Reverb Tank as an Aux Send Effect?

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johnmarkpainter
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Reverb Tank as an Aux Send Effect?

Post by johnmarkpainter » Tue May 01, 2007 3:27 pm

Any advice for using a Reverb Tank (not a whole unit...just the Tank) as an Aux effect?

I am guessing a Preamp is needed but would it be on both the input and output?
Would I need to use DI for the return?

jmp

japmn
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Post by japmn » Tue May 01, 2007 3:44 pm

My favorite organ and often vocal reverb.

I have done this with the fender tube reverbs and love it. the tank alone will not work (has not for me) due to impedance problems. Also the signal coming out of the tank is very low and needs some assistance. Cheep spring reverbs by Pioneer, Sansui, Boss, Tascam, and a million other companies can be found on Ebay for less than $100. I have used many and some of the Sansui/Pioneer units have done fine ($20) but can introduce hum and noise. Just insert a high-pass at around 200Hz. Nothing downthere really sounds good in a spring to me anyway.

I am all for using anything physical for reverbs. I am starting to hate, and try not to use, digital reverbs if I can help it.

check out Accutronics on the web.

www.accutronicsreverb.com

they build most of these tanks and have an informative site.

Japmn

johnmarkpainter
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Post by johnmarkpainter » Tue May 01, 2007 7:28 pm

Thanks for that Link.

It looks like you could drive the input using a Headphone Amp and the Output could be a Direct Box/Preamp or a cheap pre with a 1/4" Inst input.

This is interesting...you could get Two Tanks, a Headphone Amp (or Power Amp) and a Stereo Tube Preamp with 1/4 inputs and have a true Stereo Reverb.

CHEAP

jmp

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Post by @?,*???&? » Tue May 01, 2007 8:21 pm

I'm using a Furman Spring off an aux send with regularity. Difficulty is having it in the same room as where I am monitoring. Forces one to have to print mixes monitoring well below 85 db if I don't want the springs to extraneously rattle.

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The Real MC
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Post by The Real MC » Wed May 02, 2007 12:42 pm

I don't recommend using the bare tank on an aux I/O. Reverb tanks use transformers at the input and output end. Because they are fixed impedances, you need not just preamps but you need impedance matching circuits for proper drive and reception otherwise you will have major signal loss and more noise. Also the drive circuit applies preemphasis on select frequencies for optimal reverb tank response and S/N ratio, and the input transformer on a tank requires higher power drive than an aux buffer is capable of delivering.

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jrsgodfrey
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Post by jrsgodfrey » Wed May 02, 2007 1:35 pm

Crazy workaround, but fun:

Re-amp the line signal and send it to a guitar amp, reverb to taste, mic it.

johnmarkpainter
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Post by johnmarkpainter » Wed May 02, 2007 1:55 pm

I Was just looking at a schematic for a Fender Reverb (61) Unit.

There is a Preamp, weak Power Amp, then the Tank, then another Preamp Stage.
The Impedance for the Reverb tank is "Inductive".
The Transformers on the Tank have different Taps for different Impedance Loads.
There is an 8ohm Tap.

I have a firend who is a rocket scientist when it comes to tube amps...I'll have to consult him on this one.

jmp

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Post by ashcat_lt » Wed May 02, 2007 7:37 pm

I did it back in the day with the tank out of a Crate G20C on the aux of the board. I remember the signal was low, but at the time I had enough noise coming from everything else that this made little noticeable difference...

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tonewoods
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Post by tonewoods » Thu May 03, 2007 9:55 am

"I am starting to hate, and try not to use, digital reverbs if I can help it. "

Man, I'm with you on this one...

What is it about spring 'verbs and tape echos through the aux sends that sounds so damn good?
That's a serious question, by the way....

"I have a firend who is a rocket scientist when it comes to tube amps...I'll have to consult him on this one. "

Love to know what you come up with....

I tried to get a Fender tank to work on the aux send on the last project I did, and couldn't get it to work properly.

Love to know how to plumb that in, 'cause there's just something about the sound of a Fender tank that I'm having a hard time finding in other spring 'verbs....
"You see, the whole thing about recording is the attempt at verisimilitude--not truth, but the appearance of truth."
Jerry Wexler

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Post by krylenko » Fri May 04, 2007 7:48 am

As usual, you can carefully match impedances and whatnot or you can just plug it and try it.

I recently used a tank from a Crate amp and a Presonus Bluetube dual pre.
Aux send -> Bluetube ch. 1 -> tank input
tank output -> Bluetube ch. 2 -> mixer channel

It worked great.
The sound's very similar to my old Furman rack spring reverb, with no noticeable noise (other than a bit from the Bluetube itself).

By returning to a mixer channel instead of the aux return I can get spring reverb with feedback (=fun!).
Are there any bare surfaces in your house, such as tabletops or shelves? Those need to be filled with effects right away.

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tonewoods
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Post by tonewoods » Sat May 05, 2007 9:01 am

I just got an Elektra EP 350 tape delay unit with 'verb in it, and I'm really digging it on the effects sends...

It's a very effective tool for me....
Thickens things up like crazy....

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"You see, the whole thing about recording is the attempt at verisimilitude--not truth, but the appearance of truth."
Jerry Wexler

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