Using amps line out for effects..

[lespaul6]

Can someone clarify exactly how the signal chain is supposed to go after the line out? I'm thinking line out> delay pedal etc> power amp- sound right? Ive heard there needs to be a mixer in there somewhere? is that true?

 

[FourT6and2]

No you have it right. Line Out/Slave Out into FX, into power amp, into cab.

 

[rstites]

This is correct. The mixer is optional.

The mixer allows you to retain your dry signal. You can then mix it with the delay effect. This is there so that your dry signal doesn't go through the delay's A/D, D/A conversion. For a W/D or W/D/W rig it's probably not that big of deal. It's a bigger deal if you're running through an effects loop, or if you're sending your amp to a dummy load and then running stereo effects out of the power amp.

Also, some effects units have analog dry pass-throughs w/ internal mixers. That's what the old Rocktron rack units were famous for and why they didn't "water down" the sound so much. Many of the higher end units pass all the signal through the unit and while they arguably have better effects, they tend to kill the dry tone.

 

[RedB4Black]

While you don't need a mixer, it sound's a lot better with one IMO.

 

[lespaul6]

Appreciate the replies!

 

[FourT6and2]

Help me understand why you need to preserve your dry signal with a W/D or W/D/W rig. Your original amp is 100% dry and running through its own cab. Isn't the Wet part of the rig supposed to be 100% wet? I mean... you already have your dry sound preserved. What am I missing here?

 

[Racerxrated]

Can someone clarify exactly how the signal chain is supposed to go after the line out? I'm thinking line out> delay pedal etc> power amp- sound right? Ive heard there needs to be a mixer in there somewhere? is that true?

Yes. But depending on the amp, you might be better off using a line out box instead of the amps line out. My 2C+ has a line out level that works great. But my JCM 800 line out sucks, very weak signal. I bought a Bray line out box for 50, works better than the stock line out on the Marshall. The Bray is similar to the Suhr but much cheaper.

 

[Anonymous]

Help me understand why you need to preserve your dry signal with a W/D or W/D/W rig. Your original amp is 100% dry and running through its own cab. Isn't the Wet part of the rig supposed to be 100% wet? I mean... you already have your dry sound preserved. What am I missing here?

No, your "wet" cabs need to have dry in them as well for the best mix of sound. Trust me, I've done both in my W/D/W rig and it sounds WAY better with dry mixed in the wet cabs, even with the center cab dry direct from the amp. The mixer was a huge improvement for me as it directly passes through the dry sound to the wet cabs. If you allow your effects to mix in the dry, you are going Analog -> Digital and then Digital-Analog conversion. Your dry signal is really washed out by this. W/D/W, with dry in the wet cabs delivered by a mixer is the ultimate to me and that is how I run now...

Steve

 

[FourT6and2]

Help me understand why you need to preserve your dry signal with a W/D or W/D/W rig. Your original amp is 100% dry and running through its own cab. Isn't the Wet part of the rig supposed to be 100% wet? I mean... you already have your dry sound preserved. What am I missing here?

No, your "wet" cabs need to have dry in them as well for the best mix of sound. Trust me, I've done both in my W/D/W rig and it sounds WAY better with dry mixed in the wet cabs, even with the center cab dry direct from the amp. The mixer was a huge improvement for me as it directly passes through the dry sound to the wet cabs. If you allow your effects to mix in the dry, you are going Analog -> Digital and then Digital-Analog conversion. Your dry signal is really washed out by this. W/D/W, with dry in the wet cabs delivered by a mixer is the ultimate to me and that is how I run now...

Steve

Thanks!