External Delay Device Help

[musicman7722]

I have assigned the on board delay to the sax player in my band which is always on.  I am using a foot pedal delay for voices on my Dl1608. I use an aux out and return to a channel. This setup allows me to turn the effect on and off via the pedal instead of off the ipad. I bought a very cheap behringer echo unit to test it out and now wish to upgrade. I want a one piece pedal that doesn't need an expression pedal. I need tap tempo and a big bonus would be the ability to hold the ending note. A good example might be the last "hey" on the Romantic's "What I Like about You.

Does anybody have a recommendation for me?

[sam.spoons]

No precise recommend but look at the TC Vocal Stomp pedals, I'll bet they do something suitable and, qualitywise, they are excellent.

[musicman7722]

I will and I use their harmonizer now.

[sam.spoons]

Depending which harmoniser you use, won't that already do the job?

[musicman7722]

I use the harmonizer

http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-TCE-VOICETONE-H1-LIST

[musicman7722]

Al the TC Helicon units are xlr in and out.  I am not sure if I could use balanced cables to run this via aux out and return channel in.

[WK154]

No problem everything is a balanced in and out, the best thing for the DL. TRS out from auxes is the only unusual cable, but they exist, that can also be made with a XLR to TRS adapter and otherwise standard XLR cable. I prefer to minimize connections and avoid adapters, less to go wrong. If your return channel is one of the 4 combo inputs then you need another XLR to TRS. This avoids phantom power also on the return. You may want to check if whatever outboard gear you use if it can take phantom power and you use condenser mics and  XLR inputs. Mackie gives you one choice on phantom power, all on or off.

[sam.spoons]

The input on this is at mic level, I'm not sure you could pad it down to accept the signal from a line level aux, maybe with a passive inline pad. The return at mic level would not be a problem as you'd return it into a mic pre on the DL. I should be un-affected by phantom on it's output, it is designed to return to a mic pre (max output signal is +1dBu so a bit low for a line input).

The Voicelive Play GTX would probably do what you want and would give you the harmonies and fx in one box.

[WK154]

The benefits of digital. There should be plenty of attenuation available on the aux output. Remember 0 is supposed to be unity gain off the buss that leaves 40 + dB attenuation.

[sam.spoons]

Your only means of attenuation is the fader, you'd be maxing out the input of the pedal with the aux master fader only 20% up from - ∞. I suppose you could also run the channel faders on the aux page low as well but it's not a good solution IMHO. An inline pad would help though if you must do it that way.

[WK154]

Attenuation is attenuation no matter were you put it might as well take advantage of the noiseless math manipulations instead of adding another device that adds more noise.

[sam.spoons]

Actually adding a pad to an output will reduce noise from the desk.

My main point was that you'll have a very coarse control with the fader at -40dB.

It's rarely a good idea using a device (in this case the TC H1) in an application for which it was not designed.

[WK154]

Actually adding a pad to an output will reduce noise from the desk.
Never, resistance equals noise in physical devices and is added to the signal if its a resistance based attenuator. Transformer based would eliminate ground leakage and clean things up but it still adds it's own noise (ultra low).
My main point was that you'll have a very coarse control with the fader at -40dB.
I believe Mackie is using 32 bit floating point like most users of the Shark DSP, so precision should not be a problem nor range. Aren't you just bringing down the level into nominal range for the HC-1 input?
It's rarely a good idea using a device (in this case the TC H1) in an application for which it was not designed.

That's for sure, I never did understand the OP's objective. A foot pedal delay on vocals???

[sam.spoons]

Sorry WK, theoretically I know you are right but I'd bet the noise generated by the resistive network in the pad would be way below the preamp noise in the pedals mic pre. The effect would be to reduce noise from the desk (if any, probably academic, the DL outs are pretty quiet).

I was referring to the issue of fader resolution, i.e. at -40dB 5mm represents 10dB where, at 0 dB 5mm represents only around 3dB, it's the iPad channel problem.

Agreed

[musicman7722]

Well the harmonizer I have is xlr in and out so I will try an experiment first and let you all know.  I do have all the cables you have all suggetsed.

Thanks

Chris