Am I Doing This Right? (Sansamp content)

[Sterling4]

I may be playing a gig that wants the bass to go direct so I bought a BDDI to use there. Well, I thought I'd try connecting it to my amp, a Mesa M6 Combo, just to try the tone possibilities. This is how I have it hooked up...bass>BDDI input, BDDI output>effects return. Seems pretty simple, but is that right? I find that I can't control the volume with the amps volume control. It's always on, to some degree. Even with the BDDIs controls at zero, I still get some sound from my amp. This makes it hard to try tone settings as they're always way too loud for the house. Am I missing something here? Is this normal? Admittedly, I was in a hurry and had only a few minutes to try it out, so maybe I goofed somewhere.

Many Thanks,
sterling4

[beggar98]

Go from the BDDI to your amp's input, not your effects return. By going to the effects return you're bypassing the amp's preamp section.

[totallybacan]

Does the M6 have a power amp in?

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by beggar98

Go from the BDDI to your amp's input, not your effects return. By going to the effects return you're bypassing the amp's preamp section.

Spot-on! I always use the instrument input and adjust accordingly.

Riis

[RickenBoogie]

Yes, go in the front end, ignore the rear panel inputs.

[Sterling4]

Does the M6 have a power amp in?

The M6 has only an effects loop (Send, Return), not a power amp in input (unless I've missed it!). Most folks here seem to use the Return input on their amps to by-pass the preamp, so's I thought I'd try it. I'll try the M6s' input today, set the eqs flat and see what that does.

Many Thanks,
sterling4

[gastric]

I've been looking into a preamp with DI for just this purpose. I thought you would WANT to bypass the amp's preamp since the SanSamp is doing that job? At least if you're running the DI output into the amp. Bah, wft do I know.

[Sterling4]

I thought you would WANT to bypass the amp's preamp

That's what I thought, too, Gastric. However I seem to have volume control issues when I do. If I plug into the amps main input, even with the M6s eqs flat, there'll be some tone coloring by the amp I'd think.

Many Thanks,
sterling4

[bkk130]

Sterling,

I'm currently running my BDDI through my amps effects return. You need to control the volume through the BDDI. The BDDI doesn't work if i just plug it into my amps input.

[Greyvagabond]

UR DOIN IT WRONG

[GtenderG]

Bass>Sansamp>input for me. I keep my EQ flat depending on the cab I'm using. I let Sansamp color my tone... And even with the line level all the way down I still get volume (low) too.

[spalka621]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Yes, go in the front end, ignore the rear panel inputs.

That's what she said?????????

[bassplyr5150]

While we are on the subject of effects loops, does anyone use them? Are there some effects that work better through the loop (an NS-2 perhaps?)?

@ spalka621.

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by bassplyr5150

While we are on the subject of effects loops, does anyone use them? Are there some effects that work better through the loop (an NS-2 perhaps?)?

@ spalka621.

Gross over-simplification, but...

If it has rubber on the bottom and a footswitch on top, it goes betweenst your bass and amplifier input. If it has rack ears, ka-nobs on the front, and LEDs galore, it goes in the effects loop.

Riis

[BigOldHarry]

Originally Posted by bassplyr5150

While we are on the subject of effects loops, does anyone use them? Are there some effects that work better through the loop (an NS-2 perhaps?)?

@ spalka621.

I'm with ya - I *did* used the fx loop on my ashdown while I had a rack-mount unit, but it never sounded right so I ripped it out.

I've played with the fx loops on other amps too - all seem to be useless. I guess I'm not alone here!

[gastric]

I picked up a EBS MicroBass II. I run the line out into the effects return on my Peavey T-Max and can still control the amp volume with the master volume knob on the amp. And with the volume knob on the EBS, of course. This bypasses the amp's pre, the EQ, everything and runs the signal directly into the actual amp section. I can't see any reason to double-preamp. But I'll try it tomorrow to see how it sounds. Note there's absolutely nothing plugged into the effects send on the Peavey.

Regarding effects loops in general it's simply about where in the signal you want your effects (specifically if you want the effects before or after the preamp flavoring) and if the effects run off line level or instrument level. Pedals usually want instrument level (after guitar, before preamp). Rack effects usually want line level (effects loop) but you still have to make sure you match the levels as there's almost always +4db and -10db settings on the effects loop and individual rack products. Certainly can be confusing. Though there's instances in both pedal/rack where they can use either instrument or line. But it varies by product.

A much more experienced musician friend of mine made a great comment once about how you have to be a rocket scientist to successfully choose, purchase, and use guitar effects. On top of actually having to be able to play the guitar. So true.

[JimmyM]

Death to effects loops! Never liked 'em, except for the loop on a Mesa D-180 I used in a band in '83. And the only reason I liked it was it was the only way I could get a good distortion and only use the D-180. That's why I like SVT's. Two channels. Plug right into the front end, make one clean, the other dirty. And nowadays you don't even need to do that since they actually make good bass distortion units now. So I think the amp effects loop's time has come and gone. Outboard effects loops are cool to eliminate noise from pedals you like that are noisy, but in an amp they're useless, IMHO.