Any plethora X5 users on here

Axe_meister

Quick question.
Can you permanently engage the external loop without assigning to a footswitch (e.g. for pre and post pre-amp FX)
 

Grangousier

The send and return are assigned in the general settings to a spot between two slots (so out of pedal two, say, and back in on pedal three) - it can be a block on its own but is usually not. 

So you can have, say, a compressor and chorus in slots one and two, then send out to overdrive and preamp, then return to slots three, four and five. 

Does that answer your question?

Axe_meister

Yes perfect. Pity the X3 does not have an FX loop.

TheBigDipper

I've run my X5 in 4CM on an AMP1 - serial effects loop on the amp and at effects pedal signal levels. No issues at all. The FX Loop was permanently in circuit, not taking up an effects slot, as per the answer above. 

If you wanted to run the X5 in analogue bypass when all effects on the X5 are off, be warned that it will put you into buffered bypass by default if there are cables plugged into the X5 FX Loop sockets. Buffered bypass is sonically good, and easier to match up on the amp, so I don't care and just run buffered all the time. 

The position of the FX Loop in your signal chain is something you assign on a board-by-board basis. 

Kebabkid

Axe_meister said:

Yes perfect. Pity the X3 does not have an FX loop.

Indeed and that's its shortfall in my opinion

Axe_meister

Currently evaluating the Plathora Vs HX FX.
I currently have a Helix LT but I don't use the amp blocks or distortion blocks. So using it as a glorified HX FX, but it means a lot of floor space.
I'll be integrating with some sort of Pedal switching unit as well.
Signal chain will be Guitar-->Fuzz-->Wah-->FX processor (HX FX or TC), --> FX loop out to pedal switcher--> Amp Input --> Amp send back to FX unit-->FX unit--> Amp return.

Things that let the Plethora down.
Ideally I would have a midi capable Pedal switcher so I can recall patches, i.e. Different OD pedals and FX Patches. From what I can see the boards on the Plethora are fixed with quite a bit of latency when switching boards.

Things that let the HX FX down, not 100% convinced in the FX in the HX FX especially reverbs and delays.

What I really want is a new G-System (had the old one) with the Plethora FX.

TheBigDipper

Axe_meister said:

Currently evaluating the Plathora Vs HX FX.
I currently have a Helix LT but I don't use the amp blocks or distortion blocks. So using it as a glorified HX FX, but it means a lot of floor space.
I'll be integrating with some sort of Pedal switching unit as well.
Signal chain will be Guitar-->Fuzz-->Wah-->FX processor (HX FX or TC), --> FX loop out to pedal switcher--> Amp Input --> Amp send back to FX unit-->FX unit--> Amp return.

Things that let the Plethora down.
Ideally I would have a midi capable Pedal switcher so I can recall patches, i.e. Different OD pedals and FX Patches. From what I can see the boards on the Plethora are fixed with quite a bit of latency when switching boards.

Things that let the HX FX down, not 100% convinced in the FX in the HX FX especially reverbs and delays.

What I really want is a new G-System (had the old one) with the Plethora FX.

Well... If this is helpful at all... I replaced an HX FX for an X5 late last year. I don't like digital drive effects, so I never used them. I don't like having to use HX Edit to get anything serious done, as I don't take a computer to gigs or practice sessions. I've always preferred TCE algorithms to Line 6 ones, so reverting back to TCE mod/delay sounds (I used to own a few "real" TCE pedals) was a good move for me. And the best thing about it for me is I like twiddling knobs to change pedal sounds - the X5 experience is much closer to having real pedals on the floor than the HX FX ever was.

Loading a board on the X5 is no different to loading a preset on the HX FX. Loading a new set of algorithms into the DSP is just physics. Load times felt the same and, in both cases, too slow to keep playing when you change. Line 6 developed the snapshot concet to overcome this. The X5 has a different approach for a similar result.

MIDI on the X5 is pretty good. Individual, specific boards can be loaded by sending a PC command with the board number. You can also scroll to the next or previous board using MIDI. You can turn specific slots in the board on or off with CC commands. If you decide you want to use the Hotknobz feature (to change parameters on effects as you are playing, think Ed O'Brien, twiddling knobs with Radiohead) then you can also twiddle the knobs using MIDI commands. You can also control the looper with MIDI. In fact, multiple loopers, if you decide to fill more than one slot with a looper effect.

That, in effect, gives you the X5 version of Line 6 snapshots. One button push on your MIDI controller/MIDI-enabled switcher  could send commands to turn on the tremolo, turn off the chorus and twiddle the delay time from 330ms down to 20ms. 

Happy to answer any questions if you want to ask them. I'm pleased I switched, but that's just me finding a better solution for me, and not everyone will feel the same way fr all the obvious reasons.

Axe_meister

If TC did a new version of the G-System I would buy it in an instant.