Another signal chain order thread... help!

[BassyBill]

Advice welcome on best order for this lot, with explanations for a relative n00b effects wise. Obviously keeping noise down is a major factor. Thanks!

EBS Multicomp
Digitech BSW (used as an octaver only)
MXR Bass Auto Q
Sansamp Programmable BDDI
Boss CEB-3 chorus

In the Sansamp manual, it says wah/envelope follower and compressor should be before the BDDI and chorus after. But would you put the compressor before the BSW and Auto Q, or after? I like the idea of having it before to make the Auto Q trigger more consistently (narrower dynamic range); what do you think?

 

[keb]

Try it out and see. Myself, I always preferred to have the envelope filter before the compressor, because the filter I had, had a tendency to send really peaky spikes through the signal chain and the compressor helped smooth those out. I had a SansAmp as well, and if those spikes hit the SansAmp too hard, I got unwanted harshness. I had a Boss AW-3 though, your MXR may behave a little differently.

 

[gillento]

I have my compressor last in line after SABDDI, Korg G5 in order to tame excessive filter peaks.
I think compressors should come after auto wah, enveloppe follower... for the reasons keb stated. But your point is of equal value.
But I think there are people who can give you good reasons for every way ....

Try out yourself and believe your ears!!!!

 

[BassyBill]

Thanks both - actually I've just ordered the Multicomp (without trying one , but I've heard very good things about them) and so haven't had the chance to play around yet. I will try a few arrangements when it arrives.

Anyway, good points made by both. I was also thinking, though, that the compressor before the BSW might smooth the signal and help with tracking; not that tracking's generally a problem with the BSW, it's great in that respect.

So, the choices at the moment seem to be...

Multicomp>BSW>Auto Q>BDDI>CEB-3

OR

BSW>Auto Q>Multicomp>BDDI>CEB-3

... IF we follow the Tech21 suggestion of keeping the chorus after the DI.

Keep the comments coming in, please fellas!

 

[BassyBill]

Bump!!

Any more, guys?

 

[Beav]

My suggestion is this -

MXR Auto Q
Digitech BSW
BOSS CEB-3
EBS Multicomp
Sansamp

That's the most logical order. However, if you wanted to be able to work your dynamics more with the Sansamp, I'd swap the last two.

 

[BassyBill]

Actually, posting this thread has made me think about my effects requirements quite a bit. I think I'm going to simplify a little to get my signal chain a bit less complex.

First of all, I may be losing the Auto Q. It's a nice wah, better than the BSW, but I very rarely use this effect and it's just not earning its keep in the chain. For those rare occasions when I need it, the BSW will do as a serviceable alternative. Pretty much mint, anyone interested?

Secondly, the CEB-3. Again, very rarely used now. I may keep this on the board (BCB-60) just in case I ever get asked to put some chorus on, but normally leave it disconnected.

I just like the idea of cutting back the number of boxes so that I've only got ones I regularly use in my normal signal chain. I'm very keen to keep noise to a minimum. None of these effects are particularly noisy, but three has got to be quieter than five, right?

That would make the chain... BSW>Multicomp>BDDI... (with the CEB-3 standing by but not connected in the chain).

I'm adding a compressor just to smooth out peaks as the band is now doing more stuff where I'm slapping the bass a bit than we were before. So I'm thinking BSW first as my octaver (tracks well with an uneffected signal, remember) and occasional wah, Multicomp to tame peaks from slapping or aggressive use of the filter D) and lastly, BDDI. I use the Sansamp quite a bit for footswitchable changes in tone or level during a show. Keeping this last has the advantage of sending the octave effect, which I use quite often, and a compressed signal to the PA if I use the Sansamp DI out for the feed to the desk.

The only issue now then is... do I get a Boss NS-2 to keep it all quieter between numbers? I have a question I'd like to ask about that, but I'll save that for my next post as this is long enough already.