Effects loop

Denalihighway

Howdy
Apologies for the retarded question...

I'm wondering...is it only necessary/advisable to use the effects loop on your amplifier if you drive it particularly hard/use the dirty channel etc?

If you only use it clean then is using the effects loop really necessary?

My amp is a Vox AC30 CC1 by the way.

Thanks

rcaz

Well, I always though the idea of an effect loop was so you can put effects after the amp's natural distortion. My one has a switch to change the signal level, which I guess is to do with using effect pedals/outboard gear. I also have a mix knob, which can be kinda cool to blend dry and wet on pedals that don't have a mix control.

It's only necessary if you think it sounds better that way

Denalihighway

I agree...whatever sounds better is best. Can't stand all this "putting effects in front of the amp is blasphemous...etc" ...

but since I generally don't use much or any of the natural distortion this is why I was wondering.

When you say 'natural distortion' do you just mean what eminates tone-wise even when clean?

Kenny_D

I never really understood the whole effects loop thing until one day I plugged my delay pedal into it. Made a big difference. The repeated delays sounded so much clearer and just nicer overall. I plugged my overdrive/boost pedal into the front of the amp. I think certain pedals work better in the effects loop (time/echo based effects).

Saying that though I got by fine without an effects loop for years and I wouldnt rely heavy enough on effects that it would effect my decision in buying an amp

rcaz

Denalihighway wrote: »

When you say 'natural distortion' do you just mean what eminates tone-wise even when clean?

I just meant distortion that comes from the amp, and not any pedals or other effects. Bad wording on my part.

Seziertisch

Any delay/modulation effects and stuff like tremolo invariably sound better in the loop (depending on what you are after). Do you want distorted delay or delayed distortion? Even when playing clean any bit of amp overdrive will take the clarity of the sound when you plug directly in.

68 lost souls

Look at the pedal chain, you naturaly go overdrive/distortion pedals - tone based pedals - time based pedals. Looking at it that way with an effects loop you are treating the gain stage of the amp as an overdrive pedal and putting the tone and time based effects after the gain stage.

Make sense?

Denalihighway

ah yeah don't worry it makes perfect sense, especially if I'm driving the amp even a tiny bit but what I was originally asking was that if the amp is not driven at all, is it necessary to use the fx loop.

I would have always used modulation at the end of the chain etc

It would seem it's worth using from what you guys are saying, I guess the proof is in the pudding. Hopefully my philistine musician's ears can tell between the nuances...:)

Cheers

rcaz

Denalihighway wrote: »

Hopefully my philistine musician's ears can tell between the nuances...:)

Pfft... Your ears are the only ones that matter!

Try putting reverb before distortion :cool:

Denalihighway

El Pr0n wrote: »

Pfft... Your ears are the only ones that matter!

Try putting reverb before distortion :cool:

I hear ya dude...tongue firmly in cheek;)

cheers