I usually use the Mod duo with a headset. I also have a bugera v22 and it’s sounds good on it but I wonder to know if someone of you use it with a Powered PA Speaker Cabinet? Can you advice me?
I use my Duo with studio monitors or powered PA.
What concerns do you have?
I would like to buy a stereo amplifier and I guess a second Bugera V22 is not the right solution
I remarked the Laney IRT-X, good specifications and price but not many comments on this kind of use (initially made to expand another amplifier)
for guitar and Rhodes I use a H&K Grandmeister 34 (using mostly channel 1 (or right) of the Duo for EQ, compressor and delay). Channel 2 (or left) is used via MIDI for Dexed (unstable), FluidPiano and mda-ePiano direct into the PA/monitor.
Regards, Holger
I’m not familiar with these models.
I have a super cheap 12" Harbinger PA speakers. I keep them in my room to test my sound as a reference to what a sound system in a venue/club may sound like since I plug directly into their system, no amps/cabs.
What is the application?
Are they for your personal monitoring? Busking? Whole sound system for venue?
QSC is a very popular brand I hear all the time…
I shoulda been more precise in my question
I play (guitar) mostly at home (headset to avoid disturbing my wife), one day a week with friends with my bugera I mentioned early. Sometimes littles gigs in cafés or tiny places
My concept has always been to ask where you get your sound.
Guitar amps/cabs are designed to effect the sound. A PA speaker, in theory, are supposed to reproduce without coloration.
For me, I get all my sound from the Duo and need something to reproduce without coloring and so a PA or studio monitors are the way to go. I use amp/cab sims inside the Duo.
However, PAs do have a sound and it would be best to test what works best in your application. I think the cheap PA speakers I have are pretty average and if I can make it sound good on these then I should be ok when plugging into other PA systems.
Others rely heavily on the color of a real amp/cab. The sims in the Duo do use more CPU than other plugins so depending on how involved the pedalboard is a hardware amp/cab may work better. Of course, this means that you are stuck with the hardware and if this is your tone then you will need to keep it (or something similar) all the time…
Where do you plug your headphones into? If using the Duo headphone jack then a PA may be a better way to go.
As for what PA to use… that is totally up to you…
It seems like the Laney gear is well made and cost effective… I see that Atomic and Friedman also make powered cabs for use with digital amp/cab sims.
Good Luck!
if you want something neutral and portable for rehearsals or small rooms, look into the Fishman amps. they have a range of sizes, all designed for full-range, acoustic instrument reproduction.
https://www.fishman.com/products/type/amplifiers/
i’ve used a Fishman Loudbox 100 happily with clarinet/bassoon/FX for many years. in larger venues, i just run directly into the house system.
2 Likes
Hi,
I agree with @Skydiver with the following addition from experience…
A potential problem for guitars (and possibly a stick depending on what sounds you look for) with direct to PA and using acoustic instrument amplifiers is the use of distortions and overdrives can make the sound get quite shrill when crossed over through the tweeter. For vocals, keyboards or horns this is a plus, for raunchy guitar sounds it doesn’t sound very natural without using cabinet emulation which is negating much of the benefit of the full frequency reproduction that PA’s and Acoustic amps are capable of. I think if you are using mostly clean chorused sounds then yes a small PA or Acoustic amp may fit the bill. I have an 80W Fender Acoustasonic amp and it doesn’t complement the MOD well at all for blues and rock tones. There’s no right or wrong of course, but the sound you are intending to get will have an impact on which amplification works best.
2 Likes
I decided to even play my guitar over PA because I want stereo shiroverb.
3 Likes
I use a Kemper Profiler direct into a sound system, but out into a Yamaha THR10 for my monitors. The Mod Duo is going through my Kemper’s effects loops and I have a shimmer/swell sound and/or a tube screamer on my Mod Duo that I can turn on and off at any time while keeping trails. I also use Line 6 HD500 as my midi control pedal.
The Yamaha THR10 is a solid state amp with very nice tube emulation built-in, but I solely use it a stereo monitor. Like I said, I go direct out to 2 channels in a sound system, but I also go stereo out to the Yamaha for my personal monitor. Love it as it’s nice and compact, but each time I set up, I feel like an electrician with all the cables to connect. Here’s my setup with my 1963 Guild Thunderbird:
3 Likes
Ok, this thread comes in very convenient.
I’m currently using the following setup for recording guitar on my computer:
Guitar > ModDuo > Focusrite USB Interface > Reaper DAW on Linux.
I hear the sound through headphones that are put in the Focusrite interface, so I can hear myself playing guitar (live in the daw), but also all other sounds coming from the pc (youtube, other stuff…).
My ModDuo contains boards with ready made effects containing amps and so…
I now want to play guitar in another room, without headphones, through speakers. But I’m a real n00b in that.
I want to output the exact sound from the ModDuo, so not coloured by the sound of a regular guitar amp.
So I guess the only option here is going directy from to ModDuo to some studio monitors or PA speakers? Are these things the same?
These need to be active speakers and not passive speakers as I understand?
It seems much of these kind of studio speakers look quite fancy and design, aren’t there any that look like old vintage/retro guitar amps? (like the VOX grille)
As for output from the ModDuo, is it best to use the line outs or the headphone out?
All my modduo boards are made as mono-outs.
I use a pair of RCF ART 708-A MK4 as a stereo setup, which are really great sounding but give a little hiss - as almost all active speakers do. They are also suitable for stage (I’ve played techno stuff in front of some 500 people) and a bang for the buck. ~ $ 300 (each)
2 Likes
I recently found a great open-box deal for a pair of Headrush FRFR-112 speakers. These are PA speakers that designed to go with the HeadRush FX unit which is another programmable effects unit in the same realm as the Duo. The flat response is meant to complement amp and cab simulators to reproduce the tone as-is (more so than non-specialized PAs that is). I’m very happy with them so far. They’re clear, loud, and powerful with a ton of headroom and I haven’t noticed anything beyond the slightest hiss at rest. Out-of-the-box the low end response was shaking my drum set and rattling stuff off the garage walls and I did see some reviews about the low end being possibly too heavy. I’ll tame it with some EQ and I’m happy. For my needs and experience, the guitar tones sound incredible using some of the newer plugins (Onyx, Supersonic, Vintage cab, faIR cab). I’ve been setting up all my boards to output in stereo now. The shiros are super shimmery and the phasers and ping pong pans are hypnotic.
Previously I was using a single Electro-Voice ZLX-12BT. It does the job fine, has a little bit of hiss noise. I’m using it as my main monitor now
If you only have an amp available, try to use a “clean” setting, set the EQ’s to neutral, use as much gain as you can get without introducing distortion. You might still get some coloration but should be good enough for most needs
2 Likes
You can use any system you have available via the headphone output. I hooked up the DUO to my home entertainment system (Pioneer A/V-Receiver) and play guitar in the living room. If you look into buying a new system I’d make sure that there is no analog-digital-conversion after the signal leaves the Duo as it will add latency.
1 Like
I tried that once but on mine I had like a second of latency. I don’t remember which input on the receiver and barely knew anything about audio or DSP at the time. Awesome that it could be an option!
I also have used a 2xTRS --> 1/8" to go from the Duo outs into the headphone jack on a small portable bluetooth speaker. Totally adequate for personal jamming and easy to travel with
This conversation reminded me of a moment while setting up at a shared gig with a few other musicians who used to more traditional setups:
Helpful musician: Need any help?
me: Could you plug this into the PA or mixer?
Helpful musician: Uh… you’re playing guitar right? Do you need to borrow an amp?
me: I’m good thanks, my setup is digital, I just need to output to the PA
Helpful musician: …
Helpful musician: well, you can probably borrow this amp if you want
1 Like
So as I understand you put your output of your modduo goes to your yamaha thr10 aux input? not the guitar input? and plays it as stereo, not through the guitar amp?
I didn’t knew about this amp before. With all the effects modelling inside and possibilities… I mean, the new model also includes USB interface out; to record to your computer, so you wouldn’t need my Focusrite nor ModDuo…
Hmmm
Now that I finally have my record setup, an amp like that would replace all of it… if I read things right… Grrr
And I’m just looking around… I noticed lots of small amps like this too:
Anyway, years ago, I came from a Line6 setup, and that sounded like plastic. So I’m a little bit cautious with what Yamaha can do here.
By default, mine adds quite a bit of latency as well. But the A/V receiver has an option to “pass through” without any digital processing. I cannot hear a difference between this mode and connecting headphones to the Duo directly. Some receivers even offer balanced audio (https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/av_receivers_amps/rx-a3080_u/index.html) but the price is not justifiable for me. Unfortunately.
PS: love the idea of using a bluetooth speaker!
I just found another nice amp: the Vox Adio GT.
It has a “flat” setting aswel, so you can use ModDuo or others amp sim pedals without the Vox is colouring the sound.
Wondering if you switch the other vox effects on top of the modduo signal, it won’t blow it up too much.
As output there’s only a headphone out, but I suppose I can use that signal to get to my Focusrite input, should do the trick for recording maybe… or would it be too weak?
The price is quite affordable, in comparison to standard studio monitors or the yamaha thr.
Actually, this is my setup now, and I have switched to the Vox Adio Air (see links). But keep in mind that it doesn’t sound great because I just recorded it using my phone:
There’s another video I made of how it sounds and the various pedals I use, including the Mod Duo: