I got

1. Sonic Distortion
2. MXR Enveloper Filter
3. Rebote Delay
4. Phase45
5. DOD 280 Compressor

all will be in one enclosure and I havent really tested
which one goes first and last in my effects chain.
(I dont have enough cables). Tomorrow I'll be drilling holes
in my enclosure and I really need to know which one goes where.

P.S.  
    My plan is also to put the 9v power supply in it.
    Is it a bad idead as it may cause some interference?

Quote from: crawler486I got

1. Sonic Distortion
2. MXR Enveloper Filter
3. Rebote Delay
4. Phase45
5. DOD 280 Compressor

There are several ways to do this, depending on the tone you want.

If you go:
Envelope Filter
Compressor
Distortion
Phasor
Delay

that's kind of typical. You aren't sending a compressed signal to the envelope follower, so it triggers more dynamically, you've got the compressor before the distortion in case you want more gain, you've got the phasor and then delay after distortion, which gives a clean, and pleasing tone.

Then again
Envelope Filter
Compressor
Delay
Distortion
Phasor.....leads to some really neat and unique tones because you're distorting the delay, which can sound really aggressive and explosive. Then phasing after everything gives you the ability to swirl the whole echoey mess and sound like Ride in 1991 or something.

It all depends on the tones you're looking for. The compressor last might be something to consider too if you're using it as a limiter to control the output going to the amp. Not a sound that I would use, but it might be perfect for someone else.

Roger

ok thanks a lot man!

The sad thing about compressors is that they boost everything you you feed them untilt he signal goes higher than some amount, at which point they turn the gain down.  If you stick a compressor several effects down the line, any cumulative hiss coming out of those earlier pedals will now have a large boost applied to it, which will make for a much noiser chain when you're not playing anything. (and increase the desperate need for a noise gate).

Ideally, compressors will perform best when they are located at the beginning of the chain, partly because there is less noise to boost at that point, and because there is nothing else to interfere with the envelope-follower, or rather the pedal's ability todetect your actual playing dynamics.  By placing your compressor near the end, you not only the compression of a distortion reducing any impact the compressor might have (and any benefit the compressor might play in improving the distortion tone), but you also have the amplitude-changing characteristics of the envelope filter and phaser, both of which will make the compressor very, very confused.  If a confused compressor is part of the sound you are aiming for, then by all means stick it at the end, but my gut tells me you want the compressor to help deliver a more singing even sustaining sound, whether dirty, filtered, or not.  Stick the big C first in the batting order if you want that.

Quote from: Mark Hammerbut my gut tells me you want the compressor to help deliver a more singing even sustaining sound, whether dirty, filtered, or not.  Stick the big C first in the batting order if you want that.

First and not second after the filter?

In my experience, a compressed signal going into an envelope-sensitive pedal defeats the purpose. You won't be able to get the filter to sweep as predictably because if you're compressing it too much, you're essentially sending it a constant input level....

Just my 2 cents.

Roger

Quote from: RodgreIn my experience, a compressed signal going into an envelope-sensitive pedal defeats the purpose. You won't be able to get the filter to sweep as predictably because if you're compressing it too much, you're essentially sending it a constant input level....

Just my 2 cents.

Roger

In my limited experience, the filter sweep gets far too predictable and automatic as the compressor does its stuff. I wouldn't say it defeats the whole purpose, but you sure do loose some expressive control. That can be good or bad depending on what you want. Robotic 80s funk anyone?

Two ways to cope.... (1) use two compressors, one before the filter and one after with each doing less overall compressing, or (2) bring the filter control external and patch it in before the compressor. With option 2, you can have your cake and eat it too.

Take care,
-Peter

From a purely noise perspective, the compressor goes first, but as you correctly point out that is not necessarily the ideal position as far as providing any sort of signal to another envelope-detecting device.  Personally I like using compressors and ECFs (especially with a distortion either before or after the filter; Can you say "Todd Rundgren"?) to achieve sounds that don't exactly sweep and "wobble" instead, but I understand it isn't everyone's cup of meat.

It bears noting, however, that the SD-9 immediately ahead of the MXR-EF also reduces signal dynamics considerably, so it ends up being 6 of one, a half-dozen of the other.  Still, my own experience dictates that compressors tend to be left on a lot more often than many other effects, in which case noise-performance tends to trump all other considerations.  There are ways to get filters to sweep just as wide with a dynamically restricted signal, but there aren't many ways to get a compressor at the tail end of a bunch of moderately hissy things to recover lower-noise performance.

Of course, what we ALL need in many instances is a "flipper" switch that will reverse the order of two effects to exploit the unique chacateristics of each sequence.  I have an old Schaller wah shell that I think will eventually house some sort of fuzz and wah circuit, but the shell permits installing a toe-operated stompswitch that I will use to select either fuzz-before-wah or wah-before-fuzz.  I like them both and would rather not have to forfeit one or the other.

A more generic "flipper"or "swapper" would be nice too so one could insert effect X between A and B in a 6-pedal series, or flip it to an alternate position between D and E.  This would result in two possible unspecified locations for a pedal, and a default true-bypass whenever inserted whenever it gets moved/flipped from one to the other.  Unfortunately, it would require a 4PDT switch if you wanted to do it entirely mechanically, so either relays or solid-state switching or some combination of mechanical and SS would be needed.  For example, a 3PDT stompswitch gets used with two sets of contacts for "assigning" the X effect to patch-point A or B, and the 3rd set of contacts used to enable a DPDT relay or a FET-scheme or 4066 or something.

I'm not sure if this is what Peter meant, but side-chaining would seem to be the answer.  Since both the EF and the compressor are envelope controlled effects, make the first stop on the chain a buffer/splitter--something as simple as a single transistor configured as a unity-gain phase splitter ought to work, since phase cancellation is not an issue.  Have one side supply audio signal, and use the other side to provide an envelope control signal to the EF and compressor.  That way, no matter where they are in the chain, they are following the unvarnished, unaltered  guitar  envelope.  Of course, you would need to mod the compressor and EF to take an envelope signal separate from the input, but if you are building from scratch that wouldn't be too hard.

You would still want the compressor to go first, from a noise perspective.  But then the EF could work independently of the dynamics of the (post-compression) signal.

Ben

Quote from: Mark HammerPersonally I like using compressors and ECFs (especially with a distortion either before or after the filter; Can you say "Todd Rundgren"?)

Yes, and I often do. Anywhere from *Runt* to *One Long Year* is something I might reference.

Kerry M