Where do other pedals go in 4-Cable-Method?

[rockonrush]

I have my PODHD500X going into my (brand f****** spanking new) EVH 5150IIIs EL34 using the 4 cable method.  Besides quite a bit of feedback, which I would welcome help on as well, but not as important, is that I don't know where my other pedals like my morley wah, my noise suppresor, etc. are supposed to go amidst all this chaos of cables.

So just to reiterate where my cables are:

 

Guitar to Guitar In (POD)

FX Loop send (EVH 5150) to FX Return (POD)

FX Return (EVH 5150) to Unbalanced Output L (POD)

Input (EVH 5150) to FX Send(POD)

 

I dont need the pedals to be in the effects loop btw.  Just need it in front of the amp.

Also if anyones experienced the feedback that I've got when the POD is 4cabled into the amp I'd love to know :)  Super excited to get this fully setup and rocking for a gig in a few weeks

[pianoguyy]

Anywhere you want to put them. 

 

Wah pedals will probably go first in the chain. 

Noise suppressors will probably go first or last depending on what noise you are trying to kill. 

[rockonrush]

Anywhere you want to put them. 

 

Wah pedals will probably go first in the chain. 

Noise suppressors will probably go first or last depending on what noise you are trying to kill. 

So does that mean it goes in between the guitar and the POD Guitar In?  Because I believe the last time i tried that it got really muffled

[xebradave]

I would probably put the wah before the pod but if it's giving you issues, it could go between fx out and the amp. That would mean it would be after any fx set on the pod pre loop block. I'd find it a bit weird to do that but it's not wrong just different to a standard signal chain.

[pianoguyy]

30 years ago (back in the stone age), when I was using individual pedals, I often ran two of the same pedals because sometimes I wanted (as example) a wah before the distortion and sometimes I wanted it after. 

 

There is no right answer to your question. No "one size fits all" solution. 

 

 

If you don't like the sound before the pod, put it after. Or add it to the fx loop before the amp or after the amp. 

 

 

 

 

 

============

While giving examples of 30 years ago - I ran a noise gate at the end of my rig to shut down the noise added by my devices. 

But with my Pod, I use the noise gate first to cut down on the noise that the guitar makes.

 

So, that's a good example of "there is no right answer".

[J_V_RO]

I dont need the pedals to be in the effects loop btw.  Just need it in front of the amp.

Also if anyones experienced the feedback that I've got when the POD is 4cabled into the amp I'd love to know :)  Super excited to get this fully setup and rocking for a gig in a few weeks

 

Check the attached picture. Depending on what pedals you use (Wah, OD's, etc) that will be the position of the FX LOOP Block,  but... use your ears!

 

[namklak]

I'm also using the HD500X in 4CM.  Some of the old posts about levels being too low etc on the HD500 don't apply to the HD500X  

 

I'm surprised with your immediate feedback, I recommend some level verification first.  Put the HD Line/stomp to line.  Start with an empty HD patch.  You want the level going from the HD Efx Send to the Amp to be the same level as your guitar.  You can do this by ear by just swapping cables back and forth between your 4CM setup and plugging the guitar directly into the amp's guitar in..  If the HD Efx Send is not unity, play with the HD Input setup - I had to set the HD second channel input to either Guitar or Variax to get unity gain - sorry I don't have the exact answer, I'm not at home and won't be able to get back to this until tomorrow.  Again, your goal is to have a signal at your amp input to be guitar level, so then you can add gain/od if you want.

 

Generally, wah, od, distortion, compression go before/into the amp's preamp.  Time based effects like delay/chorus/reverb belong after the amp's preamp or in the amp's effects loop.  Again, generally.  EQ, noise gate, can go either and I use in both.

 

Keep in mind in 4CM you have 3 ground paths between your amp and the HD (4 if you're running midi).  This can cause ground loops, which can result in hum, hiss, or even a weird filtering sound.  The 3 cables going back and forth between the HD and the amp should be bundled in a snake.  If you have any of these problems, lift the ground on one end of two of the three cables (but not all three cables.)  Ideally you one want one ground between the HD and your amp.  If running midi also, break off pin 2 (shield) on the cable on the amp end - midi spec states the midi receiver (the amp) shall not ground pin 2 - but the JVM does.

 

Does you amp effects loop have a -4/+10 switch?  My JVM does and that's the big question I have.  Running at -4 on the JVM attenuates then boosts the signal (which can cause extra noise/hum) while +10 is straight thru.  I wonder if the HD has enough headroom in its digital signal path to handle the +10?

 

Again, does the HD has enough headroom in its digital signal path to handle the +10 in it's effects loop?

 

Later.