HX Effects 4 Cable Method

[SadistikPriest]

HX Effects: 

 

When connected via 4 cable method and running a patch that does not have an effects loop block in the signal chain, the output volume is deafening and the amp's volume control does nothing. 

 

Is this normal?

 

Surely not. Surely I can play patches without the loop without having to change cable connections constantly...

[rd2rk]

The FX loop comes in two parts - the physical being the sockets that the cables are connected to, and the virtual, that being the FX Loop Block which directs the signal to and from those physical sockets. Without both parts of the FX Loop the signal goes straight into the power amp from the HXFX Output. Some guitar amps have the MASTER located AFTER the FX Return, so that the signal from the HXFX can be controlled from the physical amp's MASTER VOLUME. Some do not, and whatever wattage the power amp is rated at, that's what hits the speakers.

 

I don't have an HXFX so I'm not sure what the best method to use would be, but you can control the HXFX Output level from the Output Block or by placing a GAIN Block before the output. Either way control the level by saving at an acceptable level or by using whatever method you use to disable the FX Loop. My Egnater had a properly placed Master Volume, but the Engl I had before that did not, and it was a PITA getting everything to play nicely together with my Helix. I found Snapshots to be easiest.