SF-2 settings

[kilowatt]

I am curios of how SF-2 users are running their systems. I use mine in the effects loop of my F-1X and am looping from channel A to channel B and back to the pre-amp. I would like to see how everyone else is setting up and what filter, frequency, dampening ratio and gain settings are being used. This is an amazing tool, but can be a little frustrating if you are not accustomed to the controls. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Pete

[the_mule]

Hi Pete, I'm currently running the SF-2 in the effects loop of my amp, but I have also walked the stereo path (preamp setting > two amps). Make no mistake, the SF-2 is the ultimate tweaking tool, and you just have to discover it  yourself. The settings in the manual are a nice starting point. But to start from scratch just use one channel, set the damping ratio on 7 to 10 and vary the filter setting per filter type. That way you can slowly but surely get to know the SF-2, and you'll be able to get the sound you're hearing in your head pretty soon.
 
Good luck,
Wilfred

[David Houck]

Here are my SF-2 settings.  When you plug your input into channel A and your output is from channel B, you have, essentially, a 3 channel mixer.  The three channels are parallel and are combined at the output.
 

 
The knob to the left, the input gain, is, in this configuaration, the master volume; and I leave it maxed.
 
The first filter I have set for low pass.  I pretty much always leave the frequency setting where it is in the pic and the damping ratio all the way down.  I adjust the filter gain depending on the room I'm in and the cabs I'm using.  A typical adjustment might be from 4 to 5.  These setting give me a nice broad and even low end.
 
The second filter I have set for high pass.  Again, I pretty much always leave the frequency setting where it is in the pic and the damping ratio at 1.5.  And again, I adjust the filter gain depending on the room and cabs.  A typical adjustment here might be from 7 to 6.  These settings give me a broad and even high end.
 
The direct gain knob is the third channel and is the dry signal.  I also adjust this setting depending on the room and cabs.  A typical adjustment here might be from 6 to 7 and is often made in conjunction with an opposite adjustment to the high pass filter gain.  For instance, going from 6 to 6.5 on the direct gain and at the same time from 7 to 6.5 on the high pass filter can make a big difference in the sound.  Adding more direct gain and backing off the gains on the low pass and high pass channels will of course give me more mid range punch.
 
These settings work with all my Alembics.  Note however, that my sound has very little in the way of growl or low-mid punch; it is very clean with clear low end and a lot of broad high end.  I would imagine that my sound is not what most players are after.
 
Don't let yourself become frustrated.  It can take a long time to get used to the SF-2; but learning how to use it can be fun.  It took me a while to get to the settings that I use; but fortunatley for me, I enjoy practicing.

[kilowatt]

Thanks Wilfred and Dave, your advice came in very handy. Once you have a solid point to start from, doing small amounts of tweaking to hit the right personal sound is not all that difficult. Again, I thank you for your help. Pete

[strangerones]

Can an SF-2 be used through an on board effects loop on a guitar?

[jazzyvee]

In the absence of a F2-B, I'm just wondering if I can use the SF-2 sort of as if it was an F2-B?  By that I mean plug my two DS-5 outs into individual channel of the SF-2 then get a single combined output into my F1-x in the signal path. That way I can eq each channel separately using the filter then fine tune with the F1-x?

Is this possible or even a good idea?
Yes, I do have two F1-x's but two in a rack with the rest of my stuff is a PIA to carry. So i use the 2nd F1-x in a 3U rack with just  the DS-5 when I travel light to gigs and that works well.

[edwin]

Can an SF-2 be used through an on board effects loop on a guitar?

Sure, why not? :-) That's actually a cool idea, you can bring in and out the EQ as a preset at the flip of an onboard switch.

[edwin]

In the absence of a F2-B, I'm just wondering if I can use the SF-2 sort of as if it was an F2-B?  By that I mean plug my two DS-5 outs into individual channel of the SF-2 then get a single combined output into my F1-x in the signal path. That way I can eq each channel separately using the filter then fine tune with the F1-x?

Is this possible or even a good idea?
Yes, I do have two F1-x's but two in a rack with the rest of my stuff is a PIA to carry. So i use the 2nd F1-x in a 3U rack with just  the DS-5 when I travel light to gigs and that works well.

It's sort of doable. What it's missing is the ability to blend the channels. There's no internal mixing stage in the stereo mode. However, you could probably hook up a small external mixer to combine the outputs of both channels.

[rustyg61]

In the absence of a F2-B, I'm just wondering if I can use the SF-2 sort of as if it was an F2-B?  By that I mean plug my two DS-5 outs into individual channel of the SF-2 then get a single combined output into my F1-x in the signal path. That way I can eq each channel separately using the filter then fine tune with the F1-x?

Is this possible or even a good idea?
Yes, I do have two F1-x's but two in a rack with the rest of my stuff is a PIA to carry. So i use the 2nd F1-x in a 3U rack with just  the DS-5 when I travel light to gigs and that works well.

It's sort of doable. What it's missing is the ability to blend the channels. There's no internal mixing stage in the stereo mode. However, you could probably hook up a small external mixer to combine the outputs of both channels.

Wouldn't the blend be accomplished by the amount of gain on the neck & bridge pickups?

[edwin]

In the absence of a F2-B, I'm just wondering if I can use the SF-2 sort of as if it was an F2-B?  By that I mean plug my two DS-5 outs into individual channel of the SF-2 then get a single combined output into my F1-x in the signal path. That way I can eq each channel separately using the filter then fine tune with the F1-x?

Is this possible or even a good idea?
Yes, I do have two F1-x's but two in a rack with the rest of my stuff is a PIA to carry. So i use the 2nd F1-x in a 3U rack with just  the DS-5 when I travel light to gigs and that works well.

It's sort of doable. What it's missing is the ability to blend the channels. There's no internal mixing stage in the stereo mode. However, you could probably hook up a small external mixer to combine the outputs of both channels.

Wouldn't the blend be accomplished by the amount of gain on the neck & bridge pickups?

Not as a single output. In stereo mode, the SF-2 is completely, discretely stereo. The blend could easily be accomplished as you say, but only by combining the signal after the SF-2. However, you could also run the whole thing mono and that would take care of that.

[rustyg61]

I have a F-2B & SF-2 & run a psuedo stereo setup with each pickup into a seperate channel on the F-2B then combined output of the F-2B into Channel A on the SF-2 in mono mode & out of Channel B into my power amp. I have my direct box in between the F-2B & SF-2 so I use the SF-2 to EQ my stage sound just for me without affecting the FOH mix. I use my pickup gains to acheive the blend I want between bass & treble. With this setup I can have seperate EQ for each pickup with the F-2B & adjust the overall tone I'm hearing on stage with the SF-2. This setup only requires one speaker cabinet but give me the benefit of seperate channels for each pickup. It's not as good as true stereo but much more portable & more than adequate to get an amazing tone with my Series II.

[edwin]

I have a F-2B & SF-2 & run a psuedo stereo setup with each pickup into a seperate channel on the F-2B then combined output of the F-2B into Channel A on the SF-2 in mono mode & out of Channel B into my power amp. I have my direct box in between the F-2B & SF-2 so I use the SF-2 to EQ my stage sound just for me without affecting the FOH mix. I use my pickup gains to acheive the blend I want between bass & treble. With this setup I can have seperate EQ for each pickup with the F-2B & adjust the overall tone I'm hearing on stage with the SF-2. This setup only requires one speaker cabinet but give me the benefit of seperate channels for each pickup. It's not as good as true stereo but much more portable & more than adequate to get an amazing tone with my Series II.

Are you still using ears? I have my bass going to my ears and FOH in stereo and often to the stage amp in mono, since it doesn't really need to be in stereo on stage. OTOH, it's fun when it is!

[rustyg61]

Hey Edwin, my previous description was for my band setup. I am no longer in that band & just playing for my church now. I use the in ears for church with no amp or SF-2. We have Roland M-48 individual monitor mixers for each person in the band & it has individual channel EQ, reverb & limiter so I can get a studio quality mix with my in ears without any outboard gear.

You said you are running in stereo with you in ears? Does it sound weird having the bass pickup in one ear & the treble pickup in the other? Or did you mean stereo in the sense that you have different instruments in each ear?

[edwin]

Stereo in the sense that I have a stereo mix going to my ears and that the bass has two channels, one for each pickup, but I rarely pan them all the way wide. No real reason to do that, but eq'ing them separately, etc., is very helpful to a nice clear sound.

Typically I have the drums panned drummer's perspective, lead guitar and bass in the center, and rhythm guitar and keys following the layout on stage, however that turns out to be.

[rustyg61]

It makes sense to pan the instruments according to where they are on stage. I would do it that way too if I was still in the band. We can do panning at church too but I haven't tried it. We have 2 bass players so I try not to make too many changes when I play.