Compression and looper position with Preamps

[TWar]

I am looking at purchasing either Grace Designs BiX or Radial PZ-pre. I have an on board preamp in my takamine. I am using the preamps as DI primarily but also for EQ, boost functions, tone shaping. Question:

As the preamp has to be last on my board before the mixer to act as a DI out, do I put the compressor and looper in the effects loop with the delay and reverb or separately before the Preamp? Pedals are pigtronix optical compresssor, electroharmonix 720 looper. (boss DD-500 and UA reverb orator will go in loop). (Pedals can be buffered bypass or true bypass)

I’m wondering if (compressor- preamp - PA (FX loop send - delay - reverb - looper - return) is the ‘best’ approach?

Really appreciate any advice

Thanks

[nostatic]

conventional wisdom is looper always goes last. Otherwise you're applying effects twice once you record a loop. I like running the compressor first, delay and reverb penultimate, looper last. In your case, maybe run the delay and looper in the effects loop, compressor before the preamp input.

If your preamp eq and boost is pre-fx loop you should be ok on the looper front though changing signal levels into delays can have issues depending on the delay and the details. Some preamps have the fx loop switchable. You could also run the delay or reverb before the fx loop and just put the looper in the loop (though I think that will give you some delay weirdness).

You can experiment some with pedal order as there isn't a single "right" way to do things, but you definitely want the looper last in the fx chain.

[TWar]

Originally Posted by nostatic

conventional wisdom is looper always goes last. Otherwise you're applying effects twice once you record a loop. I like running the compressor first, delay and reverb penultimate, looper last. In your case, maybe run the delay and looper in the effects loop, compressor before the preamp input.

If your preamp eq and boost is pre-fx loop you should be ok on the looper front though changing signal levels into delays can have issues depending on the delay and the details. Some preamps have the fx loop switchable. You could also run the delay or reverb before the fx loop and just put the looper in the loop (though I think that will give you some delay weirdness).

You can experiment some with pedal order as there isn't a single "right" way to do things, but you definitely want the looper last in the fx chain.

Thanks that is what I had thought. I’ll have a play around when I get the preamp. Ps. Love that Martin guitar. It’s my next purchase (in my dreams)!

[JWJ915]

I’d put the looper after the compressor but before your modulating FX. Things can get pretty messy if you’re looping delay and reverb. Just my two cents.