General
Power Supply
Expression Pedal
MIDI
Aux Switches
USB
Presets
Audio In/Out
Software Updates
Other Questions
General
What is the warranty for Eventide ModFactor?
The same as it is for our other products, one year parts and labor.
Is ModFactor compatible with other pedals?
Yes. If you are using a distortion pedal, we recommend that you connect it after the distortion pedal. If you are using a delay pedal, we recommend that you connect it before the delay pedal. That writ, use whatever sequence works best for your sound.
Power Supply
What are its specs?
5.5 x 2.5mm barrel, tip positive.ModFactor can operate from a 5W power source that supplies regulated 9 to 12VDC max.
The minimum required power ranges from a maximum of 4.5W at power up (all LEDs lit) to about 3.6W in normal operation depending on how many LEDs are lit.
For a regulated 12VDC, the current requirement is 380mA at power up and 300mA in normal operation. Do not use unregulated 12V.
For a regulated 9VDC, the current requirement is 500 mA at power up and 400mA in normal operartion.
Can I use a third party power supply?
We recommend the PowerFactor, which can run up to three Eventide Stompboxes plus up to 4 9VDC/100mA pedals. The PowerFactor carries a 5 year warranty and includes the cables required to power 3 Eventide stompboxes and the special mounting plate for PedalTrain pedalboards.
Users may try non-recommended third party power supplies at their own risk. Resultant damage is not covered under warranty.
Expression Pedal
Can an Expression Pedal be used to control an effect?
Absolutely. An Expression Pedal is a powerful creative controller when used with our Stompbox effects. An Expression Pedal can be programmed to control any combination of the ten effect parameters. If you're playing live, it's like having 12 hands, 2 for the guitar and 10 for the Stompbox's control knobs.
Which Expression Pedals are supported?
Our Stompboxes will work with any Expression Pedal that is a simple resistive load (potentiometer) with a max value of 25kOhms. For the best performance we recommend the Ernie Ball VP Jr. 25k. Connect the Output to the Eventide Stompbox Expression Pedal Input. We have also had success with the M-Audio MGear EX.P Expression Pedal.
Why can't I get my Expression Pedal to work right?
If your Expression Pedal has a trim pot control, try adjusting it to either end of its range. If your Expression Pedal causes parameter values to go from min to max and back down to min again as you move from toe to heel, try connecting it using a stereo phone cable rather than a mono cable. If the calibration seems wrong, try plugging the expression pedal in before powering up the stompbox.
MIDI
Is ModFactor capable of synching with MIDI clock?
Yes. MIDI Clock Receive and/or Transmit can be activated in the MIDI sub menu of System Mode.
Can Bypass be MIDI controlled?
Yes. Bypass via MIDI works through a MIDI continuous controller message (MIDI CC.) From the MIDI Menu in System Mode you can select RVC CTL and you will see a list of things that can be controlled by MIDI CC. The first item in the list is BYP, or Bypass.
What else can MIDI be used for?
You can program MIDI to load presets, change parameter values, set tempo, bypass and more. MIDI programming is done in System Mode. The unit can transmit MIDI program change via the footswitches, and MIDI continuous controller via the ten knobs.
How does the Stompbox choose MIDI over USB or DIN5?
The Stompbox automatically detects whether a USB connector is attached. If one is, USB is selected for MIDI source and destination and any activity on the DIN connectors is ignored. If a USB cable is not attached, the DIN connectors are used to send and receive MIDI messages. So, if you want to send or receive MIDI using the DIN connectors, unplug the USB cable.
Can you control ModFactor from another Eventide Stompbox or Vice Versa?
Yes. If you connect the two or more Eventide Stompboxes together via MIDI, you can use the footswitches from one pedal to change Presets on the other, and you can use the knobs on one pedal to change values on the other. You can also use one expression pedal to control multiple Eventide Stompboxes over MIDI. For more on this see the Video Tutorials.
Aux Switches
Can Bypass be Aux Switch controlled?
Yes.
What else can Aux Switches be used for?
You can connect up to three Aux Switches and use them to control things like Preset loading, Bank changing, and Tap Tempo. On ModFactor you can use an Aux Switch to control Slow/Fast/Brake.
Is there a recommended triple Aux Switch?
We've successfully used the DigiTech FS300.
Can I use a single, mono Aux Switch?
Yes. A single, mono Aux switch will only work with the "T+R" (tip and ring) setting.
Can I control a ModFactor and another Eventide Stompbox from the same Aux Switch?
Yes. By using a stereo 1/4 inch y-cable, you can connect one aux switch to two Eventide Stompboxes.
Why is the Aux Switch controlling things I did not assign?
You may have to go through the Aux Switch assignments and make sure the switch is not assigned to multiple things. For more on this see the Video Tutorials.
USB
What is USB used for?
A few things. First, the USB interface is MIDI class compliant for use with your computer sequencer or DAW. The USB interface can also be used to dump your presets and load new presets. Finally, the USB interface is used to load software upgrades as they become available.
Presets
Is there a way to see the parameters of every knob in a saved Preset?
Yes. Turn CATCHUP on. It's an option in the System Menu under UTILITY. (See the ModFactor User Guide for more details.)
How do I go Bank Down?
There are a few different ways to go down through Banks in Bank Mode:
-Press Bank Up (Right Footswitch) and then turn the Encoder knob counter-clockwise.
-Assign an Aux Switch to Bank Down.
-You can go Bank Down via MIDI CC. This can be set up in the RCV CTL menu in System Mode/MIDI.
I just updated my software but where are the new extra Banks?
The latest software update extends the number of Banks to 50. In order to see these new banks, enter System Mode and find BANKS under the UTILITY Menu. From you can set the low range (L) and high range (H) of which Banks are active. To see all, set L to 1 and H to 50.
Can Presets be saved to a computer?
Yes. Presets can be stored to and retrieved from a computer either via USB or MIDI. You can use any program that receives and transmits MIDI System Exclusive Data (sysex.) We recommend Eventide's own Factor Pedal Librarian, FactorLib. It can be found on the ModFactor Support Page.
When I save a new preset must I overwrite one of the 100 stored Presets?
Yes, but you can restore the Factory Presets at any time.
How can I restore Factory Presets and System Settings?
To restore Factory Presets and all System Settings, power up while simultaneously pressing the Middle Footswitch and the Encoder until [INITIALIZING] scrolls across the Billboard display. CAUTION: This function will overwrite any Presets that you've saved. If you want to be able to restore one or more of your Presets you must first save them to a computer.
Why did I get a "Bad Load" Message when restoring sysex from a computer?
You need to increase the Output Buffer Size of your MIDI Utility to 8K. It can usually be done in the preferences of the program.
Audio In/Out
What is the sample rate?
Because there is no digital I/O the sample rate is optimized for maximum audio performance for each effect and is program dependent.
Does ModFactor have "True Analog Bypass"?
When in Relay Bypass, the input signal is hardwired to the output signal through relays so that the signal is unprocessed and does not go through the converters. There is an alternate setting for DSP Bypass whereby the signal goes through the A/D and D/A.
Does ModFactor have an analog dry path?
After extensive testing with an analog dry path vs. converting the signal and doing the wet/dry mix after the converter, we chose the latter due to the fact that it ultimately sounds better. By changing the wet/dry mix after the conversion we avoid comb filtering resulting from phase cancellation which occurs when mixing together a dry analog signal with a signal which has gone through A/D and D/A. This comb filtering effect can seriously degrade your tone depending on the frequency. We use very high quality A/D converters which are very transparent and do not affect your tone (we have been making effects processors used by guitar players for nearly 40 years and have a proven track record in this area).
However, if you so desire, you can use a switcher or a analog pan pedal and run a completely dry analog signal path outside the Stompbox and run the ModFactor at 100% wet. In fact, we have added a "Kill Dry" setting in the system menu if you are running your set up that way.
ModFactor alters my tone, adding brightness to the signal. Why?
When used with some low impedance tube amps it may sound like ModFactor is adding brightness when Active because it is acting as a buffer. This is really letting you hear the highs that were lost from your signal without a buffer. Many amps have buffered effects loops to address this issue. In this case we recommend that you connect our Stompboxes through the effects loop of these amps. If your amp does not have an effects loop, or if you prefer to run our Stompboxes in front of the amp (after the guitar before the amp’s input,) a solution would be to always have a buffer pedal in the signal chain before ModFactor (if using relay Bypass) or simply always use DSP Bypass mode.
Software Updates
How do I know which software version I'm currently running?
The software version can be found in the UTILITY menu of System Mode, under SW VER. To get there:
- Enter System Mode by pressing and holding both the Right Footswitch and the Encoder Knob for a few seconds.
- Turn the Encoder knob to the right until you see UTILITY.
- Press the Encoder button to enter the Utility Menu.
- Turn Encoder knob to the right until you see SW VER.
- Press the Encoder button to see which version you are running. The latest version can be found on the ModFactor Support Page.
I'm having a problem updating my Stompbox.
If you are getting password errors make sure you've registered your product. This is separate from registering for a User Account on Eventide's web site. You can register your Eventide product here.
You may have to temporarily turn off any firewalls to complete a software update.
A number of our Factor customers have reported problems upgrading their units. We have looked into their reports, and find that there are a number of causes for this. Happily, the problems that affect the greatest number of people have recognizable workarounds, although we are also working on fixing the underlying issues. We list below the identified problems along with the workarounds:
Problem 1
The Update Utility crashes after the user agrees to its terms but before downloading the update file.
Workaround
Log into the Eventide Website and change your password to one using only alphanumeric characters a-z A-Z 0-9 and then restart. The link to change your password is at the top right of the Forum page.
Problem 2
For some reason the update fails and prompts the user to reboot and try again, but the pedal crashes on restart and all further attempts to update fail before starting.
Workaround
Manually reboot the pedal into update mode before continuing (hold down center key at powerup).
Problem 3
The update utility crashes at launch if a Factor pedal is plugged in, but not otherwise.
Workaround
Retry the update with a different computer, if available.
Problem 4
The update utility loads, but does not recognize the connected Factor pedal.
Workaround
If the pedal software supports MIDIclock out, make sure it is turned off (CLK OUT = OFF). If it was on, power cycle the unit.
Disconnect any other USB devices. Make sure that the USB cable is plugged in at both ends and that the computer is powered up before powering up the Factor pedal.
If this fails, first try a different USB cable, and if necessary and possible, retry the update with a different computer .
Problem 5
The update utility loads, recognizes the Factor pedal, downloads the update file, and begins the update, however the update routinely fails part way through.
Workaround
Close ALL other applications and restart the update. Make sure power save settings aren't causing your computer to go to sleep during the update process. If this is unsuccessful, you may need to try a different computer.
Other problems
There have been reports that the Update Utility does not work well with Snow Leopard, although we have not noted any problems in our internal testing - it may be worth trying a computer or a dual boot setup using an older OS.
The Update Utility should only be used with a direct USB connection rather than some other MIDI interface.
For answers to more ModFactor questions please visit the Eventide Forum.
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