Combo amp w/Eff Loop routing ?

C

Cam

Inspired
Forgive me if I've missed a post on this but I've been through toooo many posts and can't find the answer.

I want to hook the AFX to an amp with an effects loop. I can control the amps 3 channels via midi and I'll have several IA switches set up. I'd like comp, drive, etc routed to the front of the amp... delays, reverbs, etc routed to the effects loop of the amp.

Can someone briefly explain the connection/routing in the AFX to accomplish this... Java???? you seem to be the resident expert...

Again sorry if this has been covered and if it has you can't point me to the post and I'll go from there.

THanks!
 
In your owner's manual have a look at the following.
The Effects: Effects Loop/Aux Out
and
Tips And Tricks:

Guit > Axe In 1 > Axe Out 2 (Effects Loop Send) > Amp Input > Amp FX Loop Out (aka Preamp Out) > Axe Input 2 (Effects Loop Return) > Axe Out 1 > Amp Effects Return (aka Power Amp In)
 
I've got the cable connects Ok it's just the routing in the AFX I'm confused about. When I switch to channel 2 on the amp, I have effects but it's like I'm running only to the power amp... hardly any gain... same with channel 3. When I bypass the Fx Loop of the amp... vola... there's the gains and output. This leads me to believe I have the routing incorrect...

I currently have:
> DLY > Chorus > FXL
> Comp > Drive >>>>>>>>>>> Output
 
Cam said:
I've got the cable connects Ok it's just the routing in the AFX I'm confused about. When I switch to channel 2 on the amp, I have effects but it's like I'm running only to the power amp... hardly any gain... same with channel 3. When I bypass the Fx Loop of the amp... vola... there's the gains and output. This leads me to believe I have the routing incorrect...

I currently have:
> DLY > Chorus > FXL
> Comp > Drive >>>>>>>>>>> Output
Click to expand...

If it works OK in Channel 1 of your amp but not OK in Channels 2 and 3 of your amp then there may be something different about the way your amp has the effects loop wired for those channels.
What amp are you using?
Maybe it's got a parallel FX loop. Some Mesas have parallel FX loops. Settings for a parallel loop would get more complicated than what we've been talking about and I'd have to bow out due to lack of experience with parallel FX loops..

Or, if it's just a gain thing and Channels 2 and 3 are your hi-gain channels and Channel 1 is your clean channel, then you're probably not driving the front of your amp hard enough from the Axe's FX Loop Out.
Try turning up the Volume knob on the Axe's Out 2, or adjusting the output level of the FX Loop Block.

You need to set the Axe up so that the level coming out of the Out 2 jacks is about equal to the level you would get straight out of your guitar.

What did you say you were using to change the channels on your amp?
If it involves some sort of MIDI command, then maybe the Axe is also reacting to that command in a way that you're not intending it to. Make sure the Axe is on a different MIDI channel from the one that your amp is responding to.

Just guesses.
Good luck.
 
OK, I'm using the Mesa Mark 5 ( serial Eff Loop ). I've got guitar to front input of the AFX. Left Output 2 ( Eff Send ) to the Return of the Mesa. Mesa FXS to the Input 2 ( FXR ) of the AFX. Left Output unbalanced of the AFX to the INput of the Mesa.

In the AFX, I have the levels of the FXL pretty cranked.. almost to the Max... Level 2 is +20 dB if I remember and the Output is almost to the top... going from yesterday's memory on this. The front Output 2 is almost all the way to the right .... up almost all the way. Right now I'm using the foot controller of the Mesa to change amp channels... just got this yesterday... eventually I'll Amp Gizmo it to change the amp channels.
 
Well i think I see the prob... which doesn't makes sense to me. My Output 2 is going to the Return of the FXL of the Mesa and should be going to the Input of the Mesa according to AFX Diagrams... I'll try that but it doesn't makes sense... Output 2 is the EFX Send... logically that seems it should go to the Amp's Return!!?? Still not sure how arrange the effects in the AFX's Layout though... can someone comment on this?
 
Cam said:
Well i think I see the prob... which doesn't makes sense to me. My Output 2 is going to the Return of the FXL of the Mesa and should be going to the Input of the Mesa according to AFX Diagrams... I'll try that but it doesn't makes sense... Output 2 is the EFX Send... logically that seems it should go to the Amp's Return!!?? Still not sure how arrange the effects in the AFX's Layout though... can someone comment on this?
Click to expand...

Now you've got it.

You want to use the Axe's stomp-box-like effects (wah, compressor, overdrive, etc.) *before* the input of your combo amp.
So in the Axe's Layout place the Effects Loop Block after the stomp-box-like blocks.
Place your time-based effects (chorus, delay, reverb, etc.) after the Effects Loop Block which will place them *after* your combo amp's preamp.

Guit > Axe In 1 > Axe Out 2 (Axe's Effects Send) > Combo Input > Combo FX Send > Axe In 2 > Axe Out 1 > Combo FX Return.

From the Axe's point-of-view your combo's preamp is an extra effect that needs to be put in the Axe's loop.
From your combo's POV the Axe is two multi-effects units, one of which is in front of its preamp, the other is in its effects loop.
 
Got it working!!! Man it's trickey getting all the levels to balance in all the different places!!! Thanks again!
 
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