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

[ericcsong]

Originally Posted by keyshore

eric,

that a great reverb you picked up the TC 3000,

did you get it from sweetwater?

Keyshore

picked it up used for a steal sir!

[keyshore]

Speaking of the SPS,

I was just wondering, in my case my act comprises of Solo Acoustic guitar and Vocals, there are no effects fo my guitar but I use some reverb for my vocals.

Has anyone tried the 'insert' option to give reverb to only one channel of the SPS i.e. for the vocals if a mike is connected?

Keyshore

[Rick Shepherd]

Keyshore,

Haven't done that, but I hooked up my effects to the SPS-1 send/return and didn't mind the same reverb on both vocals and guitar. Seems like the guitar w/reverb doesn't sound as obvious as the vocal reverb.

[alohachris]

Aloha Keyshore,

Have you received those walnut beauties yet?

RE your question. I use a dual engine, stereo TC Electronics M2000 FX unit & connect it to the SPS-1 via the FX sends & returns, not inserts (though I could).

That unit allows you to use, separately control & combine (or not) two different FX at one time & to route them in many ways: stereo, serial, dual mono, dual input, pre-glide & parallel, etc. - with just the push of a button or quick turn of a dial on the fly between songs.

I often combine my pickup & internal mic signals into the SPS-1's left channel & use the right one for my vocals. Most of the time, I use the same very lightly-applied Hall reverb on both channels in stereo - or none at all. But sometimes, I like different types of FX on each, depending on the music. Then I'll route them in dual mono or serial on the M2000 to take advantage of the separate controls for the FX. And I blend & pan them to taste so there is not such a stark separation of FX between the channels. Plenty options!

For example, sometimes I prefer to combine a larger or vintage Hall reverb for a larger live sound on vocals (if it's crowded & tight) with a lighter room or medium gold plate reverb on the guitar.

Sometimes, I like a very cool, slap-back "Elvis-like" delay on vocals with a "Born-On-The-Bayou" tremolo on the guitar for those old rock n' roll 50's songs. Sometimes, say for some Michale Hedges tunes, I'll combine a double delay w/ a phase shifter, chorus or similar to equate that layered, etheric wet sound.

Solo slide guitar on the slow blues likes a small or medium room reverb & very slow tremolo combo (sounds like Ry Cooder on a Strat). And I can get some very cool combo's even for accapella vocal pieces too (like using gated verbs, Ha!). See? It's all about keeping it interesting w/ dynamics (for yourself).

And there are also by-pass switches on the M2000 so I can bypass any effect on one or both channels, which I also do often.

Additionally, the amount of control parameters for more or less effect on that unit is simply amazing - as lightly or heavily applied as you desire. That's why the TC M2000 has long been a standard of movie soundtrack studios. Better still, you can store those custom settings.

The unit offers 128 presets & another 128 for custom storing FX combo's you make up yourself. Quite an amazing one-rack space unit, IMO. And the reverbs are as good as anything I've heard in any studio. Sometimes, I even use the M2000's FX in my own recordings instead of plug-ins.

If I ever had a gig for Live music that required I use two FX at a time say, on guitar, & one or two other FX on the vocal, I would plug my SPS-1 into my Soundcraft EFX8 mixer (w/ Lexicon FX) & add the additional FX from that unit. But I never do that at gigs anymore because I feel that for most songs, FX should be barely noticeable or not used at all. Less is more w/ FX & acoustic guitars, IMO. If I want to go all FX, I play my self-made Koa/Ash Strat copy.

So that's how I accomplish what I think you are asking about, Key, without using the inserts for separate LIVE FX on guitar & vocals. Check out that FX unit. Used, you can get 'em now for under $400 (there's one at gearsultz right now). New in the US, they are around $1K. Quality, flexibility & control - TC Electronics M2000. Easy to ship too - very light.

When I first got mine, I literally stayed up through four straight nights playing with all the combo's it offers. Too much fun! Right Eric?!?

A Hui Hou, Keyshore!
alohachris

[ericcsong]

Originally Posted by alohachris

When I first got mine, I literally stayed up through four straight nights playing with all the combo's it offers. Too much fun! Right Eric?!?

haven't had much time to play with it yet! since the end of June, I got married, moved, started a new job and still living out of boxes!

I had everything plugged up but can't find my pedal for effects loop on sps-1. I think I can get it to work without the pedal, but too many settings. I'm sure once I figure it out, it'll be more fun, but right now, it just looks pretty?