Need answers...

[tvontheradio]

Iv got a few questions, so please do answer to the best of ure knowledge.

1. Where can i find selica gel? As in the stuff most ppl put in their cases to take out moisture, pref the small satches/packets.

2. What is a power amp? Tried searching through the net but couldnt really get a clear cut answer.

3. Can an amp work when plugging say, a pod xt live to the return of the effects loop?

:lol:

 

[rottenramone]

..

1) check those camera shops

 

[subversion]

1. silica gel also available @ hardware store eg: selfix

2. power amp- the section responsible for making your amp alive. the combo amps/ heads you see in stores are of the power/ pre-amp combination.

3. yes, the FX loop facility allows for parallel connection- what the heck is that? please check the how-to section, i have a thread in this there...

 

[tvontheradio]

Thanks for the quick response guys.

Anw. Why is it that i heard like the pod xt live likes poweramps and also running through the return of the effect loop? Is it more "transparent" that way?

 

[subversion]

FX loop/ parallel processing, affects the signals when they are over at the amp, unlike series processing where the signals are processed before being sent over to the amp. the XT Live most probably does parallel processing better.

 

[theblueark]

To be precise, it's not actually parallel processing. The effects loop in the amp allows you to place effects in between the preamp and the poweramp of a guitar amplifier.

Lets start from the top:
In a typical guitar "amp", there actually exists
1. A preamp
2. A poweramp
3. A speaker
We call this a combo.

The preamp shapes your signal and is often overdriven, especially in the heavy 80's preamp distortion tones. The preamplifier provides voltage gain but no significant current gain

This signal is then sent to the poweramp, which does the heavy lifting, creating a strong enough signal to drive a speaker, which is essentially a magnet with wires. A poweramp can also be overdriven if pushed to it's limits, giving a more open, less fizzy AC/DC type of tone. More often, the poweramp is actually very clean with a much higher headroom as compared to the preamp. Most of the time amp distortion comes from the preamp section. Especially bedroom amps. The power amplifier provides the higher current necessary to drive loudspeakers.


Often we find 1 and 2 put together, which we call a head.
And the speaker seperately, which we call a speaker cabinet.

Sometimes you may find seperate preamps. Less common among guitarists. David gilmore famously used an ampeg preamp for many of his early recordings and tours.

So your typical chain when you plug straight into your typical amp is actually like this:
Guitar->preamp->poweramp->speaker

When we put effects "in front" of our amp, we have:
Guitar->effects->preamp->poweramp->speaker

What the effects loop does is give you a connection after the preamp and before the poweramp. Allowing you to do this:
Guitar->preamp->effects->poweramp->speaker


Why?
Because many guitarists rely on their preamp for their overdriven/distortion tones. If they want their delays to work on the overdrive tones, and not have the delays be overdriven instead, they would want to put their delays AFTER the preamp.


So what about the POD XT and similar effects?
These effects actually do the job of a preamp. They shape your signal in a way a preamp does, and gets it ready for the next stage: the poweramp.


Parallel processing?
Nope. There is nothing running in parallel.
preamp->stuff you put->poweramp->speaker. It's in series.

 

[freakyfir]

thanks theblueark that was crystal clear explanation!

another lesson learnt on soft. aah.

 

[suckasucks]

^ yeah i was thinking about the parallel part. why would it be called series? and what would it mean to put 2 delays in parallel?

 

[theblueark]

Series means one after another.

Parallel means at the same time.

Example of Series:
Guitar->effect1->effect2->amp

Example of parallel:
Guitar->(split)
(split)->effects1->(mixed)
(split)->effects2->(mixed)
(mixed)->amp

Short delay (single repeat):
Bam Bam
Long delay (single repeat):
Bam ____________ Bam

Short delay into long delay:
Bam Bam_________ Bam bam

Short and long delays in parallel:
Bam Bam_________ Bam

The 2nd delay will not "hear" the delayed notes of the 1st delay. In fact there is no 1st or 2nd delay, they are in parallel. Imagine 2 seperate delays going into 2 seperate amps. Just that instead of two amps, they are mixed together by a mixing circuit, and sent to one amp.

 

[DjThugs]

HEEHEE...can get silica gell for small packets from WAN WAN biscuit packets...

 

[edder]

thank you blueark for the detailed explanation. I couldn't have said it any better.

 

[AzNjT]

damn Chuck Norris~

 

[tvontheradio]

woooh..ok learnt a lot from that "article". Alright will try that in the nxt jamming session to see the differences. Thanks a lot.