Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

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sledge
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Joined: Sun May 28, 2017 12:18 pm

Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

Post by sledge » Sun May 28, 2017 12:25 pm

Hi,

Is anyone doing this successfully with their mixing desk? I have bought an MF Drive and all I'm getting is an awful low-end drone or a high pitched squeal.
It works fine on the inserts, but not on the aux send.

Any advice greatly received.

Best,
S.

Rooftree
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Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:14 pm
Location: Madison, WI

Re: Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

Post by Rooftree » Thu Jun 08, 2017 1:30 pm

I have an MF-104M running through the aux send/return on my Mackie mixer. Works great!

toryjames
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Re: Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

Post by toryjames » Thu Jun 15, 2017 2:24 pm

The signal coming from a mixer is much stronger than a guitar pedal is designed for. ReAmp boxes were designed to reduce these line-level signals and matching the impedance going into a guitar pedal. What happens when you sweep from minimum, on the amount send knob, through to maximum? I am guessing the best level is going to be in the first 25% of the aux send knob range. Furthermore, the aux send/return is going to give you a mix of clean and overdriven signals, is that what you were going for? Also, make sure the send AND return knobs are opened up. Depending on your model of Mackie, there are a number of switches that will reroute your aux return signal in potentially unexpected ways (efx to monitor, pre/post select... etc.).

sledge
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun May 28, 2017 12:18 pm

Re: Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

Post by sledge » Sat Jun 24, 2017 1:10 pm

Thank you for the responses.

I bought this pedal because it's meant to work at line level without the need for reamp boxes.
It works fine when I use it as an insert, but not when I run it through the aux send. All I get is a low-frequency drone when I send it to one of my channels. Mixer is a Allen and Heath ZedR16.

Can't work out what is happening here, or why its fine as an insert but not an aux.
Confused.

Rooftree
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:14 pm
Location: Madison, WI

Re: Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

Post by Rooftree » Thu Jul 13, 2017 1:58 pm

The MF-104M works flawlessly with my Mackie 1602 VLZ4 mixer, with no need for a DI box, no mixer mods, and good control over wet/dry mix. Here's the setup.

Everything on my mixer is set to nominally be at unity gain (0 dB boost). I only go above or below unity on an as-needed basis, which isn't often.

The Aux 1 send on my mixer is plugged directly into the MF-104M

The MF-104M is set so its output is 100% wet. Drive is set to taste. Output level is set so that unwanted distortion doesn't occur. I reduce the Output level when I crank Drive.

On each channel of the mixer I can send independent amounts of each synth to Aux 1. I typically set aux send amounts to 25% to 50%, although distortion becomes more likely near 50%. Above 50% is no-go territory. Varying the aux send amount allows me to vary the wet/dry blend.

If I mute the synth channel, the output to aux 1 will be muted too. As toryjames indicated, a mod is available that will allow the channel output to continue to be routed to aux 1 even when the channel mute is engaged.

Aux signals are typically brought back into a mixer using an aux return jack with a level control knob. In my setup, I bring back all of my auxes (4 of them) to individual channel strips. This gives me the option of routing the MF-104M return signal, which is 100% wet, to other effects devices. This is where bliss happens! Feed a synth into a Dig multi-tap delay, then feed a small amount of the 100% wet return signal from the Dig into an MF-104M. Reverb can be added to the synth, the Dig, the MF-104M, or all of the above.


Sledge: I suspect that you might have something hooked up wrong on your mixer. The aux send output should be a single jack at the back or top of the mixer. The aux return should be a stereo pair (or Left for mono) of jacks accompanied by a knob to control the return level. You mention "when I send it to one of my channels". This terminology is backwards from the way that an aux send/return works. I'm picking on it to make sure that your logic and your connections are correct. Maybe you can find a diagram in the owners manual for your Zed R16.

toryjames
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Re: Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

Post by toryjames » Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:47 pm

Just looked, that is more mixer than I'm used to. :) Did you try all four aux send/returns? (Some appear to be pre or post eq) Also, there are many switches to reroute the signal. It sounds like a feedback loop of some sort. Could you take a picture of the problematic mixer setup?

toryjames
Posts: 155
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Re: Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

Post by toryjames » Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:49 pm

This one, right?
ZED_R16_top_2800.jpg

sledge
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Joined: Sun May 28, 2017 12:18 pm

Re: Using moogerfoogers on the aux send and return

Post by sledge » Wed Jul 19, 2017 8:32 am

Thank you for the help RoofTree and ToryJames.

After reading your responses this afternoon I set about investigating the problem again, and it turns out that the MF Drive doesn't like my aux 1 channel (which is pre-fader). I thought I had tested this before but perhaps I just tried it on another pre-fader channel.

I tested all my Eventide stompboxes and they all work on aux 1 so its a bit odd, but who cares YAY it's working!

Thank you! I had almost given up.

One last thing - I noticed that even when I am not sending anything to the MF Drive I can still hear the MF Drive's filter through my master L-R if the filter is open. Is that normal?

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