effects loops?????, an explanation please

3manstack

Further to a recent question i asked aboot the pedal order, why do amps have an effects loop?

when I first got my amp I tried it and it was significantly quieter than going through the amp.

Thanks for your time, Im confused and intrigued.

cheers
thetriplestackedman

exhausted

the effects loop in an amp is wired between the preamp and power amp sections of the circuit.

general rule of thumb is that modulations and delays sound good in the effects loop. i personally don't like them.

so basically, it just gives you more options in terms of effect placement and sound.

mojorison_75

An effects loop takes the effect or effects and puts them at the end of the singnal, instead of pushing them at the front of the amp like a normal set up. This also kinda seperates them from the other effects. This can be useful for time based effects like chorus, delay, phaser and flangers, ect.

I like to use the effects loop personally. To me it produces a much different sound, which I like. it seems to make those effects more effective and keeps them from getting jumbled up with my other effects. Try it both ways and decide for yourself. It's all a matter of taste.

I don't have any loss of volume when using my effects loop. Just check and make sure you have everything hooked up right: Guitar in normal imput, cable going form out on effect to in on loop, cable going from out on loop to in on effect.

MissYouAllDay

I see, this may explain why my muff doesnt work in the effects loop.

My effects loop has wet or dry setting. As well as volume control. Or effects loop level control.

mojorison_75

The muff should work, though I can't imagine it would have the desired sound there. Distortions really need to be in front of the amp.

I've never had an effect loop with wet/dry so I can't help you much there.

Remember on the volume that it's not only the volume you have set for the effects loop, but how you have the pedals set as well.

mccreadyisgod

The reason FX Loops exist are for the new-school tube amps (and solid state amps) that have preamp gain and power amp master volumes. This means that you can use your preamp to get distortion or overdrive but not have it be really loud in the power amp. The FX Loop, like Ex said, is between the preamp and the power amp, so your signal will go into the preamp, be effected (colored) by the amp's preamp, and then go through the effects loop. That means if you want your delayed or reverbed signal to go through an overdrive/distortion first, but the overdrive/distortion is in the amp's preamp, you need an effects loop. That's why single-channel amps almost never have effects loops; and amps with only one volume (vintage or RI Fenders), no pre- and post-gain (anything new) will never have an effects loop.