Using a Digitech Trio+ with a Boss Katana 100

Gear & Tools Talk 🔊 Amplification & Effects
1

I’ve been asked if I can post the cabling to support using the Digitech Trio+ with the Boss Katana 100 series amps, as I have previously stated that this was “non obvious”.

Note that, whilst this is aimed at the Katana 100, it should work for any amp which has an effects loop, modelling or otherwise, although it’s most useful for modelling amps.

Also, this requires an amp with an FX loop, so this won’t work for the Katana 50, for example.

Note that rule of thumb to use when using a looper with effects is: record the effect, don’t effect the recording.

In other words the recorded loop should have the effects added to it. On playback, no further effects should be added to the recorded loop.

The background for this is the Digitech Trio+ has an effect loop (send and return) which is designed, primarily, for connecting external FX pedals so that they can be used in conjunction with the onboard looper. The manual diagram shows this (I have highlighted the FX loop):

image
This is fairly straightforward for external pedals, but when using the internal pedals on the Boss Katana 100, a different wiring scheme is required. This wiring scheme includes the pre-amp and fx sections for the Katana into the Digitech FX loop:

image
image622Ă—538 36.3 KB

In case this image is not clear, the connections are as follows:

Trio+ Katana
FX SEND INPUT
FX RETURN EFFECT LOOP SEND
AMP OUT EFFECT LOOP RETURN

The guitar connects to the Guitar in as normal.

It is also important to make sure that the Katana chain is set up correctly. Primarily, you want to make sure that the Send/Return is configured to be “POST REV” so that it appears after the REVERB section and, hence, after all of the other effects:

image

Cheers,

Keith

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I looked at this before and find it fascinating, @Majik, even though I don’t have a Trio, Katana, or pedals :rofl:

Looking at the diagrams, please have a look at the second. It looks to me like the blue and red lines leading to amp input and fx loop respectively, may not be plugged into the appropriate socket on the Trio, based on the first diagram?

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No, that’s correct David.

That’s why I said it was “non obvious”.

What you are doing is putting the Katana’s input stages, which includes the pre-amp and FX sections, into the Trio+'s FX loop.

The result, which is the Trio+ output, then gets put into the Katana’s power amp via the Katana’s FX Return.

Cheers,

Keith

4

Thanks Keith.

Had a second look and considered the connections write-up. I think I get it now.

As you say, not obvious, got to be thinking carefully for it to make sense.

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