Connecting a UMC404 HD to an amp

[BobbyS]

I am running a stand alone VST host for effects and I would like to connect the UMC404 to have the sound come out of my amp. Is there a way to do that? Can I come out of the mains and go to the return on my amp?

[kmitchell]

Hi @BobbyS Glad to see you back on the forums. Can you provide a bit more information on your setup? In general, the answer is yes, but more info will be needed. What comes out the Mains will be either the input signals from the 4x XLR channels or Playback A signals coming from USB1/2 or a mix of both. This is controlled by the "Mix" knob on the 404HD. I assume the 404HD is connected to your VST host via the USB interface. Is this correct?

[BobbyS]

Thank you km for your answering quickly. My goal is to be able to play into the VST host or Reaper DAW and output to my amp. Doing this it will be easier to setup effects from Helix Native as I would be able to hear what I am doing better. Monitors don't work as well playing guitar through them.

Yes, I have my 404HD connected to my computer and I now have monitors connected to the output mains and it works fine. I want to be able to input my guitar into input 1 of the 404 and play it through the VST host or Reaper and come back out of the 404 to my guitar amp instead of the monitors.

I hope I made sense lol....

[kmitchell]

Thanks. That makes sense. You'll want to configure your VST host or DAW to output to USB1/2 (Playback A) so you can either take the Playback A TRS outputs or the Main outputs (with the Mix knob rotated all the way to PB) to your amp. Those outputs will be line level and will be way too hot for the instrument input of your amp. If your amp has a line-level input use that, otherwise you'll need to use a line-level to instrument-level convertor in between. What you need is called a re-amping box.

[BobbyS]

Whooops, I knew I would miss something to add. Could I take the line level signal from the 404 and input it into the "return" on the amp? That puts it directly into the power amp stage?

[kmitchell]

Typically the send/return on a guitar amp (i.e. FX Loop) is instrument level since it is meant to have effects pedals in that loop. To best answer your question, I'll meed the make and model of your guitar amp so I can find the manual for it.

[BobbyS]

Yes, that makes sense. I think I will give your re-amping box a shot. that sounds like what I need. I play through a Behringer BXD 3000H bass amp. My guitar sounds good through it but I want to give some effects a run. I also have a clone Princeton tube amp also.

[BobbyS]

OK, cold nasty weather here so I stayed inside and worked with the gear. I came out of the UMC404HD and went into the return of my amp. It seems it wants a line signal as it worked great! Thanks km for the help!