M4: What Kind of Loop(s)

[dfrattaroli]

What kind of loops are on the M4 and how many?

Thanks.

Dave

 

[Juggernaut]

none..........

 

[dfrattaroli]

So how do you use effects? I assume you'd be forced to use a power amp with a loop in it. Correct?

 

[aeroic]

So how do you use effects? I assume you'd be forced to use a power amp with a loop in it. Correct?

No. What i do is the following.

Guitar --> Wireless --> Dunlop Wah -- > Voodoo Labs Sparkle Drive / Proctavia --> Guitar input of my MPXG2 --> Preamp out of the MPXG2 --> input of the M4 --> Preamp return of the MPXG2 --> main outs of the MPXG2 --> VHT 2/90/2 power amp ins.

What that does is allow me to use the effects before the preamp in my MPXG2, and use delays after the preamp but before the power amp.

You really don't need any effects loop, because you can treat the connection between the output of your M4 and the input of your Power amp as the send and return of most amps. So w/o an efx processor you could do a setup similar to this.

Guitar --> Cable --> EFX before preamp (Wah, distortion, etc) --> Input of the M4 --> output of the M4 --> EFX in loop (delays, verbs, etc) --> power amp.

Hope that helps. Secondly, I run a Volume pedal right after the preamp so I can swell into the delays and verbs with a hot signal.

Hope that helps.

Eric

 

[dfrattaroli]

Thanks. That helps. Of course I'm an idiot and had a total brain fart asking that question in the first place.

Thanks

Dave

 

[EWSEthan]

Just to clarify: the set up Eric nicely described is basically equaivalent to a series loop. If you want a parallel loop you will need to insert a mixer (ala Suhr MiniMix).

 

[aeroic]

Just to clarify: the set up Eric nicely described is basically equaivalent to a series loop. If you want a parallel loop you will need to insert a mixer (ala Suhr MiniMix).

Yeah...good clarification. I meant to say that.. ...uh i mean it ...i did ...eheheh

I personally don't have a need for the mixer like a Suhr MiniMix, since I can do a parallel efx loop type function w/ my MPXG2 per effect, since I have Version 1.1 of the firmware for it. You can set the amount of dry level and wet level for each effect, so I have both a serial and parallel efx loop type function. But...i digress

Eric

 

[EWSEthan]

Except that if you have a mixer like the Suhr then you dont have your dry signal going through the ADA converters in your processor!

 

[aeroic]

Except that if you have a mixer like the Suhr then you dont have your dry signal going through the ADA converters in your processor!

good point, except i'll always have to do that since I'm absolutely in love w/ the MPXG2.

Eric

 

[Anonymous]

Or you can get a Soundsculpture switchblade and setup your routing via your pc. That thing is the friggin end of fx routing period. Not cheap though. Voodoo labs has the system mix plus which is about $400. Parallel loops are more designed for time based fx (reverb, delay). A unit like the TC Electronics G Major or Lexicon MX series will suck the tone right out of your rig if you run it in series. Pedals are a different story altogether. Different routing = different tones.

 

[hank]

I run one out from M4 -> Intellifex set to 100% wet -> power amp, other out from M4 -> power amp, so basically wet/dry. But i'm really wanting the switchblade

 

[aeroic]

Or you can get a Soundsculpture switchblade and setup your routing via your pc. That thing is the friggin end of fx routing period. Not cheap though. Voodoo labs has the system mix plus which is about $400. Parallel loops are more designed for time based fx (reverb, delay). A unit like the TC Electronics G Major or Lexicon MX series will suck the tone right out of your rig if you run it in series. Pedals are a different story altogether. Different routing = different tones.

I don't agree w/ the comment on the TC Electronics / Lexicon comment running in series. If you set up the units properly, set to unity gain, running them in series sounds just as good as not running them at all. Since I am using a preamp / power amp, I'm pretty much running the MPXG2 in series, and it sounds great. Sounds as good as if I ran guitar->cable->m4->power amp.

But if you have it setup wrong, then I agree it can suck tone. One of the big changes for the MPXG2 was w/ firmware update 1.1, where you can set the amount of dry level back into your signal. With that, it allows me to "emulate" having a parallel efx loop w/ a serial setup. But before I had that, I could still make the MPXG2 even w/o the dry level paramater sound killer. But that's just my opinion.