Hi, What difference does it make if I put my effects in send & return loop as opposed to feeding the signal after effects into amp? Thanks.
The signal quality is typically degraded after going through an effects chain, leading to certain frequencies getting attenuated and possible loss in tone. Routing it through the FX loop typically makes the sound better by effectively keeping the FX chain seperate from the guitar signal in some sense.
So in a way what you are saying is, that the signal after amp is strong enough and it can pass through the effect chain with lesser deterioration as opposed to the one direct from guitar. Makes sense. Another side question: If I have one one or two good cables (high quality shielded, etc.) then maybe I should put the best one straight out of guitar to amp, and use other (not so good) cables after amp, as by then the signal is strong enough. (Ofcourse, ideally one would like all cables to be high quality!) Right? Thanks again.
OK I'm not an expert on cabling, but yes, you should use the best cable for guitar-amp connection. Also remember to use different cable for your amp-speaker (if youre using an external cab or head/cab combo) than the one used for guitar-amp..the requirements are different. I think Ed Roman talks about it onhis websiite..google it
An amp internally is wired as Input -> Pre Amp -> Power Amp -> Speaker Out. If you are using an external processor or a distortion stompbox, then you dont require this send and return thing. In case you are going to use the overdrive from the Amp, then it makes a difference. Modulation effects like Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and even Delay / Echo sounds better after a distortion. In case you are using the amp distortion and then want to add these modulation effects after the distortion, it's not possible without the Send / Return effects loop. Because if you add the effects before the amp from your guitar it get before the distortion and if you use it at the speaker output, the amplitude is too high for the modulation pedals and they themselves will overdrive the signal and will result in a crap. So Send / Return is a must in this case. As far as singal getting degraded in the FX loop is just a bypass issue. You could just take a pre amp out and power amp in and connect between than. But a buffer is used normally to handle impedance matching issues.
