Befaco 7U Case User manual

7U CASE

U S E R M A N U A L

7 U C A S E I N T R O

I N S TA L L AT I O N

U S E R M A N U A L

T H A N K Y O U F O R C H O O S I N G O U R 7 U C A S E

B E F O R E Y O U S TA R T . . .

Before connecting any module to the case, plug the power brick, power up the case, and check that the four

status LEDs of the Trolley Bus (+12V, -12V, and 5V) are brightening. Use the provided power-brick only.

If everything is ﬁne, power oﬀ the case and start connecting modules one-on-one switch the power on/oﬀ each

time. As the internal boards have sensitive areas, be sure to cover the empty spaces of the case with blind

panels to avoid problems caused by objects like cables falling inside.

I N T R O D U C T I O N 7 U C A S E

The Befaco 7U Case is a 104HP 7U Eurorack case equipped with our latest and more powerful power supply:

Trolley Bus, providing up to 5000mA of power on the +12V rail, 2500mA on -12V and 4000mA on the 5V rail.

Its rear panel counts with a selection of useful connectors ready to use with your favorite 1U modules

(IntellijelTM compatible).

The case also counts some extra features like a Vesa 100 mount adaptor, a PET-G clear protective cover, and a

Kensington lock.

1. Anti-Vandalic Power Button

2. 2.5mm Power Barrel Connector

3. USB-A charging and Host Ports.

The top port supports charging (not Apple devices) and data through

the 1x4 USB Host Internal connector (18).

The bottom port works as a charging port only, but supporting also Apple devices.

4. USB Device Type-B connector.

5. MIDI In/Out/Thru connectors.

6. Jack 6,3" TRS I/O connectors.

R E F E R E N C E R E A R PA N E L O V E R V I E W

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7. 2x3 balanced shrouded connector for Jacks 1, 2.

8. 2x3 balanced shrouded connector for Jacks 3, 4.

9. 2x3 balanced shrouded connector for Jacks 5, 6.

10. 1x3 unbalanced connector for Jacks 1, 2.

11. 1x3 unbalanced connector for Jacks 3, 4.

12. 1x3 unbalanced connector for Jacks 5, 6.

13. 2x5 balanced connector for Jacks 1, 2, 3, 4.

14. 2x5 connector for MIDI DIN In, Out and Thru ports plus USB Type B Device.

15. 1x3 connector for MIDI DIN Out port.

16. Internal Type-A USB socket.

The device plugged here sends its signal through the USB Device Type-B connector (4) if selected

via the source switch (17).

17. USB Device Type-B source switch.

Selects the source of the USB Device signal that will be sent through the USB Type-B connector

between the signal from the 2x5 MIDI connector (14) and the signal from the Internal

Type-A USB socket (16).

18. 1x4 USB Host connector.

Internally connected to the upper USB-A charging port (3)

19. Eurorack power connectors.

16. Internal Type-A USB socket.

This port has inﬁnite uses, allowing

you to connect your USB modules to

the outside world.

Modules upgrades, MIDI under USB,

maybe a USB HUB, and so on.

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The case counts with our latest and most sophisticated power solution: Trolley Bus. Located under the bottom

row, the bus has 28 slots for Eurorack modules powered by four high-quality DC-DC converters.

Its +12V rail is divided into two independent sections (top and bottom), providing each up to 2500mA. It allows

you to keep sensitive modules isolated and enhances the voltage stability under load.

Both the -12V and 5V rails are common for the entire bus board and provide up to 2500mA and 4000mA

respectively.

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P O W E R

S Y S T E M T R O L L E Y B U S

R E A R

C O N N E C T O R S C O N N E C T I N G 1 U M O D U L E S T O T H E I / O B O A R D

A large variety of 1U modules can be internally connected to the onboard case connectors, saving space on the

rig and adding ﬂexibility to the system. The internal I/O Board is specially designed to route audio and digital

signals between the modules and your external devices.

Before making any connection, please refer to your module User Manual ﬁrst.

6,35mm JACK I/O PORTS

An easy example of this task would be our 1U Out module. It can send its balanced outputs through a pair of

the rear Jack connectors of the case. To do that, just connect both ends of a 2x3 ribbon cable (included with the

module) to either the 2x3 back connector of the module or the 2x3 balanced connector on the I/O Board related

to the pair of Jacks you want to use (see the diagram at page 2).

The same procedure works for the rest of the connectors we will see below. Just be sure you are using the

correct cable, and always check the orientation in your module User Manual.

Unbalanced signals are available at the 1x3 board connectors (10, 11, and 12). The 2x5 connector located

between the Jack ports (13) carries the balanced signal of the ﬁrst four Jack ports (1-4).

*Max. 20W (5V - 4A) Power shared with the module's 5V power line.

Both USB-A ports work as charging ports for external devices with up to 4000 mA of power delivered.

The bottom port is also Apple compatible, allowing to charge Apple devices like iPhones and iPads.

Be aware that the zone under the converters can be hot under heavy current loads.

R E A R

C O N N E C T O R S C H A R G I N G P O R T S

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MIDI DIN PORTS

The rear panel MIDI Din ports can be accessed from two connectors on

the I/O Board. The ﬁrst one (15), connects directly to the MIDI Out port

through a 1x3 pin connector.

The second one (14), connects all MIDI Ports plus the USB Device (4)

through a 2x5 connector. This connector is fully compatible with

modules like the IntellijelTM MIDI 1U.

Be aware that as both connectors share a port (MIDI Out), having two

modules connected in both connectors simultaneously could generate

unexpected problems in your MIDI signals.

USB DEVICE

The case counts with a USB Device Type B that can be used to have a

direct connection through the case to the computer. It can receive its

signal from two sources: the 2x5 MIDI connector (14) or the Internal

USB Type-A socket (17). The source can be selected with the source

switch located on the board (17).

Some examples of modules that can be used with these connections

would be the MIDI 1U (using the 2x5 connector) or our future Midi

Thing 2 (using the Internal USB Type-A socket).

USB HOST

The top USB-A charging port (3) can also be used as a USB Host port.

The connector provides power (4000mA max current) and data

transfer to the external device. The USB Host signal is accessible

through the board 1x4 USB Host connector (18).

USB

HOST

*APPLE

COMPATIBLE

Take special care with the operation to avoid scratches. Any damage is at your own risk.

M I S C E L A N E A T E C H N I C A L S P E C I F I C AT I O N S

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1 U R O W S WA P P I N G T H E 1 U R O W T O T H E C E N T E R

The case allows you to customize the 1U row and place it in the center. To do that, unscrew the double rail of

the 1U row, extract it, and screw it using the two free holes at the center of the case.

Don’t screw it entirely. Leave it with some slack. Attach a module to align the rails. Now you can screw it

ﬁrmly.

External Dimensions (without cover): 53.5cms x 31cms x 8cms

External Dimensions (with cover): 53.5cms x 31cms x 14cms

Internal Row Dimensions: 2x 3U 104HP and 1x 1U 104HP (Intellijel format)

Threaded strip: M3, for metrical 3mm screws.

Power supply Speciﬁcations: +12V: 5000mA, -12V: 2500mA, 5V: 4000mA

Module Depth: 53mm (power supply side), 70mm (rest of the case)

Module Slots: 36

Weight (without cover): 2.6kg

Weight (with cover): 3.4kg

Rear connectors: 6x 6’35mm Jack I/O (Balanced or Unbalanced), MIDI DIN In/Out/Thru, USB Device Type B,

Apple compatible USB-A charging ports.

Power brick: 135W 2.5mm Barrel connector center positive (included)

Cover: PET-G Clear cover (included)

Finish: Black Anodised Aluminum

Vesa 100 format threads. Recommended Vesa stand: >12kg

Kensington Lock

M A I N T E N A N C E I N S T R U C T I O N S

Never use aggressive cleaners in your modular case. Remove dust, dirt and fingerprints with a soft

and dry cloth. More persistent dirt can be removed with a damp cloth using only water. Disconnect

the AC adapter while doing this. Reconnect them when your modular synth is safely dry.

M I S C E L A N E A

D I S P O S A L I N S T R U C T I O N S

This symbol means that the product or its packaging should not be disposed of with

your other household waste. It is your responsibility to dispose of your waste

separately from the municipal waste stream.

M I S C E L A N E A

More information and support.

befaco.org/befaco_7u_case

7 U C A S E R E F E R E N C E

U S E R M A N U A L

Befaco 7U Case User manual

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