Best way to use external stereo pedals?

[ruperthawkes]

I have 4 stereo pedals and want to use in effects loop.  But how so I set up routing?  Do I need to split the path to do left / right sends then return left / right into different paths?

 

I've tried with a single send but with return left on one part and return right on the other but it doesn't appear to be stereo anymore, ie the ping pong isn't left/right.

 

Thanks

[silverhead]

I would use an FX Loop block in the Helix preset. For stereo operation choose FX Loop 1/2. Connect the Send 1 and Send 2 outputs from Helix to your first stereo external pedal and connect the last stereo pedal’s outputs to the Helix Return 1 and Return 2 inputs. No need for multiple paths. Using the stereo FX Loop setup should maintain the stereo signal throughout the loop as long as all your external pedals are stereo and connected accordingly.

 

If you want to use some of your external pedals at one point in the signal chain and the rest at another point you can use FX Loop 1/2 at one point and FX Loop 3/4 at a different point, connected as described above.

[ruperthawkes]

I wasn't using a stereo send/return - doh!  Thanks

[StaccoP2P]

Related question from Helix noob: I currently have an Empress Zoia hooked up, stereo ins and outs, on Loop 1/2 at the end of the chain. It sound wondrous and soon I'll have Helix talk to Zoia via midi to change patches.

 

As I said, the stereo loop is at the end of chain, where it works great for mod, delay and verb. I'd also like to use some of the Zoia's filters and fuzzes at the beggining of the chain. Is there any way I can also insert the same loop (1/2) there? I don't think so, could I move it's location via snapshots though? (Bear with me, I've only had the Helix for a couple of weeks. Thanks)

[datacommando]

On 10/31/2020 at 9:53 AM, StaccoP2P said:

Related question from Helix noob: I currently have an Empress Zoia hooked up, stereo ins and outs, on Loop 1/2 at the end of the chain. It sound wondrous and soon I'll have Helix talk to Zoia via midi to change patches.

 

As I said, the stereo loop is at the end of chain, where it works great for mod, delay and verb. I'd also like to use some of the Zoia's filters and fuzzes at the beggining of the chain. Is there any way I can also insert the same loop (1/2) there? I don't think so, could I move it's location via snapshots though? (Bear with me, I've only had the Helix for a couple of weeks. Thanks)

Hi,

 

Well, it looks like you had already figured this out. If you have your Zoia patched into a stereo FX Send/Return loop, that’s as far as it goes, simply because of the fact that your Zoia only has 2 jack sockets available for getting signals in and out of the box of tricks. Same goes for the Helix - it’s physically restricted by the numbers of sockets. Once they’ve been used that’s it, but it depends what you daisy chain into the stuff in the send/return loop. For example, depending I what I require at the time, I can have a SEND -> DittoX4 Looper -> Zoom MS-70CDR -> Yamaha SPX 90 -> RETURN .

 

I know you can do lots of stuff with the Zoia, and as far as I’m aware, it has a couple of Fuzz and Overdrive blocks, but really I would be tempted to use it for all the sonic duties that your Helix can’t provide.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.