FX Loop. Do you use yours?

[Chienmortbb]

My main amp is a Bugera Veyron (the MOSFET one) and iy has every input output available including an FX loop. My  Ashdown MiBass 2 has nothing but an input, speaker output and Aux in.

This got me wondering if anyone used the FX loop on their amp, and if so, what for? I have only evet used the EFX Return as power  amp input bypassint]y the preamp but of course AUX in also usually does this.

[redbandit599]

I don't - but I've also  been wondering if I should make the effort...

I believe that modulation is 'supposed' to be in the loop and dirt in the front - get's tricky for me when I have both together in a loop on my board. Would involve running two more cables and a re-think of the plumbing.

Might be worth asking this in the Effects forum perhaps too?

Edited December 14, 2020 by redbandit599

[Hellzero]

Theoretically, all modulation effects like reverb, delay, chorus, ... are better sounding placed in the effect loop (parallel being better). That said, you'll have to try by yourself. Most of the time, most people prefer the effects between the bass and the input. Give it a try...

[pete.young]

For a time I used a studio rack compressor in the effects loop, to compress all the signal all the time. This was with a Markbass head, and I had to set the effects loop to serial, otherwise half the signal will bypass the loop.

Other than that, I can't see the point. Most effects produce instrument-level signal rather than line-level signal, and are designed to go through the pre-amp gain stage. Some work in a loop, some don't or fail to do what you expect.

[Woodwind]

I have tried this several times over the years and always preferred the sound with the effects going from bass to preamp. Using the FX loop sounded a bit limp (on different amps).

 

Also the sound engineers would always take a di from the bass signal so I needed my effects before that.

 

But do give it a try and use whatever method sounds best to you.

[bertbass]

I don't because you can guarantee that once you've set everything up for an F/X loop the next amp you buy won't have one.  It's a bit like home stereo, when you change the amp all the inputs and speaker outputs will be different connectors.

[MacDaddy]

used it a few times years ago for a tuner. There were reasons I can't remember, why I didn't want the tuner through the input.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

The loop is used with line level effects, whereas instrument level effects are used before the amp input. By and large if it's a stomp box it's instrument level, if it's not it's line level.

[Stub Mandrel]

Back in the 90s I always used the pre-EQ FX loop of the three (count 'em) loops on my Laney ProBass.

This time round I just use them between bass and amp.

[fretmeister]

Sometimes. Quite used to them on guitar amps.

Phaser in front of the amp. Chorus in the loop. Sometimes I like a compressor in the loop too.

[BigRedX]

In the days when I was still using a dedicated bass or guitar amp I had whatever multi-effects unit(s) I was using at the time connected via the FX loop (in serial mode). I haven't used "pedal" effects since the early 90s.

I did use a Roland GP8 in my guitar gig in "4 cable mode" where the guitar goes to the input of the GP8. It then passes through the various Filter, Compression and Distortion effects before being sent via the GP8 effects send to the input of my amp. The FX send of the amp is then connected to the return of the GP8 where it goes through any modulation and delay effects, the main output of the GP8 is then connected to the FX return of the amp. Sounds complicated but works perfectly.

Edited December 14, 2020 by BigRedX

[Lozz196]

Not on bass I haven’t, but I did when playing guitar. Pickup boosters/tubescreamers/overdrives/eq pedals were all pony into the front of the amp for solos but put them in the FX loop and away you go.

[Marvin]

When I had a rack mount compressor and eq i used the FX loop on my amp. Since I sold that set up I haven't really used effects that much. The last amp I had didn't have an effects loop so if I used the pre-amp pedal and/or compressor pedal they'd have to go before the amp input.

I've got an FX Loop on my current amp and I might use it for an idea I've got...saying that it might not work 

[Ed_S]

When I played more guitar than I do these days my old Marshall TSL60 had a foot-switchable parallel loop with a level control on the front, so all I used to do was keep a short patch cable between the send and return and use it as a solo boost. Worked really well because the amount of boost was easy to set and stayed relatively similar wherever you were on the master. Not sure whether there are any bass heads out there that could do the same.

[Passinwind]

8 hours ago, Chienmortbb said:

My main amp is a Bugera Veyron (the MOSFET one) and iy has every input output available including an FX loop. My  Ashdown MiBass 2 has nothing but an input, speaker output and Aux in.

This got me wondering if anyone used the FX loop on their amp, and if so, what for?

Yep, I use mine for both time based effects and clean/dirty noise toy blending. I have the send level nominally set up in between instrument and line level and it works fine with both pedal and rack effect units. The return is optimized as an Aux In and comes before my variable high pass filter, making it quite useful for preamp pedals if and when I want a doubling setup.

[Dan Dare]

I use my fx send to drive an additional power amp and cab when I need to make more noise, but that's it.

[agedhorse]

Line level serial effects loops are often used for different purposes depending on the player. For example, some player use it for connecting a LINE LEVEL processor (compressor, eq) in series with the signal path, some players use it to connect to the send jack to drive a line level input, and some use the effects return as a power amp input, bypassing the onboard preamp. Then again, some players have no need for any of the above and don't use it at all.

[Jack]

When I had just started out I did, I put my Zoom 506ii in the loop of my 80w Crate combo. There's a loop. For effects. I should put my effects in there. 

 

Haven't used one for effects since though, I just don't see the point. As above though I do find them very useful for non-effects things, it's much more apt when they're labelled 'preamp out' and 'power amp in'. 

[Beer of the Bass]

I've never used one. Apart from anything else it's quite common to use a house amp at a rehearsal room, venue, festival etc, so I don't want to be too heavily reliant on a feature that's not on all amps and implemented differently between amps that have it.