The ins and outs of inputs and outputs

[Basil Henriques]

For those of you not well heeled enough to invest in the best of British "Steel Mixer".. this may help you clean up your act !!
The knowledge of the correct terminology and application of inputs and outputs is more than useful.
How many times have you heard them referred to in an ambiguous manner ?

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Thank you Baz, for yet another valued contribution!COME ON YOU GUYS>>> your getting this important info for free!!! You may like me have difficulty taking it in and absorbing it ..... but at least you could acknowledge that someone is trying to help us!!!!!

[Shaun]

Thanks for posting Baz, very informative.

[Basil Henriques]

You may like me have difficulty taking it in and absorbing it .....

Actually John, I not only like you having difficulty absorbing it, I'm delighted you are !! BECAUSE if you have to think about it you'll remember it.. If you have to re-read a line it will register subconsciously and be much easier to recall, you'll find that the punctuation in general is judiciously placed to elicit re-reading.

There are MANY things not mentioned in that article, one of them being that SOMETIMES, depending on the make of the amplifier, if you plug into both input sockets (when they relate to just one channel) the gain of both is then equal. AND if it's two instruments that you plug into ganged inputs as I describe them, the volume control of either instrument will also affect the other's volume. Not always, it depends on the individual instrument's wiring protocols.

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

I have been using both inputs on my n112, routing one to my psg the other to my tele [asat in my case] and just as you explain Basil, i have found the more you boost one signal, you will affect the other signal. so if you insist on using one amp to power two instruments, then to my latest way of thinking, you would be better off just taking one lead from the amp into an AB/Y box, and sending your signal from there, i have a BOSS AB-2 2 way selector switch, which i believe im right in saying is a passive box, and will not colour your tone, it does not need power to functon, but the neon indicator does, it takes an AAA battery, you can buy these AB units without neons, but i find the neon very handy,in my case, red for guitar, yellow for steel, using an AB unit will get you over the problem of two fluctuating signals methinks, better still, if using two instruments, as a lot of us do, get two amps, or a twin reverb,
im just describing the best routing using one single channel amp,
also, correct me if im wrong, but time based effects, such as reverb, delay, chorus etc, should be placed in the amp fx loop, overdrive/distortion/pre amps should be placed in front of the amp,

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

downside to a twin channel amp such as a fender twin reverb or peavey vegas, would be, no fx loop, so any effects would be in front of the amp, and even if there was an fx loop, wouldnt it affect both channels??? and again, using my AB/y system on a peavey nashville 112, is not ideal, insofar as it makes the fx loop redundant, unless you are using identical effects to the two different instruments, which in my case would not work for me, so!!! ive just convinced myself, i should get myself a second n112, that way i can have have total independance for both my instruments, and be able to use the fx loops correctly, sorted!!! any one selling a n112???

[Basil Henriques]

Eddie, I use this :-

Out of the Hilton into 'A ' and out of my Roland GR-20 midied Tele int 'B'. The out of the A/B box to the "Foxed" Profex II and then to the LOW GAIN input on my NV-112 or if a larger venue the TWO NV-112's in stereo out of the Profex.. BUT in either case also out of the DI on the back of the amp and to the main desk and PA system.
The NV's are really just for "Stage Fill" and ease of monitoring.

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

ok, similar to what i am doing, but why do you not put the profex into the fx loop of the n112? any reason? and i note you use the low input on the n112, i agree the n112 is an excellent on stage monitor, i also di from the amp into the pa, even in a small venue, for spread of sound, as i believe you shouldn't try to hit the back wall with your amp alone, let the pa do the work, thats why it puzzles me, people insisting on 200 watt amps? a 5 watt valve amp would be loud as hell if mic'd properly through the pa.

[Basil Henriques]

ok, similar to what i am doing, but why do you not put the profex into the fx loop of the n112? any reason? and i note you use the low input on the n112,

The input volume control governs what is sent out of the DI, and by setting the output of the Profex to nicely saturate the input I can get more harmonic content and a less 'sterile' sound, the output of the Profex is too hot for the high gain amplifier input. Getting the led on the Profex to just go from green to red on very loud passages and the Profex output at 3/4 volume, amp input on lo gain set to approx 11:00 O'clock.. everything matches nicely. The amp master volume controls JUST the amp's own volume and has NO effect on the DI, therefore the main volume is my stage monitor and the input volume is my send to the PA..

Simples yes ?

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

ok! but who's the weasel dude?