Partner for the Mini Line Mixer

MartinCliffe

Well-Known Member
I've been thinking over the past couple of days how useful it would be to have, in a small 1/4U box, basically a partner unit to the Mini Line Mixer. Basically the splitter bit for feeding effects, so (in stereo) inputs, three switchable sends, and a dry output. That way you could connect the FX send from your amp(s) into it, feed up to three FX processors plus the dry signal, and mix them all together in the Mini Line Mixer. I could imagine this being relatively easy to implement (it's basically just three stereo loops in series, but without the return jacks) and it'd be useful for people who are happy to run their pre amp effects on a pedalboard (or maybe using the Mini Effect Gizmo) but still want to run their processors in parallel in their racks. Does this make sense?

I could also see this working in a single 1/2U unit with the Mini Line Mixer (which would therefore save a few jack sockets!). But that may be just me. :D
 
The first one to make this with switchable instrument / line I/O and a switchable instrument buffer wins the race.
This is a good idea, but the quality is missing.....

http://www.artproaudio.com/products.asp ... =13&id=155

*maybe spice it up a bit with dual stereo mix outputs, mono / stereo switching on I/O, ??
*foot / midi switching on each stereo return? ok, somebody stop me............
Just thinking out loud
 
The Mini Effect Gizmo is almost that - okay, it has more loops than you need, and it's mono - but wouldn't you typically have a mono send coming from your preamp?
 
Not if you're running two amps in stereo, rather than the one preamp. Having a switchable mono sum function on the inputs would be useful, perhaps. But making it stereo would also increase your possible user base to include keyboard players etc - they're kinda fussy about maintaining stereo field integrity. Plus, the MEG is bigger physically bigger than what I'm suggesting (and you wouldn't need the buffer etc). How I'd envisage using it is like this:

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... although I can envisage other uses for it as well.

For my new rig I could cope with just one splitting send (in stereo) and the ability to mix the wet return with the dry. Sort of like a pair of Suhr MiniMix units I guess, but without the $500 price tag, and with more switching ability. But the extra sends would make it partner up nicely with the Mini Line Mixer.
 
Yes, definitely things change when you've got two amps to work with.

We could do a 4 way stereo splitter in a Mini box, but not with any kind of MIDI control for sends - there's not enough room in there to cram it all in.
 
rjmmusic said:
Yes, definitely things change when you've got two amps to work with.

We could do a 4 way stereo splitter in a Mini box, but not with any kind of MIDI control for sends - there's not enough room in there to cram it all in.
That could work, yeah - easy enough to program in silent or bypassed patches in the processors not in use.
 
I think this is an excellent idea, Martin, and it would also pair nicely with the mini effect gizmo on a pedal board setup. How about in a MEG-sized package instead of the "mini" size? The way I picture it, it would be kind of like 2 Y-Nots and a mini line mixer in one unit....
 
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