Help me with a live rig

[bastafari]

So I'm planning on making a live rig for ... reasons. My idea is use bias fx on a laptop connected to a xtone pro foot controller. My problem is amplification. I have a 2x12 cab. Can I use any guitar amp with an effects loop? Or should I use a reamp box and go into the front of a guitar amp? What about power amps and or preamps? An I just better off using a PA? Thanks for helping me out this is new territory for me.

 

[kennl]

The 2x12" cab is designed to work with an actual amp head
Use a powered monitor for amplifying the modeled software guitar amps

 

[SRHmusic]

What range of music styles are you playing at the gigs? (The reason I ask is that I've found for a wide range of 60s-70s music a fairly simple but effective rig with minimal pedals. But it would nor work as well for 80s music, for example.)

 

[-Hawk-]

Budget?

Loop will work fine. Seymour Duncan Powerstage power amp is another common choice.

 

[doghouseman]

if the effects loop is buffered, it might not be very loud. I tried this with my Bogner ATMA and it has an effects loop that is buffered, so there was very little volume.

Also, make sure the loop is serial. it will work with a parallel loop, but it will probably work better with a serial loop.

 

[bastafari]

What range of music styles are you playing at the gigs? (The reason I ask is that I've found for a wide range of 60s-70s music a fairly simple but effective rig with minimal pedals. But it would nor work as well for 80s music, for example.)

My band is more modern sounding. Part of the reason for a foot controller is less tap dancing on pedals.

 

[bastafari]

Budget?

Loop will work fine. Seymour Duncan Powerstage power amp is another common choice.

By loop you mean the effects loop? Yeah I was looking at the powerstage or orange pedal baby. But neither of those have effects loops I don't think.

 

[bastafari]

Oh. I'm trying to spend less than $1000. The cheaper the better!

 

[doghouseman]

So I'm planning on making a live rig for ... reasons. My idea is use bias fx on a laptop connected to a xtone pro foot controller. My problem is amplification. I have a 2x12 cab. Can I use any guitar amp with an effects loop? Or should I use a reamp box and go into the front of a guitar amp? What about power amps and or preamps? An I just better off using a PA? Thanks for helping me out this is new territory for me.

I would think a PA would be best. A guitar amp will color the sound, but it looks like, since you are using a laptop, your sounds are already "colored". What kind of 2X12 cab? If it is a guitar cab, then that might be a different story. You could try using just a basic power amp, that will not color your sound. Most of the color with a guitar amp comes from the pre amp, so you are correct in wanting to use the effects loop to bypass the preamp. But as I posted before, some effects loops will work better than others. Also, seems like you really want to use PA speakers (full range speakers), not a guitar cab, which tend to be really mid range heavy... for guitar.

 

[naveed211]

So I'm planning on making a live rig for ... reasons. My idea is use bias fx on a laptop connected to a xtone pro foot controller. My problem is amplification. I have a 2x12 cab. Can I use any guitar amp with an effects loop? Or should I use a reamp box and go into the front of a guitar amp? What about power amps and or preamps? An I just better off using a PA? Thanks for helping me out this is new territory for me.

I’m using S-Gear on my laptop for that. Guitar into an interface line out to my amp’s effect return. Works and sounds great, wish I had thought of it years ago.

You could do that setup to go straight to PA, too. Same concept overall, though you may have to tweak some settings.

Just depends on if you want to/are able to bring your own amp or not.

 

[mkdaws32]

I use a Helix, direct to PA and IEMs - done

 

[mkdaws32]

It depends on whether you want the sound of your cabinet up front (in the PA) or just for your own monitor. If you want the sound of the cab, you should disable the cab simulation in BIAS and mic the speaker cabinet. You can use just about any fairly flat power amp.

If you want to get your cabinet sound from BIAS for both the main PA and for your own stage sound, I would ditch the 2x12 cabinet altogether and go with an FRFR - something like this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...12-2000-watt-1x12-inch-powered-guitar-cabinet. Pretty cost effective and includes a transparent power amp built-in.

There are other makes as well - pretty sure Line6 has some FRFRs.

 

[bastafari]

I would think a PA would be best. A guitar amp will color the sound, but it looks like, since you are using a laptop, your sounds are already "colored". What kind of 2X12 cab? If it is a guitar cab, then that might be a different story. You could try using just a basic power amp, that will not color your sound. Most of the color with a guitar amp comes from the pre amp, so you are correct in wanting to use the effects loop to bypass the preamp. But as I posted before, some effects loops will work better than others. Also, seems like you really want to use PA speakers (full range speakers), not a guitar cab, which tend to be really mid range heavy... for guitar.

The cab is the top half of a slanted 4x12 I cut in half. Forgot what speakers I put in right this second. 8ohms. That's why I was looking at the orange pedal baby. It's supposed to be a neutral amp. I have a Chinese vox ac 30. I may try to use it, at least the amp since it had an effects loop but not sure if parallel or series. PA might be the way to go. But then I'm thinking should I go a different route and get something like a line 6 helix and straight to pa? It's a matter of what am I lugging around and how can I best use some of the equipment I already have I think.

 

[bastafari]

I use a Helix, direct to PA and IEMs - done

Are you using the line 6 software and is it compatible with others? How is it using the software to program the pedal?

 

[bastafari]

It depends on whether you want the sound of your cabinet up front (in the PA) or just for your own monitor. If you want the sound of the cab, you should disable the cab simulation in BIAS and mic the speaker cabinet. You can use just about any fairly flat power amp.

If you want to get your cabinet sound from BIAS for both the main PA and for your own stage sound, I would ditch the 2x12 cabinet altogether and go with an FRFR - something like this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...12-2000-watt-1x12-inch-powered-guitar-cabinet. Pretty cost effective and includes a transparent power amp built-in.

There are other makes as well - pretty sure Line6 has some FRFRs.

Oh wow. 2000 watts though lol. So you think this is loud enough? This is very interesting. Have you used anything like this? Any complaints?

 

[mkdaws32]

Oh wow. 2000 watts though lol. So you think this is loud enough? This is very interesting. Have you used anything like this? Any complaints?

I have used something like this - not this FRFR exactly. It should be insanely loud, but the beauty of using amp modeling software and a FRFR (Full Range/Full Frequency) speaker like this is that it sounds the same at any volume. It's basically a mono PA in a single cabinet, so you would want to EQ your guitar software the same way you would for headphones or for going directly to the main PA.

 

[mkdaws32]

Are you using the line 6 software and is it compatible with others? How is it using the software to program the pedal?

I've not really used any older Line6 modeling, just the Helix, so I'm not familiar with the typical Line6 software editors. The Helix family has it's own editing software that is free to download called HX Edit (for PC and Mac). It works with the Helix Floor, Helix Rack, Helix LT, HX Stomp and the HX Effects. It works very well and is easy to use, but the Helix has to be connected - you cannot edit patches with it "offline". I've used Amplitube and Guitar Rig is a similar fashion that you are intending to do with BIAS - and they worked great, but having everything in one floor unit, like the Helix does, and not having it tethered to a laptop is just so much easier.

Bad news is the Helix will blow your $1000 budget, but a Helix LT is quite a bit less expensive and has exactly the same engine, effects, amp models and processing power as the full Helix. It's just missing the scribble strips and has fewer effect loops, inputs and outputs. TBH, I would buy the Helix LT now, since I don't really use any of the upgrades on the full Helix Floor.

 

[bastafari]

I've not really used any older Line6 modeling, just the Helix, so I'm not familiar with the typical Line6 software editors. The Helix family has it's own editing software that is free to download called HX Edit (for PC and Mac). It works with the Helix Floor, Helix Rack, Helix LT, HX Stomp and the HX Effects. It works very well and is easy to use, but the Helix has to be connected - you cannot edit patches with it "offline". I've used Amplitube and Guitar Rig is a similar fashion that you are intending to do with BIAS - and they worked great, but having everything in one floor unit, like the Helix does, and not having it tethered to a laptop is just so much easier.

Bad news is the Helix will blow your $1000 budget, but a Helix LT is quite a bit less expensive and has exactly the same engine, effects, amp models and processing power as the full Helix. It's just missing the scribble strips and has fewer effect loops, inputs and outputs. TBH, I would buy the Helix LT now, since I don't really use any of the upgrades on the full Helix Floor.

Awesome thanks for the info. Going from physical to digital is a little daunting. I went to guitar center for some basic info and no one had a clue about what I was talking about. Like I was a crazy person walking in off the street!

 

[Mrbob135]

Helix Stomp is even less money, same engine with a little less DSP on tap...or look at the Pod Go...another solid option if you are looking to ditch the laptop. But then you still need the powered cab if you want to monitor your guitar on stage...or IEM's.

 

[-Hawk-]

By loop you mean the effects loop? Yeah I was looking at the powerstage or orange pedal baby. But neither of those have effects loops I don't think.

Yea, I meant it sound good in an amp’s loop (I was using a Marshall Origin). In reality, the Hx sounds good right into the front of an amp too. People will tell you a million reasons it can’t sound good, but my experience was that it was fine.

As for Powerstage and the Pedal Baby, I had both. In terms of convenience, the Powerstage’s size is really nice. I preferred the Pedal Baby for other reasons, but either will work very well.

Ive also run into a PA and used an FrFR. I think cheap FrFr’s are garbage. PA is a good option and sound guys like it.

My absolute favorite was using the Origin, but it eventually left me abandoning amp modeling for live use. I still used the Hx for effects and signal routing. Now I just use it for when I have to be quiet at home or as an interface.