Integrating rack effects with pedals

[plaidbeer]

Anyone here integrate rack effects with their pedalboards?

I have a pedal board, but I like using old cheapie rack for things like reverbs and multis and I've acquired several over the last year or so. In the past I have just had the tuner (last pedal on the board) going straight into a Midiverb II or Quadraverb and then into the amp. I do this as my amps (Pathfinder & Mustang 1) don't have effect loops. However, I can't do this with the FX500 because it adds noise to the signal, even when bypassed. Is there a solution for problems like this? A Boss LS-6 maybe?

[jrmy]

Rfurtkamp can speak to the joy of rack fx, though he will probably just tell you to accept the noise as part of the package, and to learn to live with it.

[fishtankdork]

you figure with how much bigger and more space racks take up than pedals that they would be quieter. if music gear was a person, music gear would be a real asshole. always disagreeing and shit when it makes zero sense.

[plaidbeer]

you figure with how much bigger and more space racks take up than pedals that they would be quieter. if music gear was a person, music gear would be a real asshole. always disagreeing and shit when it makes zero sense.

Yeah, the FX500 (which I admit I primarily bought for the Slowdive textures) doesn't play along well with the pedals. Same goes for the Magicstomp I used to have. Haven't tried the SE-70 yet.

[hbombgraphics]

I used to mount a few rack processors on top of my board with Angle brackets and just keep em in a true bypass loop pedal when not in use
or for more fun in a feedback loop/tb loop pedal

pretty easy to set up and then you can just turn em on and off as needed with the pedal
simple small TB pedals can be had for not a ton of money

If I can figure out where the pics are of what I did I will post em up

[rfurtkamp]

I run a master pedalboard into a patchbay/rack/to amp affair.

Setting relative levels (both in the in/out of the rack and each patch on said rack) is key to cutting the noise - they will be quiet but you have to do your part. In general, they're a ton quieter than pedals are but the makers expect you to know how to stagger gain stages.

Into the front of an amp works providing you accept it for what it is - if you put 3 pitch shifters, 3 delays, and a ringmod into the front of a 5150-inspired model or amp...it's not going to be quiet!

In the Mustang in particular, you'll need to be judicious about the use of the onboard noise gate in each patch - some require more than others especially with line-level stuff.