New Solid State FX loop source - $20

General discussion area for tube amps.

Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal

iknowjohnny
Posts: 1070
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:10 am
Location: los angeles

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by iknowjohnny »

yeah, it helps some. My current loop, or should i say the one i just ripped out, is a SLO loop. My amp is pretty much exactly like a SLO from the last stage thru the CF and the PI. But as you said it changes the tone quite a bit. I was interested in the metro b4 i installed the SLO (had an unused tube slot) but i didn't want to pay for something that might now work and i figured if the SLO sounds as good as it is said too, then it much be good. Now i realize the SLO may sound great but would likely sound better with the loop bypassed.

And yes, i realize that no matter how good the DSP you use in it may hurt tone. But at least if you know it;s transparent you can try other units and find one thats transparent. The other thing i considered which you also mentioned is a parallel loop. But i'm done wiring up that stinking tube socket and decided to just stick with a 2nd wet amp. However, for $20 and no work aside from a few wire i considered the JC option. Also, parallel loops still have the dry signal running thru some extra circuitry. I'm curious tho...what did u mean when you said making the koop parallel is super easy, what did you mean? Are u talking making the JC loop parallel? I don't see how that could easily be done. But if i could that would be great, as my DSP offers a function that lets you turn the dry signal completely off.
User avatar
Gainzilla
Posts: 190
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:18 pm
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by Gainzilla »

Ok, now we're getting somewhere. Couple thoughts...

1. If the SLO loop is your baseline, than I can promise you this loop will perform favorably. One thing to consider is that Doug would argue to the point of shouting for Mike Soldano to let him change the loop design. He has likely answered the same email about the loop's tonal performance (and not taking pedals well) literally hundreds of times over the years. His primary goal was adding a loop that would appease his loyal customer base. Those users found the loop to be a great loop. It silenced the majority of those questions, but started a new wave of, can I use this loop in the 50/100 watt heads? Lol

2. $20 is waaaaay cheaper than building a wet/dry rig. Might as well try it before going that route.

3. Parallel loop should be as simple as adding a wire from the treble wiper (assuming that's where you also send to the loop), and run it to one side of a pot. The other side of the pot receives the output of the loop, and the middle lug runs to the master volume or PI. The only thing I think you'll need to watch for is whether or not the signals join back together out of phase or not. I don't think they do though... Anyway, just a simple wire running in parallel with the loop and joining the loop output at a pot (wired as a balance control). Maybe someone else can confirm.

Thoughts?
iknowjohnny
Posts: 1070
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:10 am
Location: los angeles

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by iknowjohnny »

1.Well, the soldono is my baseline for crap tone. :D So something could be quite a bit better and still be lousy. And thats using the proper device too, a +4 level DSP and gain staging all the level controls to find the best tone.

2. i already have a wet/dry rig. It's just a simple second small SS combo that receives only wet signal so no need for big power. I'll still use it even if i have a great loop but i want the option of being able to use it w/o a second amp

3. Ummm... doesn't sound right for several reasons but rather then go into it lets see if anyone has any thought on that. If it were that simple i wouldn't need a loop at all, just a pot/pots and a DSP with good level control. It's not the quality of the effects i care about, to a reasonable point anyways. It's the dry signal. And if that doesn't go thru a loop there should be no degradation.
Gainzilla wrote:Ok, now we're getting somewhere. Couple thoughts...

1. If the SLO loop is your baseline, than I can promise you this loop will perform favorably. One thing to consider is that Doug would argue to the point of shouting for Mike Soldano to let him change the loop design. He has likely answered the same email about the loop's tonal performance (and not taking pedals well) literally hundreds of times over the years. His primary goal was adding a loop that would appease his loyal customer base. Those users found the loop to be a great loop. It silenced the majority of those questions, but started a new wave of, can I use this loop in the 50/100 watt heads? Lol

2. $20 is waaaaay cheaper than building a wet/dry rig. Might as well try it before going that route.

3. Parallel loop should be as simple as adding a wire from the treble wiper (assuming that's where you also send to the loop), and run it to one side of a pot. The other side of the pot receives the output of the loop, and the middle lug runs to the master volume or PI. The only thing I think you'll need to watch for is whether or not the signals join back together out of phase or not. I don't think they do though... Anyway, just a simple wire running in parallel with the loop and joining the loop output at a pot (wired as a balance control). Maybe someone else can confirm.

Thoughts?
User avatar
rp
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:21 am
Location: Italy

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by rp »

Here's another inexpensive loop. Not sure what their shipping to the States would be but it's light, cheap enough that it would likely skip customs. You should be able to knock 20% VAT off too. There's a very detailed pdf.

https://www.tube-town.net/ttstore/Kits/ ... :5973.html
bal704
Posts: 351
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:45 pm
Location: USA

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by bal704 »

It's 25 Euros to the USA, plus 27 Euros shipping, according to the site.
rp wrote:Here's another inexpensive loop. Not sure what their shipping to the States would be but it's light, cheap enough that it would likely skip customs. You should be able to knock 20% VAT off too. There's a very detailed pdf.

https://www.tube-town.net/ttstore/Kits/ ... :5973.html
User avatar
Gainzilla
Posts: 190
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:18 pm
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by Gainzilla »

I've heard really good things about this loop as well:
http://www.dextersworkshop.com/shop/fx- ... itar-amps/

It's $40, but it's really compact, tube, and I swear I saw a kit for this even cheaper somewhere.
bal704
Posts: 351
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2011 10:45 pm
Location: USA

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by bal704 »

I've used that kit (or one just like it) before. Nice, compact and an easy install.
Gainzilla wrote:I've heard really good things about this loop as well:
http://www.dextersworkshop.com/shop/fx- ... itar-amps/

It's $40, but it's really compact, tube, and I swear I saw a kit for this even cheaper somewhere.
iknowjohnny
Posts: 1070
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:10 am
Location: los angeles

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by iknowjohnny »

At this point i'm starting to feel there is no transparent series loop if your hearing is sensitive, and mine is. So i;m done with them but i would consider trying a parallel one if someone offered a cheap one like some of these cheaper series loops. None are tho. Not sure why, but no one offers a parallel loop. The reason it's the only option for me is that without trying several loops again only this time with several DSP's with reps for being transparent, i have no way to know if it's the loop or the device. You can try the loop with a cable bypass and no DSP then with a true bypass, but even if thats the same you don't know if the design may have flaws that don't allow ANY DSP (or very few) to work well due to impedance or levels or whatever. So the only way without throwing away lots of time, trouble and money is a parallel loop. But again, no one offers them and i'm not going to start building more looks, especially parallel that are more complicated.

One that subject however, the one linked by rp (tunetown) has a pdf data sheet, and if you look at the bottom of it it the drawing appears to suggest the thing can be used as parallel but says nothing about that and i don't see a second parallel loop offered. Strange...
User avatar
rp
Posts: 2528
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:21 am
Location: Italy

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by rp »

Forgot about this one. It's very similar to the Dexter which I'd love to try. I think the pcb cut-out for tube ventilation and to not scorch the pcb is a rather diligent detail. Claims it can be set up for parallel. $27 shipping for something so light and small is whack, it's like saying f'off we don't really need any more business. Very European, clueless European.

https://www.tube-town.net/ttstore/Kits/ ... :5992.html
iknowjohnny
Posts: 1070
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:10 am
Location: los angeles

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by iknowjohnny »

I saw that but i'd never buy it with some odd small tube that may be hard to find or expensive or both and can't even be swapped w/o a solder job. But the solid state one has the same thing at the bottom of the PDF data sheet that shows it can be wired for parallel. It my be an option but i wonder just how pure the dry signal stays. Plus it's a bit worrisome that they say the tube one of parallel in the ad and the other just says series.

Anyways, the fact that the shipping to USA is about the same as the loop itself means it's not a deal so i'm not likely to jump in unless i knew i'd be 100% satisfied with the performance.
User avatar
sonicmojo
Posts: 669
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:41 am
Location: Oahu, HI

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by sonicmojo »

I ordered a couple of these by emailing the main contact on the website, very prompt response, simply paypal transaction, and they came really fast. I installed one and it works great but a a couple things to note:

1. It did not come with the Marshall style nut inserts that are used for mounting. I had a couple spares so no big deal but you may want to ask Jet City if they can throw those in.

2. The pictures of the pinouts posted by Bryce appear to be reversed. I had no pass through at first and I simply switched the leads and it works fine for me. Bryce, you may want to revise those pics.

Thanks!
---------
Bryan
User avatar
Gainzilla
Posts: 190
Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:18 pm
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by Gainzilla »

Great feedback, and thanks for the heads-up. I'll upload corrected pics shortly.

What amp did you put this in?

Cheers!
User avatar
sonicmojo
Posts: 669
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:41 am
Location: Oahu, HI

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by sonicmojo »

I put it in a Marshall 50 style modded creation of mine. I think I may rewire my elevated heaters to inside the chassis, I had to push them down a bit and don't like the proximity. I used shielded coax otherwise and I don't think I have any extra noise but I haven't played with it much yet. Also there is voltage on the heat sink on the IRF830 so watch out for it!

[img:1632:1224]http://www.sonicmojo.com/jtm50/JCSSLoop.jpg[/img]
User avatar
xtian
Posts: 6990
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:15 pm
Location: NorCal
Contact:

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by xtian »

sonicmojo wrote:Also there is voltage on the heat sink on the IRF830 so watch out for it!
Ha ha! :shock:
I build and repair tube amps. http://amps.monkeymatic.com
User avatar
sonicmojo
Posts: 669
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2011 3:41 am
Location: Oahu, HI

Re: New Solid State FX loop source - $20

Post by sonicmojo »

xtian wrote:
sonicmojo wrote:Also there is voltage on the heat sink on the IRF830 so watch out for it!
Ha ha! :shock:
With some quality shielded cables to my effects, this works pretty well for me so far and I am happy with the results. Sounds the same to me jumpered or not so that is nice, IMHO.
---------
Bryan
Post Reply