Input Jack Versus Effects Loop? |
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Input Jack Versus Effects Loop? |
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Mar 12 2012, 12:17 AM |
About 6 weeks ago, I PM'ed Todd about advice on a Boss ME-25 I was considering (I did end up buying it). Todd wanted to help me out and went on the board to ask others. Someone replied something to the effect (no pun intended) that if you did not run it through the effects loop jack on an amp, it would sound plastic (hope I got that right). Up to this point, I must admit, I never knew what that input was for. I ran the ME through it and immediately saw how it overrides the amps control (at least as far as the volume goes). But I am curious what is the real advantage to running it through the effects loop instead of the regular input? Hi! Basically nothing is set in stone. You can do it both ways and it depends on your personal taste. In general though most people (including me) are running modulation based fx (chorus, Delay, Reverb) through the FX loop and Effects like compressors, distortion , pitch shifting FX in front of the amp. The effect order also depends on your personal taste. A distorded Signal running through a pitch shifter will sound different than a clean signal running through the pitch shifter and being distorted afterwards. The send jack of the FX loop holds your preamp signal. The return jack is the power amp input. If you put your guitar into the Boss Me and the boss into the return jack of your amp you will bypass your amp preamp. (The EQs, Gain.... will not work) This setup will be best, if you want to use the preamps in the boss ME. If you put your guitar into the amp and connecting your Boss ME Input to the send Jack and the output to the Return jack, you will use your amp preamp, but it could also cause problems. For example : If you have a parallel FX Loop and you don't set the return mix to 100% it could happen that your sound will phase. Because you have your regular guitar signal of the amp going to the speakers without any latency AND your Boss signal coming through the fx return WITH latency. As for what I can see the Boss ME was designed as a stand alone / or in front of the amp unit, because it lacks a loop section, that would give you the opportunity to insert the amp preamp to your Boss ME. This is called 4 cabel method. Here is a nice manual for doing 4 Cable Method with the Boss GT10. 4 Cable Method I hope this helps a little. You see there is no easy way. It depends on your personal taste. You have advantages and disadvantages at the same time either way. If you please tell me what setup you would like to have in specific and a little more details about your amp, then I can be more specific. cheers, S. This post has been edited by steve-rec-freak: Mar 12 2012, 12:23 AM |
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Mar 12 2012, 05:18 AM |
Great info, advice and suggestions Steve! Could not have explained it better.
When I was a kid playing guitar, I really had no idea what an effects loop was, and I was playing a Boss ME-6. So, I was mixing the pedal effects, and the amp controls I believe. Not positive, it's been a WHILE!! (I'm 30 now, and this was early 90's). Anyway, it "worked" but certainly wasn't ideal!! -------------------- Check out my awesome Nintendo Cover-band, EMULATOR!! http://www.reverbnation.com/emulator Now.....go practice!! |
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Mar 14 2012, 05:31 PM |
Steve gave an excellent explanation! I have used the 4 cables method with my Pod connected to my amp and it really worked nice for me. However I find that having four cables on stage is a bit uncomfortable when you don't have enough time to connect and to set everything. By the way I have used it many times and I really recommend it.
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