Creating an effects loop for CODE25 / CODE50 using multiple amps.
0

votes

Yeh.  I'll bet the title of THIS post caught the attention of a few folks!!!  LOL!!!  Sorry.  It's not an effects loop as you would know it!!!

As you all know: there's no effects loop on the CODE 25 and CODE50.  I've not found this to be an issue but I would like to try and hook up an equalizer (Boss GE-7) to try out.  I've have tried putting the pedal in the front but with high gain amps. like the JCM800 the noise levels lift WAY too much especially if you're using PRE FX like distortion (and REVERB and DELAY make the situation worse).  In addition to this there are certain pedals that just should be in an effects loop and not in front e.g. TC Electronic's MIMIQ.

So here's my plan (which requires two amps.) (and which is the reason I said "it's not an effects loop as you would know it!!!" above):

1 - Guitar straight into amp. 1 (say a CODE 25).

2 - On amp. 1: ONLY PRE FX and PRE AMP are turned ON i.e. everything else is turned OFF.

3 - From amp. 1: take the LINE OUT (HEADPHONE) to a REAMP box (this to reduce the output level from amp. 1 from a line level signal back to an instrument level signal) (and this so as not to blow up your pedals or second amp.).

4 - From the REAMP box: to pedal (or pedals i.e. however many you want in your "loop").

5 - From pedals: into amp. 2 (another CODE 25 for example) and on amp. 2 PRE FX and PRE AMP are turned OFF and everything else is turned ON.

Can anybody think of any reason why this would NOT work???

It IS INDEED an effects loop i.e. your effects are now sitting between the ouput stage of a PRE AMP (amp.1) and the input stage of a POWER AMP (amp. 2) which is indeed a normal effects loop as we all know it (this just being a very long winded way of accomplishing the same thing).

Yeh.  I know.  I could just try it but I'd rather get some outside input before I go blasting my amps. because there's something I've not thought of here.  Oh and don't worry: I won't hold anybody responsible if things go wrong!!!  LOL!!!  Oh and don't worry Marshall i.e. if memory serves me correctly all but one of my amps. are out of warranty!!!  LOL!!!

Regards,

Dale.

P.S.

If Marshall would be so kind and forthcoming so as to give us a clue as to where the effects loops connections are on the CODE 100/100H???  I've a feeling that a "proper" effects loop could very easily be "installed" on a CODE 25 / CODE 50 IF you know where to splice into the internal connections!!!  I say this because bear in mind that ALL of the CODE range use the same firmware and the front panels on the CODE 50 and CODE 100/100H are pretty much identical.  And I also believe there is already a clue in the sense that on the CODE 100/100H: the LINE OUT (HEADPHONE) socket disables the effects loop.  Hmmmnnn...  Unfortunately I don't have access to a CODE 100/100H (at least not the type of access that will allow me near one with a screwdriver in hand!!!  LOL!!!).

 

edited 21 Sep 2018 at 11:18 AM

Dale Paterson (105)

asked 21 Sep 2018 at 11:14 AM

Dale Paterson (105)
Answers: 3
0

votes

Hello Dale,

We have someone looking into this for you we will be in touch soon

 

Kind Regards

Marshall Support

answered 24 Sep 2018 at 03:56 PM

JOANNA GREEN (643)
Hello Dale,
With the first point regarding using an EQ pedal into the Code the extra noise is caused by boosting the signal going into the Code. Digital amplifiers don't cope as well as analogue. The idea with Code is to get everything you need from the unit it'self.
With the second point....This method should work and would not cause any damage to the equipment. However we cannot guarantee sound quality of the signal going into the second amplifier from the line out of amp one.
Kind Regards
Marshall Support
- JOANNA GREEN 25 Sep 2018 at 07:13 AM
0

votes

Hello and good morning.

Thank you very much for the information and input.

I cannot lie to you: impatience and curiosity got the better of me this morning so I tested my proposed "effects loop" before seeing your post!!!  LOL!!!

And I can tell you that the sound quality out of amp. 1 into amp. 2 is perfect.  No issues at all.

So: the good news and the good news (below)!!!

I can now select the JCM800 PRE AMP, turn the gain up as much as I like, EQ that sound in the "effects loop" with the BOSS GE-7, and hey presto: no additional noise. In other words: there is no additional noise generated other than what is normal for the JCM800 (it's a high gain amp. as all will know). 

There is just ONE thing that I got wrong in my initial "plan" above: I had to enable the PRE AMP section on amp. 2 (on the second amp.) and set it to "Natural (No FX)" for the simple reason that if you don't do this then the output of amp. 2 (the second amp.) is probably halved (approximately). Not quite sure what the reason for this could be??? It works perfectly and sounds great but is just softer is all. Whatever the reason though: this has the added benefit of giving you an extra set of (internal) EQ controls, as well as an additional noise gate if required, on amp. 2 (on the second amp.).

One thing I would caution about (to anybody else who attempts something similar): I would be careful to NOT enable the PRE FX on amp. 2 (on the second amp.). I say this because the PRE FX definitely adds gain (the Compressor and Distortion effects in particular). Not that this is something you'd want to do (it would be defeating the object in my case anyway). But I caution about this because I've a feeling that with all of this extra input going into amp. 2 (the second amp.) and then combine with even MORE gain from the PRE FX: I reckon there's a better than average chance of the speaker itself not being able to handle the output at full tilt. I could be wrong and I'm not going to try it to find out. But there it is.

So there you have it. And I still have working amps.!!! LOL!!!

I can only think of one possible improvement here and that would be to either add a 1/4 inch jack (in parallel with the line out / headphone socket) or replace the 3.5mm line out / headphone jack altogether with a 1/4 inch jack.  Those little 3.5mm jacks are flimsy to begin with.  And so are any cables that I've found (like the one I used this morning) that convert 3.5mm stereo to two 1/4 inch jacks.  Implementing this mod. means you can use a normal instrument cable for this setup.

And that's it.

Thanks again for you input.

Regards,

Dale.

 

answered 25 Sep 2018 at 08:16 AM

Dale Paterson (105)
0

votes

It works!!!

I'm using the CODE 50 in the fx loop of a tube amp (Marshall Origin 20). I was selling my CODE, and then I saw this post and I told to myself: I have to try it!!

I put my pedal board (just fuzz and overdrives) in the input of the Origin, then the Origin Send in to the input of the CODE,  then the CODE headphones output in to the Origin Return. Sound amazing.  The modulations, delays and reverb sounds OK, the amps models I need more time to build my opinion. 

Good idea bro. 

Kind regards. 

answered 26 Jun 2021 at 08:43 PM

Mateo Rico
Loading - please wait...