Cab Sim activated on Speaker Out is dumb and prevents use of FX Loop
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Why would you want the Cab sim active on the Speaker Out?? Ever?! Meticulously tweaking a cab sim to perfectly emulate the cabinet you want...only to then run it thru an actual speaker cabinet thus altering how it sounds...makes no sense.
Why does this matter? Because in the case where you want to play thru a real cabinet while sending a direct out to the FOH or DAW using the Cab Sim...you can’t. The fact that the current logic has the Cab Sim activated on the Speaker Out in Serial Mode is the single thing keeping us all from being able to use the FX loop.
In this case, we are assuming that both Speaker and Line Outs are required. We are also assuming that the Cab Sim is required on the Line Out for FOH or DAW. This is not an uncommon setup and PG has clearly seen the usefulness for this. As the PG logic currently stands we can use Serial mode and have wet effects available thru both Line Outs and Speaker Out, however this comes at a cost because now the sound coming out my actual speaker cabinet sounds like crap because the Cab Sim is on. The sound thru my speaker cab becomes the sum of two cabinets...one simulated and the other real. That’s a fail.
We have no other choice. Using Parallel mode bypasses the Cab Sim on the Speaker Out, but now as a result, the FX loop is bypassed to the Speaker Out as well, thus giving us only a dry signal going to the real speaker cabinet. That’s a fail.
If it is possible, I would suggest that PG make a firmware change to disable the Cab Sim to the speaker out in both Serial and Parallel Modes. It is simply not needed (ever). You don’t need a Cab Sim if you’re using a real cabinet. I challenge you to think of a compelling reason to want a Cab Sim active thru a real cabinet.
Making this one change fixes all of this. Doing so will inherently allow users in Serial mode the use of both Speaker Out and Line Out while retaining the use of the FX loop and allowing a Cab Sim to be processed to the FOH or DAW thru the Line Outs (as it currently does)...while allowing your actual speaker cabinet to shape the sound as intended from the Speaker Out. Success!
If this is not possible, then the next best thing would be to suggest PG make a firmware change to allow the FX loop to be active on both Speaker Outs and Line Outs in Parallel mode. It is currently the only mode where the cab sim does not affect the speaker out.
I hope that PG will seriously look into the unintended negative consequences of having the Cab Sim on in Serial Mode. Users needing or wanting to use both Speaker Outs and Line Outs simultaneously with an FX loop currently cannot simply because the Cab Sim is needlessly activated on the Speaker Outs.
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Exactly the same here. But it seems that PG is not interested to change anything. This is a real Showstopper!
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@fatkey It’s frustrating that PG ignores this. Unless you are playing thru a clean amp like a Fender Twin or perhaps a Matchless or Hiwatt where all of your FX can sit in front of the clean preamp section you need an FX loop. Reverbs and delays in front of amps that get their dirt from the preamp section like Marshall’s, Peavey, Orange sounds like mud.
I feel like I have a half useful head with BIAS. I can use the FX loop in Serial mode, but lose the ability to go to FOH or Mixing desk with a direct line at the same time...thus back to mic’ing the amp. WTH? Not a small oversight.
Would love to hear PGs solution.
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At the moment i have turned the cab sim off. I have my 412 Randall XLT Cabinet with XLR Mic Eliminator out to FOH. Or i connect a Mooer Radar at the Line out of the BIAS Head. I hope PG will have a Solution soon!
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Last Post is 5 months ago. Nothing happend or change by Positive Grid. I am very disappointed!
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TRUE! Kemper can do this also. The new Line 6 Spider 240 HC MK II seems to be the cheapest deal! I can not believe that Positive Grid is not able to change this. This issue makes the Bias Head to a bad joke...