Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

[man-in-moon]

I just picked up a boss DD-3. I hooked it up to the effects loop of my dsl40c and it just sounds bad. With the level set around 8-9 o'clock it washes out my sound. I have had good luck using DD-3's in the past but for some reason I can't get a decent sound out of it.
When I just use the amps gain it's a little better. But as soon as I turn on my sd-1 it gets worse.

[devastone]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

What level is the loop set at, Boss pedals want to see instrument level (-10dB), not line level (+4dB).

*EDIT* Just went and looked, apparently the loops on those aren't adjustable. Some Marshalls have a level switch.

[man-in-moon]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

I'm going to try running it in the front of my amp. I had an EQ pedal in the loop at one time and it sounded fine.

[Swampy]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

I only say this because I’ve made this mistake....are you sure your send and return at the amp are going into the right jacks in the pedal?

[67Mopar]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

You could try placing a buffered pedal (non true bypass) before the DD-3.

[man-in-moon]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

I've checked all of my cables and everything is hooked up right. I thought about a buffer pedal in the loop. But wondered if it would make a difference since boss pedals are already buffered.

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

What else is in the chain? Got a clip by chance?

[devastone]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

You could try placing a buffered pedal (non true bypass) before the DD-3.

Boss pedals are apolitical and already buffered.

[devastone]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

I'm going to try running it in the front of my amp. I had an EQ pedal in the loop at one time and it sounded fine.

Not all pedals are created equal, what kind of EQ pedal? Does the DD-3 clip the signal when it is in the loop whether it is on or off? It's easiest to check that on the clean channel, with the pedal in the loop, try playing clean, if the volume is lower with the pedal in the loop and there is some clipping (bad distortion) going on, the loop level is too hot for the pedal.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

I’d also recommend unplugging everything and ONLY run the delay in the loop. If it is fine that way you know the issue lies somewhere else.

[man-in-moon]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

It clips pretty bad I ran it through the front end. And it sounded good the repeats were nice and clear like it should be. So I guess that's where it will stay.

[devastone]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

It clips pretty bad I ran it through the front end. And it sounded good the repeats were nice and clear like it should be. So I guess that's where it will stay.

Boss pedals don't like seeing very hot signals, I'm pretty sure the TC Flashback can handle line levels a lot better, same with the Digitech Digidelay (that can be picked up cheap now) and Hardware delays.

[67Mopar]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

Boss pedals are apolitical and already buffered.

Obviously, you are not...

[devastone]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

Not going there (it was a joke), but yes Boss pedals are already buffered.

[67Mopar]

Re: Boss dd-3 sounds bad in my effects loop

Not going there (it was a joke), but yes Boss pedals are already buffered.

Yes, but would not placing another buffered pedal also have an effect?

To the OP... You have used DD3's in the past, with successful results. Obviously, this one has an issue.