Source Audio Reflex User Manual
Reflex Universal Expression
Controller User’s Guide
Welcome
Thank you for purchasing the Reflex Universal Expression Pedal. The Reflex is one of the most
versatile and advanced expression controllers on the market.
It has seven expression outputs that can all be used simultaneously: three analog expression outputs,
three digital (MIDI) expression outputs, and one sensor output. Each output has flexible,
independent configuration options.
The Reflex also can store up to 128 different MIDI-recallable presets, allowing you to save different
settings for different songs or sets, easily recalling them on stage with a MIDI controller.
The USB connectivity gives the Reflex an extra boost of power, with plug-and-play DAW
compatibility, firmware updates, and more!
Enjoy!
- The Source Audio Team
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 1
Overview
Three Analog Expression Outputs – Connect to up to three external devices using the analog
expression ports. These can be individually set up as passive potentiometers or active control
voltages.
Three Digital (MIDI) Outputs – A single hardware MIDI output (or USB MIDI output) can carry up to
three independently configurable MIDI expression signals.
Highly Configurable – All expression outputs can be independently configured to be compatible with
different expression standards. The taper, polarity, range, LFO, and other parameters can be set up
differently for each output.
USB-MIDI Interface – Class-compliant USB drivers make the Reflex plug-and-play ready for Mac and
Windows computers. The Reflex is a USB MIDI device that can be used in digital audio workstation
(DAW) software or to control software synthesizers and virtual instruments.
MIDI Recallable Presets – Save up to 128 presets and recall them at any time with a MIDI controller.
MIDI Merge – Merge MIDI input data to the output for maximum system compatibility.
Contents
Welcome .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 2
Quick Start ............................................................................................................................................... 3
Connections ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Basic Operation ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Controls and Configuration.................................................................................................................... 17
Footswitch ............................................................................................................................................. 19
Preset Storage and Recall ...................................................................................................................... 20
MIDI ....................................................................................................................................................... 21
USB ......................................................................................................................................................... 22
Expression Output Plug Configuration .................................................................................................. 23
Battery Compartment ............................................................................................................................ 25
Adjusting Treadle Resistance ................................................................................................................. 25
Specifications ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Troubleshooting ..................................................................................................................................... 26
Waste Disposal Notes ............................................................................................................................ 26
Warranty ................................................................................................................................................ 27
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 2
Quick Start
This section will guide you through the steps of connecting the Reflex to a standard passive
expression port on a device such as a synthesizer or a guitar effects unit. By default, the Reflex is set
up to connect using a three-conductor TRS cable, with the supply on the ring contact, the expression
signal on the tip contact, and ground on the sleeve contact. The Reflex can be configured to be
compatible with other plug configurations (such as TS for compatibility with Line 6 products), but for
the purposes of this quick start guide, it is assumed that a standard TRS plug with expression on the
tip contact is being used.
Power
The Reflex ships with an included 9V battery. Insert the battery into the battery compartment and
press the ON/OFF button to power on the device.
Expression Connections
Using a ¼” TRS plug, connect the expression input on the device you wish to control to Expression
Output 1 on the Reflex. At this point, the Reflex should be set by default to work as a passive 10
kiloohm (kΩ) linear expression pedal.
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 3
Interface Overview
Parameter Button: Selects one of five parameters (min, max, depth, channel, or type) to edit for the
currently selected expression output.
LED Display: Displays the value of the parameter currently being edited.
Output Select Button: Selects one of the seven expression outputs to configure.
Shape Button: Sets the shape (linear, exponential, sine LFO, saw LFO, square LFO, triangle LFO, or
random) for the currently selected expression output.
Save Button: Saves the current configuration into one of 128 preset locations.
Load Button: Recalls a saved configuration from preset memory.
Control Knob: Modifies the currently active parameter.
Footswitch: Mutes or un-mutes the expression outputs.
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 4
Expression Outputs Power
Jack
On/Off
Button
USB Connector
Treadle
Footswitch
Connections
Left Side Connections
Expression Output 1
Passive 10 kΩ expression output. By default, the ring contact is power, the sleeve contact is ground,
and the tip contact is ground. Can also act as an active control voltage (CV) output ranging from 0V to
5V. The plug configuration can be modified using the dip switches on the bottom of the pedal.
Expression Output 2
Passive 10 kΩ expression output. By default, the ring contact is power, the sleeve contact is ground,
and the tip contact is ground. Can also act as an active control voltage (CV) output ranging from 0V to
5V. The plug configuration can be modified using the dip switches on the bottom of the pedal.
Expression Output 3
Passive 50 kΩ expression output. By default, the ring contact is power, the sleeve contact is ground,
and the tip contact is ground. Can also act as an active control voltage (CV) output ranging from 0V to
5V. The plug configuration can be modified using the dip switches on the bottom of the pedal.
DC 9V (Power)
Standard barrel connector designed to accept a regulated 9V DC power supply. The tip of the
connector is negative and the sleeve is positive. The power supply must be able to source at least 45
mA. The Reflex can be powered either by an external DC power supply, by a 9V battery, or directly by
the USB port.
Warning: Using a non-Source Audio supply, especially an unregulated supply, could damage the unit.
Please be very cautious when using 3rd-party power supplies.
On/Off Switch
Turns the Reflex on or off. This is useful to conserve the battery when the Reflex is not in use.
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 5
MIDI
Input
MIDI
Output
Multi-Function
Input
Sensor
Output
USB
Connect your computer (Mac or Windows) to the Reflex’s USB port (denoted by the icon) using
a standard mini USB cable. The Reflex is a class compliant USB device, meaning that it should be
recognized by Mac and Windows computers automatically. For more information about the Reflex’s
USB capabilities, refer to the USB section of the User’s Guide.
Right Side Connections
MIDI Out
This standard 5-pin DIN connector outputs expression signals as standard MIDI messages. The Reflex
has three independently configurable digital outputs, each of which is mapped to a MIDI message
(typically a continuous controller).
MIDI In
This standard 5-pin DIN connector receives MIDI messages from external devices. The most common
use case is using a MIDI controller to send program change messages to the Reflex, allowing for
instant recall of any of its 128 user presets.
Sensor Out
This 3.5mm (1/8”) TRRS connector interfaces with Source Audio products such as the One Series
family of effects or the Soundblox 2 effects pedal line, allowing for direct control of effect
parameters.
Multi-Function In
This connector is reserved for future use with the Neuro Hub. Functionality will be added in the
future via firmware updates.
Basic Operation
At its simplest, an expression pedal is simply a passive potentiometer. The treadle (controlled by the
user’s foot) changes the resistance between the terminals of the potentiometer. This changing
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 6
resistance is sensed by the device connected to the potentiometer and can be used to change
various effect parameters.
Some expression pedals can also act as active control voltage sources, in which case they output a
voltage within a given range and send it out to the connected device. This approach is common with
devices such as modular synthesizers, where control voltages are abbreviated as CV.
Traditionally, expression pedals have a linear taper, which means that the movement of the foot
treadle over a certain range of motion corresponds to a linear change in the resistance of the
potentiometer. Some expression pedals might instead have what is known as a logarithmic or audio
taper, which translates the linear motion of the treadle into a logarithmic or “curved” change in
resistance, which closely models the way that we perceive sound intensity.
The Reflex, however, is much more than a typical expression pedal. It can generate linear tapers,
logarithmic/audio tapers, or more complex user-defined tapers. It can even create internal LFOs that
sweep the expression outputs periodically, following a number of different wave shapes. With the
highly configurable hardware options, the Reflex can adapt to a wide range of applications.
Expression Outputs
There are a total of seven expression outputs on the Reflex. Four of these have physical connections:
the three analog expression outputs and the sensor output. The remaining three expression outputs
are digital outputs, which are available on the hardware MIDI connector as well as the USB port.
The three analog expression outputs can be configured to match 4 common plug configurations (see
Expression Output Plug Configuration). The sensor output, designed to work with Source Audio
products, uses a fixed plug configuration (see Sensor Output Plug Configuration).
All of the seven expression outputs have independently configurable shapes (selected from an
assortment of tapers or LFOs), as well as configurable minimum value, maximum value, and depth (in
the case of an LFO). The digital outputs have two additional parameters – type, which defines the
MIDI continuous controller (CC) to be used, and channel, which defines the MIDI channel.
All expression outputs can be thought of as having a range between 0 and 127.
For the digital expression outputs, this concept is convenient, because it maps directly to the MIDI
continuous controller values 0 to 127.
The analog expression outputs, on the other hand, map this value to a resistance or a voltage.
For example, expression output 1 has a 10 kΩ potentiometer, meaning that the value of 0 maps to a
resistance of about 0Ω, the value of 127 maps to a resistance of about 10kΩ, and a value of 64 (half-
way between 0 and 127) maps to a resistance of about 5kΩ (half-way between 0Ω and 10kΩ).
Similarly, an analog expression output configured as a control voltage (CV) output has a voltage
range of 0V to 5V, meaning that the value of 0 maps to a voltage of about 0V, the value of 127 maps
to a voltage of about 5V, and a value of 64 maps to a voltage of about 2.5V.
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 7
Treadle Position
Expression
Output
Toe
Heel
Expression
Output
Treadle Position
Toe
Heel
Tapers
Two basic tapers are available by default: linear and logarithmic/audio.
Linear Taper
The linear taper has a linear relationship between the position of the treadle and the expression
output.
Audio Taper
The audio taper has a logarithmic relationship between the position of the treadle and the
expression output.
Taper Min Parameter
When a taper is active for a given expression output, the Min parameter controls the minimum value
which is output when the treadle is in the heel down position (except when the depth of the taper is
inverted). By default, the Min parameter is set to 0, meaning that the expression output ranges from
0 to 127. If the Min parameter is increased, then the range of the expression output is decreased.
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 8
Expression
Output
127
0
Expression
Output
127
30
Treadle Position
Toe
Heel
Treadle Position
Toe
Heel
Expression
Output
90
0
Expression
Output
127
0
Treadle Position
Toe
Heel
Treadle Position
Toe
Heel
The following figure shows an example where the Min parameter has been raised from 0 to 30, so
that the expression output is now limited to the range between 30 and 127.
Taper Max Parameter
When a taper is active for a given expression output, the Max parameter controls the maximum
value which is output when the treadle is in the toe down position (except when the depth of the
taper is inverted). By default, the Max parameter is set to 127, meaning that the expression output
ranges from 0 to 127. If the Max parameter is decreased, then the range of the expression output is
decreased. The following figure shows an example where the Max parameter has been lowered from
127 to 90, so that the expression output is now limited to the range between 0 and 90.
The Min parameter must always be less than or equal to the Max parameter.
It is possible to lower the Max parameter and raise the Min parameter, resulting in an even smaller
expression output range.
SA163 Reflex User’s Guide 9
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