If you are using a tube amplifier built after 1980, you probably have effects loop jacks on your amp. These jacks are placed after the preamp stages of your amp so that any noise from your effects units will not be amplified along with the guitar signal. This is a handy trick when using noisy analog effects. While it can result in a quieter signal, it also gives you a different sound than running your effects straight into the input jack of the amp. Here’s why:
When you run your effects through an effects loop, the effects are coloring the sound of the amplifier tone. This gives you more of a studio-type sound where effects are added during the mix. The effects are more noticeable. When you run the effects through the input jack of the amp, the opposite happens. The amplifier is now coloring the sound of the effects. This can be especially useful when using distortion effects. If you set a tube amp on a clean tone and run a distortion effect through the input jack, the preamp tubes color the effect and give it more of a “tube” sound.
If you have a multi-effects unit with a headphone jack, listen to a distortion effect using your headphones. The tone is often very sterile sounding or even harsh. Now run the effect through the input jack of your tube amp and listen closely to the difference. The effect becomes smoother and more tube-like.
Many of the current effects units on the market are fairly quiet. Some also have noise reduction built-in, so running them through the input jack is usually no problem, noise-wise. Try running your effects through the effects loop and then through the input jack and listen to the difference. Depending on the effect, the differences can subtle or quite noticeable. Neither way is better, just different. Give it a try.
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