Input Jack Versus Effects Loop?
JTaylor
Mar 11 2012, 07:32 PM
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Posts: 495
Joined: 5-December 11
From: Florida, USA
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?

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This post has been edited by JTaylor: Mar 11 2012, 07:34 PM


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steve-rec-freak
Mar 12 2012, 12:17 AM
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Posts: 52
Joined: 18-February 08
From: Hanover
QUOTE (JTaylor @ Mar 11 2012, 07:32 PM) *
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. biggrin.gif

cheers,

S.

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This post has been edited by steve-rec-freak: Mar 12 2012, 12:23 AM
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JTaylor
Mar 12 2012, 12:55 AM
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Posts: 495
Joined: 5-December 11
From: Florida, USA
Hey Steve.. now, first off, I saw your REC today and.....WOW is all I can say! biggrin.gif Very, very impressive! Now about my situation.... I'm not really sure what I am looking for. Still a beginner at this. smile.gif I'm running through a Crate GX-212 my wife bought me in 2005. While it's certainly not a top model amp, I have never had any complaints about it. The overdrive channel has great distortion and the amp itself is very clear, even when played at very loud volume.
The whole ME-25 bypassing the volume controls was a shocker for me, as well as for my wife and little son who were on the other side of the house ohmy.gif . I had a feeling it was probably bypassing everything else as well. I think I will stay with the effects loop so I can find out just what the Boss is doing in terms of sound. I'll just have to make sure the pedal volume is down before I turn on the amp! I appreciate the time and knowledge you gave me concerning this and once again...great REC biggrin.gif !!!!

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steve-rec-freak
Mar 12 2012, 01:24 AM
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Posts: 52
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From: Hanover
QUOTE (JTaylor @ Mar 12 2012, 12:55 AM) *
Hey Steve.. now, first off, I saw your REC today and.....WOW is all I can say! biggrin.gif Very, very impressive! Now about my situation.... I'm not really sure what I am looking for. Still a beginner at this. smile.gif I'm running through a Crate GX-212 my wife bought me in 2005. While it's certainly not a top model amp, I have never had any complaints about it. The overdrive channel has great distortion and the amp itself is very clear, even when played at very loud volume.
The whole ME-25 bypassing the volume controls was a shocker for me, as well as for my wife and little son who were on the other side of the house ohmy.gif . I had a feeling it was probably bypassing everything else as well. I think I will stay with the effects loop so I can find out just what the Boss is doing in terms of sound. I'll just have to make sure the pedal volume is down before I turn on the amp! I appreciate the time and knowledge you gave me concerning this and once again...great REC biggrin.gif !!!!


Hi,

thank you for watching my REC, I really appreciate your kind words. smile.gif
Its a nice amp you play there. I have a friend, who has the same amp. It is loud and clean indeed! biggrin.gif
I checked the Manual of the Create. The FX-Loop is equipped with a stereo input/output Jack.
And I have not seen a Master Volume knob, which would give you control over the volume of the power amp, just channel Volume and Gain Controls. So it is pretty clear why the amp is so loud if you bypass the preamp section. biggrin.gif Because I assume that the Power section is always on 100%, just being controlled by preamp levels. So you indeed need to be careful with your volume pedal on the Boss ME, just as you said. You can PM me anytime if further questions occur.

cheers,

S.

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derper
Mar 12 2012, 05:18 AM
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From: Portland Oregon
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!!

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Gabriel Leopardi
Mar 14 2012, 05:31 PM
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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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