conecting a pedal to an interface

[dg27]

I use an M-Audio MobilePre interface to record with Pro Tools SE. I sometimes record vocals and acoustic instruments. The mic goes directly into the XLR connections.

I'd like to use a Boss RE-20 Space Echo pedal and connect that directly to the interface to process the signal from the mic.

http://www.bossus.com/gear/productdetails.php?ProductId=896

This review says it can be done: "No hum when connected to my audio interface, even when using 4 mono 12 foot TS cables."

http://tweakheadz.com/review-of-the-boss-re20-space-echo/

But I am really unclear on how to connect it.

The interface has outputs and inputs described as follows:

Line Outputs: These sockets allow you to connect MobilePre to either a pair of powered studio monitors, a mixer, or stereo amplifier using a pair of 1/4-inch TRS cables. The volume level for these outputs is controlled by the Line Output knob on the top panel.

Line Inputs: These sockets allow you to connect line-level instruments to MobilePre using 1/4-inch (balanced or unbalanced) cables. The volume level for each input is controlled by the Channel Gain knobs on the top panel

Here's what the back panel of the pedal looks like.



I'm hoping someone can guide me here. I have not bought the Boss pedal yet because it's not cheap and I want to make sure I can use it this way before I do. I used a Roland Re-201 for many years and always loved it.

Thanks.

dg

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

I have a space echo and have used it as an outboard w my interface many times.

How I would do this is:

METHOD 1
- record the track
- send the finished track from the line output of the interface into the space echo
- send the space echo's output back into one of the inputs on your interface
- record the echo to a new track

METHOD 2
- set up your daw so the the line output on your interface is an aux send
- run the aux through the space echo and into the unused input of your interface; the other input will be your mic
- set the space echo so that direct sound is off
- set up 2 tracks on your daw
- set the track w the mic input so that it's output is also going through the aux and through the space echo

METHOD 3
- get an external mic pre
- Feed the mic pre's output through the space echo and record the trackvw the echo on it

 

[dg27]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

Thanks for providing such a complete response.

I'd really like to be able to record while hearing the effect of the Space Echo, so I guess Method 3 is the best one, but I'll probably try Method 2 first.

I have no idea what to get in terms of a pre-amp for Method 2, but will look into it. I don't think I'll be able to do this one as a quick look @ Sam Ash is showing that these are very pricey (mostly over $600, which I can't really justify).

Thanks again!


dg

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

No problem, glad I could be of assistance.

There are lots of good mic preamps that are available for well under $600! The Golden Age Pre 73 comes to mind.

If want to use the echo while you are actually recording, I would use method 2. It will take a little bit to set up and dial in just right, but it will allow you to hear the echo in real time while keeping it on its own track so you can blend it in to taste later.

You're in LIC; I live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan; we should meet up for a beer and talk recording guitars! Shoot me a PM if interested.

 

[dg27]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

There are lots of good mic preamps that are available for well under $600! The Golden Age Pre 73 comes to mind.

You're right: that Golden Age Pre 73 is $350 @ the evil GC. Earlier I looked really quickly @ Sam Ash and that scared me off.

If want to use the echo while you are actually recording, I would use method 2. It will take a little bit to set up and dial in just right, but it will allow you to hear the echo in real time while keeping it on its own track so you can blend it in to taste later.

I plan on trying it with melodica, which can be very cool with proper use of a Space echo. I've done this is in a studio, but never at home.

You're in LIC; I live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan; we should meet up for a beer and talk recording guitars! Shoot me a PM if interested.

That'd be great--will PM you.

Thanks again.

dg

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

HA! We share the same view of GC ... I have stopped going there altogether, they don't even carry the picks I like! =p
The new Sam Ash on 34th and 9th Ave is great...

 

[dg27]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

HA! We share the same view of GC ... I have stopped going there altogether, they don't even carry the picks I like! =p

GC is the BestBuy of the musical instrument supply industry.

I can count the number of times I have gotten good advice there on one hand and still have several fingers left. I get emails from them and I occasionally get miscellaneous equipment there if I have coupon. Yesterday I got a 15% off coupon, but check out the manufacturers that are excluded:

The following manufacturers are excluded: 3 Monkeys Amps, 3rd Power Amps, 65amps, A Designs, ADAM Audio, Aguilar, Akai Professional, AKG, Alesis, Allen & Heath, Alto, Altus, Alvarez, American Audio, American DJ, Ampeg, Antelope Audio, Antoine Courtois Paris, Aphex, Apogee, Apple, Armstrong, ART, Arturia, Audio-Technica, Audix, Auralex, Avalon, Avanti, Avid, Axl, Azumi, B&S, B3 Guitars, Bach, Bad Cat, BAM, BeatKangz, Beats By Dre, Bedell, Behringer, Belkin, Benchmark, Benchmark Media Systems, Benedetto Guitars, Besson, Bixonic, Black Cat, Blackheart, Blackstar, Blue, Bogner, Bosch, Bose, Boss, Breedlove, Bricasti, Brio, BSS Audio, Budda, Buffet Crampon, Bugera, Bundy, Carl Martin, Casio, Cerwin-Vega, Chameleon Labs, Chandler Limited, Charvel, Chauvet, Cleartone, Cloud, Conn, Cordoba Music Group, Courtois, Crate, Crown, Cusack, Daking, Dangerous Music, dbx, ddrum, Dean, Death By Audio, Diamond Amplification, Diezel, DigiTech, Dime Amplification, Disney by Washburn, DLS Effects, Drawmer, Dunnett, Drum Workshop, Earthquaker Devices, EBS, Eden, Edirol, Elation, Electro-Harmonix, Electro-Voice, Elysia, Emerson, EMG, Eminence, EMMA Electronic, Empirical Labs, Empress Effects, Engl, Epiphone, ESP, Euphonix, Eventide, EVH, Evil Robot, F. Loree Paris, Fano Guitars, Fargen Amps, Fender, Fender Custom Shop, Fishman, Focal, Focusrite, Fox, Friedman, Fryette, Fuchs, Fulltone, Furman, G7th, Gallien-Krueger, Galway, Gator, Gemeinhardt, Genz Benz, Getzen, Gibson, Gibson Custom, Gibson USA, Giffin Guitars, GNI Pedals, Godlyke, Gold Tone, Golden Age, Golden Age Project, Grace Design, Great Divide, Great River, Gretsch, Gretsch Drums, Gretsch Guitars, Guild, Guyatone, Hagstrom, Hans Hoyer, Hao, Harden Engineering, Harman, Haynes, Hercules, HHB, Hohner, Holton, Ibanez, ISP Technologies, J Puchner, Jackson, JamHub, Jasmine by Takamine, JBL, Jet City Amplification, Jody Jaz, Jupiter, K&M, Kanstul, Kawai, Keeley, Keilwerth, Keith McMillen Instruments, Kemper, King, Koll Guitars, Korg, Kramer, KRK, Kurzweil, Kush Audio, Laney, Langevin, Leblanc, Lexicon, Line 6, LovePedal, LP, LsL Instruments, Ludwig, Luna Guitars, M-Audio, Mackie, Mad Professor, Malekko Heavy Industry, Manley, Mapex, Markbass, Marshall, Martin, Martin-Leblac, Matchless Amps, Maxon, Meinl, Meinl Weston, Millennia, Miraphone, Mixosaurus, Mogami, Mojave Audio, Moog, Morgan, MOTU, Music Man, MusicXPC, N-Tune, Neumann, Neve, Nord, Novation, NS Design, Numark, Olympus, On-Stage Stands, Option 5, Orange Amplifiers, Ortofon, Ovation, P. Mauriat, Pacific Drums & Percussion (PDP), Paiste, Parker Guitars, Pearl, Peavey, Pelonis Sound and Acoustics, Perris, Phonic, Pigtronix, Pioneer, Powell, Prelude by Conn-Selmer, PreSonus, Propellerhead, PRS, Purple Audio, QSC, Quik Lok, Radial Engineering, Rainsong, Randall, Rane, Reunion Blues, Rickenbacker, Rivera, RME, Roc-N-Soc, Rockbag by Warwick, Rockbass by Warwick, Rockcase by Warwick, RockStand by Warwick, Rode Microphones, Roland, Royer, Rupert Neve Designs, Sabian, Sample Logic, Schecter Guitar Research, Scherzer, Schilke, Schreiber, Schroeder, Schroeder Guitars, Selmer, Selmer Paris, Sennheiser, Serato, Shure, SKB, SM Pro Audio, Softube, Soldano, Solid State Logic, Sonare, Sonivox, Soul, Soundcraft, Squier, Stanton, Steinberg, Steinberger, Stephanhouser, Sterling by MusicMan, Summit Audio, Sweet Sound Electronic, Splawn, SWR, T-REX Engineering, Takamine, Tama, Tapco, Tascam, Taylor, TDK, Tech 21, Telefunken, Thermionic Culture, Toadworks, Tobias, Toca, Tone King, Tortuga, Traveler Guitar, Traynor, True Systems, Tube-Tech, Two Rock, Ultimate Support, Universal Audio, Vestax, Violet Audio, Vito, VMI, Voodoo Lab, VOX, W. Nirschl, Waldorf, Wampler, Warwick, Washburn, Weber Speakers, Western Digital, Xotic Effects, Yamaha, Yamaha Band & Orchestra, Yanagisawa, Zildjian, Zoom, ZVex Effects

Everything I am currently considering is on this list. I wanted to write to them and say "Wouldn't it be easier to tell me what I CAN use this on?"

The new Sam Ash on 34th and 9th Ave is great...

I have gotten used to it, but I still miss W48th St in terms of the way years ago there were several independent stores: Manny's, Alex, Terminal, and yes--Sam Ash. Other than Rudy's the block is a ghost town that will probably have yet another FroYo place, a TD bank, etc., very soon.







It's criminal, but not unlike what's happening all over NYC (Bleecker Bobs, and now Sounds on St Marks).

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

48th St is dead now. Do you remember 48th St Custom Guitars? That was the first place I heard about ESP guitars.

Alex is still around, but they do luthier/repair work only (if we are thinking of the same place). A friend of mine has an Alex bass, I think serial number 5; he recently had them do a boatload of work on the bass to bring it up to snuff.

Sounds was a casualty of the East Village becoming an extended dorm of NYU; the closing of Coney Island High was the death knell of St Marks for me ... tho I still get my hair cut at Royal (I've been going there for 20 years!).

NYC lost all of their music outlets in the span of 1 year: first was Tower, then Virgin, Discorama, and finally Sounds. Sad, really, as CD audio is still superior to most downloadable music ...

One of my saddest East Village memories is when the old man at Holiday Cocktail Lounge died and his son took over for about 1 month before shutting down my favourite dive bar so they can make the building a co op! I have spent many a night I can no longer remember at Holiday!

 

[dg27]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

48th St is dead now. Do you remember 48th St Custom Guitars? That was the first place I heard about ESP guitars.

Alex is still around, (if we are thinking of the same place). A friend of mine has an Alex bass, I think serial number 5; he recently had them do a boatload of work on the bass to bring it up to snuff.

Yes--forgot about 48th St Custom...and yes, Alex is still hanging on.

My all time favorite was WE BUY GUITARS, which occupied the storefront in the top photo I posted. Fred Smith (Television bass player) worked there and during my misspent youth I used to cut school to go there and drool.

Spent many a hazy summer afternoon into evening into morning at the Holiday...

Another casualty is J&R: I can't get used to the new setup. And remember Discomat (Park Row)?

I still buy exclusively CDs unless something is unavailable in that format. Buying on Amazon isn't the same as perusing "stacks."

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

Yeah, that place was AMAZING! When I think now of all the vintage instruments that were being blown out at pawn shop prices ... ugh! lol

 

[dg27]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

I distinctly remember a blonde '72 slab Tele bass that I almost bought for like $250. I bought my '76 Rick 4001S across the street at Terminal instead and have regretted it ever since.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

I think we could do some serious commiseration!

 

[dg27]

Re: conecting a pedal to an interface

I agree.

Here's some starting news about those who shop @ GC:

New Study Finds Only 88% Of Guitar Center Customers Become Famous Musicians

http://www.theonion.com/articles/new-study-finds-only-88-of-guitar-center-customers,35227/