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effects loop -- who uses it?

R

robb.

Mar 6, 2003
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detroit, MI, united states
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#1
i'm not much of an effects head, so i've never really had much use for one. but i certainly understand how useful they can be, particularly if you're into compression.

how many of you actually use the effects loop on your preamp or head? what are you using in it? are you using it for something more esoteric than effects or pre-out/pwr-in?

thanks.
robb.
 
#3
I've only recently started using mine. I have a BBE BMax
and I'm using the effects loop for a Lexicon Alex effects unit.
I'm running a little bit of delay on my signal. By a little bit,
I mean very little. I'm also not big on effects, so this is still
new to me. It seems to be working fairly well. The BMax has
built in compression, so I didn't have to use the effects loop
for that. I'm planning on ditching my whole rack system soon
though, and going the pedal board route.
If all goes according to plan I'll end up with:

Wireless unit
Tuner pedal
SansAmp Bass Driver DI
Focus SA power amp

All of this sitting in a pedal board on top of a Schroeder 1210.
Then I guess the whole effects loop thing would be irrelevant.
But for now, I'm a happy effects loop user.
(I don't know if that helps or not....sorry)
 
#4
I've never used them on the past 5 amps over the last 15 yrs of playing!
If your looking to blend in your signal, IMO it's best to split your signal chain using an A/B switch such as the Whirlwind box the combine it back to one signal (think Radial makes one that matches polairty or something), but some sell for as low as $30 (Carvin).
Then go into your amp and/or out to a DI to the PA.
You could use the amp with effects loop to do the same thing, but most sound guys don't like to use the amps DI. If you have a good amp witha good DI you may be able to convice the sound guy. :bassist:
 
#8
i've used compressers in there for speaker protection to good effect (no pun intended). I've also used an alembic superfilter (a tone processor) in the effects loop.

for more esoteric uses, it depends upon the effects loop. If the effects "send" is post eq, you can use it as a line out from your amp to another poweramp. I do this with my swr. Also, if you have a parallel effects loop, you can use the return to blend a second signal with the signal from your internal preamp. I've done this with the swr as well, sometimes running one bass into the swr and another preamp and then "blending" between the 2, other times i took in a signal from an amp-less keyboard player and we both used the same amp (not the best sound ever, but not bad).
 
#9
Half of my effects (flange, chorus and delay) go thru the loop, the rest (envelope filter, compressor and phase) go into the front of the amp. I used to use the phaser in the loop as well, but it sounds better going to the preamp.

The loop on my head (Yorkie XS800) is footswitchable, which is handy for sections of songs where I need to have more than 1 pedal on at a time.
 
#11
Not trying to hijack the thread, but I posted an effects loop question in effects and didn't get much response. Maybe my question is just really stupid. :( Anyway, this is what I posted:

Question -

I'm currently using a BBE Bmax as my pre. I'm thinking about replacing it with a Sansamp RBI as I'm looking for a warmer sound. Before I rip the Bmax out of the rack is it possible to try the RBI in the effects loop of the Bmax? Not sure if I would keep two preamps, but can it be set up that way?



Does this make any sense to try, or should I just swap cables and A/B them without them ever seeing each other? Or could the RBI actually remain in the effects loop of the Bmax so I could dial in some grind when I want to? Or should it be the other way around because the Bmax has the compressor?

Thoughts?


Link Removed
 
#13
This is actually a really good topic...I'm glad it's been brought up.

I'm using a Presonus Eureka Pre that has compression built into it. I run a Boss chorus pedal in the effects loop because that's the only effect that I have on "all the time". Since the pre has compression built in I run my pedal compressor in my pedal chain just before my octave pedal. Seems that comp right before the octave pedal helps tracking....dunno why.

I'm interested though now after reading the posts to see if any of the other effects I have would sound better in the loop as opposed to in front of the amp.
 
#14
I do use my effects loop for my BBE processor. I also on occasion use some effects before the amp. My favorite approach is to have the signal split by the preamp in a biamp fashion so that I can add effects to the high end and leave the bottom straight. When I do this, I add some chorus to the top end and if I have a suboctave device, I add that to the low end only, but my main rig can't do this and I am not using my sub octave in my current bands.
 
#15
I'm not really an 'effects guy', but always thought it was strange to buy a high quality amp and then have the preamp signal go through an effects unit, many of which have prettty cheap components, prior to driving the power amp. I believe that's the way a typical 'series' effect loop works. However, the 'parallel' effects loop design makes more sense to me (I might have these labels mixed up), where the 'pure' signal from the preamp is still sent to the power amp, and the 'wet' signal from the effect can be blended in.
 
#16
KJung said:
I'm not really an 'effects guy', but always thought it was strange to buy a high quality amp and then have the preamp signal go through an effects unit, many of which have prettty cheap components, prior to driving the power amp. I believe that's the way a typical 'series' effect loop works. However, the 'parallel' effects loop design makes more sense to me (I might have these labels mixed up), where the 'pure' signal from the preamp is still sent to the power amp, and the 'wet' signal from the effect can be blended in.
Click to expand...

good point, but thats why some of us like to pay for boutique quality pedals

:bawl:
 
#17
KJung said:
I'm not really an 'effects guy', but always thought it was strange to buy a high quality amp and then have the preamp signal go through an effects unit, many of which have prettty cheap components, prior to driving the power amp. I believe that's the way a typical 'series' effect loop works. However, the 'parallel' effects loop design makes more sense to me (I might have these labels mixed up), where the 'pure' signal from the preamp is still sent to the power amp, and the 'wet' signal from the effect can be blended in.
Click to expand...

Depends what you need the loop to do. For compression/limiting, serial is the ticket and a good compressor should be able to drive your power amp really well. Same with a good quality EQ unit. If it doesn't sound better than the "pure" signal, why bother? :cool:

Currently I've been experimenting with running a separate, bass guitar oriented preamp into my Focus, using the EFX return as a power amp in. Then I run a parallel EFX send from my homemade preamp back to the Focus preamp, which gives me EQ control over the EFX, and a convenient way of mixing the blend. I have a rack mounted Boss guitar modeler/ multi-EFX thingie in the loop that I have set up do do all sorts of weirdness. That unit is so-so at best when used in serial mode, but it's killer in parallel. With this setup, I actually have three preamps available in various combinations, which I guess qualifies as fairly esoteric.

When I was really into effects, I always ran a separate amp and cab, or two even, for the EFX. I've become spoiled by carrying so little gear foir jazz gigs, but one of these days I'm gonna have to bust out all the toys, er...tools again.
 
#18
I'm not really an 'effects guy', but always thought it was strange to buy a high quality amp and then have the preamp signal go through an effects unit, many of which have prettty cheap components, prior to driving the power amp. I believe that's the way a typical 'series' effect loop works. However, the 'parallel' effects loop design makes more sense to me (I might have these labels mixed up), where the 'pure' signal from the preamp is still sent to the power amp, and the 'wet' signal from the effect can be blended in.
Click to expand...

What is your definition of cheap components? Some expensive components suck. I think the design has more to do with the cost of components. Some effects units that use "cheap" components may have a better design and layout than "high-quality" amps.

I agree with you about the parallel effects loop, but not because of signal quality or noise, but because I would rather blend with the dry bass signal in most cases.
 
#19
Razor said:
Seems that comp right before the octave pedal helps tracking....dunno why.
Click to expand...

it's probably because you're levelling the signal and increasing the gain enough that the octaver has more to work with, so to speak. in other words, smoother, hotter attack from the bass (via compressor) makes it easier for the octaver to track.

i always liked how the merlin head did its effects loop -- parallel with a front panel knob that was labelled "series" at the 0 and "parallel" at the 10.

robb.
 
#20
BbbyBld said:
What is your definition of cheap components? Some expensive components suck. I think the design has more to do with the cost of components. Some effects units that use "cheap" components may have a better design and layout than "high-quality" amps.

I agree with you about the parallel effects loop, but not because of signal quality or noise, but because I would rather blend with the dry bass signal in most cases.
Click to expand...


My comments were more of a question than a statement of knowledge or fact :)
 

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