Mesa Road King 2 Effects Loop

[Treachery]

I finally graduated to a Road King 2 and i absolutely love it! I dialed into my tone with ease.

But i'm having an effects loop problem

I play with 2 pedals: 1- tube screamer ; 1 - MXR Carbon Copy delay pedal

I hook up the tube screamer in the usual fashion- amp is OK

I then hook up MXR Carbon Copy into the effects loop- the volume drops by about 3/4's! I understand that there will be a slight volume drop which can be compensated with the effects loop level but in this case, the volume drop is ridiculous. I lose all bottom end and it sounds as if i'm playing through a transistor radio.

Additionally, the reverb effect is only slight. I engage the reverb and the difference in sound is only slight even if i turn it up all the way.

As a troubleshooting step, i change the v5 tube with a spare JJ ECC83S that i have and i change the v6 tube to a Stovtek- No difference. The change the v4 tube with another spare JJ ECC83S - No difference in reverb.

The effects loop is engaged in back and Loop 1 is active. All the other Loops are turned off. Without anything in the effects loop, the amp is working ok. When i hookup the MXR pedal, the amp goes into what i call "transistor radio" mode. Adjusting the Master & Output has no effect in regards to increasing volume.

I'm leaning towards the MXR Carbon Copy being defective... or maybe replacement tubes are incorrect?

What other delay pedal in the 200-250 dollar range would work with a RKII v2

Help will be appreciated.

Thanks

[javert]

Hmm, that does sound odd. I've never had any problems with the effect loops in my Road King II. I've used the loops for my G-System and G-Major 2 and both worked fine. I'm not sure I ever used any pedals with it.

The reverb in mine doesn't work, and I'm not sure why. I was this way when I got it. Like you, I tried changing the tube but it didn't resolve the matter. There's a month long waiting list for the only guy who fixes tube amps around here, so I haven't gotten around to talking to him.

[Hellbat]

Is there any change in tone in the loop if you jumper it? Have any other pedals you can try in there? Set the amp clean and try the carbon copy in front and see if you get a tone drop there.

[toejam]

Definitely try the Carbon Copy in front of the amp. It's actually one of the delay pedals that sounds really great in front of an amp, and I haven't even tried it in the loops of any of my amps yet.

[rattlehead74]

Mine isn't a road king. I have a dual roadster, I use a boss dd7 in the loop without any problem. Does you road king have a series / parallel switch? Would switching that make a difference? Is your delay pedal hook up backwards, could explain the transistor type sound. have you tried it with the mesa foot switch disconnected?

[javert]

I wonder if it's a line vs. signal level thing? Try what Hellbat suggested, that should show if there's something wrong with the loop.