FX loop: Series vs. Parallel

[xnfx]

Can anyone explain to me what the difference is between these two types of loops, and what the pros and cons are of both?

Thanks!

 

[tele_jas]

A parallel loop takes the signal and splits it in to two different signals and then sends one signal through the FX before it goes to the power amp and the other signal remains intact and original as it goes to the power amp. So in the end, they are actually joined. The plus side to this is it keeps the tone as close to pure as possible and doesnt get degraded by a cheap or poor FX processer. The cons to this is you will never be able to get a real wet or saturated FX sound from your amp...... And some people expeirence an "out of phase" sound when using the parallel loop with the mix turned up over a certain point.

A Serial loop runs the entire signal through the FX processor before going to the power amp/output. the pro to this is the end result can be very wet/saturated sound. The con to this is, if your FX processor is kind of old, or a cheap one it may degrade the original signal and alter your tone just a bit. I've personally expeirenced a loss of distortion and a muddy tone when using my "cheaper" FX units.


What do I like?? I like a serial loop the best, but I've gotten used to the parallel loop and can see where it has it's strong points. I found out that runing time based FX (reverb and delay) sound pretty good in a parallel loop (but will never be real wet), and modulation FX (chorus, phase, flange, ect...) sound best in front of an amp with the parallel loop.

Thats a lot of thinking for this early in the morning for me... let me know if I missed anything or this doesn't make sence :?: :wink:

 

[Red Barchetta]

I thought tele jas' response was spot-on. I just wanted to say that when I pick fx units to run in my serial loop, I use this "test": Is this fx unit good enough to run my signal chain in the first place? As long as I would use the pedal/rack piece anyway, I have found no tone sucking or degradation of signal running them in my series loop. A serial loop to me just seems a bit more sensitive to the quality of what you plug into it. I usually run a Guayatone MD3 in mine. No problems there.


RB

 

[xnfx]

Thanks very much for the info guys!

tele_jas,
So from what you explained, a parallel loop would mix about 50% wet and 50% dry signal?

I thought your explanation was great! Thanks!

 

[Elpelotero]

So...would it be wise to say that if i were to purchase something along the lines of a GMajor, or PODXT Live, or hoping someday a GForce or GSystem.... Then Have my Recto modded to Serial, I should NOT lose my recto tone??

What do professional artists use? Guys like Mike Einzeger of Incubus who has 50 pedals, but still great tone!

Do they prefer Parallel or Serial?? Anyone know?

 

[xnfx]

bump

 

[Jaroslav]

I am afraid you will loose some tone through POD XT Live if placed in serial loop. All the signal goes through AD and DA converters and somebody might notice some difference in sound.

Into serial loop you must place a processor, which has it's own analogue mixer inside, preferably controlled from the presets.

There is no need to modify your Recto, try first to set the mix control to 100% wet and you will see. There will be none or a very small dry signal coming through...

I personally prefer parallel loop, as it can be with a turn of a knob converted to serial (there are exceptions). Also, I do not tend to use much effects, occasionally delay for leads, and pitch shifter and flanger for some weird stuff. All of these work very well in the parallel loop.

 

[fatboy135]

I see some amps that becomes with a pot to choose the correct balance between dry and wet signal on the loop fx, I think that is the best way to use a loop fx. I think that maybe they are done with some resistors, and I think that it is posibly so easy to implement them, then... another mod :wink: ????

All the signal goes through AD and DA converters and somebody might notice some difference in sound

Absolutely right, the alone multifx that has a true bypass function is the rocktron intellifex, the signal is splitted by a parameter called mix then the signals flow through the AD to DSP and then it becomes from the DSP to the DA to mix with the pure analog signal that the intellifex route to the output without any processing.
I prefer a good parallel loop, and a good multifx, because even trashing with the best amp if it has the serial loop and you put a G major the last tone will have the worst tone filtering that I have ever seen.

 

[tele_jas]

I do notice a slight tone degrade when using my delay pedal in the serial loop, but not enough to worry about in a live situation. If I were recording, it would bother me but it's not bad enough for live use.

I've tried using it in front of the amp, but it reacts different with each channel and in the loop it doens't, it sounds fine.

I've tried the Parallel loop, but I have a rather noticable volume drop when using that loop.

Just some FYI on the loops thing.

 

[Elpelotero]

still curious tho...what do professionals prefer? this is a subject ive never heard discussed, and one could only assume their techies know the amps very well.