Any effects loop users?

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stevejamsecono
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Any effects loop users?

Post by stevejamsecono » Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:14 am

My newish Victory head has one and since I'm running a board that's mostly modulation and delay at this point and want to take better advantage of the amp gain, I'm planning to experiment with mine to see how it goes. More cable hassle perhaps, but the tones may be worth it.

Anyone else on the board use them? I know we're largely a "big clean amp with gain from pedals" kinda board, but I have to imagine there are some of us on here.
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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by MrShake » Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:45 am

It's funny that you ask. I can't offer much help, but in the same boat. Most of my amps don't even HAVE effects loops, but I just grabbed a high gain "metal" solid state and realized that it would be fun to try to actually utilize an amp with different channels now that I have one.

Good question, will be watching.

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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by stevejamsecono » Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:10 am

I'll definitely keep you posted on my results. I've got a Source Audio Nemesis and a Retrosonic Flanger that might live in there. Going to order some fresh cabling and a Pedal Python to keep the cabling nice and neat.

I'm considering doing some 'before/after' comparison soundbites to see how worth it is. If I do, I'll share 'em!
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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by Steadyriot. » Mon Sep 26, 2022 6:21 am

I used to use effects loops religiously.
Ran all my reverb / delay etc pedals in the loop with a 4 cable loom (1 channel switch, 1 from pedalboard to the amp and send / return).
Can't say I had any noticeable signal loss but I bet there were some buffers somewhere in the chain (Boss ES-8 etc). Lugging around a separate case just for 10m of cable loom got old quick though.

[Edit]
Found a picture of my old pedalboard and cable run (on the right):
Image

That bundle of cables behind the rack had it's own case.
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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by sal paradise » Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:52 am

I’ve never managed to work an effects loop, so like a grown up just ignored them.

Hit a problem with my new setup- the immerse reverb settings seem to go crazy when I use the amp drive. So I guess I gotta do some experimenting ???
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by jorri » Mon Sep 26, 2022 5:36 pm

I have but the main reason for not doing at the moment is a stereo setup.
They're pretty useful with all the looping and clarity needed. Even in the big clean solid state they seemed to prevent occasional clips (those crazy verbs) and give a fuller reverb due to it being post-eq. Things take on the sounds of the pedals more which can be good
There is sometimes a tradeoff with wanting a bit of dirt on wet sounds and things but that can at least be approximated live by having some other pre-drive pedals.

Stereo is also an approximation though...if one side can't handle it the other side might, because of their different gain stages and frequency response so there is a sort of chaotic preference of where certain sounds end up, if that explains it well at all.

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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by stereosanctity » Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:38 am

I use them religiously. I’m a delay/reverb addict and generally use master volume amps with gain set just at the verge of breakup. Without the effects loop, the preamp just gets way too overloaded from delay and I get just a wall of mush. I’ve always fantasized about switching over to pedals for gain to avoid the problem, but haven’t ever made the leap. Convince me!

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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by JSutter » Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:59 am

I go back and forth. For simplicity's sake a pedalboard into a clean amp is fine by me. I did that for 10 years and again more recently. About 15 years ago I got into high gain amps and used effects loops regularly. Lots more cables, sure, get some loom to tidy things up. Reverb and delay sound so much better after distortion and gain. Some modulation effects sound fine either way. You need to be the judge of that.

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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by stevejamsecono » Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:41 am

JSutter wrote:
Wed Sep 28, 2022 4:59 am
I go back and forth. For simplicity's sake a pedalboard into a clean amp is fine by me. I did that for 10 years and again more recently. About 15 years ago I got into high gain amps and used effects loops regularly. Lots more cables, sure, get some loom to tidy things up. Reverb and delay sound so much better after distortion and gain. Some modulation effects sound fine either way. You need to be the judge of that.
Yeah, I think that's going to be the main question for me. I regularly use Flanger and Chorus so it's a question of "can it all go in the loop" or if I need to figure out a 'some in the front, some in the loop' routing that's minimally a pain in the ass.

Hilariously all of this is happening on a Pedaltrain Nano so I feel extra silly about it, but delay has become a big part of what I'm doing lately so I want it to sound good.
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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by pj » Tue Oct 25, 2022 2:14 am

My Roland JC40 has an effects loop but I have not messed with it too much. I should.

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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by Chippertheripper » Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:22 am

I just “discovered” the loop in the lil rocker15terror.
I never used it in any amp before, because “pfffft, I don’t need that.”
While I’m still running my verb and trem out front, because that satisfies my inner “that’s how I’ve always done it”, sticking the delay in the loop is a clear level-up.
Even though I mostly am after a less hifi delay sound, it’s more useable, less washy.
I encourage everyone to give it a try, for s’s and g’s. I don’t know if I can go back, in this current config.

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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by stevejamsecono » Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:42 am

Chippertheripper wrote:
Tue Oct 25, 2022 3:22 am
I just “discovered” the loop in the lil rocker15terror.
I never used it in any amp before, because “pfffft, I don’t need that.”
While I’m still running my verb and trem out front, because that satisfies my inner “that’s how I’ve always done it”, sticking the delay in the loop is a clear level-up.
Even though I mostly am after a less hifi delay sound, it’s more useable, less washy.
I encourage everyone to give it a try, for s’s and g’s. I don’t know if I can go back, in this current config.
+1 on the Delay comments. I finally got to spend some proper time doing it with the band over the weekend and the results were undeniably better. Flanger sounds pretty good in the loop too. I've also got a GE-7 I'm using as a shaped boost and the satisfying poke of that getting an actual volume lift by being in there was hard to deny. Really fun experience.

Time to order a Pedal Python and some dedicated long cables, then...
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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by Chippertheripper » Tue Oct 25, 2022 4:21 am

Yeah, I’m the proud new owner of a set of cables as well, as a result. Different color braids, so I don’t have to think too much.

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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by stevejamsecono » Sat Oct 29, 2022 6:15 am

Just did the same thing. Hopefully it all shows up this week :)

I have to say -- despite being a massive fan of chorus, chorus through the effects loop is undeniably the source of all bad press on chorus. Woof. Instant cheez metal. :k
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Re: Any effects loop users?

Post by doctor_capleson » Thu Nov 03, 2022 12:54 pm

I used with with a Mesa Mk IV head. I like modulations out in front of gain, but having reverbs and delays pre-gain was a mess. That *is* a sound that can be really cool in the right context, but I couldn't live with that being the only sound I could get.

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