Behringer BDI21 and FX loop or not ?

[Les]

Just ordered a BDI21 mainly out of curiosity to be honest as knowing me it'll end up being the third pedal I own and never use.

I kinda intend to have it on permanent if it sounds ok but rather than have it on the floor I want to chuck it on top of my combo out of the way. I know I can plug my bass into it then plug in to the amp but if I can use the FX loop I won't tug it off my amp to fall to it's doom (if what I read about it's construction is anything to go on) as I'll be plugged into the amp as normal.

Is this OK or do I really need to go instrument-pedal-amp ??

Never really found a use for the FX send return before but in my limited understanding of it I think what I describe above should work. But I'll stand to be corrected by those in the know.

Ta

Les

[wally8]

Came across this in google. Ive always wonder if the bdi sounds better in the loop or in front of the amp. I usually use mine in the FX loop to save it being damaged on the floor, esp as mine can only be powered via the 9v battery clip adapter. Sounds pretty decent practicing in the fx loop but as usual the band drown me out a bit live

[Monckyman]

it depends where your FX loop is in the order of things, ie
Input, eq ,fx loop, power amp out is I believe the normal state of affairs.
So putting the pedal before the input will combine the tone on the pedal first,with that of the amp in an additive way, or.. by inserting into the FX loop you are feeding the tone of the amp eq into the pedal and the combined tone then gets amplified.
Both versions will sound slightly different depending on your amp eq and pedal settings.
Basically, whatever you think sounds better, is better!
I used to use my BDDI on top of the amp with a bit of velcro.

[wally8]

Thanks moncky. Sounds fair enough. I use the bdi21 to try and liven up my old peavey firebass head

[Ant]

i'd go bass -> bdi21 -> effects return so you bypass your amps preamp and use the BDI as your tone

[Iheartreverb]

I got one recently and used it for practice for the first time last night.
In the week leading upto practice I used it at home with a Ashdown perfect 10 (straight into input) and it made it quieter, more versatile and intimately better.
I used it in practice into the effects return of an Ashdown AMB300 and is sounded pants. No definition at all and just sounded muddy and a bit too distorted.
I put it in the front end (input) and although this was better, I didn't really need it with a decent-ish amp.

[wally8]

I like it to add a little crunch to my peavey amp. Whilst the peavey is a brute and has served me well over the 15 odd years I've had it, it's not the most amazing tone so the bdi helps a little.

I should stop being so tight and upgrade my rig

[d-basser]

If you are worried about pulling it off the amp head then run your cable through the handle of the cab/head and then into the pedal so if you pull hard it isn't tugging on the pedal. Doesn't help you with whether it'll sound better in the FX loop or not but it's a possibility for a bit of extra safety

[pete.young]

[quote name='Monckyman' timestamp='1399537107' post='2445059']

So putting the pedal before the input will combine the tone on the pedal first,with that of the amp in an additive way, or.. by inserting into the FX loop you are feeding the tone of the amp eq into the pedal and the combined tone then gets amplified.

[/quote]

Monckyman is right as usual.

The other thing to know, is whether your effects loop is serial or parallel. Some amps are wired in parallel, sometimes there's a blend control and sometimes there's a 50/50 split. If this is the case and you plug your bass into the input with the pedal in the loop, you'll get a blend of clean signal from the input and effected signal from the pedal.

There's also the question of output signal: most loops will be expecting a line-level signal such as you would get from a 19" rack effects unit, and don't take kindly to instrument-level signals produced by some pedals. All you can really do is try the various combinations and see if any of them work for you.

[Les]

A resurected old thread that I didn't get any replies too till now, so thanks for your input guys.

As it happened the choice was taken away from me when my Ashdowns DI out went faulty. As a result
I use the BDI21 as my DI box into the desk and the jack output to my amp for monitoring.

The unit works really well, I tend to have it off for finger playing and it on for an aggresive plec sound.

Les

[theyellowcar]

Sort of related, but I would just like to say how impressed I've been with my BDI21.

I found it can scoop out some of the mids in my tone but rolling back the blend control to about 12 o'clock gives me the best of both worlds. I get all of the nice midrange from my amp to cut through the mix, and all of the huge tube sound from the pedal.

For such a cheap little box the range of applications is incredible. Every player should have one!

[wally8]

What are your other settings out of interest theyellowcar? I usually go with the recc setting of SVT and add more drive - around 2 o'clock

[theyellowcar]

[quote name='wally8' timestamp='1400585942' post='2455086']
What are your other settings out of interest theyellowcar? I usually go with the recc setting of SVT and add more drive - around 2 o'clock
[/quote]

I had the drive at about 11 o'clock, presence and level at 3 o'clock, bass at 1 o'clock, treble and blend at 12 o'clock.

I used the graphic on the amp to boost the mids just a little bit, and then had the tone all the way open on my P-bass. Killer sound.