Redplate loop levels question

[Tone Loco]

This is about Henry's non MDD type amps, I have a BlackTweed which I believe has the same loop as the BlackVerb.

I'm wondering what the "neutral" position of the FX send and return are. Is it straight up for both? It seems like you can get about the same volume with stuff in the loop by having a cooler send and hotter return or vice versa but I'm assuming that that also colors the sound. Like a hot send with a low return would compress it somewhat? Is that true? I guess I don't really get the buffering in there either. It seems like a couple pedals I put in there are adding a noticeable amount of noise (at least at home) and I wonder if there's some way of understanding the loop and its buffering that will make it easy for me to clear it up. And also to use it without anything in there to shape the clean and OD sounds.

 

[stelligan]

Like a hot send with a low return would compress it somewhat? Is that true?

Yes

I run my loop with the send hotter than the return to get a hair of gain out of that stage. I also use the loop defeat to gauge how much overall volume I add to the amp. I like the loop in to be just a little hotter than without. Note that you can use the loop as a secondary master to get gain tones at bedroom levels. Try getting some very gainy tones - then turn the return down to the level you want in house/bedroom.

Regarding hiss, etc. with pedals. Probably the gain structure of what you are using. I never use anything in the loop without a parallel function. It solves that problem.

Cheers

 

[Tone Loco]

Yes

I never use anything in the loop without a parallel function.

Can you give me an example?

Is that mini thing that Suhr makes a way to do that with regular pedals or effect that don't have a "parallel" mode or whatever it is?

 

[seeker]

If I recall the lockable send level on the back of the amp was set at 3 , I think . Henry mentioned thet "unity " gain was at noon on the FX return level. I chose to lower the send level a bit to lower my overall volume, but I think it really depends on what you're running in the loop. I have a Pigtronix Echolution---> Lexicon Reverb stereo out (which has an output level pot to control overall volume a bit)to the MDD and a Fender SS . There's no noticeable hiss.

H

 

[brads]

If I recall the lockable send level on the back of the amp was set at 3 , I think . Henry mentioned thet "unity " gain was at noon on the FX return level. I chose to lower the send level a bit to lower my overall volume, but I think it really depends on what you're running in the loop. I have a Pigtronix Echolution---> Lexicon Reverb stereo out (which has an output level pot to control overall volume a bit)to the MDD and a Fender SS . There's no noticeable hiss.

H

Actually, that 2.5 to 3 setting was for the later lockable set screw send version only. On the earlier amps where it was a knob, unity send was noon if I remember correctly.

 

[stelligan]

Can you give me an example?

Is that mini thing that Suhr makes a way to do that with regular pedals or effect that don't have a "parallel" mode or whatever it is?

Yes, Suhr MiniMix, Xotic X-Blender, Lehle Parallel..... Some effects like Rocktron Xpression & Intellifex have an analog signal pass through with effects paralleled. TC Electronic 2290.