pre-amp/effects loop question

[jutsin]

Hi guys,
I'm not super experienced with rack setups or the whole separate pre/power amp thing... so please let me know if I am on the right line of thought here:
If I have a studio or quad pre amp, and run my guitar straight into it, can I then place that in the effects loop of my 5150 and use the peavey for just the power section? Then I could A/B from my signal going straight into the 5150 with the effects loop off (bypassing the boogie pre amp) to just into the boogie and then using just the 5150's power? thanks so much for any help!

 

[t0aj15]

Your almost right. You don't exactly put it in the loop, you do however plug the output of the preamp into the efx return of the amp your using as a poweramp. You then need a way to switch your guitar between preamps as well as switching the loop on & off.

 

[jutsin]

sweet, I really appreciate the response! I've got an A/B switch that should do the job. Is this something that people do often? it seems like a pretty simple way to get a lot of different sounds. The 5150 pre amp won't color the boogie at all right?
does it matter that they say only non gain effects should be used in the effects loop?

 

[MrMarkIII]

If you put the Quad in the loop of the 5150 and plug the guitar into the Quad, you will not have a "signal going straight into the 5150", at least not the front end. The effect send from the 5150 will be going into the front of the Quad. Oops, that's where the guitar is.
The big problem here is the guitar has to be plugged into the front of one of these: the 5150, or the Quad. Whichever, it will color the next pre-amp in line.
And, if you plug the Quad into the return of the 5150 loop, the 5150 pre-amp will be inaccessible, as at this point you are using the 5150 power amp only.
You could run the Quad totally in the loop, and, first, set up a squeaky clean "flat" Quad sound as a "default" for a 5150 pre-amp sound to be as "uncolored" by the Quad as possible. It still leaves three Quad sounds and two 5150 sounds. I think.
The same result might be had by running the Quad into the front of the 5150, and setting the clean channel on the 5150 as flat as possible to accommodate the Quad.
Six of one...

 

[jutsin]

If you put the Quad in the loop of the 5150 and plug the guitar into the Quad, you will not have a "signal going straight into the 5150", at least not the front end. The effect send from the 5150 will be going into the front of the Quad. Oops, that's where the guitar is.
The big problem here is the guitar has to be plugged into the front of one of these: the 5150, or the Quad. Whichever, it will color the next pre-amp in line.
And, if you plug the Quad into the return of the 5150 loop, the 5150 pre-amp will be inaccessible, as at this point you are using the 5150 power amp only.
You could run the Quad totally in the loop, and, first, set up a squeaky clean "flat" Quad sound as a "default" for a 5150 pre-amp sound to be as "uncolored" by the Quad as possible. It still leaves three Quad sounds and two 5150 sounds. I think.
The same result might be had by running the Quad into the front of the 5150, and setting the clean channel on the 5150 as flat as possible to accommodate the Quad.
Six of one...

I have an A/B switch, as well as an A/B out on my looper so I could determine if i want the signal headed straight into the 5150 or straight to the quad. Does it matter though to have a preamp in loop, since they say only non gain effects should be in there?

 

[MrMarkIII]

You're just going to have to match levels to avoid excessive distortion caused by piling pre-amps on top of each other, whether in front or in the loop. It's the same as running two or more overdrive/distortion pedals into one another. These things add up.
If you use the A/B to run "straight into the 5150 or straight to the quad", where do you go after that?

 

[jutsin]

If you use the A/B to run "straight into the 5150 or straight to the quad", where do you go after that?

Here's what I was thinking: I have my guitar hooked up to my pedalboard, from there the last step will be the A/B switch that will alternate between into the high gain input of the 5150, or send the signal straight to the quad which would as you said just plug in to the efx return and utilize just the power amp. I'd have to switch the effects loop on for using the quad (at which point there would be no signal going in to the 5150's pre amp), and off for using the 5150 (when I hit the A/B to go directly into the 5150's high gain input). Does that make sense?

 

[MrMarkIII]

Makes sense. Do it!

 

[jutsin]

awesome, thank you everyone for the replies! I'll let you know how it works out! I have high hopes for it. Seems like it would be a good, and versatile combo!
justin

 

[joe web]

not sure how the fx-loop of the 5150 works.
but i think, it is a serial loop, so if you have the quad going into the return jack of the amp, that could be a problem while using the 5150s preampsection.
but you´ll have to try it, if it works - everything is o.k. - if not, you´ll need another a/b switch or a loop-system with two loops.
this would mean, you use an a/b switch in front of both preampsections, use the send out of the 5150 and go into the next a/b switch (as well as you plug the send out of the quad and connect it to the second a/b-switch) and from the 2nd a/b switch go to the returnjack of the amp.
or you use a palmer guitar-splitter in front of the preamps (so both preamps get signal at any time) and use your a/b switch after the fx-sends (like above).

 

[kiff]

use an a/b switch in front of both preampsections, use the send out of the 5150 and go into the next a/b switch (as well as you plug the send out of the quad and connect it to the second a/b-switch) and from the 2nd a/b switch go to the returnjack of the amp.
or you use a palmer guitar-splitter in front of the preamps (so both preamps get signal at any time) and use your a/b switch after the fx-sends (like above).

pretty much. you could use a midi controlled loop switcher like the amp gizmo, gcx or others...

 

[joe web]

attention! the amp gizmo is only a midi-switcher not a looper! the rg-16 is a loop system by rjm.
other products would be the rocktron patchmate or the AE GRX4....

 

[kiff]

attention! the amp gizmo is only a midi-switcher not a looper! the rg-16 is a loop system by rjm.
other products would be the rocktron patchmate or the AE GRX4....

my bad...