series vs paralell effects loop

[metalj]

WITHOUT getting into technical electronic descriptions, can anyone tell me what the pro's and con's would be for these two?

Advantages or disadvantages would be? Im looking for practical application type differences and why one makes a difference to one guitarist verses another.

Ive had amps with both and the one thing that pissed me off was my effects gear would not work the same with both. Example, my TC Electronics effects processor works best for me with a series loop due to being able to program a decibel lead boost, not possible with a paralell loop, as far as I can tell I could still run any effects through the loop regardless of the effects type (Pedals, or rack processors).

I just dont get the difference, and why one would be desired over the other?

Thanks.

 

[ocnor]

If you use digital effects in a series loop then the entire signal gets converted from analog to digital and then from digital to analog. This can sometimes butcher the amp's natural tone. But analog effects can also be a tone killer. In a parallel loop only part of the signal is converted resulting in less artifacts. The main problem with a parallel loop is that a noise gate/reduction will not eliminate all of the noise because only part of the signal runs through it.

 

[Zaphod B]

More fundamentally:

A serial FX loop runs the entire preamp signal through the FX loop and into the power section. The whole signal is therefore "wet" and the FX level(s) are determined by mix levels on the FX units themselves.

A parallel FX loop produces wet (through the FX) and dry (original, unaffected) signals that are then combined. So, as ocnor said, you do retain more of your unprocessed tone with a parallel loop.