Buffer pedals. You NEED one.

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psychodave
psychodave
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So a while back I really got into buffer pedals. I did a ton of research and learned how much I needed one. I typically use 20-30 foot cables to my amp (20 foot into my pedals, 10 foot to the amp). I always knew the cables were causing a little high end loss, but I just adjusted the amp to compensate. After learning about buffers, not only do they help restore the high end, they also help everything feel better. I go into a buffer, out to any pedals, then into another buffer which goes to my amps input. I use one in the loop as well. Now you are probably thinking you don’t need one since your pedal has a buffer already or your pedals are true bypass, well you’d be wrong since buffering both the input and output are necessary for both the feel and signal loss. Don’t believe me, go read up on it. You’ll be surprised…just like I was.

I ended up liking the Cornish LD-1 circuit the most (I have an Empress buffer+, MXR buffer, a cheap Chinese buffer, etc) So I found a circuit board from Fuzzdog and built my own.

If you don’t want to build your own, have Griff here on RT make you one. You can thank me later. Haha

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Pete Cornish buffers are the absolute best. Been using them for over 25 years now.
When I had a recording studio in Brazil, I had to do long run of instrument cables all the time, and never had a single issue with tone degradation or RF, thanks to Cornish buffers.
A good friend asked me to help him out with his pedalboard recently, but he didn't spend the money for the Cornish buffers, so he decided to get a Mesa High-Wire. Tho not as transparent and efficient as the Cornish, it made a huge improvement on his pedalboard. Night and day difference.
 
I usually plug directly into the amp with a 10 foot cable.

But if I use pedals I usually have my Peterson tuner first. I like the buffer in it.
 
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psychodave said:
So a while back I really got into buffer pedals. I did a ton of research and learned how much I needed one. I typically use 20-30 foot cables to my amp (20 foot into my pedals, 10 foot to the amp). I always knew the cables were causing a little high end loss, but I just adjusted the amp to compensate. After learning about buffers, not only do they help restore the high end, they also help everything feel better. I go into a buffer, out to any pedals, then into another buffer which goes to my amps input. I use one in the loop as well. Now you are probably thinking you don’t need one since your pedal has a buffer already or your pedals are true bypass, well you’d be wrong since buffering both the input and output are necessary for both the feel and signal loss. Don’t believe me, go read up on it. You’ll be surprised…just like I was.

I ended up liking the Cornish LD-1 circuit the most (I have an Empress buffer+, MXR buffer, a cheap Chinese buffer, etc) So I found a circuit board from Fuzzdog and built my own.

If you don’t want to build your own, have Griff here on RT make you one. You can thank me later. Haha

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Why the buffer in the loop ? The signal is already high level low impedance out of the amp’s preamp section, no ?
 
SBlue said:
Pete Cornish buffers are the absolute best. Been using them for over 25 years now.
When I had a recording studio in Brazil, I had to do long run of instrument cables all the time, and never had a single issue with tone degradation or RF, thanks to Cornish buffers.
A good friend asked me to help him out with his pedalboard recently, but he didn't spend the money for the Cornish buffers, so he decided to get a Mesa High-Wire. Tho not as transparent and efficient as the Cornish, it made a huge improvement on his pedalboard. Night and day difference.
Click to expand...
The Mesa High-Wire, Empress Buffer and Buffer+ (along with the Suhr and a small few others) are quality units, but like you, I like the Cornish buffer design a lot (transistor buffer). Using the JHS switchback pedal, I was able to instantly switch between multiple buffers and the Cornish design just seems to feel better. Sound wise, the were all so close although opamp buffers seems to have a clinical sound and feel.
 
paulyc said:
Why the buffer in the loop ? The signal is already high level low impedance out of the amp’s preamp section, no ?
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Depends on the loop, but once you go into any pedal or unit, what is the impedance at that point going back into the amp?

The Cameron CCV loop is an insert loop. Worked great, but even with using a simple delay with the shortest of cables (like less than 6 inches total), the high end was chopped quite a bit. Going into and out of a buffer solved this issue. This is why Dumble invented the Dumblator. It's basically a buffer for the loop.
 
stephen sawall said:
I usually plug directly into the amp with a 10 foot cable.

But if I use pedals I usually have my Peterson tuner first. I like the buffer in it.
Click to expand...
I have a Peterson Tuner first as well. Wondering if I need one for the loop though.
 
The spots that usually lack good buffering are the last pedal before going to the amp, and the last pedal before returning to the amp's return in the loop.

More often than not you will have a pedal near the front that has a good input buffer to provide a load for passive pickups. It does not have to be the first pedal because you can go into your tuner and/or wah first then into a buffered input pedal. Even most noise reduction pedals like an NS-2 will have a fine input buffer.

It's those last-in-line pedals that often don't have a quality output buffer to drive long cables. For the front-end I use a TC bonified last before going to the amp, and in the loop I use a TC reverb with the buffer engaged in the final position before sending to the amp's return.

If you do use noise reducer in the 4-cable method then it will be first at the front and serve as the input buffer, but when you return to it in the loop you will still need something with a very low output impedance (100ohm) after it to serve as the cable driver before the amp's return.
 
Firm believer in buffers. I used the JHS buffer (1in, 2out) for the longest time. About a year ago I started using the Fortin Spliff because it has 1in, 3outs plus a tuner out. That allows me to split off to several places without swinging cables.
 
My Boss ES-8 has been a god send since I started using an Amp Switcher ..... you have to run sooooooo much cable .

With the ES-8 I can turn the input buffer on or off per patch .... the same for the output buffer .....

thing with buffers is ..... they can really mess with Fuzzes and certain old school modulation effects .... sucks when you can't implement a vintage Flanger in your current signal chain because the buffer you need to run amplfies the Clock in the Flanger ....... tick ... tick ... tick .... tick ....

but if you're running all true bypass pedals ..... a decent buffer will change your world !!!

on the flip side .... if you have something with a buffer in it ... in your loop ... and something that has one in your front end ..... you're " usually " good
 
You can power an actual LD-1 (maybe yours too, idk) with voltages from 9 - 24V. I’ve tried them all in 3V increments. Paradoxically, while it retains a transparent vibe with all, every voltage setting sounds slightly different. Warmer, rounder at 9 and gradually becoming more hifi and airy at 24V
 
Agree. I figured this out yrs ago. That’s why I always have an SD1 on my board even with amps that don’t need it. I like the Boss buffers.
 
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in my 2 preamp rack i use the GCX gtr in buffer to feed the ie4 and take the second passive thru of the GCX into this for the syn 2.

on my pedalboard the Rivera EM1 loop switcher has a variable level buffer/boost input, and i have a chase secret pre on the output.
 
griff10672 said:
thing with buffers is ..... they can really mess with Fuzzes and certain old school modulation effects .... sucks when you can't implement a vintage Flanger in your current signal chain because the buffer you need to run amplfies the Clock in the Flanger ....... tick ... tick ... tick .... tick ....
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I have no issues with my vintage MXR Flanger (from like 1975) or my MXR micro Chorus while using my buffer.
 
itsme said:
Agree. I figured this out yrs ago. That’s why I always have an SD1 on my board even with amps that don’t need it. I like the Boss buffers.
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Yep. I realized long ago with my 72 Marshall, that somehow by keeping the SD1 on my board, unused, it sounded much better than when I pulled it out. Like night and day better.
 
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