Re: expert modified the A/D signal chain

[A.Willers@t-online.de (A.Willers)]

> >After repeated
> >complaints to my technician about this he told me: in your guitar amps
> >effect loop, try plugging in your effects device in bypass mode  and
> >compare this to the sound that you get when you bridge the loop with a
> >single patchchord. I did notice a difference, and with the mod he 
> performed
> >to my g-force and the EDP, that difference is gone.
> >
> >Funny enaugh, the standard op amps in effect pedals (Digitech, Boss 
>etc.)
> >do not seem to be so bad. When I put a Boss pedal between guitar and 
>amp,
> >I'll notice a change, but it sounds rather different than worse. Go
> >figure....
> 
> you have good ears, man!

Thanks, it was a long and expensive training ;-)

> Sure, standard op amps distort much less and dont have a steep low 
> cut filter as the digital path needs, with possible aliasing and pass 
> band ripple...
> 
> Its not that I would not agree about the complex situation in the 
> high frequencies of a digital unit. I also imagine that quite some 
> equipment is made according to measurement instead of listening... 


> You also said in that mail:
> >>>You just can't use compression, filters,
> >>>pitch and other 'destructive' effects that way.
> 
> Andys post made me understand what you mean by 'destructive' effects, 
> as opposed to the 'adding' effects, right?

Yes. Sorry, maybe the terms prallel effects loop vs. serial effects loop 
would have been better. By having this mod done, I can get rid of a mixer 
and can use effects with 0% dry signal like e.q., whammy-type pitch shifts 
(chasing two slightly off-sync pitches from 2 octaves above to one octave 
down via expression pedal is my fave this week...totally non-sparse, 
tasteless, you get the point), compression etc.
 
> It really is an interesting subject, lately because of the idea to 
> use a portable computer. For most 'adding' effects, latency is not 
> critical, so I seriously consider to do all the looping, reverb, 
> added pitch shift and pitch shifted loops in the PowerBook, while 
> continuing with analog distortion and compressor in the main path 
> before it - and by this totally avoid digital treatment of the direct 
> signal, as you suggest.

BTW, I forgot who recently mentioned that Bartok chord (ascending E, G, C, 
D#, simply moving around in constant structure). Nice lick, that really 
stuck. Thanks!

andreas