fx loop question

M

macula56

Member
is the fx loop stricly for line level stuff? i wanted to see what an od pedal would sound like in it and it is all muffled and no real drive to speak of. cables are hooked up properly. is there something i am doing wrong here? any help appreciated, JMac.
 
It is optimized for line level but you can use it for drives (just not fuzzes - the generally don't like buffers before them).

You need to match your output 2 level with your guitar input level. If you hit the drive to hard on the input it will clip. You will then want to match the input 2 level w/ your input 1 level so you come back into the Axe-fx at the same level as input 1 when you have the drive bypassed.
 
thanks. tried that and it still sounds lousy. i think i will keep my dirt boxes up front where they belong.
 
in a traditional amp, fx loops are for pedals that maintain unity gain. Not sure about the AFX. OD pedals, distortion pedals, wah's etc. dont fall into the unity gain category. Just stick to modulation pedals like reverb, delay, chorus, etc. Dont even try a compressor pedal in there. :)
 
macula56 said:
thanks. tried that and it still sounds lousy. i think i will keep my dirt boxes up front where they belong.
Click to expand...

What pedals are you using? I had had success with many. What its your signal path in the effects matrix?
 
i decide to try my chandler delay. the delay works but it is very very muffled. when i bypass all my tone comes back. i am plugged from the left side of output 2 into the chandler and out of the chandler into input 2 left side. i tried going into the right side of output 2 and into the right side of input 2 and i get all the tone but zero effect. am i doing something wrong here? this is really frustrating. thanks for the help guys. JMac
 
macula56 said:
i decide to try my chandler delay. the delay works but it is very very muffled. when i bypass all my tone comes back. i am plugged from the left side of output 2 into the chandler and out of the chandler into input 2 left side. i tried going into the right side of output 2 and into the right side of input 2 and i get all the tone but zero effect. am i doing something wrong here? this is really frustrating. thanks for the help guys. JMac
Click to expand...

Where are you placing the fx loop in the chain of the axe-fx grid? What are you input and output 2 knobs set at? What is the input 2 setting of your axe-fx set to?
 
emperor_black said:
in a traditional amp, fx loops are for pedals that maintain unity gain. Not sure about the AFX. OD pedals, distortion pedals, wah's etc. dont fall into the unity gain category. Just stick to modulation pedals like reverb, delay, chorus, etc. Dont even try a compressor pedal in there. :)
Click to expand...

You can use these things fine. This isn't a tradition effects loop. You can place the loop anywhere in the chain. You just have to be very careful w/ your levels.
 
the loop is at the end. i am only using an amp block, reverb and fx loop.
input and output knobs set about 12 oclock. where do i find input 2 settings?
 
macula56 said:
the loop is at the end. i am only using an amp block, reverb and fx loop.
input and output knobs set about 12 oclock. where do i find input 2 settings?
Click to expand...

Your loop block should be before amp block for the drive. Just the same place you would put a drive in the real world.


The IO-Audio menu has the input 2 settings.
 
i am not using the drive. i am using the delay so i am putting it last. the only thing i see for input 2 is left only, L+R sum and stereo. i have tried all of those and it doesn't change anything.
 
macula56 said:
i am not using the drive. i am using the delay so i am putting it last. the only thing i see for input 2 is left only, L+R sum and stereo. i have tried all of those and it doesn't change anything.
Click to expand...

Don't know what to tell you? Try different cables?

Not too much. I and many others have use pedals and rack units in the loop w/o issue. I have an Eventide Eclipse in there right now. I have ran a switchblade, barber ltd, analogman modded ts-9, Butler Tube Driver, mxr classic fuzz (w/ buffer on), ADA Flanger, EHX Memory Man Delay, retro sonic chorus, EVH flanger. Foxrox octron, M16, Adrenalinn 3, Boss Dimension C chorus, and many others with great results.

All I did was:

Place an effect loop in the appropriate place in the Axe-fx effects grid. Wire up the pedal (mono pedal - output 2 left to pedal 2, pedal out to input 2 left)
Make sure that input and output setting were appropriate for the device (mono/stereo). If you are using a mono pedal use input 2 left and the set input 2 left to mono in the IO-Audio menu
Make sure you are not getting too hot or week a signal to the pedals or rack unit. It took me awhile to get output 2 just right to match the signal level that the guitar was putting in so the pedal would see the same signal strength whether it was directly plugged into the pedal or from output 2 to the pedal. Rack units, expecting a line level, are much easier.
Then I made sure that I got no boost or cut coming back in axe-fx by adjusting the input 2 until there was no volume difference between bypassing the loop and engaging the loop (w/ the real pedal bypassed).

That worked for me

One other thing to check, go to the Global menu - output 2. Make sure you don't have any cuts or boosts in global out 2
 
thanks for the help javajunkie. you sir, are a genius! it was indeed the global settings on out2. thanks again. JMac
 
indeed thanks again. now if i can solve my midi to usb issues i can finally start updating to 9.2 software and really start having fun. thanks again, JMac.
 
macula56 said:
indeed thanks again. now if i can solve my midi to usb issues i can finally start updating to 9.2 software and really start having fun. thanks again, JMac.
Click to expand...

Consider Midisport 2x2 Anniversary edition from M-Audio; worked for this newb.
 
i am waiting for a motu fastlane to arrive. i hope that will solve my problems. i was using a cheapo version that a few people were using here but the axe editor never saw the axefx.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom