Boss ME-50 question

Is there a way to run the delay/modulation out of the pedal to an amps effects loop or does everything just run in front?

If it does have the capability of going into an effects loop, it will most likely be "all or nothing" as far as how it will operate.

Your delay, modulation, etc sounds will surely benefit from the effects loop. But unless there's an independant Send/Return loop on your ME-50, and one that you can choose what is being sent through it, then your noise gates/distortion/all else will also be going through your amp's FX loop, which is not traditionally where these "effects" are placed in the signal chain, and therefore might not give you what you want.

If it does have the capability of going into an effects loop, it will most likely be "all or nothing" as far as how it will operate.

Your delay, modulation, etc sounds will surely benefit from the effects loop. But unless there's an independant Send/Return loop on your ME-50, and one that you can choose what is being sent through it, then your noise gates/distortion/all else will also be going through your amp's FX loop, which is not traditionally where these "effects" are placed in the signal chain, and therefore might not give you what you want.

Yeah...in looking at the photos of the unit, it doesn't appear to have a send and return for that portion of the effects...that's dumb. Even the old Maxon and Ibanez multi effects units from the 80's had that ability.

I wonder how it would sound in front of a 2 channel tube amp? Guess you'd have to use the dirt from the ME-50 and not your amp...that sucks.

Well think about this: if you only want the ME-50 for its "color"-sounds (reverbs, chorus, delay, etc) then just run it through an effects loop of your amp and then you get the flexibility of the ME's effects but the true tone of your amp (and the dirt of your amp, not the ME's).

If that amp doesn't have an effects loop, there's alternatives. Such as Lehle's Little Dual II, which is an external fx loop (doubles as a channel selector too, I have one and this is my use for it). It is also completely true bypass with a patented transformer he designed in order to not lose signal. (There are other brands that make products like this too, I just own this one so I'm familiar)

This of course, doesn't solve your problem of trying to seperate the paths of the distortions from the effects. And I hate to say SOL but that's the give and take we confront with multi-effect units.

It may even sound great thru the front of your tube-amp clean, so give it a shot. And you could try bypassing the pedal's signal entirely for the 2nd/drive channel. This sounds like kind of a lot of tap dancing though...
Yeah...in looking at the photos of the unit, it doesn't appear to have a send and return for that portion of the effects...that's dumb. Even the old Maxon and Ibanez multi effects units from the 80's had that ability.

I wonder how it would sound in front of a 2 channel tube amp? Guess you'd have to use the dirt from the ME-50 and not your amp...that sucks.

mine sounds great thru my vibrochamp clone. from the od to the FX. it's all good...go figure eh?

Cheers
ce24

Even the overdrive?

I admit ignorance in this because I haven't used many multi-fx loops outside of Guitar Center, and it was usually through a crappy single speaker solid state/digital amp. My amp doesn't have an FX loop, so I use a Little Lehle Dual II external fx loop; like I said I usually use for channel switching my amp.

Let me ask you this ce24, what differences in sound have you noticed running the OD from your Boss-->FX loop, versus Boss-->front-end of amp?

Theoretically, the OD-->FX should almost sound seperate from your amp's tone, almost like the sounds are stacked but with a distinct separation. OD-->front-end of amp should have a more closely interacting dynamic between OD and amp-tone, like they're melted together in a way.

In other words, are you suggesting that the OD-->FX doesn't sound weak or limited (due to that "separation" caused by plugging into the FX loop)?

EDIT: I just realized you didn't mention if you ran it straight through the front or in an fx loop, and your amp doesn't have an fx loop does it?

In my opinion, the ME-50 was kind of made to work one way. You plug a guitar into it and then plug it into an amp. It colors the sound too much to bother with running it along with other pedals or doing any cool tricks. Signal gets muddier the more you deviate from just plugging it in between your tele and amp.

I have not tried using amp distortion and then mod effects from my ME50. But basically I think of it very much like a lot of (if not all) multis. It is great for what it does. Plug and play, have lots of sound options at your finger tips and toes. But if you are a tone seaker/toneFreak, maybe not the best tool for you anyway, as it definitely colors the sound. JMO, YMMV