfield, E.Sussex, UK, TN21 0RS Tel (0)1435- 813393, International - 0044 1435 813393, From US - 01144 1435 813393

All Rang^TM loopers we've encountered could be repaired except the one that spent 3 weeks under water in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina came calling. Before sending your looper off, please send us an email at hardesty@mindspring.com. Often you can fix the problem yourself with a little coaching.

If necessary, send your unit to:
Boomerang
1516 Victoria Drive
Denton, TX 76209

Include a note with:
1) your name
2) phone number
3) complete address where you want your unit returned
4) a description of the problem - The more detail the better.

When shipping within the continental USA, expect to pay $50 to $80 for repair and return shipping. Turn around is about 3 weeks. Half that time is in transit.

Our European repair center is:
BassLab Electric
Borups Alle 3
DK 2200N Copenhagen
DENMARK
tel. 45-38-88-2882