Anyone using a Suhr Minimix II in their SLO FX Loop?

[jdel77]

I'm looking for a non-invasive work around for the Effects Loop in my SLO.
As most people know, the SLO Send is hot, +4db which overloads the input of my vintage EHX and MXR effects.
Has anyone here used a Suhr Minimix II to reduce the Send signal and boost the Return signal?
Cheers.

 

[psychodave]

I use one with my CCV's insert loop. Works great. I do wish the mini mix II had a volume pot on it to adjust the volume as needed.

 

[jdel77]

Is the CCV Send hot also?
Do you find wet FX too loud?

 

[psychodave]

Is the CCV Send hot also?
Do you find wet FX too loud?

The CCV has an insert loop... meaning there isn't anything driving the loop. The mini mix is used to drive the signal more. It does tend to increase the volume a little when used with some pedals....which is why I would like a volume pot on it.

 

[jdel77]

Ok, makes sense.
This SLO loop thing is driving me silly.

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

I bought one to use with my SLO

I would say that it improved the loop about 50%
But in the end still wasn't enough for me
(The delay's were still buried while playing, but with guitar volume knob roll back, delay's could now be heard better.)

It seemed to also lessen that singing SLO thing just a little bit when it was in the loop (Maybe was just my ears)

Not sure how it will help with your pedals, may improve the signal level and work for you

I've tried everything to no avail, including a BadCat Unleash which just changed the tone too much

I think the only true loop fix is to have a second loop added into the correct spot in the circut (Mike won't do it) and i just can't bring myself to take it to a tech to mod, so Still running with nothing in the loop.

 

[Dave L]

I don´t think the Minimix will do just about anything to the levels of the loop, it will put the FX in parallel to the dry signal (which in itself can be a good thing depending on the units and routing involved, however) and any FX unit will still see the exact same signal as before. What you need is one of these:
http://glab.com.pl/index.php/en/product ... pter-ala-1

... or any similar unit that both cuts and boosts, respectively. It´s probably not 100% transparent, nothing active really is, but if you must run instrument-level gear in a line-level loop it´s probably better than nothing. But the real issue with the SLO loop is the placement before the tone controls, as M/K mentioned above. Nothing short of a mod can help you there.

 

[Jayy]

Has anyone tried a Strymon Timeline or El Capistan in the SLO loop? The specs say they are +7dB, and are also analog dry through. I know that won't do anything to improve the placement of the loop in the SLO, but I'm wondering if it is at least a decent, workable option?

 

[Dave L]

The Strymons are better than most pedals, but still not up to proper rack-unit specs. The max headroom is still a bit limited. I guess it depends exactly how hot the SLO loop is, it probably isn´t all that hot from a line perspective.

 

[SpiderWars]

I bought one to use with my SLO

I would say that it improved the loop about 50%
But in the end still wasn't enough for me
(The delay's were still buried while playing, but with guitar volume knob roll back, delay's could now be heard better.)

It seemed to also lessen that singing SLO thing just a little bit when it was in the loop (Maybe was just my ears)

Not sure how it will help with your pedals, may improve the signal level and work for you

I've tried everything to no avail, including a BadCat Unleash which just changed the tone too much

I think the only true loop fix is to have a second loop added into the correct spot in the circut (Mike won't do it) and i just can't bring myself to take it to a tech to mod, so Still running with nothing in the loop.

A slightly simpler solution (or maybe 'less invasive to SLO') would to hard-wire the original loop and then have an insert loop using the existing jacks (so there is no 'adding a second loop'). Then use the Minimix or a Dumbleator or something as your buffered loop.

 

[BackCrack]

I was just talking about my SLO's loop issue last week with a local bud that's a retired electronics professor. After the holidays, he and I are going to homebrew a little box to make pedals work without any level or noise issues. I should've never gotten rid of the Egnater Loop Level box I had. That thing worked perfectly for this issue.

 

[steve_k]

I'm looking for a non-invasive work around for the Effects Loop in my SLO.
As most people know, the SLO Send is hot, +4db which overloads the input of my vintage EHX and MXR effects.
Has anyone here used a Suhr Minimix II to reduce the Send signal and boost the Return signal?
Cheers.

JHS Little Black Box

 

[SpiderWars]

I'm looking for a non-invasive work around for the Effects Loop in my SLO.
As most people know, the SLO Send is hot, +4db which overloads the input of my vintage EHX and MXR effects.
Has anyone here used a Suhr Minimix II to reduce the Send signal and boost the Return signal?
Cheers.

JHS Little Black Box

How do you boost the level back up for the Return? Use another one? They're cheap enough. EDIT: just realized the JHS box uses no power so can't boost. I've tried using EQs/clean boosts to first attenuate then boost it back up but it's never sounded quite right and some EQ pedals just don't like the hot signal to begin with (the input buffer chokes the signal right off the bat). The Boss GE7 def does not like the hot signal.

IMO/IME, there are other issues other than the level (which ime MUST be boosted back up for the amp to sound right). Not only does it need to be boosted back up but it needs to be identical to the signal coming out of the Send. Anything less changes the base tone of the amp. The loop is before the tone stack and master volumes so the Send level is dependant on preamp gain which is rarely the same for both channels. If for example you're trying to get a clean tone then the preamp gain is low and master is high to compensate. But the lead channel preamp gain is high with master set low. The levels just won't balance between channels the way the stock loop is.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Rare Vox v491 effects loop buffer or dunbleator type circuit.

Plush pedal tube fx loop.

 

[BackCrack]

The JHS unit is just a single pot that knocks down the signal; probably a 10k or 25k (pic below). But as was said earlier, you still have to quietly boost the signal after the pedal chain for the return trip to the amp.

 

[mdc1mdc11]

You may want to ping Bruce Egnater to see if he still or can build you one of his... Egnater Loop Level Matchers. I bought a limited run version a few years back when I was having some problems with the loop of a known popular head and its quirkiness with various FX loop pedal choices.

Has a level control.

it sounds like the SLO loop mod mentioned might be the better route. The loop matcher is good when trouble pops up and you can clearly hear signal distortion, noise, and other unwanted tone altering situations.

 

[steve_k]

I'm looking for a non-invasive work around for the Effects Loop in my SLO.
As most people know, the SLO Send is hot, +4db which overloads the input of my vintage EHX and MXR effects.
Has anyone here used a Suhr Minimix II to reduce the Send signal and boost the Return signal?
Cheers.

JHS Little Black Box

How do you boost the level back up for the Return? Use another one? They're cheap enough. EDIT: just realized the JHS box uses no power so can't boost. I've tried using EQs/clean boosts to first attenuate then boost it back up but it's never sounded quite right and some EQ pedals just don't like the hot signal to begin with (the input buffer chokes the signal right off the bat). The Boss GE7 def does not like the hot signal.

IMO/IME, there are other issues other than the level (which ime MUST be boosted back up for the amp to sound right). Not only does it need to be boosted back up but it needs to be identical to the signal coming out of the Send. Anything less changes the base tone of the amp. The loop is before the tone stack and master volumes so the Send level is dependant on preamp gain which is rarely the same for both channels. If for example you're trying to get a clean tone then the preamp gain is low and master is high to compensate. But the lead channel preamp gain is high with master set low. The levels just won't balance between channels the way the stock loop is.

The Black Box has a 25K pot in it. Use it to reduce the signal to your FX chain. If needed, use a boost or an EQ at the return end of the chain to get the return level where it sounds best for you. You can also experiment with a dual line mixer that passes dry signal back to the return and a wet signal mixed with it.