
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
LITTLE LEHLE III
LITTLE LEHLE III#
Dear Musician!
Thank you for purchasing the LITTLE LEHLE III!
I have been building units that switch, split and route signals with no technical compromises and with maximum musical fidelity since 1999. Your new LITTLE LEHLE III comprises only the very best components.
Every assembly of your LITTLE LEHLE III has been made and tested in Germany.
Your LITTLE LEHLE III is of extremely robust design and construction, to make sure that you get absolutely years and years of enjoyment from it.
If you should nonetheless have a problem, or simply a question, just mail me or a member of the Lehle team at: support@lehle.com

I wish you the very greatest pleasure and success using your LITTLE LEHLE III!

General Description#
1. INPUT SOCKET
Connect your instrument to this socket.
The input signal enters via this socket. Like all the jack plugs on the LITTLE LEHLE III, the socket is of stereo type. The LITTLE LEHLE III thus switches stereo signals (such as stereo effects or keyboards) and balanced signals (like those from microphones, for instance) and, of course, simple mono signals, like that of an electric guitar. The LED (7) shows white when the signal is present on the output (5) together with the ground (earth) connection. Press the True-Bypass switch (9) and the stereo signal and ground connection are routed to the S socket (3). The LED will now show blue. Switching of the ground connections eliminates the possibility of hum loops.
2. MONO-TO-STEREO SWITCH
Activates at the input socket the mono-to-stereo function.
If this switch is not pressed, the LITTLE LEHLE III works with either mono or stereo signals. This means, all sockets should be occupied with either mono jacks (TS) or stereo jacks (TRS). By doing this you can place a mono or stereo effects pedal in the loop of the LITTLE LEHLE III.
Some effects offer a stereo output, but a mono input. If the mono-to-stereo switch is pressed, the input (1) and send (3) can be occupied with mono jacks (TS), while the return (4) and output (5) transfer a stereo signal via stereo jacks (TRS).
3. SEND-SOCKET
Connect the input of your effects unit or amplifier to this socket. Depending on the application, this socket is either connected to the input of one or more effects units, to a second amplifier or, for example, to a tuner.
4. RETURN-SOCKET
Connect the output of your effects unit or a second instrument to this socket.
This socket can be used for connection to the output of an effects unit, to the last output of a complete effects chain or, for example, can also be used for a second instrument. It has no function if the LITTLE LEHLE III is used as an A/B box for operation with two amplifiers.
5. OUTPUT SOCKET
Connect your amplifier to this socket.
The output signal is routed out of the LITTLE LEHLE III via this socket. The LED (7) shows white when the input signal together with the ground connection is directly present here. Pressing the foot switch (9) routes the R(eturn) socket signal (4) together with the ground connection to the output socket.
If you are using the output socket to send a stereo signal to two amplifiers, a ground loop occurs which can cause hum and noise. We recommend galvanically isolating one amplifier by using the LEHLE LITTLE DUAL II or the LEHLE P-SPLIT III.
6. EXTERNAL POWER SUPPLY
Connect a power supply with a voltage of 9 – 15 V.
In order that the LITTLE LEHLE III can work flawlessly, it needs a current supply. This should supply a minimum of 9 V and a maximum of 15 V. Polarity is of no importance. The supply voltage is internally rectified and stabilized in order to guarantee trouble-free operation. In order to avoid noise it‘s recommendable to use a single power supply or an output of a multi power supply offering galvanically isolated outputs for the LITTLE LEHLE III.
7. LED FOR SWITCHING STATUS
If the LED shows white, the input (1) is directly connected to the output (5).
The high-intensity LED clearly indicates the current switching status – even under bright spotlights. When you use the LITTLE LEHLE III as an effects loop switcher and the LED shows white, the effects are in Bypass, when blue they are in the signal path. If you use it as A/B switch between two amplifiers it means the LED is white for the amplifier at the output (5) and blue for the amplifier at the send (3). Same applies for switching between two instruments: LED white means that the instrument at the input (1) is active, blue applies for the instrument at the return (4).
8. BASE AND FIXING
If required, mount the LITTLE LEHLE III to a pedalboard using the mounting kit.
The LITTLE LEHLE III can be mounted to a plate such as a pedalboard using the two holes in the bottom of the pedal You can find the optional LEHLE Mounting Kit V3 (order number 100981) online at www.lehle-components.com.
To mount, undo the four housing screws by using a 2.5 mm Allen Key and detach the cover. Then fix the device base to a base plate using the two screws, the washers and the spacers of the Mounting Kit. Attach the cover and tighten the four housing screws – done! For flexible solutions we recommend using 3M Dual Lock™ instead of Velcro for stability, which you can also find in handy sizes at www.lehle-components.com.
Tip: if you are using the Velcro / Dual Lock™ method, please make a note of the serial number on the bottom of the pedal before you cover it, in case you have a support question for us later and don‘t fancy dismantling your board!
9. TRUE-BYPASS-SWITCH
Here you can switch.
The LITTLE LEHLE III switches all audio signals controlled by a microcontroller and an intelligent True-Bypass-Relay-Circuit with an active pop suppression function. Triggered by the easy-action mushroomshaped button characteristic of LEHLE products mounted in the cover so that your foot pressure is transmitted indirectly via a spring. Thus the circuit board is not exposed to mechanical loads, making the LITTLE LEHLE III virtually indestructible and guaranteeing years of trouble-free switching. According to the foot switch mode following configurations are given:
- Latching Mode:
the LEHLE foot switch “latches“ by a press and release. - Momentary Mode:
the LEHLE foot switch triggers a contact and disconnects once released. - Mixed Mode:
a mix between latching and momentary. A short press lets the foot switch act as latching, a longer press is momentary
These three modes can be operated with or without the pop suppression circuit.
You will find out how to change the operating mode and the behaviour in the chapter “Selecting the foot switch mode”.
Selecting the Foot Switch Mode and Operating Mode#
You can change the behaviour of the foot switch, so it works latching, momentary or in a mixed mode. According to the foot switch mode following configurations are given:
• Latching Mode:
The LEHLE foot switch “latches“ by a press and release.
•• Momentary Mode:
The LEHLE foot switch triggers a contact and disconnects once released.
••• Mixed Mode:
A mix between latching and momentary.
A short press lets the foot switch act as latching,
a longer press is momentary.
Additionally the three modes can be operated with or without pop suppression. If the LED flashes white while programming, the footswitch modes are selected in the Standard Operating Mode (with pop suppression).
If the LED flashes blue, the footswitch modes are selected in the Pure Operating Mode (without pop suppression).
To change the operating mode and switch between the 3 modes, please proceed as follows:
- Disconnect the power supply.
- Press and hold the foot switch.
- Reconnect the power supply.
- The white LED starts flashing in following order:
• for Latching Mode with pop suppression circuit
•• for Momentary Mode with pop suppression circuit
••• for Mixed Mode with pop suppression circuit - The blue LED starts flashing in following order:
• for Latching Mode without pop suppression circuit
•• for Momentary Mode without pop suppression circuit
••• for Mixed Mode without pop suppression circuit - If you release the foot switch after the first flash, the Latching Mode is selected. After 2x flashes you‘re in the Momentary Mode and after 3x it‘s the Mixed Mode. After that the blue LED flashes and offers the same footswitch modes, but without the pop suppression circuit.
- The LITTLE LEHLE III turns off and reboots.
Application examples: LITTLE LEHLE III ...#
Signal Flow Diagram#
