# Peavey 6505 & Boss NS-2 X Pattern?



## StupidDav (Feb 27, 2010)

Right, just picked myself up a Boss NS-2 and am attempting to use it according to the X pattern diagram. Got it all set up right and its not working - if I set the threshold high and play soft so as not to turn the reduction light out then I can still hear the guitar through the amp. I tried turning the effects loop on and off, no change except when I engage the effects loop there is a loud pop from the speaker.
And is this normal?? Do other 6505 users' effects loops make loud pops when engaged?
Sooooo........ do I have a bust amp? A bust NS-2? Gonna be mega pissed if its a bust amp as its only just come back from Peavey fixed 
 Someone please help me out!!!


----------



## Auyard (Feb 27, 2010)

I've tried the same thing with my 6505 (i'm not 100% I did it correctly though) and I didn't like it. To me it seems the best thing for it is just to run it through the loop. I'm running A Chaos modded Ts-7 with a TS-2 in front and the NS-2 and sometimes an MXR 10 band eq in the loop and I get a really good sound out of it.


----------



## StupidDav (Feb 27, 2010)

Cheers for the reply, does your 6505 make a loud pop when you switch the effects loop in?

EDIT: Think its ok now, effects loop doesn't make any noise now  theres a bit of hum when the ns-2 is on though, think that may be my crappy power supply.


----------



## RideFour15 (Feb 27, 2010)

What's the X pattern diagram? Getting the NS-2 before and after the preamp?


----------



## StupidDav (Feb 28, 2010)

This:





It works good now, but my power supply is such a POS that its adding a loada noise to the amp _through_ the NS-2


----------



## Auyard (Feb 28, 2010)

I might have to re-try this now. I don't remember if it ever made a loud popping noise or not. 

What kind of power supply are you using?


----------



## StupidDav (Feb 28, 2010)

Out of all the places I've tried the NS-2, this is the best sounding IMO, only in the loop sounded a bit dead, before my SD-1 sounded alright, and after the SD-1 more or less cancelled out all the effect the SD-1 had on my tone. The X pattern changes the tone, but I think in a good way, sounds louder and clearer to me. Mine is set up nearly exactly the same as the diagram except I've got my SD-1 between the NS-2 and the amp.
Through some troubleshooting I've found out that the hum was coming from a transformer in the amp, which the leads to and from the effects loop were picking up, which is a bummer as I wanted to run the NS-2 on top of the amp. Don't think its low quality guitar cables as I use George Ls. But the power supply is still making a high pitched whiney sound. The adaptor is a cheap no-name thing (a wall wart I believe you guys in the US call em?). Think the popping sound when turning the effects loop on has gone now, I guess it was cos I never used the loop.


----------



## Luafcm (Feb 28, 2010)

You cannot turn off your FX loop when using the X-connection setup. It's a four wire setup, turning your amp loop off completely renders the x-connection useless. If you need to group pedals and activate them as a set, use a DIY looper pedal. 

Here's a vid I made:




StupidDav said:


> The X pattern changes the tone, but I think in a good way, sounds louder and clearer to me.



I've noticed this as well, it's a good thing! I actually kick off my FX loop (which has a BBE and EQ in it as well) to create a low-fi intro type tone, then I kick it back on for effect.


----------



## StupidDav (Feb 28, 2010)

Ahh I saw that vid! D'you notice that if you set the NS-2 to mute, or turn the threshold right up and play quiet, in the X pattern some sound gets through? Its like having the Post Gain set right down to nothing, kinda like someones taken all the treble outta your tone. I dont really mind it but I would prefer if the gate cut the sound right back to nothing


----------



## Leuchty (Mar 1, 2010)

The NS-2 is NOT a GATE.

The decimator IS a GATE.

Orr something like that.


----------



## Evil7 (Mar 1, 2010)

I use a MxR smart Gate In my Fx Loop... I cant stress How perfect it is..... It truly cuts signal when you mute your strings.... No crazy cords ect..
I can stand beside the amp cranked just like the video above... No feedback... MxR SmartGate rocks
Its a tiny pedal with one knob that I wouldnt do without.... 

Im guessing any other NoiseGate would do the same....


----------



## MetalBuddah (Mar 1, 2010)

We did this for recording today, our recording dude told me about it and we set it up. Where do you put effects like wah, chorus, and delay when you use the X pattern? I would have remembered if it wasnt such a mess of cables


----------



## Leuchty (Mar 1, 2010)

wah goes straight after your guitar. Chorus and delay go AFTER the OUT on the NS-2, so between OUT and FX Return, so you don't cut of delay trails.

Actually, you can put those and other pedals wherever you like.


----------



## StupidDav (Mar 1, 2010)

CYBERSYN said:


> The NS-2 is NOT a GATE.
> 
> The decimator IS a GATE.
> 
> Orr something like that.



Pretty sure that the NS-2 has a gate. I think that the Decimator and the NS-2 do pretty much the same thing, but the Decimator probably colours your tone less. I think that the NS-2 filters out hum and noise and also has a gate? Could be wrong though.


----------



## MetalBuddah (Mar 1, 2010)

So i got it to work and everything but just want to know, can this cause any damage to my amp and effects?


----------



## StupidDav (Mar 2, 2010)

MetalBuddah said:


> So i got it to work and everything but just want to know, can this cause any damage to my amp and effects?



As far as I know, no. What I understand the X pattern to do is the signal goes from the input, through a filter & gate to take out noise, to the send, to the amp input, through the preamp, from the preamp, out of the fx loop, to the return of the pedal, through another filter & gate which takes the hiss out of the preamp, then back to the amp through the pedal out, to the fx loop return, which then goes to the poweramp. So as far as I understand it, there is no reason that it would break the amp. Its like running a pedal out the front of the amp and a pedal in the loop at the same time, but both the pedals are in the same box.

But I would like a forum member with more electrical experience to put my mind at ease as well  But I can see no reason it would break the amp or any pedals.


----------



## Auyard (Mar 2, 2010)

I'm pretty sure it has been suggested on this forum a couple of times so I don't think it will mess up anything. I'm about to head to practice right now so I'll try it again and see what the verdict is.

EDIT: I just cannot get anything to sound decent from the X Pattern. I'm just happy with the NS-2 in the loop.


----------

