Are you using a pedal buffer? Which one?

[guijs]

Hello,

I'm starting to buy the components for my pedal board, which will be (not in this exactly sequence):

TC Electronics Nova Delay
Xotic EP Booster
Boss RC-3 Loop Station
Mojo Hand FX Nebula IV Phaser
Costalab Choruslab

All them powered by the power supply Voodoo labs Pedal Power 2+.

The question is, I don't know if I should already buy a buffer pedal for this board. All pedals are true bypass except for the Boss RC-3. I'm using good quality patch cables and the cables between the board and FX Loop are spectraflex 10'.

Are you guys using a pedal buffer in your loop? Which one?

 

[elvis]

Yes, get a buffer. The "true bypass" thing played itself out and the custom board designers finally started putting buffers back in. The reason is that if you use all true-bypass pedals, you wind up with a very different effective cable length depending on what is on.

If you have a 20' guitar cable, then 5 pedals, each with 1' of cable, and then another 20' cable to the amp, your guitar will see:

All effects off: 44' of cable
Any one effect on: Between 20' and 24' of cable, depending on the effect
And so on.

Also, true-bypass or not, effects may or may not be able to drive the cable back to the amp. Not all pedals have a good low-impedance out.

For choosing a buffer, get a good-quality pedal with at least 1MegOhm input impedance and no more than 1kOhm output impedance. Low noise is also important. I like FET buffers because they are simple, work well, and generally inexpensive. For any buffer you put in the FX loop, you should consider running a supply voltage that is higher than 9V to give adequate headroom for the amp signal level.

 

[jb's 52]

For that amount of pedals I don't think you'd need a buffer.
Beside, I think that Boss already has one.

 

[guijs]

What about Visual Sound Buffer, is there anybody using it here? It is very cheap, about USD 50, but I saw good reviews about it. I thought it might worth a try. My first thought was ordering a Puretone Buffer that has excellent reviews but is USD 160.

 

[kdorsey]

You can use your EP Booster as a buffer since it converts the signal to low impedance. I've used it in first position with great results, except or high gain amp channels...my ch3 HATES being pushed by pedals. Currently, my favorite buffer is inherent in the Klon KTR, even if it's not engaged.

Btw, the rest of my pedals are all tru-bypass, too.

 

[guijs]

I will use the effects most of the time only in the clean channel, except for the delay, and a subtle chorus for soloing on the drive channels. I always set my FX loop to be ON at ch1 all the time and footswitchable for ch2 and ch3.

I also don't like to use the booster for ch2 and ch3. I think I can have the same effect by raising the volume a bit and tweaking the settings. For ch1 I think the Xotic EP Booster really add "body" to the tone.

 

[cho]

As someone previously stated, your Boss RC-3 has a buffer, so if you are always running through the RC-3 you should be good to go.

Typically, a buffer is a solution to a problem. I recommend to first see if you actually have a problem (ie. large volume drop when all pedals are "off").

Good luck!

 

[guijs]

Yes that makes a lot of sense, thanks!

 

[elvis]

Typically, a buffer is a solution to a problem. I recommend to first see if you actually have a problem (ie. large volume drop when all pedals are "off").

Good luck!

If you have an issue, it may not appear as an obvious volume drop. It may sound like a tone change as well.

I like having buffers on my board just for the consistency. A good buffer will not hurt your tone or response, and if something changes (more pedals or different pedals, different cable length, whatever) a buffer will keep that from changing your tone.

HOWEVER, buffers are famous for messing up fuzz. Apparently fuzz pedals work with the guitar source impedance in some way.

As someone previously stated, your Boss RC-3 has a buffer, so if you are always running through the RC-3 you should be good to go.

Depends. You may need a buffer before the first pedal in the chain, or after the last pedal, or both.

NOTE ON EP BOOST: IF you don't run that pedal with full gain, its output impedance can get high, so it stops working like a buffer.

 

[guijs]

I use the EP Booster with the gain at low, around 9h00.

But I will test today with the pedals I already have, which is the EP Booster, the Boss RC-3, Boss CE-5 chorus and the Nova delay, each with its own power supply. Let's see how it sounds.

From what I remember Boss recommends the RC-3 at the end of signal chain, and if buffers are recommended at the begin of the chain, maybe the RC-3 buffer won't make a difference.

Anyway, I'll test and post here the results later.

 

[xyrium]

What Cho said, the Boss probably has one. However, like others have also said, I doubt you'll need it.

 

[guijs]

Does the Send Level knob should be used to compensate the volume drop?