one of my friends(not exactly a guitar-tech ) said i can run a cord from the "amp out" jack on my amp to the PA system. this way i dont have to use a mic, i can just run it to the PA. is this true? i didnt think it is, but if so that would be a kick-ass way to do it.

__________________

Some amps have a direct injection output that can be used to plug right into the soundboard. Hell, that's essentially what the POD is. If it doesn't, you need a "direct box" to get your signal at the right level.

__________________

yeah, i have the POD, and it beats all effects pedals that it has on their. Not the new pod version, the old one. the old one's better.

the only question you make to yourself with the pod is if you wanna use your amp or just go into the PA.

__________________

Yes you can run your amp into a PA with the output jack,

is it a DI out or not? (IE, it can be an XLR output too)

if its not a balanced output, you'll have to use a DI box, like mechanical reaper said, it sets the output volume to the PA.

note that you'll have a different sound then when using a mic in front of a speaker, our guitarist allways uses a mic instead of his amp's out because the tone is a bit different (makes sense since your not using the speaker cab for amplification!)
The PA's speakers have different characteristics then your cab's speakers, thats also why a lot of Bassamps do come with DI-outputs even in XLR form, bass freqencies can be more easily run through a PA.

Originally posted by Def


Balanced output has nothing to do with volume (I may have misinterpreted you, but to me it sounds like that's what you're saying). Balanced output is basically like a stereo signal, except that you don't send a left and a right signal, you send a "straight" signal and a phase reversed one. When these signals reach the "reciever", one of them is reversed, and then overlayed on the other. The interference that the cables pick up can thus be eliminated.

sent:
+signal
-signal

recieved:
+signal+noise
-signal+noise
(noise caused by interference with the cables)

when rereversing one signal, you get:
+signal+noise
+signal-noise

which results in:
+signal (or +2signal, depending on the wiring)

__________________

well, im one hell of a dumb-ass, and all this technical talk is fucking with my head. but by wut def said, i CAN go from the amp out jack to the PA. can i use a normal guitar cable or do i need a special cord for this? and about that tone difference and noise and all----as long as it doesnt make me sound like its coming from MIDI or lowers my volume then i dont give a huge fuck about exact tone. cuz the knobs will still be in effect right? like i said: im one hell of a dumb-ass(as most of u already know), so i need a clearer/simpler picture on some things.
never too open in the brain

__________________

yeah, the tech talk is pretty much of little importance to you.

what you need to know is what the amp out jack on your amp is. if it's a 6.3mm (1/4") jack, then it might be either mono, stereo or balanced mono (balanced stereo is not possible with only one jack). so how do you find out? well, i'd try. just plug a mono cable into the jack and the other end to the PA. if you get good sound, then it's just fine. if you get wierd noises or no sound at all, then you probably need a 6.3 stereo cable (you should be able to find one in your local music shop). this cable will work either as a stereo cable, or as a balanced mono cable. or you could get a stereo cable immediately, as it will also work for mono.

the amp out jack could be xlr too, and if it is, well, i don't have much of a clue about them...

__________________

thanx dude

__________________

Oh, I was talking about balanced outputs like the ones with set volume, Koch tube amps have those outputs, they don't need a DI box, but work with the same system as bass amps (XLR plugs) they have a system that works like a DI box but it's build in the amp! (I though the Koch techs call it a balanced Di out or something.)

about the cable, its most likely a mono cable, I didn't see stereo outputs on many amps yet (but I've seen them with the XLR system though) the XLR cables are the same they use on microphones, the connection is better then a normal jack cable, no drop-outs because of the neutrix locking system (XLR's lock into the amp/pa)

Cables are important though, I've seen somebody use a guitar cable as speaker cable and he blew up his guitar top... but in this case, use microphone cable/guitar cable, not the speaker kind of cable. Since XLR are just speaker cables and they're beeing used heaps to run amps into pa's

yeah, xlr connectors have three "parts", right? then you wont need an external DI box, because the cable "supports" balanced signal, whereas a normal mono cable only has 2 "parts" and thus can't carry a balanced signal. so that, and the "connectivity" oof the xlrs, make them superior, imo.

i didn't know anything about fixed volume outputs on amps.

__________________

Yup, and thats why the XLR connectors can be balanced, some amps have XLR outputs to connect them to a PA.

Koch amps have them too, I think they got the DI box build in or have their own system for it, I don't know, but it IS possible to set a volume for the PA output on those amps.