I’m in the process of building out a small board for my QC and expression pedal, and figured maybe I’d go a bit larger and put a couple of my external effects pedals on as well. Mainly a reverb and delay to run into the front of my Tone King Gremlin. My question is: if I add the reverb/delay into the effects block of the QC, could I somehow wire it up to then let me use one of the QC outputs to into the front of amp? Essentially, is it possible to pass through the external effects without adding coloration via cab/amp sims on the QC. I’m new to this, so perhaps this is a pointless exercise and I’d be better off just plugging a cable from external effect output into amp when I’m wanting to use the Gremlin (or build up a small board just for that).
If I’m understanding you correctly, you essentially want to use the QC as a standalone multi-effect unit (essentially a complete pedalboard), but incorporate one or two external pedals.
If you aren’t using the effects loop(s) in your QC already, this would be the ideal solution for you. If you only have two external pedals you want to use, you can use one of the dedicated loops for each one and then, in your QC, place the individual loop blocks wherever you want them in your signal chain. Then, route that chain to whichever output you want to connect to the front of your amp and you’re all set!
This kind of thing is what I love about the QC. I use a small amp on stage for monitoring sometimes, but I run direct from my QC into the PA system. I use a split at the end of my effects chain—one side of the split runs directly to an output that goes to my amp on stage, and the other side gets amp and cabinet blocks before going to a different output and then to FOH. You could do this exact setup, and just place your external FX blocks before the split so they go to both the real amp and the simulated amp.
I agree; it’s an incredibly powerful device for sure!
I think we’re on the same page, but to be a bit more specific - I’m just hoping there’s a relatively painless method to use an output on the QC to run into amp vs. having to unplug patch cables to then “tap” into the output on my reverb/delay to then go into front of amp.
I’d basically be passing the signal through the QC vs. having to unplug things and re-route cables each time I wanted to use my pedals with my amp. I’m guessing I could make a preset that’s setup to do just that, but wanted to ensure I could get a signal through without it being affected by the QC - be that effects or the amp/cab sims.
I’m trying to avoid building two separate boards, and this way I could utilize my pedals with the QC as well as my amp. It sounds like I can also use the QC as an multi-effect processor into the front of my amp by bypassing the amp/cab and just using the effects. Makes me wish I had an effects loop to run 4CM vs. going straight-in.
There is something to be said about having a small dedicated QC board with my Lehle expression pedal, but if I’m spending the money for something like the DC7 + Crux to power those two, I may as well toss my pedals onto the board as well.
That’s how I feel as well. I just finally upgraded from the dinky included wall wart to a Walrus Audio Canvas HP and put it all on a Temple Solo 18. I have room for, like, two pedals with that setup and I’m still trying to figure out what to put there. Assuming I solve that problem, I will probably route those two as yet undetermined pedals through the FX loop, and then make some presets that are hybrid like I described above and some that make the whole thing into essentially just a pedalboard.
The problem I’m having is the overdrives I want to put on the board sound so good captured that I don’t really miss them. Good problem to have, but the extra space is ugly dammit!
But more to your point, yes, I think permanently routing the pedals through the effects loops of your QC will allow you to do what you want. When you want to use them with your QC’s amp sounds, just include the FX loop blocks in presets with the amp sim. When you just want to use the pedals straight into your amp, make a different preset that just has the effects loops in whatever order you want and use the QC in stomp mode to enable or disable them.
Ah, I didn’t realize that the Walrus HP has a dedicated 12V/3A output. I was planning to use the CIOKS DC7 and Crux, but the Walrus might be the play as it’s about $100 cheaper (though I lose some outputs).
I initially moved to the QC to rid myself of pedalboards, but I couldn’t resist having at least one tube amp, which of course lacks reverb, and that’s leading me to build yet another board ha!
I think I know the answer to this, but if I were to grab an external compressor (UAFX Max, Cali76, etc.), and ran that in the QC using an FX loop block, I could still place that block at the beginning of the chain in the QC, yes?
I think I’ll bite the bullet and grab the Cali76 stacked. The UAFX Max is on a wicked sale right now, but the Cali76 itch won’t get scratched until I finally try one myself. I was briefly sidetracked by the CB Clean, but I’m trying to keep things “simple.”
Sorry for the delayed response, but yes. You can place an FX Loop block anywhere in your chain, though if you primarily run it in front, you may prefer to just put it in front of the QC, which would free up a block and a footswitch. ***You could also try capturing your compressor—idk if that’s officially supported, and I’ve never tried it personally, but it’s something I’d probably experiment with if I had that pedal.
***EDIT: Apparently this doesn’t really work. Others report that you can get some of the tonal characteristics to come through with a neural capture of a compressor, but the compression effect itself won’t really work because the neural capture process doesn’t account for time-based processes (like attack and release). This is sort of counter to how I thought of it, considering that compression is sort of a facet of distortion. In any event, thought I should edit to note that it turned out I didn’t know what I was talking about on that front
