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Signal routing (stereo effects).... my dumb question for the day


themetallikid
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I have several of these that pop up in my mind daily, however this one I haven't been able to find anything about it.  

 

I know that DSP is used as soon as a block is put into a preset.  Whether its bypassed or not, does that affect routing?  I'm assuming not that if its in the preset its splitting/summing as it should.  

 

In my presets for my tribute group, I have the 70's chorus (stereo) right before the split for a dual amp signal flow.  Sometimes I do not need the chorus effect, but during down the mix to 0% kills the 'dry' signal getting through (duh!).  So I have it bypassed and just not active in any snapshots.  I assume that it is still splitting the signal L/R.  

 

 

Now the dumb(er) part of the question....I could really use the DSP that the 70's chorus takes up.  Especially when its not in use.  Is there anything it is doing when bypassed that I 'need' to keep the signal flow consistent the rest of the way through the preset?  Again....I'm assuming not as bypassed means its out of the signal flow and at the split its no different than if its not there.  

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Interesting question. I’m not sure but my instinct tells me that a bypassed FX block has no effect on routing. The bypassed signal remains mono or stereo depending on its nature as it enters the FX block. In other words your assumption I understand it is incorrect.

 

My thinking is that if a block is bypassed the signal does not pass through it at all; hence the signal is the same after the block as it was before the block.

 

 

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Yeah, I confuse myself thinking about it as I can understand/believe both of those scenarios.   

 

So my next question, is there any benefit to maintaining a stereo split before the 'split' point of the path by adding a stereo gain block?  

 

My signal splits into 2 different amps (Tweed/Mandarin), which then goes out 1A/1B feeding 2A/2B respectively into appropriate IR's.  I have a dynamic room reverb on the Mandarin path before it merges on its way to a Retro Reel and then output.  

 

 

My brain short circuits when thinking about the differences between collapsing stereo>mono and all that.  I don't really run stereo, however I do like the split amp thing for this project.  Having that stereo chorus is greatly accurate to the STP sound.   In the aspect of saving more DSP for some further accurate sounds....is there any difference in using a mono Retro Reel (or any mono block really) and collapsing the stereo>mono....vs just letting the output connections being L only doing it?   

 

If I can save some DSP by using a mono block vs stereo if its not making any difference at the output location then I'm fine with that too. 

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Usually before the split block, I would only have a wah, maybe a 'shared' TS808 for leads, but the main block before the split is the 70's Chorus...but there are enough songs that I dont need that sound on to warranty exploring what I've been asking so I dont have to drastically worry about weird signal flows etc.  

 

If I understand you correctly these will give me the same result 

 

1) Guitar > Split block > Path A Amp/Path B amp

2) Guitar > Stereo Gain block > Split block > Path A Amp/Path B amp

 

So yes that would save me DSP.  

 

 

Can you verify the back end of my signal routing; that these result in the same sound:

 

1) Merge block > Stereo Delay > Stereo Retro Reel > Left Mono output

2) Merge block > Mono Delay > Mono Retro Reel > Left Mono output

 

That would save me some DSP on the back end as well.  Also isnt the Heliosphere's reverb based on the Dynamic room?  That could then replace my delay/reverb blocks to save some dsp if the above mono conclusion makes no difference. 

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On 4/7/2022 at 1:51 PM, brue58ski said:

Not sure if this was answered but bypassing an effect does not in anyway eliminate or diminish the amount of DSP it uses.

That I was well aware of.  Knowing that though, I didnt know if it actually changed any routing being that it was bypassed.  Being that the 70's chorus is right before my split to 2 different amps....when bypassed, am I losing that stereo split (not that it really matters as I'm finding out as I'm not running any other stereo effects prior anyway)......but my mind couldnt let the question go. 

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If a mono signal bypasses the stereo block then I don’t see how it could be made stereo inside the bypassed block. It must remain mono. Same would be true if the signal entering the stereo block was stereo - it would remain stereo.

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