My instrument preamp has a line-out jack. What's that?

I bow to your knowledge of gigging and rigging Ashcat but would just like to comment about the DI issue?

I have been told in the past that most 'sound men' expect and prefer a balanced mic level signal to be presented at the desk . . .

Dave.

Which kind of points back to using a TRS Y-cable and putting in in the FX jack so I can still send the signal to the mixer via an XLR cable.

Any good reason not to do that?
 
Which kind of points back to using a TRS Y-cable and putting in in the FX jack so I can still send the signal to the mixer via an XLR cable.

Any good reason not to do that?

IF (! never a given with this meds ridden old bugger) I have followed the thread correctly I have a rather more 'left field' idea? Adapt the XLR output to unbalanced (pins 1&2 probably) TS and feed that to a passive DI. That will give you a balanced feed at mic level but with a source impedance of less than 10 Ohms. You could send that 1/2 a click, nay bother. You would also almost certainly want to lift the earth.

Dave.
 
"And the Geek shall inherit the Earth" !

Dave.
Hey now! Both of my bands usually run direct into my rack machine running Reaper for amp sims and mixing. I plug two (redundant) line-level XLR cables into the stage snake and tell the sound guy "turn it up and blame me."

Each of the live sources in those bands is either a guitar pedal or a keyboard, and they each plug a TRS>XLR cable into the mic pres on my US1641. There is one of my dad's keyboards that buzzes bad when we do that (a Moog something that we think is just broken, but I'm not allowed to try to fix) so I swap in a DI, but I've used a pretty diverse set of devices this way with no other real problems.

Any soundguy with a clue will just pad or trim as necessary at the board. I always make a point to warn them that it's going to be a kind of hot line level, they say "OK" and move on. A passive DI is pretty idiot proof. It really just works and nobody has to think about it, but straight wire should work most of the time and when it does, it's usually better.

OP - I think the BBE is only going to put out so much level anyway. Whether the boost is before it or in the loop, it works out the same. As long as your guitar level with the boost on isn't more than the other thing can reproduce, you should be fine. There's plenty of knobs between all of these things to make that happen. Whether that's ideal gain staging-wise...well it's probably not...but live work can be pretty forgiving of a little noise. Just make sure youre not getting unwanted distortion.

But really, I'm ass-u-me-ing that this is an acoustic-electric you're plugging into the thing? That could go straight to the FOH and might be even older than the BBE on its own. The booster pedal, if it's a 9V stompbox, could potentially put out most of that 9V p2p depending on its design, but probably more like 4-6.

Actually the whole thing kind of terrifies me from a soundguy's perspective. I just see sudden, massive changes in the level you're sending me of which I have no warning and no control... I guess that's kind of the opposite of how I started this post, but YOU don't even know which hole to stick it in, and so I don't trust you. ;)
 
Why are we assuming I play an acoustic-electric, a.k.a. the mullet of the guitar world?

Anyhow, this brings us back to putting the boost pedal before the preamp.

Any reason not to?
 
Why are we assuming I play an acoustic-electric, a.k.a. the mullet of the guitar world?
I did say "ass-u-me"... ;)
Well, what are you plugging into this thing then? And why do you think you need a booster? More info on what you're trying to achieve will definitely help us give better specific recommendations.

The cable you linked is pretty much what I was talking about. Pretty expensive for me, but I'm that kinda guy. I buy 8-channel snakes, TEA and end up paying $3-4 per cable. They're not super high-quality but there's nothing really wrong with them, and if one craps out, I've got 7 more.
 
I did say "ass-u-me"... ;)
Well, what are you plugging into this thing then? And why do you think you need a booster? More info on what you're trying to achieve will definitely help us give better specific recommendations.

The cable you linked is pretty much what I was talking about. Pretty expensive for me, but I'm that kinda guy. I buy 8-channel snakes, TEA and end up paying $3-4 per cable. They're not super high-quality but there's nothing really wrong with them, and if one craps out, I've got 7 more.

A folk guitar, a mando, a squareneck reso, and a roundneck reso. (I use an AB box and have an ABCD box on order.)

Actually, I don't think I need a booster! But I'm in two bands that have people who wish I did, for loud solos. And used boosters are cheap at Reverb.com, so I figure, wotthehell, Archy.

It's the same with the preamp. I'd rather just mic my instruments, but I got the preamp (used and affordable) to keep the peace.

Yeah, I found ads for cheaper cables, but this is the only one I've found with a five-star rating. And I hate it when gear cuts out.
 
A folk guitar, a mando, a squareneck reso, and a roundneck reso. (I use an AB box and have an ABCD box on order.)

Actually, I don't think I need a booster! But I'm in two bands that have people who wish I did, for loud solos. And used boosters are cheap at Reverb.com, so I figure, wotthehell, Archy.

It's the same with the preamp. I'd rather just mic my instruments, but I got the preamp (used and affordable) to keep the peace.

Yeah, I found ads for cheaper cables, but this is the only one I've found with a five-star rating. And I hate it when gear cuts out.

"Boosting for solos" Hmm? You could have a problem there, it is the final output stage that determines how loud you go. If you are 3dB below clipping, boosting the drive by 10dB is going to make buggerall diff except make thing dirtier.

To get twice as loud subjectively you need ten times the power. There are kludges, like cutting bass and boosting around 2kHz.

Dave.
 
Oh! Not really aiming for twice as loud, and the boosts I'm looking out roll up 20 dB, but I sort of get your point.

Yep. I want a boost so I can boost.
 
In simplest terms the point of a boost pedal is usually to drive the amp harder.
If that's your intention then put it last in the chain, right before the amp.

If your goal is volume control I'd go another route using the guitar volume or an expression pedal. Lower the floor instead of raising the ceiling.
 
Of course the idea of a BOOST for a solo is musically a bit naff! For centuries any musician that had such a part stood out mostly because the rest of the band/quartet/orchestra shut up or at least played more quietly.

But I realize of course that such niceties are anathema in the Armageddon that is the typical rock group!

Twice as loud? Yes, quite possibly, if the punter's ears are already being battered by a 110dB SPL drummer et al you need quite a loudness hike to get noticed!

Dave.
 
i can envision my version....

song builds, band is jamming.....here it comes.....the lead.....

booster pedal engaged and complete ass-distrotion poops out....the crowd frowns, some cover their ears....

a gearhead in the crowd yells !!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE THE BOOSTER BEFORE THE PREAMP!!!
 
In simplest terms the point of a boost pedal is usually to drive the amp harder.
If that's your intention then put it last in the chain, right before the amp.

If your goal is volume control I'd go another route using the guitar volume or an expression pedal. Lower the floor instead of raising the ceiling.

Hm. I didn't think you could push a PA.

It's a folk guitar. It doesn't have a volume pedal.
 
i can envision my version....

song builds, band is jamming.....here it comes.....the lead.....

booster pedal engaged and complete ass-distrotion poops out....the crowd frowns, some cover their ears....

a gearhead in the crowd yells !!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE THE BOOSTER BEFORE THE PREAMP!!!


Yup! That's why I want it between the preamp and the PA.
 
Of course the idea of a BOOST for a solo is musically a bit naff! For centuries any musician that had such a part stood out mostly because the rest of the band/quartet/orchestra shut up or at least played more quietly.

But I realize of course that such niceties are anathema in the Armageddon that is the typical rock group!

Twice as loud? Yes, quite possibly, if the punter's ears are already being battered by a 110dB SPL drummer et al you need quite a loudness hike to get noticed!

Dave.

I just want my single notes and double-stops to come close to matching the volume of my strumming. (Sometimes I strum hard.)
 
I just want my single notes and double-stops to come close to matching the volume of my strumming. (Sometimes I strum hard.)

Yes, ok. Well my tongue WAS in cheek a bit. The bottom line is, people tend to buy power amps (in G amps and PAs) that are jeee'ust up to the job. Headroom costs, a lot. 3dB HR means twice the amp's power.

Thus, the output stages are already close to clipping, pump in a signal 6dB hotter (you will not hear a lesser boost and really need 8-10dB) and the PA just distorts.

As I mentioned there is a bit of a work around. If you boost (guitar) at 2kHz or so it tends to 'jump out' at you but demands less power than an across the spectrum boost (strumming puts out a lot of 'thuddy' LF) . You can do this with an EQ pedal. The Venerable Boss GE-7. Wang the slider for the desired Fs and Decibabbles...STOMP!

Dave.
 
I just want my single notes and double-stops to come close to matching the volume of my strumming. (Sometimes I strum hard.)

That's a job for a compressor. Without getting into a long discussion about it, it can reduce the difference between the louder and softer parts of your playing. An FMR RNC (Really Nice Compressor) would be an appropriate and affordible tool for your situation. I'll let the rest of the gang discuss where you would insert it in your signal chain. (Hint: it's line level in and out.)
 
I'll let the rest of the gang discuss where you would insert it in your signal chain. (Hint: it's line level in and out.)

If you are going to make cuts in your EQ, you would place the compressor after the eq. If you are going to boost your mids to highs, it would go before your eq. If you are using a v notch it would go after the original eq and on and on and on. There are a hundreds ways to do it right and just as many ways if not more, to do it wrong. When I am using a hardware compressor for vocals, it is the first thing in my signal path.

Mic into compressor out to pre-amp, out to vocal processor out to digital recorder. It works for me.
 
That's a job for a compressor. Without getting into a long discussion about it, it can reduce the difference between the louder and softer parts of your playing. An FMR RNC (Really Nice Compressor) would be an appropriate and affordible tool for your situation. I'll let the rest of the gang discuss where you would insert it in your signal chain. (Hint: it's line level in and out.)

Reducing the difference between loud and soft is exactly what I don't want to do! That's why I want a booster: to increase the difference between the comping and solos.

Lookit, I'm no pro. But to my lights, acoustic guitar should only be compressed in the context of the compression of a full band recording. When the master gets made, that's the only time compression should be considered. And it shouldn't be a given. That's the road to mass-produced pop drek. There's no healthy reason to compress an acoustic guitar for a live show.

Its just a matter of taste. I hate how compressed acoustic guitar sounds.
 
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