HX Stomp - Hard to get Volume Unity in FX Loop or 4CM

[ninjapenguinart]

I have had the HX Stomp for almost two years now but had used it mostly as my entire rig and played with head phones.  I have started to collect a few pedals and a nice practice amp, because I prefer the simplicity of the pedals to get a good tone.  I still kept the HX Stomp because of the desire to use it in the FX Loop for time based effects or even use the 4CM to use a dry and wet blend.  The problem is when I have it in the FX Loop, there is a significant volume drop.  When I have it in the 4CM, the signal chain as a whole is good, but when I bypass the FX Loop or even turn off the HX Stomp, the volume is boosted way past unity.  All of the signals are set to Instrument.  I'm at the point of considering to sell the HX Stomp since it is becoming such a hassle to get it to work with everything.  Any help is much appreciated! 

[rd2rk]

The devil is in the details.

All amplifier FX Loops are NOT the same.

Is your mystery amp's FX Loop Instrument or Line level?

Is there a switch on the back of the amp that allows you to choose?

Have you tried using BOTH Inst and Line as settings for the HXS I/O ports?

How, EXACTLY, are you connecting the HXS to your amp?

Input/Output? Send/Return? Single FX Loop Block or separate blocks? Some other combination?

[joanesinu]

On 2/11/2023 at 6:25 PM, ninjapenguinart said:

I have had the HX Stomp for almost two years now but had used it mostly as my entire rig and played with head phones.  I have started to collect a few pedals and a nice practice amp, because I prefer the simplicity of the pedals to get a good tone.  I still kept the HX Stomp because of the desire to use it in the FX Loop for time based effects or even use the 4CM to use a dry and wet blend.  The problem is when I have it in the FX Loop, there is a significant volume drop.  When I have it in the 4CM, the signal chain as a whole is good, but when I bypass the FX Loop or even turn off the HX Stomp, the volume is boosted way past unity.  All of the signals are set to Instrument.  I'm at the point of considering to sell the HX Stomp since it is becoming such a hassle to get it to work with everything.  Any help is much appreciated! 

 

Hello, I got a problem like that once with my HX effects... The problem was the cable routing. I mean, 4CM it's so confusing to get right. Like the logic states in your mind, If you are putting the loop send/return into the Stomp send/return you are doing it WRONG. HX stomp SEND goes to AMP front INPUT (NOT LOOP). AMP loop SEND goes to STOMP Return. STOMP Final output goes to AMP loop RETURN.

 

Re-check the cables routing and re-check the 4CM concept on the manual.

 

PD: Apart from that, the preset has to be well configured with a loop block ALWAYS ON, with the loop effects after that block. 4CM has a lot of variables to get it right. It costs a bit to get everything configured but when it's done it pays off.

[silverhead]

On 2/13/2023 at 3:28 AM, joanesinu said:

 

... The problem was the cable routing. I mean, 4CM it's so confusing to get right. ….

Confusing? See manual pg 9. Very clear, very simple.

[MayPRS]

I've had the exact same problem with my HX Effects. I solved it by putting a Gain block at the start of the chain with +5db.

[codamedia]

On 2/11/2023 at 11:25 AM, ninjapenguinart said:

All of the signals are set to Instrument.

 

Yet there is a very good chance your amp fx loop is line level.  Or it could be a parallel loop rather than a series loop? Make sure you know the the details of all the gear you own... and how it will all interact with each other. You can't just blame one piece of gear when two pieces are not playing well together. 

 

As for getting volumes to match.... aside from Line/Instrument level, there is also a send level and a return level. More than enough tools available to match volumes. 

[ninjapenguinart]

On 2/12/2023 at 4:23 PM, rd2rk said:

The devil is in the details.

All amplifier FX Loops are NOT the same.

Is your mystery amp's FX Loop Instrument or Line level?

Is there a switch on the back of the amp that allows you to choose?

Have you tried using BOTH Inst and Line as settings for the HXS I/O ports?

How, EXACTLY, are you connecting the HXS to your amp?

Input/Output? Send/Return? Single FX Loop Block or separate blocks? Some other combination?

 

On 2/13/2023 at 2:28 AM, joanesinu said:

 

Hello, I got a problem like that once with my HX effects... The problem was the cable routing. I mean, 4CM it's so confusing to get right. Like the logic states in your mind, If you are putting the loop send/return into the Stomp send/return you are doing it WRONG. HX stomp SEND goes to AMP front INPUT (NOT LOOP). AMP loop SEND goes to STOMP Return. STOMP Final output goes to AMP loop RETURN.

 

Re-check the cables routing and re-check the 4CM concept on the manual.

 

PD: Apart from that, the preset has to be well configured with a loop block ALWAYS ON, with the loop effects after that block. 4CM has a lot of variables to get it right. It costs a bit to get everything configured but when it's done it pays off.

 

On 2/14/2023 at 6:20 AM, codamedia said:

 

Yet there is a very good chance your amp fx loop is line level.  Or it could be a parallel loop rather than a series loop? Make sure you know the the details of all the gear you own... and how it will all interact with each other. You can't just blame one piece of gear when two pieces are not playing well together. 

 

As for getting volumes to match.... aside from Line/Instrument level, there is also a send level and a return level. More than enough tools available to match volumes. 

 

On 2/14/2023 at 4:06 AM, MayPRS said:

I've had the exact same problem with my HX Effects. I solved it by putting a Gain block at the start of the chain with +5db.

 

I have the routing Instrument-> HX Stomp Input -> HX Stomp Send -> Amp Input -> Amp Send -> HX Stomp Return -> HX Stomp Output -> Amp Return.  I've also tried messing around with the line and instrument levels, where I can get the volume to a good level when the FX loop is active.  What still becomes the struggle is when the FX loop isn't active, there is a large volume boost.  Even when I turn off the HX Stomp, there is a volume boost compared to if I plugged directly into my amp.  I've also tried to have it as just on the FX Loop for pure modulation effects with adjusting levels or adding a gain block and that works, but doesn't get me the full flexibility of the HX Stomp.  I also lose out on the clean DI for recording.

 

What's weird, I've put a EQD Dispatch Master in the FX Loop to see if it has a similar problem, and no issues.  The volume is where you would expect it with the pedal engaged and disengaged.  I've also tried using different cables and no benefit.  If I can solve the volume boost when the FX Loop or HX Stomp is off, I'd be ecstatic since that's the only issue so far.