Computer to Guitar amp?

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Starstreams

Starstreams

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Hi
What would I need to correctly connect a software program such as Guitar Rig to a guitar amplifier so I could get those sounds through my amp? I was thinking of plugging the outs of something like an M-Audio to the guitar amp, but my recording friend mentioned that there will most likely be an impedance mismatch, if I understood him correct.
Is there some kind of box I can buy that will allow me to adjust the Ohms and line level to do what I'm trying to do? I was looking at some different guitar DI boxes, but they seemed to be more for converting unbalanced to balanced, didn't sound like what I needed.

Thank you
 
The FX return input or power amp in input of most amps should work fine with a line level soundard output
 
Hello pipelineaudio, Thank you

but Isn't the FX inputs still a lower line level? Even if I set the M-audio delta 66 outs to -10db, the impedance wouldn't match. I was thinking there was some kind of transformer that would do this. I've called 4 different Guitar Centers and not one person had a answer to this solution, they simply didn't know. Obviously a PA system with an actual power amp would be the best match, but I just don't want to fry anything in the guitar amp.
 
Hi
What would I need to correctly connect a software program such as Guitar Rig to a guitar amplifier so I could get those sounds through my amp?

That's a bad idea and it will end up sounding like ass.

I've called 4 different Guitar Centers and not one person had a answer to this solution

That's because it's a bad idea and it will sound like ass.
 
Hello pipelineaudio, Thank you

but Isn't the FX inputs still a lower line level? Even if I set the M-audio delta 66 outs to -10db, the impedance wouldn't match. I was thinking there was some kind of transformer that would do this. I've called 4 different Guitar Centers and not one person had a answer to this solution, they simply didn't know. Obviously a PA system with an actual power amp would be the best match, but I just don't want to fry anything in the guitar amp.

It all depends. Some FX loops are "line level" and some are "low level"

If its -10dbV reference coming out of your card, it won't matter much.

Any of those old pro rackmounts used line level FX loops, some even were set to +4. If you can plug the outs of an Eventide H3000 into it, you can certainly plug a -10dbv soundcard into it

Guitar Center doesn't know because knowing anything about audio is not in the job description for them
 
Hi pipelineaudio
Ok, the amp I have is a Peavey Renown 400, and the back Preamp out/In jacks are 1 volt RMS with a low impedance of 600 ohms, which I have no idea how this translates over to -10, consumer, or +4 Db line level. Any idea on that?

Now I did find something that looks like it might be what I'm looking for but I'm not really sure. It's the Aphex 124-A
http://www.aphex.com/124A.htm

Someone also mentioned using a Radial DI, to match the impedance. Again, it's not the line level thats the only issue, it's matching the impedance.
http://www.radialeng.com/re-products.htm
 

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Power amp input is going to want a standard line level signal. I wouldn't sweat that one bit.
 
X amp is for plugging a line level output into a guitar preamp's instrument level input (or the instrument input of the preamp section of a guitar head or combo)

In your case, you are already using your DI to soundcard input to Guitar Rig signal chain as a preamp, and only need to use the guitar amp itself as a power amp
 
Exactly. Guitar Rig is like a pre amp, and yes the line out would be matched by the X-Amp to match the guitar 1/4 input.
Now if your making the point that the guitar amp will color the sound, It's not a concern because the old Peaveys had no unique tonality. That is why so many people heated Peaveys, because they never had their own tone like the Fenders, or Marshall's. But that is also the beauty of Peaveys is that you could build any sound from ground up using a pre amp as the front end without worrying about the guitar's pre amp coloring the sound. The old Peaveys are transparent.
So, as long as I can get a balanced Guitar Rig software line level into the amps input, The color will come from Guitar rig. Also, from what I understand, there is a lot more than just impedance that the X-amp has to convert in order to reproduce an accurate conversion. It's not just impedance and line level, There is a frequency shift that has to be done, and done well.
 
Ok, there's still a bit that's hard to get across here.

The X amp would be if you wanted to plug the computer output into the guitar preamp input.

In this case, theres no point going thru the computer for your sound in the first place, just plug into the guitar preamp.

If you are actually using guitar rig for your distortion and preamp sounds and colors, then you dont want the xamp, because youd be plugging into a line level fx return or power amp in on your guitar amp

From the original post I was assuming you liked the sound guitar rig made, and just wanted to be able to play it thru the guitar amp, for volume and practicality purposes. In this case you don't need a reamp/x-amp type thing
 
Now if your making the point that the guitar amp will color the sound, It's not a concern because the old Peaveys had no unique tonality. That is why so many people heated Peaveys, because they never had their own tone like the Fenders, or Marshall's. But that is also the beauty of Peaveys is that you could build any sound from ground up using a pre amp as the front end without worrying about the guitar's pre amp coloring the sound. The old Peaveys are transparent.

Somebody get the net! You are completely delusional. I used to own that exact model Peavey amp and it was anything but transparent. Hell I live close enough to Chicago where that could even be my old amp. Trying to turn guitar rig and a peavey renoun into a modeling amp will end in an epic fail.
 
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