Voodoo Lab

Hi all

I need a little advice and help. I recently bought Voodoo Lab GCX Audio Switcher and he had modify by Voodoo Lab to have Loops 1 - 4 Mono and Loops 5 - 8 Stereo. I have the following:

Korg Pitchblack Rack Tuner
Amptweeker Swirlpool Tremolo/Vibrato
Mesa Boogie Preamp Triaxis 1
Mesa Boogie Preamp Triaxis 2

Line 6 Mod Pro
Line 6 Echo Pro
Boss RV-70

Mesa Boogie 2:100 Power amp

My question is that need to get mixer for Mesa Boogie Triaxis so they are be sent into stereo part of the Voodoo Lab GCX Audio Switcher and was wondering which mixer should I get.

Roland M-120
ART PowerMix 3 http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PowerMix3
Shure SCM262 Stereo Mixer
Rolls Mini-Mix VI Compact Stereo Line Mixer MX28

Also I need to know if the wiring diagram that I have created is correct.

Hey Tazz...

I'm going to give you an example of my recommended set-up... surprise its a parallel FX connection...

The output of the Tremolo is split to both Triaxis inputs.

Both Triaxis "B" outputs feed GCX Loop 3 which selects which Triaxis DRY feeds the FX inputs (could be a clean dry or an overdrive dry).

Both Triaxis "A" outputs go directly to the mixer right before the power amp.

All of the FX outputs mix together with the Dry Triaxis signal right before the power amp... this means that your Triaxis 'tone' is never converted to digital through your FX processors..

Also, the relative FX levels are easy to balance against the DRY when the DRY is on its own mixer channel.

The FX inputs are MONO and the FX STEREO outputs feed the mixer... Since the FX outputs are always connected to the mixer, we mute the FX inputs to simulate a bypass... this is important since the delay trails will continue when you mute the input of the delay. (and the other FX)





Remember that this is an example based on some of the info that you provided... we can skin the cat many ways, but, I've found that this is the way to get the best possible sound.

I hope this helps... Please let me know if I can help with any questions

seeya

Joe

PS:any high quality stereo Mixer will work... these are a few Stereo Mixers that I have experience with...

TASCAM LM-8ST
ALESIS MM8 Line Mixer

That does look good, but I wondering if my drawing was any better.

If it sounds better ... yes

But, serial connection of your effects, (namely the RV-70 16 bit sampling + 2 more 24 bit A-D and D-A conversions in the Line 6 pro echo and pro mod), wreak havoc on your Triaxis tone

Well that's why I got the GCX to turn on and off effects. If the Line 6 Mod and Echo Pro's had Foot switch bypass like the Boss RV-70 than I would use Ben Resnick suggest on chaining thing up like this:

Also FYI... often times a great and easy way to get about 95% of the stereo you want with about 5% the difficulty (and expense) is to use this basic approach:

1. Keep things mono from the guitar output, for the first part of the signal path and through the GCX loops. This would including running standard stompboxes as well as the non-MIDI stereo effects in mono and placing them in mono GCX loops to be controlled.

2. After routing through any GCX loops, take the final GCX loop out (still in mono) and feed the input of the first MIDI controllable stereo device (not in a GCX loop). This device will create the stereo image and from this point on signal will be in stereo L/R.

3. Connect MIDI controllable stereo devices (again... not in GCX loops):
Device 1 L/R out ==> Device 2 L/R IN
Device 2 L/R out ==> Device 3 L/R IN
Device 3 L/R out ==> Device 4 L/R IN
Last Device L/R out ==> Power Amp L/R IN

Simple... done.

Configuration as such, avoids many potential troubles which often arise in rigs with mono/stereo switching... such as the delay trails being truncated when the MIDI controllabe devices are switched and/or having L or R channel audio dropping out when switching.

Hi Tazz

Normally I would leave well enough alone but I have to reinforce my last few e-mails...

Feeding your awesome analog Triaxis preamp signal into three serially connected processors (the two Line6 devices and the 16-bit RV-70) chops up your analog signal as it goes through [3] A to D and [3] D to A converters.

I know that my drawing is very comprehensive, but if you follow the signal chain carefully you will see that the signal is totally mono until the the Stereo FX outputs (the Mono Triaxis signal is mixed with the FX outputs.)

1. As far as system reliability...with a parallel rig, even if all your FX processors go up in smoke, your DRY Triaxis signal still goes right to the mixer.

2. As far as signal dropouts, since your DRY signal goes directly to the MIXER it is never interrupted.

3. As far as delay trails, by leaving the FX outputs always connected to the mixer, muting the FX inputs allows delay trails to pass.

All of the pro rack rigs, starting with those originally designed by Bob Bradshaw, are parallel connected so that your effects do not affect your Analog Dry tone... (Bob had to do this because most of the FX processors in the 1980's were 16 and 18 bit and messed with the direct signal.)

Even guitars recorded in the studio work like this... The guitar signal is sent to two parallel FX busses for the Reverb and Delay.

In the end, there are no rules, connect it the way you want and see if you like it

Please let me know if I can help further... maybe someone else will chime in as well...

seeya

Joe

Actually I just found up in Clackamas, Oregon Guitar Center a Voodoo Lab System Mix Plus That I just bought today. So that should now do the trick.

Whoa, that System Mix Plus is a very rare piece.. congrats!

seeya

Joe

Yeah so now I need to see a diagram on that one.

When you have time.

Hey Tazz,

Please find the System Mix Plus integration below...





Here's a link to the System Mix Plus Manual that outlines the finer points of all of the connections of a parallel FX system.

http://voodoolab.com/manuals/system_mix_plus.pdf

Please let me know if I can help with any questions

seeya

Joe