Using pedals in front of a high-gain amp

[Orvillain]

Heya,

This is my board currently:

Like a lot of people, I just use all my pedals into the front of my high-gain amp. This goes for delays and reverbs as well. Because I like the sound. I also like having delay and reverb trails.

What I don't especially dig is the raised noise-floor. Which is particularly prevalent with digital effects in front of the amp. So I'm looking at the Fractal FX8 to replace all of this because it is supposed to be designed with transparency and low noise in mind. But I'm also keeping my options open, as anyone should I suppose!

But I'm really wondering.. people have been doing this throughout the history of guitar amps. Look at bands like Tool and Karnivool. Their guitarists just go straight into the front of their high-gain metal amps too. Do most guitarists just put up with this noise or do they know something I don't???

A noise-gate will cure it to some extent, but it also runs the risk of killing my delay and reverb trails. So it isn't ideal. Am I missing something, or do we all just tolerate additional noise from our digital pedals?

Or do most people just put them in the loop? I gotta say.. every single time I've tried it... I've not really liked it. I like my delays and reverbs to be distorted by my amps preamp.

 

[baron55]

Pedals usually don't add noise. What happens is when using a daisy chain power supply or a non isolated power supply the digital pedal grounds and analog pedal grounds will give you noise due to ground loop issues. Using a power supply with isolated outputs is a must with any pedal board.

 

[Orvillain]

Pedals usually don't add noise. What happens is when using a daisy chain power supply or a non isolated power supply the digital pedal grounds and analog pedal grounds will give you noise due to ground loop issues. Using a power supply with isolated outputs is a must with any pedal board.

Yeah I've got a Pedal Power 2+ but my Boss DD7's add noise. Even if I just use one of them. I assume it's because of their buffers.

 

[halebox]

put delay after noise gate for trails. experiment where you put noise gate with drive pedals

 

[Orvillain]

put delay after noise gate for trails. experiment where you put noise gate with drive pedals

I don't use any drive pedals. I use a three channel amp, and each gain channel has it's own footswitchable boost.

 

[NoiseUnderTheFloor]

Maybe I'm missing something, but how would putting your delay or reverb in the loop effect the trails?

 

[NaturalBornBoy]

Maybe I'm missing something, but how would putting your delay or reverb in the loop effect the trails?

This.

I've ever only used delay in fx loops and I still have trails.

 

[Orvillain]

Maybe I'm missing something, but how would putting your delay or reverb in the loop effect the trails?

Never said it would mate. I just don't like the sound of post-distortion delay and reverb. I like them to be distorted by the amp. And putting them in the loop wouldn't do that.

It's the noise-gate that would affect the trails.

 

[NoiseUnderTheFloor]

Maybe I'm missing something, but how would putting your delay or reverb in the loop effect the trails?

Never said it would mate. I just don't like the sound of post-distortion delay and reverb. I like them to be distorted by the amp. And putting them in the loop wouldn't do that.

It's the noise-gate that would affect the trails.

Ok, gotcha. I'm that way with flangers or phasers, don't like them post distortion. I always wondered how Adam from Tool got that particular delay sound...guess that explains it, pre distortion.

 

[Orvillain]

Maybe I'm missing something, but how would putting your delay or reverb in the loop effect the trails?

Never said it would mate. I just don't like the sound of post-distortion delay and reverb. I like them to be distorted by the amp. And putting them in the loop wouldn't do that.

It's the noise-gate that would affect the trails.

Ok, gotcha. I'm that way with flangers or phasers, don't like them post distortion.

Yeah me too!

 

[moltenmetalburn]

delay sounds awful in the front IMO.

 

[thenine]

loop only for delay for me

 

[Racerxrated]

Yeah loop for me as well. If you use a decimator for instance, you can get good delay trails in the loop..and if you use a boost pedal in the loop for gain you might get that distortion that you like when you run the delay out front?

 

[TrueTone500]

Delays do generally sound like ass pre-distortion. I've found over the years, that an EP2/EP3 tape echo actually sounds great pre-distortion, as long as you keep the repeat level to a minimum, and drive the amp with the EP2/EP3 preamp... This is how a lot of players ran them before the dark era of MV amplifiers.

 

[cardinal]

I run my delays up front because my amps either have no loop or the loop they do have is horrible. But I don't think the delay is adding any "noise"?

 

['63-Strat]

Yep, EJ running his echoplex before his tube driver sounds awful. Not.

 

[halebox]

I like delay both ways as its a different effect. I think analog slap back sounds better in front and the long deep dreamy stuff better in loop. I never used loops until recently and then I put my delay in there and finally heard that awesome deep delay sound I could never get in front of amp.

 

[petejt]

I like delay in front of a high gain amp. However I don't shred...

 

[petejt]

Back in response to the noise issue- I guess you need to check your cables and connections in case something is loose, including the guitar jack. Seems obvious but that could be an issue.

 

[Orvillain]

Hate the sound of delay in front of high gain amps. Disgusting.

delay sounds awful in the front IMO.

Delays do generally sound like ass pre-distortion.

Are you guys a fan of post-rock or post-metal guitar sounds? If you are, then you probably do like delay in front of high-gain amps. It just depends on how you dial them in.

But then again, I would like to see him try that on the third channel of a 5150III...

You're a Diezel guy. Have you heard Adam Jones from Tool? He runs his delay in front of the 3rd channel on his VH4. Sounds pretty fucking good to me!

Citation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hPnebOrTx0

Again, it's just about how you dial it in.

Back in response to the noise issue- I guess you need to check your cables and connections in case something is loose, including the guitar jack. Seems obvious but that could be an issue.

Nah it's definitely pedal specific. I'll do a video later today to demonstrate.