ADA MP-1 Connections

[deakle]

I have an ADA MP-1 that I would like to connect to my Axe FX III but I am somewhat unsure what is the best method. Should I connect the outputs of the MP-1 to Input 3 and 4 on the Axe or use the Send and Receive of the MP-1 to Input 3 and Output 3 of the Axe?

 

[mistermikev]

lot of dif ways to skin a cat... for me... I use my axe fx with a number of dif preamps so I use an MB1 (I play gtr and bass and have an svt-iip, and triaxis, among others in my setup) on a mono send/ret (out from axefx 4R and return on axefx in 4R).

it is my observation that the down side to this is that in order to sound good I have to boost the front end of the mb1 and that means coming back in I have to cut down a lot of vol... or at least this is what sounds good to me. in my humble opinion, it is a slightly dif sound than going into the front of it direct and sending that ouput into something... but that is the nature of all rack gear. it does have the advantage then of being able to run the drive pedals of the axe fx into it... which opens it up to a lot more variety.

I have often also considered, instead of returning direct from the preamp to the axe fx, that I might send it to a power amp and then send the direct out of the power amp back to the axe fx. the downside being you have to have the pwr amp on to play it... and I sometimes enjoy going with just headphones.
going back to the axefx direct from the ada, I find that sometimes it sounds best with an axefx power amp simulation of some sort, then a cab... other times it seems to thrive with just some eq.

The send/rec on the mp1 is certainly one option but it has the downside of always being in the loop. there are so many great amps in the axe fx that imo will sound better w/o going thru the ada circuit. plus... the axe (AGAIN IMO and IME) is much quieter and I wouldn't want the noise from my ada in every patch. That said it is certainly a valid way to go.

hope something there helps!

 

[deakle]

lot of dif ways to skin a cat... for me... I use my axe fx with a number of dif preamps so I use an MB1 (I play gtr and bass and have an svt-iip, and triaxis, among others in my setup) on a mono send/ret (out from axefx 4R and return on axefx in 4R).

it is my observation that the down side to this is that in order to sound good I have to boost the front end of the mb1 and that means coming back in I have to cut down a lot of vol... or at least this is what sounds good to me. in my humble opinion, it is a slightly dif sound than going into the front of it direct and sending that ouput into something... but that is the nature of all rack gear. it does have the advantage then of being able to run the drive pedals of the axe fx into it... which opens it up to a lot more variety.

I have often also considered, instead of returning direct from the preamp to the axe fx, that I might send it to a power amp and then send the direct out of the power amp back to the axe fx. the downside being you have to have the pwr amp on to play it... and I sometimes enjoy going with just headphones.
going back to the axefx direct from the ada, I find that sometimes it sounds best with an axefx power amp simulation of some sort, then a cab... other times it seems to thrive with just some eq.

The send/rec on the mp1 is certainly one option but it has the downside of always being in the loop. there are so many great amps in the axe fx that imo will sound better w/o going thru the ada circuit. plus... the axe (AGAIN IMO and IME) is much quieter and I wouldn't want the noise from my ada in every patch. That said it is certainly a valid way to go.

hope something there helps!

Wow, does it ever! Thanks for the detailed response!

 

[Boomer]

lot of dif ways to skin a cat... for me... I use my axe fx with a number of dif preamps so I use an MB1 (I play gtr and bass and have an svt-iip, and triaxis, among others in my setup) on a mono send/ret (out from axefx 4R and return on axefx in 4R).

it is my observation that the down side to this is that in order to sound good I have to boost the front end of the mb1 and that means coming back in I have to cut down a lot of vol... or at least this is what sounds good to me. in my humble opinion, it is a slightly dif sound than going into the front of it direct and sending that ouput into something... but that is the nature of all rack gear. it does have the advantage then of being able to run the drive pedals of the axe fx into it... which opens it up to a lot more variety.

I have often also considered, instead of returning direct from the preamp to the axe fx, that I might send it to a power amp and then send the direct out of the power amp back to the axe fx. the downside being you have to have the pwr amp on to play it... and I sometimes enjoy going with just headphones.
going back to the axefx direct from the ada, I find that sometimes it sounds best with an axefx power amp simulation of some sort, then a cab... other times it seems to thrive with just some eq.

The send/rec on the mp1 is certainly one option but it has the downside of always being in the loop. there are so many great amps in the axe fx that imo will sound better w/o going thru the ada circuit. plus... the axe (AGAIN IMO and IME) is much quieter and I wouldn't want the noise from my ada in every patch. That said it is certainly a valid way to go.

hope something there helps!

What you may consider is a reamp box. It'll do the boost for you with a physical transformer converting the line level to instrument level. It sounds like plugging directly in my case.

A signal chain would follow Guitar -> Axe Fx Input 1 -> Axe Fx Output 4 Mono -> Reamp Box -> Preamp/Amplifier Input -> Loadbox (if using an amp otherwise skip) -> Axe Fx Input 4 Mono.

 

[DJD100]

I've never needed a ReAmp Box, just getting the FX Loop levels correct does the job IME.

Use In/Out 2, watch the send level if the preamp is expecting guitar level, and for clipping on the return.

If using IR's and/or a SS power amp, then...

For a tube power amp sim use the amp block post input 2 set to clean with input trim lowered and master trim raised, preamp sag off, null tonestack, cathode follower off, bias to taste, and your cab block (if not using a real guitar cab etc), and post fx post Input 2, pre FX pre Output 2.

I use a amp model related to the preamp of choice (Marshall with Marshall tube preamp etc), though you don't have to, and you can also try the Tube Pre if not wanting extra "color".

The goal is to have the preamp of the model as linear as possible since you can't really decouple it in the Axe.

I have done this since the Ultra with various tube preamps with great results, including my ADA MP-1 Channel.