Beginner needing help with effects chain using FX Loop

[Valith]

Hi Everyone,

 

Thank you all for the help in the past. I have been doing a lot of research on my issue and I am getting different answers on the internet.

 

My issue is, I would like to create a user preset but I am unsure what order the effects should be in the chain, and where I should insert the effects loop for my stomp boxes. (Triple Wreck Distortion and The DreamScape Pedal)

 

I have written before in this thread and got some really helpful answers, so I sincerly appreciate the community with all the help I have received, it has been tremendously helpful!

 

Here is my situation. I have a Wampler Triple Wreck DIstortion pedal and The DreamScape pedal from T.C. Electronics.

 

When attempting to create my own preset I am not sure what order the effects chain should be or where to place the effects loop. I have had different suggestions and have different websites state different things on how they believe the effects chain should be.

 

For Example, I have read that your wah should be first in the chain -> Noise Gate -> Compressor -> FX Loop - Distortion (which the Triple wreck and The Dreamscape are connected) -> EQ -> Modulation ->Ambience

 

My question is, with the pedals I have, I have tried the above chain, but I get a lot of noise from my Wampler Distortion pedal. I have tried putting a noise gate first as suggested on some sites to prevent noise from my guitar inputs (Using a MusicMan JP13 which have High out put pickups) then the signal chain above but I am still getting a lot of noise from the distortion pedal.

 

Like this:

 

Guitar input -> Noise Gate (supposed to suppress the noise from pickups) ->Compressor - > FX Loop - Distortion (which the Triple wreck and The Dreamscape are connected) -> EQ -> Modulation ->Ambience

 

I have even tried adding a second Noise Gate after the FX Loop but I am still getting noise from the Triple Wreck,

 

I am at a lost on how I should do this to keep the Tripple wreck quiet while still retaining it's heavy distorted sound.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can eliminate this noise from the pedal? I am at a loss. And I am still confused as to what chain would be best for my setup.

 

I have tried pluging my JP13 into the Triple Wreck, then to The Dreamscape pedal to the HD500x's input, but that doesn't seem to work.

 

I am at a loss. Should I be using any cabinets/Amps like the Treadplate? It seems when I do that, the distortion from the Cabinent/Amp override the Tripple wreck.

 

I am sorry I am so new at this, but does anyone have any suggestions on how I should actually set up the chain of effects properly?

 

And I do not know which settings I should set the noise gate at or exactly which order in the chain it should go. Same thing with the Compressor. There are a few different choices for the Compressor like Tube Compressor etc. I do not know which compressor to use or what settings I should have them at.

 

I know I am asking a lot, but I really like the Triple wreck DIstortion pedal and all I basically want to do is add it to the chain in the proper place it should be.

 

Like I said, some sites state the Noise Gate should be first to prevent noise from the guitar, but that doesn't help the Triple Wreck noise. Then I have read that after the the Noise Gate I should have the compressor before the distortion. (which I have no idea what compressor I should use or what settings.)

 

So basically I have tried the following setups:

 

1) Guitar -> Triple Wreck - > The Dreamscape Pedal - > HD500x input -> Noise Gate -> Compressor -> EQ -> Modulation -> Ambience

 

2) Guitar input direct to PID HD550x input -> Noise Gate (supposed to suppress the noise from pickups) -> Compressor - > FX Loop - Distortion (which the Triple wreck and The Dreamscape are connected) -> EQ -> Modulation ->Ambience

 

3) Guitar input -> Noise Gate (supposed to suppress the noise from pickups) -> Compressor - > FX Loop - Distortion (which the Triple wreck and The Dreamscape are connected) -> Another Noise Gate -> EQ -> Modulation ->Ambience

 

I do not know what to do or the proper way to set this up. I have done research on different sites and people say different things. I have even read the advanced POD HD500x Manual but cannot seem to figure it out.

 

I am not sure what settings I should have the Noise Gate at or which type of compressor to use.

 

Can anyone help me on how I should properly set this up as far as what the effects order should be, where I should insert the effects loop, and some settings on what settings the noise gate should be at and which type of compressor I should be using?

 

I know some of the distortions included with the Pod HD500x can be pretty heavy, but the presets are still really quiet, I even tried to modify a preset to include the Wampler Triple Wreck in the effects loop, but I still get noise.

 

Any help would be so much appreciated. I really love the Triple Wreck and want to incorporate it with my Pod HD500x setup, but the noise is driving me crazy and I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong when there are factory presets on the Pod HD 500x with some pretty heavy distortion, yet are very quiet. I even read on the HD500's product page stating that you can add distortion or other stompboxes in the effects loop, which I did, but anytime I use the Triple Wreck there is noise.

 

Will someone please help me on which order I should have the effets chain in and perhaps some settings on which compressor to use and it's settings as well as the Noise gate and where to place it in the chain?

 

Thank you all so much for reading and any advice and/or suggestions you can provide. Thank you all!

 

 

 

 

 

[pfsmith0]

Do you get noise when the guitar is NOT plugged in?

[Valith]

Hi pfsmith0,

 

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. Yes the noise is there when the guitar is not plugged in. Right now I am just listening to headphones through the HD500x. It's kinda difficult to explain the noise, it's a lot like the sound when you turn speakers up extermely loud and no music is playing - you can hear the "ssssssss" noise like it is going to be REALLY loud, even though the HD500X and Wampler Triple Wreck are at headphone volumes, or if you have a huge amp head connected to say a half stack or even a full stack and you turn the volume up really loud but do not play any guitar through it, it just like that "airry - ssssssss". I know the triple wreck is meant to sound a lot like a Mesa Triple Rectifier (thus the name Triple Wreck), some also think it sounds a lot like a 5150. The pedal itself sounds amazing, but when I try putting a noise gate on it, I still get the "SSSSSS" Airy-type noise like when you turn up speakers really loudly or a really powerful amp-head to a hal or full stack without playing anything.

 

I am at a loss as to why a noise gate wouldn't solve the issue, especcialy when there are some pretty heavy distortions the pod has, and they are quiet as a mouse when not playing. if I hit the bypass button on the Triple Wreck the ssssss/airy sound is gone so I know it is the pedal and not the guitar or the HD500x.

 

It just seems like the Tripple wreck is a full-sized amp-head in a stomp box. But still I would think a noise gate would take care of it. Perhaps I am not using the loop right, or not using the noise gate correctly in the chain. I know if I bypass the HD500X I still get the same noise, the Triple Wreck sounds like a Mesa head at full power through some 4x12's without having any guitar playing or when you turn up a home stereo or headphones really loud before you start to play music.

 

I am sorry my explanation may not be too good, I am just trying to explain it the best I can. There has to be something I am doing wrong in the chain, placement of the effects loop, or the placement of the noise gate and/or Compressor.

 

Thank you again for your quick reply! If you think of anything else, I would appreciate it very much.

[stumblinman]

Is your fx loop set to line or amp? If going into a pedal, it should be set to amp.

Hi pfsmith0,

 

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. Yes the noise is there when the guitar is not plugged in. Right now I am just listening to headphones through the HD500x. It's kinda difficult to explain the noise, it's a lot like the sound when you turn speakers up extermely loud and no music is playing - you can hear the "ssssssss" noise like it is going to be REALLY loud, even though the HD500X and Wampler Triple Wreck are at headphone volumes, or if you have a huge amp head connected to say a half stack or even a full stack and you turn the volume up really loud but do not play any guitar through it, it just like that "airry - ssssssss". I know the triple wreck is meant to sound a lot like a Mesa Triple Rectifier (thus the name Triple Wreck), some also think it sounds a lot like a 5150. The pedal itself sounds amazing, but when I try putting a noise gate on it, I still get the "SSSSSS" Airy-type noise like when you turn up speakers really loudly or a really powerful amp-head to a hal or full stack without playing anything.

 

I am at a loss as to why a noise gate wouldn't solve the issue, especcialy when there are some pretty heavy distortions the pod has, and they are quiet as a mouse when not playing. if I hit the bypass button on the Triple Wreck the ssssss/airy sound is gone so I know it is the pedal and not the guitar or the HD500x.

 

It just seems like the Tripple wreck is a full-sized amp-head in a stomp box. But still I would think a noise gate would take care of it. Perhaps I am not using the loop right, or not using the noise gate correctly in the chain. I know if I bypass the HD500X I still get the same noise, the Triple Wreck sounds like a Mesa head at full power through some 4x12's without having any guitar playing or when you turn up a home stereo or headphones really loud before you start to play music.

 

I am sorry my explanation may not be too good, I am just trying to explain it the best I can. There has to be something I am doing wrong in the chain, placement of the effects loop, or the placement of the noise gate and/or Compressor.

 

Thank you again for your quick reply! If you think of anything else, I would appreciate it very much.

[Valith]

I beleive it is set to line. Can you tell me how to set the loop to amp? I know there is a switch on the HD500x itself where you can toggle between line and amp, is that the switch you are refering to or is it a parameter inside the FX loop that I need to set to amp?

 

Once again, thank you for your prompt reply and all of your help, I really hope I can get this solved!

[stumblinman]

Yes, switch on the back between the loop ins and outs

[Valith]

Thank you, I didn't notice the switch on the back. It was set to line, I switched it over to Stomp. Is that what you wanted me to try?

[stumblinman]

Thank you, I didn't notice the switch on the back. It was set to line, I switched it over to Stomp. Is that what you wanted me to try?

Yes, it lowers the signal entering the pedal to what it would get from a guitar, not from an audio source. It may help.

[Valith]

Thank you everyone, i will give that a try and report back later! I sincerly appreiate each and every one who has given their suggestions and thier time to help me try to solve this! I sincerly appreciate it!

 

i will write back later this evening with the results! Thank you to each and every one of you who have taken their time and wisdom to try to help me solve my issue, I sincerely appreciate it!