The FX Loop and my Boss EQ20

[Jack Napalm]

I thought I had everything set and good to go with the effects loop on my LB but I have done something along the way and its not right. With the loop being +4db I would set my EQ20 for the same and everything seemed fine.

Now I am peaking out my EQ20, and I checked the setting on it, unless the preamp volume is very, very low. I may not even get it to 1 with the gain around two or three.

The pedal seems to work fine but I wonder if I busted something in it. Its been on my pedal board for over a year. Anyone have ideas or something to try to see what might be going on?

 

[Julia]

I'll bet this is on the clean channel.

My Lexicon has a +4 dbv/ -10 dbu switch. I have it set +4. I can have the output on the SL+ and Mr. Scary, Grail, Brahma set around noon. No problem.

Go over to the KH-1 at the same level and it's soft and clips like hell. I mean hard clips and sounded like a pop/fizz nasty.

Why?

Because the dirt modules are compressing the signal. Clean modules do not.

Solution and why I went rack mount: I got a dbx 166xl compressor/limiter. The way I have it set up is that I use the "over easy" setting and squash the clean signal and use make up gain to bring it up the the same level as the dirt channels. Then I use the soft limiter to take care the otherwise harsh peaks. I use this BEFORE my MFX unit.

Now it works fine. Compressor in the loop. I know it's weird.

 

[Jack Napalm]

Happens on every channel. Right now I have a KH1, Mr. Scary and Blackface. I have always had the Mr. Scary in it. The Blackface I can turn up more only because I have the gain very low on it.

 

[VitaminG]

I've seen the same with my CE-20. I haven't noticed any clipping yet although maybe I've just been oblivious to it, but the peak light does come on a lot. It's definitely set to +4db too.

I don't run my preamp volumes too high so that might account for the lack of clipping. But still that peak light flashes on....

This was never a problem on the old JCM900 thanks to its adjustable loop levels.

 

[Jack Napalm]

I had a Radial ProDI box laying around so I put that in and with the 15db cut it is no longer clipping. It doesn't look elegant as there is no room on pedalboard for it but it sounds better. It will do for Friday's gig anyway.

After that I am re-wiring my board as it is and we'll see how things shake out.

 

[VitaminG]

hmmmm.... I have a DI box laying about too. A 20db pad would mean I could run my pedal EQ in the loop again for solo boosts....

Does it effect your overall output by much? If this works, I could sit the DI on the head rather than have it clutter my pedalboard. Either way it will be in the same spot in the chain - loop out->DI->CE-20->return

 

[Jack Napalm]

Didn't affect volume at all once I cranked up the volume control on each module. I can now run those on 10 and not clip. I am sure with everything dimed and that in the way there is a drop but the controls usable now.

I am not sure what happened or I didn't notice it before but the EQ20 doesn't seem to be doing its job with the input. Interesting that you have the same issue with the CE20.

When I rewire my board I am going to try my RE20 Space Echo with it and see what happens.

 

[m0jo]

Strange stuff, when it's set to +4db there should definitly not be a problem.

I've tried my DD-20 (at +4) with the module levels on 10 and no problem...

Julia is right though, the clean channels are very dynamic on the Randall, the result being it will sound low volume and clip hard when you dig in even slightly
It's requires me to switch a lot of levels around whenever I record clean and gain stuff in one session.

 

[SacredGroove]

It sounds like something is wrong with the pedal's input. Have you opened it up to take a look? Since you "fixed" it from attenuating the input signal from a DI, maybe there is a loose/broken connection on the pedal's input that's dropping the impedance, or there is a short making the signal hotter and bypassing any input resistance? I would open it up and look around.

 

[Jack Napalm]

Well, I found something interesting in the EQ20 manual. The manual states the peak indicator will light up when the signal is at 6db before clipping. So there is still head room left. How much is hard to say unless you hear the clipping. I like this EQ but this could get annoying.

I have been running the amp hotter all around and probably just got to noticing the clipping. That's what stage volumes will do to you I guess. I guess I just need to use my ears and see if any clipping occurs. I wish the light lit up only when it actually does clip.