Can I use TimeFactor in my Series Effect Loop?

[skazzuk]

I'm hoping to purchase a timefactor pedal to stick in the fx loop of my Mesa Express 5 50. Trouble is the send level on this fx loop is controlled by the master volume i.e. if I turn the master volume up the fx send level gets hotter. Is there a chance I'll blow the timefactor if i turn the amp up too loud? Also does the output on the timefactor stay the same even if the level going into it is altered? If it does then my amps going to be stuck at the same volume no matter what i do which is pretty useless!

Loads of these mesa amps work this way though so surely I'm missing something here? Has anyone used a timefactor in a mesa effects loop (or anything similar) who can confirm any of this??

[Trazan]

Depends on how hot the signal in the Mesa is. When I push my Matchless
HC30 the TF's overload light tells me I'm slamming the input…but it
sounds fine, so I guess the limiter takes care of the overs in my case.
I'm not familiar with the levels in the Mesa though.

No, the output will of course reflect input levels.

[alwalt]

Hi Trazan. I own an DC30 clone by Ceriatone. I'm using the TF on the effects loop, and my repetitions are distorted even when the overdrive indicator light its no lit. I've been forced to turn my mix control to 5 or 6 (of 100) to avoid this. It happens to me even when I use the amp on a clean setting.

It also happens when I use the Timefactor on the effects loop of my JSX Minicolossal.

When I move the "in – out" line/amp switches, overall volume change, but the distorted sounds keep going.

Any hint? Am I missing something?

Thanks!

[Trazan]

I'm not sure I understand what your problem is. Are you saying that only the repetitions are distorted? The mix control shouldn't make any difference as it is only a balance control and should not alter the sound of the repetitions. If it does, the distortion has to happen after the Timefactor, but this distortion will also happen to the direct signal.

You're using a regular insert cable (TRS jack to two TS jacks) with the Ceriatone, and the TF is set to "line" for both input and output?

[alwalt]

Hi Trazan. Is more like there is a interaction between the dry signal and the wet signal, in a bad way. For example, if I do a slow bend, the moment  the repetition hits , it kind of  "crashes" with the dry signal, instead of being as background, don't know if I am explaining it well. On a "the Edge" setting, for example, even when I use palm mute to kill the dry signal, I still can hear the volume on the repetitions being higher than the dry signal.

The distortion, as I mentioned, could be easily power tubes distorition as the volume increased a lot related to the dry signal (being on the eff.loop). If I use a mix level of 31 or 65 as suggested on some presets, a mess is what I get…

I realized also that I have the 2.0.0BETA[7] version, maybe an upgrade will help on this one?

[alwalt]

Last night I tested the TF with an solid satate amp. I worked flawsely in front of the amp. Then I tried it in front of the DC30 on a lower gain setting, and it also worked a lot better. These are good and bad news, as I realized that higher amounts of gain on the amp will cause the TF to "collapse" the sound, but I would really like to be able to crank the amp and use the TF.

Otherwise, I will be forced to use lower gain settings and overdrive with pedals. I guess some tweaking is ahead the road. My bad, I was blaming the TF, but it seems the interaction of the amp voltages (I recently installed VVR) has something to do with the incoming and outcoming signal of the TF. I still want to update from the beta version, thou…

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