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Clean boost in the FX Loop?


opultaM

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Are there any weird things to consider if I want to put a clean boost in my FX Loop (i.e., after the preamp)? I just want a volume boost for certain high-gain parts, so putting the boost in front of the preamp won't help that at all; it would just increase the gain. If I put it in the loop then I'm boosting the signal to the power amp, which in theory should increase volume, not gain, right? The loop's wired in series so I can't see why this wouldn't work.

 

Maybe you can?

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I would worry slightly about overdriving your power amp, which isn't something you necessarily want to do (depends on your amp, some are fine, some don't like it, and some people actually want to overdrive the power amp. I don't think it sounds good or is really a good idea). What you would probably find just as effective is putting a signal pad in your loop. When it's on the power amp is getting less sound, and when it's off it gets the full/normal sound. You'll have to turn up your final volume knob up to where you want it for the loudest parts, then adjust the pad to the volume you want your regular volume things to be.

 

It's sort of a backwards approach, but it really just needs a Pot and a switch. I use one in my amp so my volume knob is more usable on my amp, because normally the usable volume is between .5 and .75. I basically wire up a pot the same way as a guitar volume knob in the effects loop to cut down the overall volume, and my usable volume knob range is now 2-9 or whatever depending on how much I "pad" the signal going through the effects loop.

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people do this all the time. there are a few things to consider. the main being not to drive the power amp too hard. the second being that the fx loop typically is a line level signal, so effects pedals can add noise if theyre set for instrument level

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Good points, thanks. I had considered both of these and am glad you have raised. I don't plan on boosting very much at all, just a slight volume increase to cut a bit, but point taken that I could possibly damage my Mesa F100 by boosting too much in the FX Loop. Could I use something like an EQ pedal to cut the volume in the same manner? I realize the line/instrument level could pose an issue, but other than that, should be ok? I run my DD-20 in the loop, and that has the switch for line/instrument, so I'll see what I have that set for.

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What you would probably find just as effective is putting a signal pad in your loop. When it's on the power amp is getting less sound, and when it's off it gets the full/normal sound. You'll have to turn up your final volume knob up to where you want it for the loudest parts, then adjust the pad to the volume you want your regular volume things to be.

 

 

while i've heard of people using boosts in their effects loop, this ^ is what i was going to suggest.

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while i've heard of people using boosts in their effects loop, this ^ is what i was going to suggest.

 

 

Yeah sounds like that may be my best bet, but I'm still concerned about the line/instrument level issue.

 

Plus, I just realized that my FX Loop Parallel, not Series like I thought. So now I'm thinking this may not work at all.

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It'll still work, and using an EQ to cut everything and leave it on normally and only turn it off for a "boost" would work just like I'm saying, but you could build your own anti-boost pedal for a few bucks with Radio Shack parts if you have the soldering and drilling know-how and tools. Hell, I'll build you one that has an LED and runs on a 9v battery. If you really want it I'll price out the parts and build it for you. Plastic enclosure would be pretty cheap, metal would be more of course.

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