Common Device Features

While the specific parameters for each device are described separately, some features and procedures are common to all effect devices:

The Input meter

This shows the level of the incoming audio signal, giving you an indication of which devices are active, connected and playing. However, you don't need to worry about clipping in effect devices, even if the meter goes into the red.

The Power/Bypass switch

This is located in the upper left corner of each effect device. The switch has three modes, according to the following figure:

About making settings

Mode

Description

Bypass

In this mode, the input signal is passed directly to the audio output, without being affected by the effect device. This is useful when the effect device is connected as an insert effect, and you want to compare the effect sound with the dry sound.

On

This is the default mode, in which the device processes the incoming signal.

Off

In this mode, the effect device is turned off and neither dry nor effect sound is sent out. This is useful when the device is connected as a send effect and you want to turn it off temporarily.

You adjust effect parameters using the regular editing techniques, as described in the Getting Started book. Note:

A quick way to reset the parameters to their default values is to [Ctrl]-Click the corresponding knob.

About Connections

All effect devices have stereo inputs and outputs, and can be connected as send effects or as insert effects.

However, some effects are best used as one of these only. This is stated for each effect on the following pages. See also the section about the signal flow graphs below.

Most of the effect devices have one or several CV inputs on the back panel.

These allow you to control various effect parameters in real-time, from another device in the rack.

The Signal Flow graphs

On the back of each effect device, you will find two or three small "graphs". These indicate how the effect device handles mono and stereo signals, depending on the connections. The selection of graphs for a device tells you how it should be used, according to the following rules:

Graph

Description

 

Can be connected as a mono-in, mono-out device.
(Of course, all effect devices can be connected in mono. However, if this graph isn't shown for a device, this means that a mono-in, mono-out connection may not give the proper results).

 

Can be connected as a mono-in, stereo-out device. This means that the device creates some sort of stereo effect (e.g. a reverb) or a mono effect that can be panned.

 

If you connect both inputs and outputs in stereo, the two sides will be processed independently (true stereo processing).

 

If you connect both inputs and outputs in stereo, the two sides are summed before the effect processing. However, the actual effect is in stereo (and the dry signal will remain in stereo, if it is passed through the effect).