Running a preamp into the Mark V effects return...

[Digirat]

I'm about to get a Recto Recording Preamp, mostly for direct recording use, but the manual also says you can run one of the live outputs into the "effects return of a self-contained amp". So I figure as a bonus, I can run the Recto Pre into my MarkV effects return for some fun additions to the Mark V arsenal.

Possibly dumb question here ( :? ) - if I do that, will the power settings on the Mark V channels be "respected" when I plug into the effects return? So for example, if I set the Mark V channels 1-3 to 10, 45 & 90W, plug my guitar into the Recto Pre and the live output of that into the Mark V effects return, can I select any of the above power amp ratings using the Mark V footswitch? I'm not suggesting that is a useful thing to do in itself, just using it as a tool to understand how the power output works when using the effects return in this way!

I also assume that the output control on the Mark V won't have any effect in this configuration?

Thanks!

/Gary

 

[rocknroll9225]

If you wire it up this way, then here's what will be active on the Mark V:

- output and solo controls
- presence controls
- multi-watt switches
- tube/rectifier switches
- pentode/triode switch
- full/variac power
- mode switches on all channels.

You'll find that switching between different preamp channels (and modes within the channels) will call up different power amp voicings designed for those modes. For example, the amp will sound very different in the IIC+, IV, and extreme modes even when you're using a different preamp.

The channel masters will be bypassed, but not the output and solo knobs. Everything else you said is correct.