Signal Path splitting with multi-FX - any 'budget' units good at doing this?

[visog]

BC'ers,

 

Hankering to try signal splitting ah la Squire, Sheehan and others to combine clean and dirt signals or paths with different compression and effects.

I know the top-end multi-FX can split their signals for separate effects processing before recombining them but I wondered if any of you have had success doing this with any of the new budget units appearing?

 

(I know the Boss LS2 is always an option but a) I don't have all the pedals I'd need and b) I'd like to try splitting the signal by frequency as opposed to having two 'full-range' signals if possible.)

 

Thoughts? Experiences?

[SamIAm]

IME none of the ZOOM options (as good as they are) do this.

HX Stomp can do two paths and it has a frequency based split.

So does the MOD Dwarf.

Tho neither of these are what I would call 'budget' options.

Sam x

Edited September 19 by SamIAm

[MichaelDean]

Depends on the budget! I don't think anything under £300 can do parallel signal chains though (happy to be corrected on this!). Boss GX-100/GT-1000/GT-1000 Core, Line 6 Helix family are probably easiest to find under £400 that can do it.

 

Mod Dwarf is a fairly niche product, it is super flexible in terms of signal routing, but you have to do all of your editing on a computer. Don't know if that's a deal breaker. 

 

Form factor will be something to think about too. How many foot switches do you want? Is an expression pedal useful?

 

If you have an audio interface for your computer, you can try out the Helix plugin for 15 days to see what you think of parallel processing too. 

 

I found that I didn't like splitting by frequency on my GX-100. I couldn't find the right frequency to make it sound good to me. I much prefer having a bass effect and a guitar effect layered. Ive mixed back to pedals for my fuzz tone though. I've put a Mojo Mojo into a Bass Big Muff in blend mode in the effects loop of my GX. Sounds massive. 

[Elfrasho]

As Sam says, HX stomp can do it, including frequency split. I dont have experience of the latest budget versions of multi FX but the previous generations wont do what you want as far as i know. Even the HX stomp is limited to the split as theres only 8 fx blocks and limited dsp, depending on what you want to do.

 

I think stomps go for 300-350 second hand.

 

I'm sure others will chime in saying how great signal splitting is, but from my experience it's really not worth the time, effort and additional complication unless you already have effects you want to use that don't translate well to bass straight through. If you';ve not already got the pedals then get the stomp, or dont bother IMO!  multi band compressors and blendable FX will do a grand job, and I'm sure the new cheapo multifx will have all that kind of stuff built in and probably sound great

[visog]

12 hours ago, MichaelDean said:

I've put a Mojo Mojo into a Bass Big Muff in blend mode... 

 

...is a phrase I didn't expect to read! Good input though thank you.

Edited September 20 by visog

[Stofferson]

KMA Tyler Deluxe - https://kmamachines.com/machines/tyler-deluxe/

 

Great Eatern XO - https://www.greateasternfx.com/product-page/xo

 

I'm sure the chap at Sine effects hinted on social media he was putting a crossover pedal together too soon. - https://sineeffect.com/

 

[visog]

1 hour ago, Stofferson said:

KMA Tyler Deluxe - https://kmamachines.com/machines/tyler-deluxe/

Ooh! Not seen that one before...

[BigRedX]

1 hour ago, Stofferson said:

KMA Tyler Deluxe - https://kmamachines.com/machines/tyler-deluxe/

 

 

£249?Just for a splitter/crossover. If the OP is prepared to spend that kind of money on a single device they might as well get a Helix Floor. 

[Stofferson]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

£249?Just for a splitter/crossover. If the OP is prepared to spend that kind of money on a single device they might as well get a Helix Floor. 

There shout a grand, so yeah by the time you've got that, a good dirt, good comp for the lows maybe, up to the OP to decide.

 

I've paid more or less the same for stand alone pedals, I'd rather have 1 good one than 300 soso ones.

 

I do have a stomp and helix native, so I know how good they are, but also I've never used delays, reverbs, bit crushers and all the other gubbins that comes in it. 

[visog]

22 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

£249?Just for a splitter/crossover. If the OP is prepared to spend that kind of money on a single device they might as well get a Helix Floor. 

 

You're quite right but I enjoy researching new pedals. I'll add another crossover but this has individual compressors for each path: https://reverb.com/uk/item/81597731-pjb-phil-jones-bass-x2c-dual-band-compressor-crossover

[NancyJohnson]

On the OP, if you want to split your signal and recombine, you could do this with a pair of ABY boxes (they work both ways).

 

The Great Eastern XO will allow you to split, loop effects and recombine in one box.

[bnt]

I looked at the DSM Humboldt Simplifier for this, which splits the signal in to two paths, both with FX loops. It's not a true crossover setup out of the box: the low Parallel clean channel has a switchable LPF, but the high Preamp channel has EQ but no dedicated HPF. After the loops the signals are recombined through a cab simulator.