Egnater Tweaker 15 watt head effects loop

[dexter74]

Can anyone confirm whether the Tweaker 15watt head has a series or parallel effects loop? And what is the difference between the two?

Cheers.

 

[brp]

Tweaker 15 has a buffered series loop.

" A series loop means that 100% of the signal is interrupted between the preamp and power amp. The signal is sent out of the amplifier via the Send jack, run through the effects of choice, and then returned to the amp via the Return jack. This is the most basic form of effects loop and is perfectly viable for most applications. Since the entire signal is applied to the effects, a series loop may not be the most transparent way to run your pedals depending on the effects used. Series loops are also typically designed for line level effects. In the case of a series loop it’s a good idea to set the effects level controls to minimum and bring it up to match the level of your amplifier with no effects in the loop. This is called Unity Gain.

Much like a professional mixing console, a parallel effects loop splits the signal with the dry signal both sending through the loop and remaining in the amplifier. This allows for greater transparency, as the dry signal never leaves the amplifier 100%. Most parallel loops will have a blend control on them allowing the effected signal from the Return jack to be blended with the dry signal. This allows greater control over effect depth and gives the user control over how much of the effect is present in the output. The catch about parallel loops is that they work best with effects that can output 100% wet signal. Since the dry signal is already present in the amplifier and can be blended via the effects loop, having the dry signal present on the output of the effects themselves can lead to a very faint effected signal. This is why some processors and digital effects have a “kill-dry” function. If your effects cannot output 100% wet signal, a parallel effects loop may not be the best choice.

Most modern amps come with a buffered effects loop to help compensate for the lower level output of most stompboxes. In a non-buffered effects loop this lower output can cause a somewhat anemic tone. A buffered effects loop makes up for this signal mismatch and cures the problem. If you’re suffering from the woes of a non-buffered effects loop, there are products that are designed to help such as the Ceriatone Klein-Ulator. Most mainstream amplifiers will have a buffered effects loop while boutique amplifier builders may only offer this as an additional option.

How do you choose one over the other? In a series loop, many modern, high quality effects processors can be used effectively without any problems because the sound quality will not be degraded when traveling through the processor. Additionally, there is a mix control that allows the user to adjust the dry and wet signal within the processor itself. A series loop works fine in this case. Even though the entire signal is being routed through the effects unit, the tone is still coming out of it uncompromised.

The parallel loop is useful when using vintage effects and other effects that don’t have any kind of mix function and that sometimes suffer from bad signal-to-noise-ratios, which can lead to tone degradation. Lately it seems that there has been a return to vintage effects and stomp boxes, which has probably caused more of an interest in the parallel loop.

I think that a parallel effect loop is a good thing and the ability to be able to adjust the mix is nice. However, they don’t work well if you are using effects that change the volume of the signal (such as tremolo, compression, or noise gates), or when mixing the wet and dry signals causes an out of phase situation. Technically, if you turn the mix to 100% in a parallel effect loop, it should operate exactly like a series loop, although this is not the case with all amplifiers on the market. "

 

[dexter74]

Tweaker 15 has a buffered series loop.

" A series loop means that 100% of the signal is interrupted between the preamp and power amp. The signal is sent out of the amplifier via the Send jack, run through the effects of choice, and then returned to the amp via the Return jack. This is the most basic form of effects loop and is perfectly viable for most applications. Since the entire signal is applied to the effects, a series loop may not be the most transparent way to run your pedals depending on the effects used. Series loops are also typically designed for line level effects. In the case of a series loop it’s a good idea to set the effects level controls to minimum and bring it up to match the level of your amplifier with no effects in the loop. This is called Unity Gain.

Much like a professional mixing console, a parallel effects loop splits the signal with the dry signal both sending through the loop and remaining in the amplifier. This allows for greater transparency, as the dry signal never leaves the amplifier 100%. Most parallel loops will have a blend control on them allowing the effected signal from the Return jack to be blended with the dry signal. This allows greater control over effect depth and gives the user control over how much of the effect is present in the output. The catch about parallel loops is that they work best with effects that can output 100% wet signal. Since the dry signal is already present in the amplifier and can be blended via the effects loop, having the dry signal present on the output of the effects themselves can lead to a very faint effected signal. This is why some processors and digital effects have a “kill-dry” function. If your effects cannot output 100% wet signal, a parallel effects loop may not be the best choice.

Most modern amps come with a buffered effects loop to help compensate for the lower level output of most stompboxes. In a non-buffered effects loop this lower output can cause a somewhat anemic tone. A buffered effects loop makes up for this signal mismatch and cures the problem. If you’re suffering from the woes of a non-buffered effects loop, there are products that are designed to help such as the Ceriatone Klein-Ulator. Most mainstream amplifiers will have a buffered effects loop while boutique amplifier builders may only offer this as an additional option.

How do you choose one over the other? In a series loop, many modern, high quality effects processors can be used effectively without any problems because the sound quality will not be degraded when traveling through the processor. Additionally, there is a mix control that allows the user to adjust the dry and wet signal within the processor itself. A series loop works fine in this case. Even though the entire signal is being routed through the effects unit, the tone is still coming out of it uncompromised.

The parallel loop is useful when using vintage effects and other effects that don’t have any kind of mix function and that sometimes suffer from bad signal-to-noise-ratios, which can lead to tone degradation. Lately it seems that there has been a return to vintage effects and stomp boxes, which has probably caused more of an interest in the parallel loop.

I think that a parallel effect loop is a good thing and the ability to be able to adjust the mix is nice. However, they don’t work well if you are using effects that change the volume of the signal (such as tremolo, compression, or noise gates), or when mixing the wet and dry signals causes an out of phase situation. Technically, if you turn the mix to 100% in a parallel effect loop, it should operate exactly like a series loop, although this is not the case with all amplifiers on the market. "

So is it true most analog delays, chorus pedals, etc. don't sound very good in the loop as it is, but if you get Egnater to mod the loop they are fine? Any idea what the mod does, technically?
Thanks much.

 

[mott555]

I think the Tweaker has a line-level loop instead of instrument-level, which is an odd choice for an amp so obviously suited for bedroom rockers. I haven't been able to use the loop without massive volume and treble loss.

 

[jwebb1970]

I think the Tweaker has a line-level loop instead of instrument-level, which is an odd choice for an amp so obviously suited for bedroom rockers. I haven't been able to use the loop without massive volume and treble loss.

The 40 watt Tweaker head & combo have a +4/-10db switch on the FX loop (along with "spill over" of verb/echo FX when turning the loop off via footswitch). I'm going to assume this was among the various additions they made when the higher powered Tweakers came to be.

I have a Tweaker 40 with EL34s - thing flippin' rocks....but I guess going on would be bad forum etiquette, what with the 15 watter being the subject.

 

[dexter74]

The 40 watt Tweaker head & combo have a +4/-10db switch on the FX loop (along with "spill over" of verb/echo FX when turning the loop off via footswitch). I'm going to assume this was among the various additions they made when the higher powered Tweakers came to be.

I have a Tweaker 40 with EL34s - thing flippin' rocks....but I guess going on would be bad forum etiquette, what with the 15 watter being the subject.

Egnater offers a mod for free, (if amp is under warranty, I think). Guess it makes analog pedals, like MXR Carbon Copy and others sound ok thru the loop. Thinking about getting it done, even though I haven't used the loop much, but just in case it can't hurt. Not sure what they do technically, but a lot of owners have complained about the loop, so they responded with a fix.

 

[brp]

I have no problem with the loop on my Tweaker 15h
but I do use a Boss LS-2 with it.
In the loop I have a Boss RV-3 and GE-7 on one of the loops of the LS-2, a Dunlop KFK Q Zone in the other.

 

[pepeteus]

You can find instructions here to do the loop mod with or without the switch. On the second page of the thread there are two links to pdf files.
Egnater Tweaker fx loop line level mod DIY - The Gear Page

I haven't done the mod yet, but I'm planning to do it someday.