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Using fx loops to separate components into modules; alternating processor and amp sections. MPX G2 preamp/processor.

The MPX G2 is advertized in such a way that it propagates a common misconception, or common limited thinking. The ad headline declares that the processor is set up to be placed "in both possible places -- before the amp, or in the amp's effects loop". But this spreads the misconception that leads people to loathe effects: the idea that there are only two possible placements for time effects, both which are before the saturating power tubes. This neglects the only sonically clear approach, the third alternative: the clearest tone when combining heavy power-stage saturation with heavy time fx (such as echo) requires putting echo entirely after the cranked tube power amp, just like you need to put echo after a distortion box.

This processor *can* be used even in a better way than the designers and marketers envisioned. The key feature is that the processor has a clean division into section A and section B. So you could do the following (which is in fact the best, clearest-sounding approach):

  1. processor section A
  2. amp's preamp (distortion and eq)
  3. amp's tube power amp, speaker, mic
  4. processor section B
  5. mixer
We want section B, which I presume is time-fx, to be absolutely last in the *total* processing chain from guitar-output to mixer-outputs.

The way the processor is marketed is for this chain (which is in fact the medium-good approach):

  1. processor section A
  2. amp's preamp (distortion and eq)
  3. processor section B
  4. amp's tube power amp, speaker, mic
  5. mixer
The above risks doing echo->power-tube saturation, which sounds cruddy for the same reason as echo->distortion.

The ad implies that that is better than this chain (which is in fact the muddiest sounding, or most limiting):

  1. processor section A
  2. processor section B
  3. amp's preamp (distortion and eq)
  4. amp's tube power amp, speaker, mic
  5. mixer
So it seems that, misguided marketing concepts aside, the key thing to look for in processors and amps, is a *clean division* into sections, with input/output jacks forming the boundary. This way, you can do modular interleaving, such as:
  1. processor section A
  2. amp section A
  3. processor section B
  4. amp section B
  5. and so on.


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