Problems with LND150 FX Loop
Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 10:06 am
Hi All
I had a local, and very well-respected, tech install the Tube-Town Active, serial FX-Loop LND150 in my '79 2203.
https://www.tube-town.net/ttstore/Kits/ ... :5973.html
When I picked it up, he said he thought the way the loop was supposed to be installed was very unusual, between Tonestack and Master Volume, and that he had set the levels on the trims as best he could. Too high and it increased the gain too much, and too low and the amp sounded castrated.
So I finally tried it out last night with nothing in the loop, all good, as I remember the amp. So I tried the loop and had three problems immediately:
- My TC Flashback delay clipped the amp on low notes when engaged (but no problems with the pedal switched off). Boss Chorus was fine.
- The overall volume level of the amp actually dropped slightly when engaging any pedals in the loop, and the tone noticibly darkened
- An MXR Microamp on FULL, in the loop, made no volume increase whatsoever. Just a bit more gain.
I'm going to fiddle with the Send and Return levels on the FX board later. I called my tech and he said I can bring it in for another look, but he noted that he didn't think i'd like the way it operates and that he'd spent some time getting the Send and Receive levels at a level where the tone was impacted least and still maintained unity volume when the FX loop was jumpered with a Patch cable.
I had a local, and very well-respected, tech install the Tube-Town Active, serial FX-Loop LND150 in my '79 2203.
https://www.tube-town.net/ttstore/Kits/ ... :5973.html
When I picked it up, he said he thought the way the loop was supposed to be installed was very unusual, between Tonestack and Master Volume, and that he had set the levels on the trims as best he could. Too high and it increased the gain too much, and too low and the amp sounded castrated.
So I finally tried it out last night with nothing in the loop, all good, as I remember the amp. So I tried the loop and had three problems immediately:
- My TC Flashback delay clipped the amp on low notes when engaged (but no problems with the pedal switched off). Boss Chorus was fine.
- The overall volume level of the amp actually dropped slightly when engaging any pedals in the loop, and the tone noticibly darkened
- An MXR Microamp on FULL, in the loop, made no volume increase whatsoever. Just a bit more gain.
I'm going to fiddle with the Send and Return levels on the FX board later. I called my tech and he said I can bring it in for another look, but he noted that he didn't think i'd like the way it operates and that he'd spent some time getting the Send and Receive levels at a level where the tone was impacted least and still maintained unity volume when the FX loop was jumpered with a Patch cable.