Pendulum SPS-1 Question re: balanced/unbalanced effect sends

[citycountryguy]

I'm looking at the possibility of getting a Pendulum SPS-1 preamp...I already know the quality....and a rack effects unit--perhaps Kurzweil Rumors, Lexicon, or TC Electronics, to run reverb (mostly) through it.

My question is this: the Pendulum specs show an unbalanced I/O for the effects send and return, and most rack effects units use balanced TRS I/O or XLR I/O. The last time I encountered this situation I got noise that I couldn't get rid of in the signal chain (not sure what I was doing wrong, but pretty sure it was user error).

What are the implications and fixes for going from an unbalanced I/O on the Pendulum to a balanced I/O on an effects unit? Any? If I get noise, what's the fix?

Thanks for advice. Guitars I know pretty well...electronics--not as much.

[sdelsolray]

I use a balanced I/O effects unit with my SPS-1. No noise issues. The 4 patch cords are 6" long each. There is one adjustment to make though. To allow for unity gain, I set my effects unit to +6dB on the input side.

[geokie8]

I really can't see a problem but that's a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't meet your expectations.

Simplest solution is to make sure your reverb accepts both balanced and unbalanced signals. I took a quick look at the Rumours unit and it accepts both.

Having said that, the general rule is that it's OK to use unbalanced signals for short distances and this is not unusual for true stereo connections. TRS jacks are used to save space but you need a special cable to complete the connection. (The SPS has such a jack on each channel to allow two other devices to be connected separately).

I know of no "fix" if truly incompatible units are hooked together, but check your cable before pulling out your hair. And always use top-of-the-line cables. You're spending a lot of money for these units so don't skimp there. Top notch cables aren't too expensive for short distances and are worth their expense.

Good luck. That's a great unit you're considering.

geokie8

[alohachris]

Aloha City/Country,

Regarding your question about FX I/O's: PLEASE CALL Greg Gualtieri at Pendulum (908)665-9333. Or email your question to him at [email protected]. BUT YOU SHOULD CALL HIM FIRST! It doesn't matter if you're buying directly from him or how much you know. You'll be glad you did.

Greg is a great guy AND.... amazingly, you'll actually be speaking to the designer of the SPS-1. Greg is about the most generously accessible and knowledgable person I know of in the business. Call Greg!

I also use the Pendulum SPS-1 preamp with an FX processor (TC Electronics M-2000) in my live rig. I use the balanced-unbalanced I/O FX sends/receives that connect the two with 6" cables. Absolutely no problems. In fact, the FX through the SPS-1 are the clearest I've ever heard in 45 years of gigging. I sometimes use dual FX in stereo on the M2000 to" help" the SPS-1's parametric EQ tame nasty rooms - though it really doesn't need it. I use FX very sparingly, way in the background, with some exceptions if I want to wake a room up with some slap-back rockabilly.

To people who have not ever heard the SPS-1's stellar performance, and who may think that $1200 used or $2K new for a guitar preamp is way out of line, or even a lot of money - just listen with your own ears! The SPS-1 is the BEST AVAILABLE. How much do people these days spend for anything that is THE BEST?!?

Hey, the SPS-1's new price is under what many pay for mediocre, mid-range acoustic guitars! And it's performance will change your audio experience for life! It'll change how you hear amplified music.

The only thing I can say is that I wish I had bought an SPS-1 when they first came out in '93. The SPS-1 and my Daedalus W-803 speakers are by far the best pieces if audio equipment I've ever bought.

If you are truly dedicated to pursuing the best sound you can get from an amplification signal chain and - don't compromise - then you MUST hear a Pendulum SPS-1. If your starting out gigging - it's the best place to start. Check it out guys. Better yet, start saving for a used one. Hey, you can get $100 for your overmatched PADI right off the bat.

Seriously, City/Country, buy a Pendulum SPS-1 and you will never look back!

A Hui Hou!
alohachris

[wagtail]

I agree with the quality of the SPS-1 but do not hear $1,500 difference in sound between it and the Taylor K4, for medium size rooms through my amp or direct through a PA. Care to comment? Dave

[geokie8]

Originally Posted by wagtail

I agree with the quality of the SPS-1 but do not hear $1,500 difference in sound between it and the Taylor K4, for medium size rooms through my amp or direct through a PA. Care to comment? Dave

Apparently the cost of fully Parametric EQ is pretty high, especially if you are using top-of-the-line circuitry. I wondered why the Pendulum EQ system was so expensive until I priced other comparable EQ units. They start around $3,000 and travel north.

The K-4 has only one band of fully Parametric EQ. The other two bands are less expensive (and more prevalent) shelving EQ. And, of course, the K-4 is only one channel while the SPS-1 has two completely separate channels to blend a mic/pickup dual source system. Therefore, with the SPS-1, you are getting six bands of fully Parametric EQ compared to only one with the K-4.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you really need all of that EQ power. If you can’t tell the difference between the two units, it’s probably because your guitar/pickup is all ready sending out a pretty good, pleasant tone and needs very little EQ. However, all guitar/pickup combinations aren’t the same. Even high end guitars (and see another AGF thread for the definition of “high-end”) can sound surprisingly bad when amplified by any means other than a microphone out in front of the guitar. The SPS-1 has the power/flexibility to optimize the amplified sound of virtually any guitar/pickup combination whereas the K-4 is more limited.

[ericcsong]

Originally Posted by wagtail

I agree with the quality of the SPS-1 but do not hear $1,500 difference in sound between it and the Taylor K4, for medium size rooms through my amp or direct through a PA. Care to comment? Dave

I haven't played through a k4, but I have through a DTAR solstice. i compared my solstice to a friends sps-1 and there was a night and day difference. before playing around with the sps-1, I was completely satisfied with my DTAR. and I thought that my DTAR was one of the best preamps under a grand.

since then, I've sold my solstice and got a sps-1. there is no going back. is it worth the difference in price? thats in the eye of the beholder. or ears but to me, there was a night and day difference so the cost difference to me was well worth it!

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by wagtail

I agree with the quality of the SPS-1 but do not hear $1,500 difference in sound between it and the Taylor K4, for medium size rooms through my amp or direct through a PA. Care to comment? Dave

Have you taken into account the difference in the feature sets of the two units?

[ericcsong]

bringing up an old thread.

having trouble hooking up my tc electronics m3000 to the sps-1

here is the back of m3000:



and the back of sps-1:



I have an xlr cable to 1/4 and running the xlr balanced outs on m3000 to the sps-1's insert on channel one and channel two

and I get nothing.

I'm thinking that it might be a cabling issue? the m3000 guide states this,
"If you are connecting the M3000 to unbalanced equipment, you must tie pins 1 and 3 together in the cable ends away from the M3000."

not really sure what is going wrong. I don't use effects much, but thought I'd try! any help would be appreciated!

[Rick Shepherd]

Hi Eric, I am still a new user of the SPS-1, but if I were to hook up outboard effects to the SPS-1, I would consider going from the M3000's I/Os to the SPS-1's send/return jacks. This will allow you to use the FX footswitch to enable or bypass the effects will performing. I may be wrong, but I am sure others will chime in here. Personally, I have not yet hooked mine up like this.

[ericcsong]

meaning I'll need 4 cables? xlrf from m3000 to 1/4 in sps-1 and then 1/4 sps-1 to xlrm to m3000 for both channels?

[Rick Shepherd]

Yes, that is correct!

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by Rick Shepherd

Hi Eric, I am still a new user of the SPS-1, but if I were to hook up outboard effects to the SPS-1, I would consider going from the M3000's I/Os to the SPS-1's send/return jacks. This will allow you to use the FX footswitch to enable or bypass the effects will performing. I may be wrong, but I am sure others will chime in here. Personally, I have not yet hooked mine up like this.

+1

Eric,

I responded to your PMs.

[ericcsong]

thanks a bunch guys! will keep you posted

[keyshore]

eric,

that a great reverb you picked up the TC 3000,

did you get it from sweetwater?

Keyshore