Help with my rig - How to control volume/levels

[Purplehaze]

Hi, I need some help in updating my rig. *Previously everything sat in the FX loop of my JMP1 and that worked really well. *Now I am adding a second preamp I need to find a way of matching and balancing the signal levels between the two preamps and all the fx units.

Additionally how can I control the volume? *Before I could tweak the JMP1s output, but now if I adjust the outputs on either preamp it will mess with the levels between fx (eg threshold for noisegates etc). *Is there a way to 'tweak' the volume without reaching down to the power amp?

I hope you can make sense of what I am trying to ask! *To put it writing seems to be a task in itself!

Anyway, thanks for any ideas.

[cltek]

Welp... *In order to help... *I need to know what's in your rack. *What is the other preamp? *What other units are you running? *What is your power situation? *Pedals? *Midi? *WHA?!?! *LOL

Respectfully, Cory

[J Todd Beachler]

Are you running the preamps in stereo or mono? *Is the effect unit running stereo or mono? *

If you have the two preamps going to the effect unit without problems then why don't you just create a duplicate set of patches for use with the new preamp? *Do you understand? *That way you have two sets of fx patches. *One for use with your JMP-1 and the other set for use with your new preamp. *This way you can leave your preamp output volumes the same and just manipulate the final output volume with the effect unit.

[cltek]

What Todd Said... *A suggestion... *I'm assuming you're using some kind of unit for spacial effects (Delay, Chorus, Reverb, etc...), if so, use that as the controller for the final output of you rack because spatial effects tend to sound the best when they are last in the signal chain.

Also, if I remember coorectly, the JMP-1 has a bypass mode that will allow you to run a completely dry signal through the preamp. *No depending on what your other preamp is... *You can make one or the other proprietary one varisou patches allowing for the ultimate in flexibility. *There are also effects units with various selections for I/O with respect to each patch. *A couple of Digitech units as well as ART units come directly to mind. *

Let us know what you using and we might be better able to help.

Respectfully, Cory

[Purplehaze]

Thanks for the reply guys. *Sorry to have been so vague. *Anyway, here goes...

From guitar to a Rack Interface that splits the signal two ways; (1) DT1 Pro Tuner, (2) 300G compressor and then to a Whammy. *The signal is split again into two (1) JMP1 (2) Piranha. *In the loop of the JMP1 is a ProQ (stereo EQ) and then the two main outs go to a sub mix wher the signal joins the Piranha (which is still in mono). *The mix of the two preamps is fed to a VCA (used as an effect for swells, atmoshperic stuff etc) and then on to an Intellifex for delays etc prior to hitting the 9200 power amp.

Generally the JMP handles the heavy rhythm work and the Piranha covers the clean stuff and the lead.

So once I have set all my patches the way I want them I am unable to tweak the volume mid gig without it overloading the fx, altering the balance between the two preamps or messing with the threshold of the HUSH noise reduction. *Previously, when everything sat in the loop of the JMP1 I could fiddle all night without a problem coz the loop is not affected by the front panel volume knob. *One solution is to use the controls on the power amp, but being at the bottom of the rack it is not really practical.

It seems I have gone about this all wrong - so please put me right! *Looking back on what I have written it seems awfully complicated, so how would you guys approach it?

Incidentally, a Patchmate will probably be added before the month is through.

Thanks for reading:-)