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Topic: profex II alternative |
John Daugherty
From:
Rolla, Missouri, USA
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Posted 15 May 2004 1:54 pm |
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I have been using a peavey Profex II into a Nashville 400 for over 10 years for my steel guitar. I like what it does (except for the white noise) but I don't like having to step through the presets to get to the one I want. I have moved my favorites to get my ducks in a row but it would be nice to "jump" to the preset I want.
Can anyone recommend an effects unit that is easy to operate on the job and doesn't cost a fortune?
I saw the Digitech RP 100A at Music Emporium. Anyone have advise about this unit?
I have a profex midi controller but it is foot operated. When I look at the floor I notice that I only have two feet and a lot of pedals covering the floor.. hmmmm.
Any recommendations gratefully accepted.
THANKS ...Oh yeah, about the white noise... I tried the power amp input that Mike Brown suggested but the sound I get is not for me. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 15 May 2004 1:59 pm
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It is very easy to "map" yuour favorite settings close together with a Profex 2. Just check the manual.
The footcontroller also adds great features. You can toggle on/off any effect in the chain. You can save a preset with an effect toggled off and it comes back that way every time. Handy for things like distrtion, that you want to add only when needed. |
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John Daugherty
From:
Rolla, Missouri, USA
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Posted 15 May 2004 2:48 pm
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Thanks for the reply Ken. I stated that "I put my ducks in a row". That is the way a country boy says "mapped". Since I am playing steel guitar, I can't operate the controller with my feet. Can't even find a good place to put it.
Do you play steel guitar and use the contoller? |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 15 May 2004 6:56 pm
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Never used the controller. I sold one to a steeler in Michigan. He had two set up at two different casinos he played in. I think he had them at his side, up higher so he could operate the switches by hand. For the most part, I quit using a Profex 2. I use a pedal baord with the devices I need for guitar and steel. I use an RV-5 for reverb and a DDL-10 (Ibanez) for delay. I ocassionally use a Profex if it is just a steel gig.
If not for my old standby pedal board, a Profex and controller would be a nice choice. There are a lot of nice processors out there with great quality sounds. The nice thing about the Profex, Tubefex and Transtubefex is using the Newman and/or Jeff Peterson settings. Thats a lot of info already worked out. With a new processor a lot of time has to be devoted to getting patches ready.
From what I have gathered the white noise is less with the Burr Brown chips. They are in the Peavey and Lemay mod. Easy to do, as they just plug in a socket.
I am using a Profex out in my shop thru a Peavey XR684 PA. I was hearing some of the noise you are referring to. I just turned the Profex output down a bit and turned the channel volume up. That helped a lot. As it is a preamp, it can tend to be a bit hot for an amp's input. When I use one with a Session 400 I put the Profex left and right outputs in the #1 and #2 inputs of the amp. That way the output opf the Profex is padded down some and I also get left and right outputs. Some of the settings have effects on one side only. The left (mono) output of the Profex is a sum of the left and right channels.
Like you, I prefer not to use the power amp input of an amp. I like having the amps volume and especially tone controls at hand to work with.
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John Daugherty
From:
Rolla, Missouri, USA
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Posted 16 May 2004 2:53 am
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Ken, If I had to operate the midi controller by hand, I would have to tape an anvil to my wrist. Those switches take lots of pressure to operate.
The white noise problem is not so bad at home. I can keep the volume controls down.
When I am working with a band the volume controls(Nashville 400) are usually at mid-range.
Mike Brown was nice enough to call me from Peavey and discuss the problem (He is such a great guy). He gave me the IC numbers for the modification but I couldn't find them listed at any distributers I buy from. The ICs are a lo-noise version of the 4558 quad amp.
Now that you have informed me that it does help, I will give peavey a call and order them.
Ken, Thanks so much for the info. If I can ever help you in any way, please let me know. I am an electronic technician w/training at 2 tech schools and 35 years experience. For many years now I have specialized in 2-way radio repair so I have not kept up with the audio evolution but have repaired quit a few guitar amps. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 16 May 2004 9:26 am
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If you're really ambitious, you might try making a box that would clip onto the leg of your guitar and put toggle switches (I assume they are momentary contact switches in the foot controller) in so you can activate them by hand. I don't know how big the foot controller (or how heavy) but maybe you can replace the switches and clip it onto the leg. I made a box once that controlled my effects unit and it worked great, although it was not MIDI.
Disclaimer: I have never seen the foot controller, so I don't really know what is inside it. Making a different box may not be possible.
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Carter D10 9p/10k, NV400
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John Daugherty
From:
Rolla, Missouri, USA
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Posted 16 May 2004 9:55 am
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Richard, The controller is roughly the same size as the profexII. I do not know the contact arrangement in the switches. The switch pad that is pushed by the foot is roughly the size of a golfball. It is rather large to be mounting anywhere other than on a table.
This is the reason I am looking for a small effects unit. It would save a lot of hassle. Are you listening Mike(Brown)? Maybe peavey will come up with a hand operated unit for steel players.
I appreciate the input Richard. Thanks. |
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