Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

[Sirion]

To put the matter simply: the Boss DC-2 is such an awesome sounding effect that I want to keep it in my rig, but the lack of headroom makes it a real problem to use it in the fx loop. Is it possible to attenuate the signal before the pedal and use a clean boost after it without altering the tone too much? Has anybody tried something like it?

Note that I say fx loop for convenience. It is really between my ADA MP-1 and the power amp.

[dystrust]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

It should be possible. Are you using the DC-2 in stereo or mono? If you're using it in mono, just put it in the loop since the send level is adjustable. Otherwise lower the output level of the MP-1, or use one of those volume boxes with a clean boost afterward.

[Blille]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

Quick question, if the preamped level is too much for the pedal, shouldn't it just go before it? Or yes, why not just lower the output volume of the preamp?


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[Adieu]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

To put the matter simply: the Boss DC-2 is such an awesome sounding effect that I want to keep it in my rig, but the lack of headroom makes it a real problem to use it in the fx loop. Is it possible to attenuate the signal before the pedal and use a clean boost after it without altering the tone too much? Has anybody tried something like it?

Note that I say fx loop for convenience. It is really between my ADA MP-1 and the power amp.

Sure.

Just solder a volume pot into a guitar chord (or between two jacks) and put it in a box or reused can of corned beef.

Also works to make halfstacks whisper-quiet.

[Sirion]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

Quick question, if the preamped level is too much for the pedal, shouldn't it just go before it? Or yes, why not just lower the output volume of the preamp?

One would generally want to put choruses after the preamp, because to put chorus on your distortion sounds better than putting distortion on your chorus, unless one is going for a very special effect.

For the second question, the amount the preamp is driven does change the sound, even if one could theoretically compensate for it by increasing the volume on the power amp. In practice I can't do that, since my main power amp (Marshall 9040) actually has no volume knob :-p , but when I use the Marshall 9100 I find that it works a whole lot better if both the preamp and power amp are driven about as hard, both in terms of tone and noise.

[Blille]

Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

One would generally want to put choruses after the preamp, because to put chorus on your distortion sounds better than putting distortion on your chorus, unless one is going for a very special effect.

For the second question, the amount the preamp is driven does change the sound, even if one could theoretically compensate for it by increasing the volume on the power amp. In practice I can't do that, since my main power amp (Marshall 9040) actually has no volume knob :-p , but when I use the Marshall 9100 I find that it works a whole lot better if both the preamp and power amp are driven about as hard, both in terms of tone and noise.

Thanks. Makes total sense, didn't know you were getting dirt from the preamp

Given that you want to reduce the volume after the preamp I would be hesitant to cut the volume with a passive device, I would be concerned about tone suck. I would probably put a compressor (without really compressing) or another od/preamp and run it clean.

For bringing it back up, I would be concerned about tone coloring so I would likely put an EQ pedal. You can boost the volume back up significantly but also tweak the EQ.

Alternatively, you could use something like a Hotone nano amp and run the chorus in the loop with the gain low (reducing volume) and the volume high (bringing it back up) and use the EQ to keep it to your taste.

Overall I would be concerned of the noise / volume you may get with these added steps so late in the chain.


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[James Rock]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

I know there are buffered devices intended for this purpose in passive loops like the ceriatone one (tube and solid state versions) there might also be some stuff from pro audio designed to let line levels run at guitar level and back up

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[James Rock]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

Eb tech have a line level shifter that might give you enough headroom (converts +4db to - 10db and vice versa could use the two channel one to go down to pedal and then back up to power amp)

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[James Rock]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

Although looking at it, it's passive so not sure how it boosts volume...

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[devastone]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

James is right about Ebtech, they make a line level shifter, I had to use one with my Randall RM50 that had a really hot loop. You want the LLS-2.

http://www.ebtechaudio.com/llsdes.html

It's passive, it changes the the impedance therefore changing the voltage of the signal.

[chadd]

Re: Attenuate and boost signal for pedal in fx loop?

Eq set for volume cut into the chorus, followed by a boost to bring the level back up. If it's not an "always on" situation, use a loop switch to turn the whole thing off/on at once.