I’m having some clipping problems with a CBA Blooper on a mixer send (signal coming in from the modular). Even with attenuating with the Aux pots I’m still clipping more often than I’m comfortable with for playing live/recording (especially with more resonance sources). I’ve realized I’m using TRS cables, not sure how much that affects things, but I’m wondering about adding a re-amp box like the Radial JCR to help step the signal down. Will this make a substantial difference or should I just get better at gain staging consistently?
I’d rather avoid the EXTC if I can because I have preamps/DI for other scenarios and don’t want something else to have to power live.
I would try a simple passive volume pedal first. You probably just need to attenuate more, even though there may be an impedance mismatch between the mixer send and the pedal (though that shouldn’t be too much of an issue)
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t3h
282
I’ve also noticed Blooper being somewhat sensitive to clipping so I usually keep my eyes on the signal chain level right before Blooper. Good suggestion from @corbetta for adding a passive volume pedal. Or you could make a ghetto hack with 100k or 500k trim pot. Also, no need to use TRS cables with Blooper, it’s a mono pedal, TS is fine.
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Very basic question for this thread: I have a 1010 bluebox, how do I get my pedals into it? The signal doesn’t seem to be high enough for me to get it to any audible level… before that I would just plug in my pedals directly into my Mackie mixing board and that worked. I just got the bluebox (into which I’m also plugging my eurorack and others).
From reading online, it seems like I need a direct input box, like the Walrus Audio Canvas, or Rupert Neve RNDI, but that adds more bulk to my setup + costs more $$$… is there a better way?
Thanks for any thoughts or insights 
As long as your mixer input stages aren’t being overdriven, you can also take the send out into a spare channel for further attenuation, then out to the pedals (through e.g. an alt bus or direct out).
Depending on your mixer, this has the benefit of giving access to EQ and feedback back into the send. Also intentional overdriving possibilities depending on the available routing.
Even common mixers like my old 1202-VLZ can handle +22dBu on the line ins (over 13 Vpeak at its output impedance of 120 ohms). As mentioned, impedance mismatches may have an effect (loading, signal loss, etc), but it’s never been noticeable to me.
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t3h
285
generally there are 3 options for using effects pedals with mixers. You can add a pedal to the incoming signal, outgoing signal (full mix) or send/return signal (submix). No DI box needed for any of that. From what I can read, Bluebox can work in all of these configurations. For a submix, Output 2 is suggested:
- Stereo Output 2 – Assignable, with dedicated sub-mixer (pre or post fader)
Two things to keep in mind: check the signal levels and make sure of proper gain staging aka hold a healthy signal to noise balance. And keep in mind the mono/stereo configuration. For example use mono pedal for incoming mono signal but stereo pedal for outgoing full mix (or sometimes a submix) if you mix in stereo.
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This arrived today, and its brutal 
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Does anyone here have experience using the Strymon Iridum on synths or even on full electronic mixes? Been curious about getting one to add some warmth / grit to my sound but I’m not sure if it’s the best move. I’ve honestly been thinking about having it at the end of my mixer as a master effect when I play live, but I haven’t heard of anyone really doing that.
davey
289
I have one that I mostly use if someone brings over a guitar… but since I have it, I sometimes use it as a ‘coloration’ stage on something electronic. It’s pretty cool, but not like how cool it is when you use an actual high-impedance instrument with it… then it bananas how good it sounds! (salt-grain: I don’t own a guitar)
It does provide a little bit of a weird phychological twist where I start thinking about the synth (or drum machine) as more of a close-mic’d amp… which is an interesting way to alter process/approach a bit.
I had my Hydrasynth normalled to it for a spell just to make my hydra a little more, er, guitary.
Like I said, I use it 'cause I have it, but it wouldn’t be the pedal I’d choose for grid or warmth. I’d want a Boum for that:)
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vinc
290
I use it all the time and love that sound, exactly like it’s coming from an amp.
Try plug the sound to a real amp first if you have one, then you can decide if you like it or not
I used to do this a lot, with the pedal now I can have the same result (almost) without doing those miking stuffs and worry about environmental noise (fridge/ air conditioner).
For live, I would let some other elements, particular low freq stuffs (bass) to have a direct path to mixer.
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If I was using one when playing live I wouldn’t put it on the master, I would put it on a send channel instead.
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Definitely a better idea now that I think about it!
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Ithacus
293
It’s worth noting that you can load your own IR’s into Iridium as well. There is no control over them… it is pretty much ‘set and forget’. Could make for interesting use with other IR’s though.
I haven’t tried any of this though… mine sits on the end of my pedalboard and has replaced all my amps for at home playing/practice.
With guitar it just sounds really good and is very convenient.
With synths/line sources it’s worth remembering it is designed for guitar levels (and impedance)… you might have to use a re-amp box with it.
There is also the inherent eq curves of the amps it models… which are pretty drastic (the old amp eq circuits are far from flat at neutral settings). The round amp with mids maxed out (emulating old tweed amps) could sound cool as they have lots of mids and bass.
If you play guitar as well I would say it is a no brainer just for the shear usefulness it provides.
You can probably tell I love mine 
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Not made for synths, but I recently got one of these and will be using it on an also recently bought Error Instruments Radio Sputnik, my trusty Reface CS and the glorious happy accident machine that is the Subharmonicon.
And of course my Norns Shield. Here is a demo of it on harp.
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I landed on Deco for this task. The saturation side of the pedal is great for warming a mix. I mostly ignore the double-tracking half of the pedal (which is a nice way to thicken a synth but not great on a mix).
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Thats you!
I already posted on your video about a year back, saying its likely the best tutorial out there for Zellersasn
Amazing pedal. Thanks again for the video.
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appa
298
Has anyone heard updates on Meris LVX yet?
The pedal sounds great…
However, your prophet 12 sounds incredible!
Love those patches.
Do you have any info on how you created the third patch (sounds like modulation decreases as the pitch of the voice increases)?
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Hey thanks for the rundown. I don’t have a Prophet 12 unfortunately (and it looks like they are now unobtanium).
Looks like there is lots of cross feedback going on there. The patch has a Mangrove-ish type sound to it (from what I remember when I had one anyway).
Patch 1 is lovely as well.
Really enjoyed listening to them 
The Deco sounds cool as well… getting back on topic after I veered us off piste!
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