splitting your signal and Boss LS-2

[twelveminusone]

i'm a real meat-and-potatoes kind of player, especially when it comes to effects, so i need some help when it comes to signal strength and pedal functionality.

so, if i run my bass into my Boss TU-2 tuner and run a line out of both 'output' and 'bypass' at the same time and run them to separate amps would the signal be at 100% for each amp? does one being plugged in drain the signal of the other one at all? if so, what is the better/best way to split my signal with no loss?

also, is anyone 100% sure how to use a Boss LS-2 line selector pedal? all i really want this pedal to do is take two signals and give me the ability to blend them together into one output that i can send to my DI. i think i can do this with the 'A+B Mix' option it has, but i want to be sure before i buy one.

my end goal is to send my bass through the tuner and to have it split my signal. the 'output' line would go through my heavier effects that suck out my low end like the big muff, mirco-synth, etc. and then to the LS-2.
the 'bypass' line would go straight to the LS-2. IF the LS-2 works the way I think it does, i should be able to blend the two signals together into one sound with the 'A+B Mix' setting. then i can send that blended signal into my DI with a single cable.

any help at all on this subject would be great! if there is a better way to split my signal or to mix two signals together please let me know. i'm just tired of using pedals that have cool effects but suck out all of my low end, definition, and don't give me the punch i'm looking for.

[bongomania]

Believe it or not, you don't need to split the signal using the tuner. The LS-2 does that job too- so you go:
bass --> LS-2
loop out of LS-2 --> effects --> loop return of LS-2
LS-2 output --> DI

And yes, the A+B mix setting provides blending. FWIW there are also other blenders on the market; you can find discussion of them here by searching on 'blender'.

[phatbass]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Believe it or not, you don't need to split the signal using the tuner. The LS-2 does that job too- so you go:
bass --> LS-2
loop out of LS-2 --> effects --> loop return of LS-2
LS-2 output --> DI

And yes, the A+B mix setting provides blending. FWIW there are also other blenders on the market; you can find discussion of them here by searching on 'blender'.

Damn! Ya beat me to it.

Just to add some (probably unnecessary) detail, when you use just one effects loop on the LS-2 on A+B Mix, the level control on the loop that's NOT being used controls the level of the unprocessed input signal.

[twelveminusone]

that's awesome, would either of you recommend another blender over the LS-2? i'm reading up on others now.

in this situation it's moot, but for future reference if i ever did need to split my signal would the TU-2 do it without loss of signal strength?

thanks for the quick response!

[Inflin]

Not to hijack but I have a quick question too, can I, for example, have a bass, and a (boo, hiss) guitar plugged into the LS-2, then the LS-2 into my inline effects and into the amp, and be able to switch between them? And if I can do that, is one input muted when the other is selected, or is it a blend, or can I choose? I've been staring at a picture of it for a while now but I'm still scratching my head.

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by twelveminusone

that's awesome, would either of you recommend another blender over the LS-2? i'm reading up on others now.

in this situation it's moot, but for future reference if i ever did need to split my signal would the TU-2 do it without loss of signal strength?

thanks for the quick response!

I'd use the LS-2. It is affordable, flexible, allows you to run 2 loops in parallel, is small, and has a nice buffer (which is advisable when running long effect chains). Hard to beat at the price.

[gibsualdo]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

I'd use the LS-2. It is affordable, flexible, allows you to run 2 loops in parallel, is small, and has a nice buffer (which is advisable when running long effect chains). Hard to beat at the price.

+1

I will never sell my LS-2.

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by gibsualdo

+1

I will never sell my LS-2.

I think I need 3 of 'em

[gibsualdo]

Originally Posted by Inflin

Not to hijack but I have a quick question too, can I, for example, have a bass, and a (boo, hiss) guitar plugged into the LS-2, then the LS-2 into my inline effects and into the amp, and be able to switch between them? And if I can do that, is one input muted when the other is selected, or is it a blend, or can I choose? I've been staring at a picture of it for a while now but I'm still scratching my head.

This is possible as far as I can remember (I don't have my LS-2 here right now), you can switch between them or blend them if you like, it's up to you.

EDIT: You'd need to plug one instrument into "Return A" and the other into "Return B", then plug yr effects/amp into "Output". With the "A<>B" mode, you can then switch between the two using the footswitch, or have both blended using the "A+B Mix > Bypass mode. In the latter mode, you'll only be able to switch between muted (bypass) and the blended signal using the footswitch, but you will be able to alter the volume of each instrument using the "Level" controls. However, if this setup is reversed, for instance one instrument into "Input", "Send A" to an amp and "Send B" to another amp, the "Level" controls do jack.

[gibsualdo]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

I think I need 3 of 'em

One can never have too many LS-2's!

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by gibsualdo

This is possible as far as I can remember (I don't have my LS-2 here right now), you can switch between them or blend them if you like, it's up to you.

EDIT: You'd need to plug one instrument into "Return A" and the other into "Return B", then plug yr effects/amp into "Output". With the "A<>B" mode, you can then switch between the two using the footswitch, or have both blended using the "A+B Mix > Bypass mode. In the latter mode, you'll only be able to switch between muted (bypass) and the blended signal using the footswitch, but you will be able to alter the volume of each instrument using the "Level" controls. However, if this setup is reversed, for instance one instrument into "Input", "Send A" to an amp and "Send B" to another amp, the "Level" controls do jack.

See? the LS-2 is awesome

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by twelveminusone

that's awesome, would either of you recommend another blender over the LS-2?

FWIW the "very best" one IMO is the Xotic X-blender. It has more useful features than some others, and it is better-constructed than some others. There are a couple of tricks the LS-2 can do that the Xotic can't do, and vice versa. So a complete arsenal would have one of each.

[RCCollins]

Originally Posted by bongomania

FWIW the "very best" one IMO is the Xotic X-blender. It has more useful features than some others, and it is better-constructed than some others. There are a couple of tricks the LS-2 can do that the Xotic can't do, and vice versa. So a complete arsenal would have one of each.

good to have one that's buffered and one that's TBP as well

I need a x-blender

[twelveminusone]

LS-2 just got here and it's easily become the best pedal I own... now I can see why you guys own multiples! Thanks! Between this and my new A-Sounds Reddi DI my sound has been revolutionized.

[BassMonstrum]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

I'd use the LS-2. It is affordable, flexible, allows you to run 2 loops in parallel...

Let me see if I get this... If I were to have the following set-up:

- Octavepedal in effects loop A
- Distortion in effects loop B

... then use the [A+B Mix ---> Bypass], I would be able to mix the distortion without it affecting the below octave tone?

Sorry if this sounds stupid, I've never worked with multiple lines before...

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by BassMonstrum

Let me see if I get this... If I were to have the following set-up:

- Octavepedal in effects loop A
- Distortion in effects loop B

... then use the [A+B Mix ---> Bypass], I would be able to mix the distortion without it affecting the below octave tone?

Yes that works. That's primarily what I use mine for.

[BassMonstrum]

Originally Posted by kevteop

Yes that works. That's primarily what I use mine for.

Hmm, didn't sound as good as I'd hoped it would... I guess I can just run the octabass straight into the dirt pedal. I mean, there's no low-end loss anyway.