To loop or not to loop

[lynchfan6]

Here's a thread where I hope to get everyone's thoughts on effect placement. FOr the last year, I have been using a "slave " power amp along with my Soldano SLO100 to drive the effects via a TC electronic gmajor. I would run the SLO dry into half of my cab, and then use the slave out into the TC and then into an ADA power amp and into the other half of my cab. However, recently, I went back to just putting the Gmajor back into the loop (a series loop), and I find that I think I like it better. THe effects are more "alive " sounding, and I find no tone degradation. What are people's thoughts on this? Do you use your effects loop, or do you think that sending your preamp signal into a digital effects unit is bad news? All I know is that it was quite a hassle to run a slave amp, (more wires, having to mic the cab twice, trying to find a balance between levels, etc.....and any dry sound going through the ADA sounded bad, not the same tone as the SLO) and I was never entirely happy with the sound balance. But it seems a lot of pros did it that way, and everyone warns about how important it is not to send your preamp signal through all of that processing. But I think it sounded more "sterile" using the slave method. At least that's how I feel today.

[jgcable]

There is no need to slave an amp that has an effects loop unless its not loud enough (or too loud).
Pro's do it that way because they can drive multiple cabinets with seperate slaved power amps. If you are playing arena's with a full crew of roadies... by all means, go for it.
If you are just playing 1000 seat and under clubs you don't need to slave an SLO100.

[Soloist1]

I haven't used, and probably won't, any digital effects in the loop of my SLO. I do use a analog reverb unit in the loop however. And it works great. No difference in volume or tone, with the exception of the reverb effect of course, that I can hear. If the G Major sounds good in the loop by all means just go with that. You wouldn't be the first person that I have heard that has had success with that particular unit in the SLO's loop.

[hippietim]

There is no need to slave an amp that has an effects loop unless its not loud enough (or too loud).
Pro's do it that way because they can drive multiple cabinets with seperate slaved power amps. If you are playing arena's with a full crew of roadies... by all means, go for it.
If you are just playing 1000 seat and under clubs you don't need to slave an SLO100.

john, it's not just about volume. running your effects in a seperate amp/cab is really a great sound. a wet/dry rig is very cool. you preserve your fundamental tone 100% and run your effect amp/cab with the effects 100% wet. the only problem is if you want no 100% dry signal - this is where a good switcher solves the problem.

[jgcable]

john, it's not just about volume. running your effects in a seperate amp/cab is really a great sound. a wet/dry rig is very cool. you preserve your fundamental tone 100% and run your effect amp/cab with the effects 100% wet. the only problem is if you want no 100% dry signal - this is where a good switcher solves the problem.

I hear you Tim but using a set up like that is pretty complicated and a pain in the ass to set up and transport. He shouldn't have any problem with putting a G-Major in the loop of an SLO. The G-Major steps on the fundamental tone a little but not enough to matter IMHO.

[Twisteramps]

Don't forget though it depends on how good the fx loop is too, not just the device you're putting in there. The SLO fx loop isn't that great, but it just depends on how picky he is.

I've thought about running a wet/dry setup in the same cab to avoid fx loop issues with my SLO clone - run a poweramp on one side with fx, and the other side dry. But I do use a few fx in the GT8 like whammy that would need to be in both sides, otherwise it would be pretty weird sounding.

Pete

[hippietim]

Don't forget though it depends on how good the fx loop is too, not just the device you're putting in there. The SLO fx loop isn't that great, but it just depends on how picky he is.

I've thought about running a wet/dry setup in the same cab to avoid fx loop issues with my SLO clone - run a poweramp on one side with fx, and the other side dry. But I do use a few fx in the GT8 like whammy that would need to be in both sides, otherwise it would be pretty weird sounding.

Pete

that's where a routing switcher really rules. you can control wet/dry vs. stereo vs. dual mono at will. i use the sound sculpture switchblade.

[lynchfan6]

Why do you say the SLO loop is not very good? Everything about this amp is supposed to be top notch. Is it because the loop is not very versatile? It works well with rack effects, and I like how the preamp signal is sent out before hitting the tone section, unlike the Marshalls I had where it seemed the loop came not only after the preamp drive but also after the tone section.

[markD]

i use and prefer a wet dry setup. but the way my rig is routed makes it very simple. i use a rivera s-120, which is a stereo head (2 60 watt power amps) with a stereo (mono send stereo return) fx loop. i split the signal in my rack unit so the uneffected signal goes to power amp 1 and the effected signal goes to power amp 2. i run seperate cabs from each power amp and get a HUGE sound. the rivera effects loop is really nice, though.

before, when i was only using a rivera m-100, i did use a seperate rivera hammer 120 power amp to slave my wet signal. in that rig i used the line out from the rivera into my effects signal, then from the effects to the power amp. it sounded better than running the effects in the loop, even though the rivera loop is really nice.

that rig was a hassle to move around, but simple to set up.

the big difference between me and most guitarists though, is i use small cabs. a pair of river 1x12's with EVM12Ls and a rivera 2x10 cab with EVM 10s. so each power amp gets a 12 and a 10. it sounds huge without needing to lug a 4x12 (or two).