Line Level / Instrument Level & Soundcard inputs

[Easto]

Although I usually run my guitar effects through my mixer I decided to try and just plug the output of my Boss OS-2 pedal directly into the input of my soundcard's 1/4 inch input. I did the same with a Digitech multi-effects processor. Everything seemed to work fine.

My questions are... is this safe? Should I be concerned with the impedance of the effects output and the souncard's ins? It's funny but I never really thought of doing this before (why I don't know) but I just want to make sure I'm not heading down the road to disaster because of some electronic overload. My first thought is that it should be ok since I'm really just feeding a stronger signal to my soundcard but... is it in fact a Instrument or line level signal I'm feeding it?

Sorry if this is sort of a newb' question.

[Farview]

It is an instrument level signal. However, if you were plugging right into the board, you were already having the same impedance issues. The line in on your board is the same thing as the line in on your soundcard.

[acorec]

Originally Posted by Easto

Although I usually run my guitar effects through my mixer I decided to try and just plug the output of my Boss OS-2 pedal directly into the input of my soundcard's 1/4 inch input. I did the same with a Digitech multi-effects processor. Everything seemed to work fine.

My questions are... is this safe? Should I be concerned with the impedance of the effects output and the souncard's ins? It's funny but I never really thought of doing this before (why I don't know) but I just want to make sure I'm not heading down the road to disaster because of some electronic overload. My first thought is that it should be ok since I'm really just feeding a stronger signal to my soundcard but... is it in fact a Instrument or line level signal I'm feeding it?

Sorry if this is sort of a newb' question.

You can do it and it will not hurt anything but your sound. The impedance is mis-matched and it will affect the integrety of your signal, but, if it siunds good, it is good.

[Easto]

I was pretty sure that was the case. I just wasn't 100% sure on it so I thought I'd ask.