powered mixer + rack effects

[alecmcmahon]

i recently bought a used Digitech Studio Quad2 effects processer for live use, and im having trouble figuring out the PROPER way to hook it up

right now im going like this, it makes the effects work, but its direct into it.. like this

Mic>DIGITECH EFFECT RACK>Input 1 on Powered mixer

could somebody explain the proper way to hook this up to my powered mixer

i have this mixer

http://www.musiciansbuy.com/mmMBCOM/...aha_EMX66M.jpg

and this is the digitech i bought

back : http://www.outside-the-skin.com/ebay...d2/chad92c.jpg

front : http://www.outside-the-skin.com/ebay...nd2/chad9c.jpg

[gecko zzed]

I can offer some general comments

There are a number of ways of connecting an external FX unit to your desk.

Your desk will have one, sometimes two, FX controls on each channel. These send signals to an FX bus which usually has a master control (FX send) and an output on the desk.

Use the FX send output to go from desk to unit.

Your desk will also have some FX inputs and controls (FX return). Hook the outputs of the unit to these.

This configuration will allow you to apply varying levels of an effect (typcially reverb) to each track, by using each track's FX control, and to control the overall level of effect using the FX send control and ultimately the FX return control.

In some cases (again, typically with reverb), you can send out a mono FX send, and get back a stereo effect.

In other cases, you can use different sides of the unit for different effects. This means that you can use FX send 1 to go to one side of the unit for reverb, and FX send 2 to go to the other side of the unit for, say, delay.

Some people prefer to direct the outputs of the unit to spare channels on the desk, using the faders on these to control the degree of effect.

Note that what I have described relates to additive effects, where you are adding an effect to an otherwise un-effected signal. Reverb and delay are typcial of these.

Some effects are substitutive, not additive. For example, compression is applied to the whole of the signal; you don't allow any of the signal to pass through un-effected.

When using the unit in this way, you need a different configuration. In fact, what you have shown as your setup is one way to configure it. The other is to use a channel insert. TRS plug into channel insert, then the two 1/4 other ends into input and output of the unit (making sure you get them round the right way).

[taebaker]

I too use a Yamaha powered mixer (EMX-62M) and assume the 66M is very similar.
If you want to have individual control over the amount of effects on each channel. Simply run a patch from the EFFECTS OUT on the P.A. to the INPUT on your EFFECTS unit. Run another patch from OUTPUT on your EFFECTS unit to the AUX IN on the P.A.
This gives you ability to use effects on all channels. *Note- When you plug into the effects out on the Yamaha it will "defeat" the built in effects.

Tim