Do you think I can do this? Reamping

[Melodeath]

Can I use a guitar multi-fx pedal as a reamping box? It has an aux in, so isn't that a line-level input as long as I have a 1/8" plug? Then the output of the FX pedal will go to an amp head, and it will high highinpedance since I assume the FX-pedal converts it to high-inpedance sicne it's meant for a guitar. Right?

Is this wishful thinking, or could it work?

How would I monitor (with speakers) at the same time as sending the guitar track out to be reamped?

 

[Melodeath]

I just tested it and it works.

In the future I may buy a reamper anyway, since this Multi-FX pedal is not true-bypass, but this will be fantastic for my first reamping project

 

[spioraid]

Right on your heels man with that idea! I knew this piece of junk zoom pedal I'm stuck with has a better purpose. Cheap, cannibalistic and totally DIY, but it works.

Now to find a worthy amp to reamp it with...

 

[Melodeath]

Hell yeah. I'm going to use this technique tomorrow. I'm recording a band and we've got a 5150, Powerball, and VHT cab here right now. I'll take pics

I should note, I'm using the aux-in on my fx pedal

 

[006]

You do the same with any guitar pedal pretty much...even an NS-2 set to where it's not doing anything, a TS-9, even a wah pedal that is turned off

~006

 

[Melodeath]

but are those meant to accept a line level signal?


I should also note that when I do this, I can only monitor with 1 monitor, since I have to use one of my audio interfaces outputs. I can't figure out how to route the guitar DI to one of the other outputs thats not the main stereo bus.

 

[Executioner213]

I was kinda wondering that myself!? Isn't any pedal changing any signal to line level going out as long as you are able to put the signal through the pedal somehow? Can't I just send a clean guitar track out of my FP10 to any pedal (even a TS9, since it's useable in the chain anyways) and be set? I don't have the means to test it right this minute, but I am tempted to to try it next week or so.

 

[006]

You have to realize that no matter what goes in to the pedal, it will always come out as line level for the amplifier.

Melodeath: What DAW are you using?

~006

 

[Executioner213]

So I dont need an X-AMP?

 

[006]

Technically no...but the only thing I would use other than a dedicated reamp unit is a TubeScreamer or similar OD pedal. You need a pedal with some kind of level adjustment on it, such as an OD which has an output level knob, so really wahs and such will probably yield less than desirable results because you won't be able to turn up the signal coming out. Even though pedals (wah, noise gates, tubescreamers, etc.) can be used...doesn't mean they will have great quality.

You don't have to get an X-Amp anyway. You can get a Radial ProRMP and save some money. This is what I chose to get over the Cuniberti and X-Amp, both of which we used at my last studio job. So far the ProRMP has been nothing but great, and honestly I'm glad I didn't spend the extra money on either of the other units. Check this clip out, one of the takes is the live mic'ed cab performance, the other is the same performance, but reamped. Same amp (and settings), same cab, same mic position, just one is live, the other is reamped using the ProRMP.

~006

 

[AdamWathan]

Uhh I think you guys are confused. The only reason the multi effects unit works is because the Aux In is designed to accept a line level signal like a CD player, but the output of the unit is INSTRUMENT LEVEL so it can go to an amplifier.

You have to realize that no matter what goes in to the pedal, it will always come out as line level for the amplifier.

That makes no sense. The output of a Tubescreamer or ANY OTHER GUITAR PEDAL is INSTRUMENT LEVEL. Why would an amplifier be designed to accept a line level signal? Are you supposed to run effects pedals with every amp setup? You aren't allowed to go direct from guitar to amp according to your logic because a guitar output is instrument level and the amplifier is expecting line level...If the amplifier was meant to take a line level signal, you could go straight from your interface to the amp and would need a DI box just to plug your guitar into the amp in the first place.

If you send a line level line impedence signal into a Tubescreamer, it still comes out at the same level and impedence because there is no transformer in the Tubescreamer to change it. That's why Reamp boxes were invented in the first place.

You can run a line level signal into a Tubescreamer and use the output knob to get it to the right level and it will work, I've done similar things just by running the output of my old Fast Track Pro into my V-amp and routing that back into the input on the Fast Track. It works, but it probably sounds worse than using a properly designed unit.

Part of me thinks that even though a multi fx pedal has an aux in and an instrument level out, it's not actually changing the level or impedence of the aux in. Aux In's aren't designed to be used for maintaining high fidelity audio, it's just for jamming along to tracks so the quality isn't crucial. I doubt there's a reamp system built into the pedal to properly convert the signal. It works, but it's not going to work like a Reamp/Redeye/X-Amp/ProRMP would that is designed to actually alter the impedence properly.

 

[Melodeath]

I assumed that since the Aux-In is designed for CD Players and such, the FX box must be converting the impedance, since the pedal is meant to be hooked up to a guitar amp.

And I agree, I don't see how this system would work perfectly with a pedal that didn't have an input designed for line-level signals.

Anyway, at least I can monitor with headphones during reamping even if I can't monitor with both my L and R monitors haha

 

[006]

That makes no sense. The output of a Tubescreamer or ANY OTHER GUITAR PEDAL is INSTRUMENT LEVEL. Why would an amplifier be designed to accept a line level signal? Are you supposed to run effects pedals with every amp setup? You aren't allowed to go direct from guitar to amp according to your logic because a guitar output is instrument level and the amplifier is expecting line level...If the amplifier was meant to take a line level signal, you could go straight from your interface to the amp and would need a DI box just to plug your guitar into the amp in the first place.

It's called a typo, I meant to say instrument level. None of that was necesssary.

You can run a line level signal into a Tubescreamer and use the output knob to get it to the right level and it will work ..... It works, but it probably sounds worse than using a properly designed unit.

...just as I've already stated. It works - technically.

~006

 

[AdamWathan]

...just as I've already stated. It works - technically.

~006

Yeah but plugging a 1/4" direct from your interface into your amp works just the same, you just use the fader in the DAW to control the output...

 

[006]

Right, again...something I know.

I was just saying that it could be done. Not that it's just like a reamp unit. But using a pedal is generally the same as using a DI backwards. Some people have gotten decent results that way, but it's few and far between, and an actual reamp will do it better. Arguing whether or not it works is pointless, because it technically does work...the question of quality was never really part of the conversation, even though I had already pointed out that the results may be less than desirable earlier.

~006

 

[AdamWathan]

Yeah I agree with you, I think the idea of this post though was that by using an Auxiliary In that was designed to accept line level signals like CD players, it would work more like a REAL reamp than an actual pedal. It's a clever idea, but I was just pointing out that the circuitry involved probably DOESN'T actually do anything to convert it properly from line level to instrument level. I think the OP already knew that you could "technically" use any pedal, and was just wondering if by using a dedicated line level input on a multi-fx processor it would convert the impedence.

 

[Melodeath]

I figured it would work, but be bad for the equipment if I fed a line level signal into a normal input of a pedal.

I asked about using my DAW to control the level and reamp that way and they said "no, you need a reamper"

I still can't figure out how to reamp with my audio interface without unplugging one of my monitors.

 

[AdamWathan]

What interface do you have and what DAW are you using?

 

[colonel kurtz]

remember when you're re-amping that the line level/instrument level isn't the only thing you have to consider; what's just as important as the voltage of the incoming signal is the impedance. the line level impedance is typically pretty low, whereas an amp is built to see an extremely high-impedance signal from a guitar pickup.

this is why those damn reamp boxes cost so much...most of the price goes into a good transformer for impedance matching

 

[Melodeath]

Well, I believe the FX-Pedal is converting the impedance. Why have an aux-in meant for CD players to play through a guitar amp, and not convert the impedance??

Anyway, interface = Alesis io26, DAW = Sonar 7