GT Pro + Marshall half stack + line recording

[Godless]

Ok here's a though one for you GT Pro experts ;)

I'm trying to connect my GT Pro to my Marshall DSL100 half stack, and use the GT Pro preamps & effects to practice and record at the same time, here's how I'm connecting things:

Guitar > GT Pro in
GT Pro send1 > DSL100 return
GT Pro return1 > DSL100 send
GT Pro XLR sub out > Console (Tascam FW-1884)

The first problem is that I cant control the volume of the DSL100 head using its knobs, I have the master & gain knobs set all the way down to 0, and the thing still blasts at full volume (it was a rather unpleasant discovery, as I was standing right next to it when pluggin in) the only way to control the volume is using the GT Pro patch level knob.

But even at the lowest volumes it's still too loud, so I had to lower the loop send/return levels down to 2 (it was at 100 originally), and now I can get reasonable volumes (I can drown my drummer setting the patch level to 60, so I still have a lot of headroom available).

The second problem is that due to setting the loop volume to such low levels, now my console doesnt hear even the slightest sound coming from the GT Pro sub out, once I start upping the loop level to 40 or more I can start getting some useable signal for recording, but then this also increases the volume of the half stack to unbearable high levels.

Ok I hope that made some sense, any help will be greatly appreciated! :D

[Myedvyed]

I'm surprised this setup even works :P

My external preamp (which would be similar to a head) is connected like this, and I can control the volume on both sides:

Guitar -> GT-PRO in
GT-PRO send 1 -> preamp input
preamp output -> GT-PRO return 1

So I'd say you'd have to connect the GT-PRO send to the regular guitar input jack on your head. The GT-PRO return should then be connected to a "preamp out" or "line out" jack, depending on the available outputs on your amplifier. Do NOT connect it to the "speaker out" jack, since it would send a poweramp level signal to the GT-PRO, which seems like a bad idea.

Maybe there's an even better way to do it, but this works for my GT-PRO and the Sansamp! Good luck!

[Evilution]

Ok here's a though one for you GT Pro experts ;)

I'm trying to connect my GT Pro to my Marshall DSL100 half stack, and use the GT Pro preamps & effects to practice and record at the same time, here's how I'm connecting things:

Guitar > GT Pro in
GT Pro send1 > DSL100 return
GT Pro return1 > DSL100 send
GT Pro XLR sub out > Console (Tascam FW-1884)

The first problem is that I cant control the volume of the DSL100 head using its knobs, I have the master & gain knobs set all the way down to 0, and the thing still blasts at full volume (it was a rather unpleasant discovery, as I was standing right next to it when pluggin in) the only way to control the volume is using the GT Pro patch level knob.

But even at the lowest volumes it's still too loud, so I had to lower the loop send/return levels down to 2 (it was at 100 originally), and now I can get reasonable volumes (I can drown my drummer setting the patch level to 60, so I still have a lot of headroom available).

The second problem is that due to setting the loop volume to such low levels, now my console doesnt hear even the slightest sound coming from the GT Pro sub out, once I start upping the loop level to 40 or more I can start getting some useable signal for recording, but then this also increases the volume of the half stack to unbearable high levels.

Ok I hope that made some sense, any help will be greatly appreciated! :D

Well i do say,with the connection described you connect the GT pro direct to the power amp of your DSL via the effect loop of the GT pro,that means the results you are getting is exactly what you should get.

The connection as far as i know should be (4 cable method):

Guitar > GTpro input - GT Pro effect send > DSL input - DSL effect send >GTpro effect return-GTpro Main output >DSL return.

Be sure to set the effect loop of the DSL to fully serial (100 wet)

Or just use the Pro as a preamp and dont use the DSL preamp,then connect main out of the Pro to effect return of the DSL,ive done that with much succes with my JCM800 (2205).

Good luck !

[Godless]

Well i do say,with the connection described you connect the GT pro direct to the power amp of your DSL via the effect loop of the GT pro,that means the results you are getting is exactly what you should get.

Thanks for the clarification, that's good to know! :D

Ok let me see if I understood this correctly (I'm trying to use the GT Pro as the preamp instead of the DSL head) so the connection should be:

Guitar > GT Pro in
GT Pro main out > DSL100 return

Am I going to be able use the head's volume knob to control the volume by connecting this way?

Also how do I make the effect loop of the DSL 'parallel'?

Thanks!

[Evilution]

Well i do say,with the connection described you connect the GT pro direct to the power amp of your DSL via the effect loop of the GT pro,that means the results you are getting is exactly what you should get.

Thanks for the clarification, that's good to know! :D

Ok let me see if I understood this correctly (I'm trying to use the GT Pro as the preamp instead of the DSL head) so the connection should be:

Guitar > GT Pro in
GT Pro main out > DSL100 return

Am I going to be able use the head's volume knob to control the volume by connecting this way?

Also how do I make the effect loop of the DSL 'parallel'?

Thanks!

Thats the right way to connect if you want to use the Pro as a preamp and the DSL as a poweramp.

I dont know if youre gonna be able to use the volume on the head ,personally i think its preferable that none of the controls and filters "gets in the way" so that the head is used strictly as a poweramp,thats the way it works on my JCM800.

You can change the mainvolume on the GTpro on the front just as easily as you would change the volume on your head.

I dont know why you would use the effect loop in parallel mode,serial is much better IMO since you otherwise get latency between the direct sound that goes through the Pro and the direct sound that goes in parallel with the Pro and its a short delay that makes it sound like you playing in a tin can or something,not good at all.

The DSL loop is serial according to this,some amps have it adjustable.

http://www.marshallamps.com/images/product_specs/dsl100.jpg

[Godless]

I dont know why you would use the effect loop in parallel mode...

Oops, sorry I meant serial not parallel :oops:

Anyway, thanks for the all the valuable info! Now that I have separated the main out (for the DSL) and the sub out (for the console) I think I should be able to play and record at the same time w/o any problems!

Again thanks a lot guys!