TH Helicon Play Acoustic - Adding pedals

PstrGolf · #1 01-11-2019, 02:11 PM

Hello...

I have a TH Helicon Play Acoustic and just purchased a GFI Specular Reverb v3, a Neunaber Seraphim Stereo Shimmer and a passive volume pedal. I have the TC pedal configured the way I want it for my acoustic and vocal mix but I'm a newbie to pedals and wondered if someone could give me some direction on the best way to link the new gear to it?

Thanks, in advance, for the direction!!

Best!

Chickee · #2 01-11-2019, 02:42 PM

Hey PstrGolf, welcome to the forum!

You will have to run your pedals after the Play Acoustic, or run an A/B splitter box from your guitar and send one line to the Play Acoustic and the other line to another amp with the effects pedals. If you want to connect the pedals after the P/A you need a line transformer to attach to the end of the XLR cable giving you a 1/4"jack to plug into the pedals. Shure makes them, look on ebay.
Tell us how it works out for you. Good luck,
frankie

PstrGolf · #3 01-11-2019, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chickee

Hey PstrGolf, welcome to the forum!

You will have to run your pedals after the Play Acoustic, or run an A/B splitter box from your guitar and send one line to the Play Acoustic and the other line to another amp with the effects pedals. If you want to connect the pedals after the P/A you need a line transformer to attach to the end of the XLR cable giving you a 1/4"jack to plug into the pedals. Shure makes them, look on ebay.
Tell us how it works out for you. Good luck,
frankie

Thanks frankie! I believe I have an old line transformer. Would a DI box work? Thanks, again!

Chickee · #4 01-11-2019, 03:02 PM

The line adapter is a SHURE A85F transformer lowZ xlr to highZ 1/4" plug.
You will still be using a xlr with the DI box, no? Unless you D/I box has a thru output?

PstrGolf · #5 01-11-2019, 03:14 PM

The Acoustic Play has XLR out, so I don't typically use a DI box...but I have a StageBug SB-1 Active that I'm not currently using. Not sure if that will work of not.

Would you recommend the A/B box or a line transformer? I also saw a thread someplace that talked about going from the guitar to a 1/4" splitter (one to the guitar input and another to the aux input on the Play Acoustic. That didn't make sense to me. Thanks again for the feedback!

Chickee · #6 01-11-2019, 03:19 PM

I’ll look when i get home tonight, ok?

PstrGolf · #7 01-11-2019, 03:28 PM

Excellent...thx!! :-)

BT55 · #8 01-11-2019, 03:42 PM

You are correctly pointing out a design fault of the PA as there should be an Effects Loop at the back end of the Guitars signal path. Although it is not optimal I have my pedals in front of PA.

PstrGolf · #9 01-11-2019, 03:43 PM

Thanks, BT55... How do you have them ordered?

Chickee · #10 01-11-2019, 04:00 PM

I had a minute to do a little reading on the TC Helicon support site. That AUX input only comes out of the Voice(L)XLR output. That doesn't seem to be a good place for guitar effects to be...
The folks on there are saying use a splitter box or a line transformer. Hmmm, sounds familiar. bahahaha

PstrGolf · #11 01-11-2019, 04:02 PM

Brilliant!! :-) Which configuration do you think would work best?

Chickee · #12 01-11-2019, 04:52 PM

If you like using a stereo rig, use a splitter box. Me? less is more. I use the line adapter to the pedals then into a Boses s1pro or a marshall AS100d acoustic amp.

HeyMikey · #13 01-11-2019, 06:34 PM

I currently use an xlr to 1/4 adapter on a long xlr mic cable. It works fine but is a little klunky. I’ve also been looking at getting proper length a Hybrid xlr- 1/4 cable from best-tronics. I assume that would work as well.

Chickee · #14 01-11-2019, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeyMikey

I currently use an xlr to 1/4 adapter on a long xlr mic cable. It works fine but is a little klunky. I’ve also been looking at getting proper length a Hybrid xlr- 1/4 cable from best-tronics. I assume that would work as well.

HeyMikey,
The cable goes from LowZ on the XLR side to HighZ on th1/4” plug side? I would like one of those.

takatsukimike · #15 01-13-2019, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chickee

Hey PstrGolf, welcome to the forum!

You will have to run your pedals after the Play Acoustic, or run an A/B splitter box from your guitar and send one line to the Play Acoustic and the other line to another amp with the effects pedals. If you want to connect the pedals after the P/A you need a line transformer to attach to the end of the XLR cable giving you a 1/4"jack to plug into the pedals. Shure makes them, look on ebay.
Tell us how it works out for you. Good luck,
frankie

Hi Frankie, I own the Play Acoustic and I think you've got it backwards with having pedals run after the unit. There's no 1/4' output for the guitar, only XLR. I see you've later addressed this with the transformer cable however I would advise against that approach as you may run into issues with impedances not matching the effect pedal design as the PA functions as a DI box.

Signal chain will have to be Guitar --> new pedals --> Play Acoustic.

The problem is now you're using these great new reverbs (seriously, I'm jealous!!!) You will also have to go back and revise your guitar settings (bodyrez, reverb etc) as it may be a bit much once you've got the new gear engaged.

As others have suggested you may wish to consider running an A/B splitter box - but running one signal into the PA to guide the harmonies and the other through your pedals to give your usual tone. Or go Volume / Splitter and adjust the relative levels of the 2 signals at the mixer.

The possibilities are endless