Effects Gizmo Question

A

AJS19

Member
So I'm assembling a new setup up featuring two amps, six pedals, etc. I have a question regarding the Effects Gizmo.

I want to be able to switch between amps and layer them, which I know I can do with the EG. Four of the pedals will be in front of the amps. Two I'd like to have in the loop of one of the amps.

How can I do this and still have the two effects loop pedals in the loops of the EG?

Also, am I able to send a certain pedal to just one of the amps?

Thanks!
 
This should be possible. You've got 12 loops in total, 1-4 in series, 5-8 in series, and 9-12 completely independent. If you connect the four pedals in front of the amps into loops 1-4, then connect a Y cable from Loop 4 out to loops 9 & 10, to select between the two amps, that's the first problem sorted. Then you can put the pedals you want in the FX loop either in loops 11 and 12, or 5-8. I'd do the former - then if you had a couple of pedals you only wanted in front of amp A, for example, you could put them in loops 5 & 6. The routing is pretty flexible.
 
MartinCliffe said:
This should be possible. You've got 12 loops in total, 1-4 in series, 5-8 in series, and 9-12 completely independent. If you connect the four pedals in front of the amps into loops 1-4, then connect a Y cable from Loop 4 out to loops 9 & 10, to select between the two amps, that's the first problem sorted. Then you can put the pedals you want in the FX loop either in loops 11 and 12, or 5-8. I'd do the former - then if you had a couple of pedals you only wanted in front of amp A, for example, you could put them in loops 5 & 6. The routing is pretty flexible.
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Not only do I need to select between the two amps, I need to layer them. This will still work with the Y cable to 9 &10?

I need to draw this out I think to see it. How do I connect the amp loops to the EG?
 
AJS19 said:
Not only do I need to select between the two amps, I need to layer them. This will still work with the Y cable to 9 &10?
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Assuming by layer you mean have both on at once, yeah. You connect the loop SEND (not the OUT) to the amp inputs. When loop 9 is on, that amp is on. When loop 10 is on, the other amp is on. When both loops are on, both amps are on. If neither are on, blissful silence for tuning :)

I need to draw this out I think to see it. How do I connect the amp loops to the EG?
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Let's say you're connecting pedals in loops 5-8 into an amp's loop. Connect the Amp FX Send to 5-8 Input. Connect whatever pedals you want into loops 5-8. Then connect the 5-8 Output to your amp's FX Return.
 
I'm running two amps as well, but I'm not planning on running both at once. The only sticky bit with playing both amps at the same time would be phase. You'll likely need to throw something in line to the second amp to invert the phase on that signal so you don't go anemic when you have both amps on at once. :|

The guys at RJM can mod you a special Y-Not that can MIDI switch the phase of the outputs for this purpose. I'm using a Y-Not just to do A/B/Y switching on one of my amps, but I don't have the modded version since at this point I'm not looking to layer the amps. May do it later though. The standard Y-Not can phase invert one of the outputs though if that's all you need.

For me, it was a nice piece to get since it frees up several loops on my EG for more pedals and I'm switching two amps with one cabinet so I can't afford any chance of any signal going to the second amp when it's loaded so I'm using a special switching piece for that function.

Just a couple thoughts, since I'm planning a similar rig and I know the path is riddled with small obstacles! :D
 
Does this look correct? The only thing I am unsure of is the effects loop stuff in the 11-12 area.

AustinsRackRig.jpg
 
Main thing that looks wrong there is that your delay is patched between In 11 and Send 11, which wouldn't work. Needs to be between Send 11 and Return 11. In 11 would come from your 2550 Loop Send, and Out 11 would go to your 2550 Loop Return. Same story with Loop 12.

The other change I would make is to use the Y cable to go from Output 1-4 to In 9 and In 10, then connect Send 10 to Input 5-8, and Output 5-8 to the HRM Input.

Also - how can I set up having the EG control my channel switching for both?
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That's where things become tricky. If you need to use one or more of loops 9-12 for channel switching, then they'll not be available for switching pedals in and out.
 
reamplab said:
I'm running two amps as well, but I'm not planning on running both at once. The only sticky bit with playing both amps at the same time would be phase. You'll likely need to throw something in line to the second amp to invert the phase on that signal so you don't go anemic when you have both amps on at once. :|
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Not necessarily - depends on the amps you're using. I ran two similar amps (a Peavey JSX and XXX) quite happily for years with no phase problems. It's usually to do with the number of valve stages in the signal path - as I understand it, every time the signal goes through a 12AX7, the phase flips. So a 2 tube amp and a 4 tube amp will quite possibly be in phase, but a 2 tube amp and a 3 tube amp would likely not be. I suspect it's not quite that simple, but you really won't know until you hear it.

The guys at RJM can mod you a special Y-Not that can MIDI switch the phase of the outputs for this purpose. I'm using a Y-Not just to do A/B/Y switching on one of my amps, but I don't have the modded version since at this point I'm not looking to layer the amps. May do it later though. The standard Y-Not can phase invert one of the outputs though if that's all you need.
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You only need the YB- modded version if you have an amp that introduces extra gain stages on some channels but not others. There are some amps where the phase flips if you go, say, from a clean channel to a dirty one... so it might be in phase with the other amp for some sounds, but not for others. You wouldn't hear this if you were only using the one amp. The standard Y-Not will let you run two amps simultaneously quite happily assuming this isn't the case - for most of us, phase is a "set and forget" issue. And, obviously, you only flip the phase on one amp - if you did it on both, you'd have the exact same problem as before, just upside-down :)
 
MartinCliffe said:
Main thing that looks wrong there is that your delay is patched between In 11 and Send 11, which wouldn't work. Needs to be between Send 11 and Return 11. In 11 would come from your 2550 Loop Send, and Out 11 would go to your 2550 Loop Return. Same story with Loop 12.

The other change I would make is to use the Y cable to go from Output 1-4 to In 9 and In 10, then connect Send 10 to Input 5-8, and Output 5-8 to the HRM Input.

Also - how can I set up having the EG control my channel switching for both?
Click to expand...
That's where things become tricky. If you need to use one or more of loops 9-12 for channel switching, then they'll not be available for switching pedals in and out.
Click to expand...

If I had a space for channel switching in 9-12 how would I do it?

The delay will almost always be on in the 2550. So that frees up one loop, since I can just wire the delay in the loop.

And then I just would need to hook the HRM up to channel switch in loop 12, since I'm assuming I would need both 11 and 12 to channel switch both amps.
 
Normally, channel switching is obtained by connecting your amp's footswitch jack to the Out / NO (normally open) connector (and ensuring nothing is in the In, Send or Return jacks for that loop). There are some amps that require a "normally closed" footswitch instead - in that case you use the Send / NC jack instead.
 
MartinCliffe said:
Normally, channel switching is obtained by connecting your amp's footswitch jack to the Out / NO (normally open) connector (and ensuring nothing is in the In, Send or Return jacks for that loop). There are some amps that require a "normally closed" footswitch instead - in that case you use the Send / NC jack instead.
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Thank you for your help sir. I'm a huge beginner when it comes to stuff like this. I appreciate it! :cool:
 
Hey, no problem - I'm just happy to help :) Ron was very helpful to me when I started using RJM Music gear back in 2008, and we've built up an excellent relationship since. A little time spent helping out others who are new to this great gear is no hardship for me - as the customer base grows, I know that there are only so many hours in a day he can spend assisting customers!
 
We could do that on a custom basis. You'd need to use up two loops to control the overdrive and boost.
 
rjmmusic said:
We could do that on a custom basis. You'd need to use up two loops to control the overdrive and boost.
Click to expand...

Could you PM me an approximate cost quote on that?

By two loops, could I use 11 & 12? I have those free on my mock layout.
 
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