How does impedence work in long signal chains ?

eh là bas ma

Well-known member
Hello,

I recently build an analog delay and noticed some issue in a long signal chain with 10 or 15 various effects, including buffered bypass circuits from Boss or MXR. Some circuits are decreasing the delay's repeats and response, even in bypass, depending on where the delay is connected in the signal chain.

The delay is Lectric Fx Star Chamber. https://lectric-fx.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/StarChambre.pdf
I built an other analog delay, Echo DC, and there is no issue with it when connected at the same point in the signal chain.

For example, the Star Chamber works fine if i put my GE-7 after it, but the repeats are reduced if the GE-7 is connected just before the delay, even in bypass.

I don't know much about impedence, but i thought that buffered effects, like Boss stompboxes, would fix any issue in long signal chain ? Like they reset the impedence and make it better somehow ?

Is impedence issue the same thing as what happens when we use 10 or 12 true bypass effects in a chain, and the signal gets darker because all the cables and wiring together are creating some sort of resistance ?

Is there some good practice to take good care of the impedence in long signal chains ?

Every suggestions and observations are welcome !
 
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Your guitar cable is already long and is in the 10k-ish impedance range or so. Using true bypass on your board isn't making it that much longer. There is no resistance added. If you can tell the signal is darker, then it's because there is too much capacitance to ground on the signal somewhere. But, again, the guitar cable is dominating that assuming there isn't something wrong with the cables and pedals on the board.
 
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