Roadster as a power amp?

[backyardburial]

I'm looking at the manual for my Roadster as I write this, but I'm sure I'm missing something. It says to connect preamp signal to Roadster fx return...
1)should nothing be connected to send?
2)Also I wondered if I do this can I still use all my fx? I currently have a wah/vol pedal and a pog 2 in front of the roadster, and in the fx loop (this is usung the Roadster as a regular head, not as apower amp only) I have delays/chorus etc. If I use this Soldano preamp, I would need to use the FX loop in that to place FX I assume, and likewise I would need to put all the "front of amp pedals" in front of the Soldano?
3) This is pretty obvious (I think) but because I'm not using the preamp of the Roadster, all the features such as assigning fx to certain channels will not work any more right?

Im just loking at buying this soldano preamp, and hopefully a 50/50 power amp soon, but keen to use just the Soldano for a while to se what its like. I wont be able to try all this stuff out by myself, hence the need for many stupid questions...thanks in advance!

 

[iceman]

Nothing is connected to send. None of the features of the roadster preamp will be in use. If you want to use any effects they will all have to be in the other amp's signal chain, ie before or after the other preamp. Basically what you wrote is correct.

 

[Stratocaster]

What iceman said, with one addition...

I believe the Presence control still has functionality. Check the manual to verify.

Strat

 

[JMMP]

The presence controls and the rear panel selections still affect the tone. The presence control can drastically affect the tone of the preamp you are patching into the roadster. It certainly made things more difficult when I tried to incorporate my quad pre and roadster into one rig. Also, running into the roadster using channel 3 or 4 modern mode will change the power amp's response. If all you want it to do is run the soldano pre into the roadster until you get a dedicated power amp, then the signal chain is guitar -> soldano pre out -> roadster efx in -> cabinet. Effects can go in between guitar and preamp, or preamp and power amp as stated before. Good luck!!

 

[backyardburial]

Sweet, thanks a lot! Ill give that a whirl!

 

[pokerrules47]

wow, real expensive power amp... and a total waste of one of the best preamps on the market....

 

[Ndwolf]

Good info. I've been wanting to get an old Peavey Rockmaster Preamp to play around with and I assumed this is how it would work but its nice to have verification.

wow, real expensive power amp... and a total waste of one of the best preamps on the market....

Can you explain your reasoning?

 

[Blaklynx]

Why not use both the Roadster and Soldano preamps? Setup a parallel effects loop within your effects loop.

Use something like this:

Or use a simple effect looper with 2ch. These guys make and sell kits.: http://roadrageprogear.com/compact_true_bypass.html The only problem is phasing if you decide to run two preamps at the same time (can be solved with a simple switch). The one in the image above has a phase switch and seperate levels for each channel, plus a clean-thru that can be blended in. Can't remember where I got it from but works a treat.

I try to explain it all here a couple of years back http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?p=337403#p337403

Food for thought.

 

[backyardburial]

Pokerrules...I didn't but the Roadster to do this....just wanting to try out a new preamp without having a power amp to run it through. If you read my post you would see that. Blacklynx, its a shame I can't see your images, but thanks anyway.