Can I Insert other pedals/gear?

[jshirkey]

This has to have been covered somewhere already, but I haven't found it yet. My apologies in advance.

Can I insert any other gear, whether it's a pedal or two, or another piece of rack gear, into the FX8? I realize it doesn't have a send/return loop. But I was wondering if one of the other relay/pedal jacks would allow you to insert additional fx/gear.

Thanks.

 

[chris]

relay and pedal jacks do not process audio.

just put the other gear in-line like you would with any other pedal.

what are you trying to do specifically?

 

[DavidE]

This has to have been covered somewhere already, but I haven't found it yet. My apologies in advance.

Can I insert any other gear, whether it's a pedal or two, or another piece of rack gear, into the FX8? I realize it doesn't have a send/return loop. But I was wondering if one of the other relay/pedal jacks would allow you to insert additional fx/gear.

Thanks.

Because there's no built in separate effects loop and block that would let you insert a pedal anywhere in your chain, you'll be limited to putting outboard effects before the FX8 (before the FX8's pre-effects), at the FX8 send before it hits the amp's effects loop (after the FX8's pre effects), after the amp's effects loop and before the signal returns to the FX8 (after the amp's preamp and before the FX8's loop effects) or at the very end of the chain after the FX8 output that heads back to the effects loop return on the amp (after the last FX8 loop effect).

 

[jshirkey]

relay and pedal jacks do not process audio.

just put the other gear in-line like you would with any other pedal.

what are you trying to do specifically?

There are a couple of other pedals that I would ideally like to have in my rig, and perhaps one other piece of rack gear for some highly specialized sounds. I wish there was an fx send/return on the FX8 to accommodate additional effects. That's the only downside to the FX8, as I see it.

 

[chris]

treat the FX8 just like any other pedal without FX Loops. in fact, the separate Pre and Post sections are almost just like an Effects loop. what would a Loop do for you on the FX8?

 

[jshirkey]

treat the FX8 just like any other pedal without FX Loops. in fact, the separate Pre and Post sections are almost just like an Effects loop. what would a Loop do for you on the FX8?

Okay, so, I'd just run everything in series like any other fx chain?

What I was thinking a loop could do (and I'm sure you'll tell me if I'm wrong) is allow me to place additional fx in the overall fx chain in the order I wished. If I wanted to put a favorite drive pedal in front of the FX8, is its signal going through A/D and then D/A converters before going out to the amp? That doesn't seem ideal, if so. But it's quite possible I don't know what I'm talking about.

If I wanted to add a time-based effect, I guess the best way to do that is to run out from the FX8 to the input of that pedal, and then on to my amp (or to other fx)?

Let's try a different approach. If you had a few pedals that you wanted to include in an FX8 rig, where would you place the FX8 in that chain? Would its placement matter all that much?

Thanks.

 

[chris]

Let's try a different approach. If you had a few pedals that you wanted to include in an FX8 rig, where would you place the FX8 in that chain? Would its placement matter all that much?

Thanks.

exactly how you just mentioned

i wouldn't worry about the AD/DA conversion, just watch your levels. try it

 

[DavidE]

treat the FX8 just like any other pedal without FX Loops. in fact, the separate Pre and Post sections are almost just like an Effects loop. what would a Loop do for you on the FX8?

A loop with the ability to place that loop anywhere in the chain has a lot of appeal. Let's say you have a synth effect, mod effect or delay effect that you want in the loop but after other mods and before reverb, having the additional loop would allow you to place your outboard effect in the middle of the FX8 post effects. Or you could put an effect anywhere in the pre chain.

 

[GMGM]

(someone suggested this an earlier post when someone else asked the same question)

Based on that advice, I've done this...

Guitar > Input of FX8
Out (Pre) on FX8 > external pedal input
external pedal output > In (Post) on FX8
Out (Post) on FX8 > amp input
*I set this up as 6 pre and 2 post effects in the routing

I did this so I could have some wah & modulation effects that got routed out into my Klon KTR and then back in for a reverb and delay before going back out to the amp input. When I bought the FX8, my intention was to insert some overdrive pedals into the FX8 somewhere between the effects blocks. But I only had the FX8 for a few days before it occurred to me that the drive block sounded better than any external pedal I wanted to use. So it's FX8 for everything now.

 

[jshirkey]

A loop with the ability to place that loop anywhere in the chain has a lot of appeal. Let's say you have a synth effect, mod effect or delay effect that you want in the loop but after other mods and before reverb, having the additional loop would allow you to place your outboard effect in the middle of the FX8 post effects. Or you could put an effect anywhere in the pre chain.

Exactly. I'm not saying it's a deal breaker that the FX8 doesn't do this, but, for me, having those kind of additional routing options would have been ideal. I'm still about to order mine, though--I think. Just trying to decide whether or not to pull the trigger on it. If I do, I'll be selling a really, really nice pedal board that is loaded with nice stuff + a MIDI controller, etc. Kind of hard for me to let go of it, but the FX8 would take up a lot less space, and it should be able to do just about everything the board does.

 

[jshirkey]

Because there's no built in separate effects loop and block that would let you insert a pedal anywhere in your chain, you'll be limited to putting outboard effects before the FX8 (before the FX8's pre-effects), at the FX8 send before it hits the amp's effects loop (after the FX8's pre effects), after the amp's effects loop and before the signal returns to the FX8 (after the amp's preamp and before the FX8's loop effects) or at the very end of the chain after the FX8 output that heads back to the effects loop return on the amp (after the last FX8 loop effect).

I would assume that would cover most applications. Has it worked out for you, or are there limitations that you wish weren't there?

 

[DavidE]

I would assume that would cover most applications. Has it worked out for you, or are there limitations that you wish weren't there?

I haven't had the desire to add an outboard pedal, but I might and that will be interesting. I think the Helix does have the multiple loops and capability to add the loops anywhere in the chain, so that adds to its appeal. But the FX8 sounds so good.