Adding a line out to an older Peavey Session 400 amp

[Bob Metzger]

Hi,
A friend has asked me to add a line out to his Peavey Session 400 amp.
I was wondering if I could copy a line out that works well, sounds good from another Peavey amp? If so, could you make a suggestion or recommendation for a line out that I could easily adapt into the session 400?

Thanks,
Bob M.

[Scott Swartz]

The Booster jack on the back is already a line out, from the manual:

[ajm]

You didn't say why you want to add a line out.

That said, let's assume that it's because you don't want to mess with a mic on stage or in the studio.
If that's NOT why, then you can stop reading.

Scott's recommendation might work well for feeding another amp and making the Session 400 even louder.
However, running it to a board directly may give you all kinds of EQ issues, it may sound really trebly, brittle, etc etc etc.

In that case I'd recommend getting a DI box to go between the amp and speaker.
Note: You will need the Session 400 to have a speaker jack on the back. (I think that it does.)
Note: The DI box that you use must be designed to be used on an amp output, and not an instrument (guitar output) level signal.

I have seen several DI boxes over the years that will do this.
However, some of them are hard to find or discontinued.
In that light, the one that is readily available on line and relatively inexpensive is the Friedman MicNoMo.

You put it between the amp and speaker, then connect a mic cable to the XLR on the Friedman.
This way you get the line out mic connection and don't need to modify/butcher an existing amp.
Note that it's a good idea to still keep the speaker connected.
If you're going to use the Friedman with a tube amp, you must keep the speaker (or a load) connected.

Strongly recommended: E-mail Friedman, tell them that you are going to be using it with a 200 watt solid state amp, and ask them if it will take the power.

[Bob Metzger]

Thanks for the responses.
I'll audition that Booster Out as a Line Out and see how it does. Thanks for making me aware of its output function.

This is an older amp. Many modern amps have a Line Out feature and I bet some of them work quite well. It would be nice to integrate this feature into this amp so one doesn't have to carry around an extra box/extra gear/extra cables. I was hoping for the line out to be positioned post-preamp and pre-power amp. I'm toying with the idea of adding a post-EQ/pre-EQ switch for max flexibility. If anyone knows of a good sounding line out that meet this criteria and is easy integrate into this circuit please let me know. I prefer not to re-invent the wheel if possible.

It's not my amp; it belongs to a friend/client. I'm not sure why he thinks he needs a line out on his Session 400. Possibly, I'll refer him to our psychiatric department for further evaluation and they can explore his deeper motivations.

Bob M.

[Scott Swartz]

Another consideration is buzz/hum from ground currents between the 2 devices, for the ultimate soultion a transformer is needed. I built this direct out into one of my amps works great.

https://www.jensen-transformers.com/wp- ... /as045.pdf

I also have one I built into a box for various applications such as a DI for my other amps or emergency PA uses like adding a monitor tapped off the PA mains. The Freidman boc is the same concept but with speaker emulation and switchable level. The Peavey EDI is also similar, there are a few on Reverb right now I just looked.

[Donny Hinson]

Scott's recommendation might work well for feeding another amp and making the Session 400 even louder.
However, running it to a board directly may give you all kinds of EQ issues, it may sound really trebly, brittle, etc etc etc.

Normally, the highs in a solid-state amp are tamed by the speaker, which is increasingly inefficient as the frequencies go up. Adding a capacitor across the booster jack will reduce the highs in the same manner. (I've used the same method to reduce the output from ceramic phono cartridges to a lower level and improve the tone.) Start with a .05ufd @200v., and increase it to .1ufd if the signal still too loud and has too many highs.

[Bob Metzger]

Both excellent suggestions, thank you.
I was hoping for something cheap and cheerful, quickly implemented that sounds pretty good but I'll explore what's on table here.
I'll also check further on some more modern schematics and see what I find.

Thanks again,
Bob M.

[Pat Chong]

Hello Mr. Metzger,
Sorry to change the subject, but seeing that you are still here and that since "400" came up.........

Do you still have the reverb enhancement kits for the NV 400 available? I have just aquired one, and looking at the chassis, I see it is un-modded. I'll contact Peavey for the sound mod, but am asking if the reverb mod is still available. Thanks....Pat.

[Bob Metzger]

Hi Pat,
Yes, I have the Reverb Mod kits for the Peavey Nashville 400 amp. Please send me a Private message (PM) and I'll tell you everything you need to know about it and how to get one.

Bob M.

[Pat Chong]

Pm sent. Thanks.

[Bill Hoskins]

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this but, I'll start here. I have an LTD 400 which I understand uses the same circuitry as the Session 400.
Is it possible to add a Power Amp input jack to bypass the pre-amp like the one on the Nashville 112?

[Steve Hinson]

Back in the early 80's,Peavey developed a little interface called"EDI"...

We put them between the speaker output and the speaker-there was an XLR out- then we didn't have to mic the amp.. .

I listened to many board tapes back then, and the sound of the"EDI"going straight to the console didn't really bother me...there was probably some kind of little"speaker emulation"circuit in there somewhere...

Keep in mind that back in, nobody had to have their instrument in their monitor wedge...we could hear ourselves just fine coming from our own amp...

Now everybody's so loud, they gotta have it behind them AND in front of them...

Get off my lawn,
Steve Hinson

[Bill Hoskins]

Steve,
Thanks for letting me know about that device. I'll see if I can locate one. I have a problem in church with a Nashville 112....when I connect an XLR cable from the house mixer to the amp I get a loud hum/buzz in the system even with the amp turned off. I lifted the amp ground and also tried putting a lifter in line with the XLR cable and neither made any difference. I wonder if the EDI would fix this problem? Thanks again.
Bill

[Richard Sinkler]

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this but, I'll start here. I have an LTD 400 which I understand uses the same circuitry as the Session 400.
Is it possible to add a Power Amp input jack to bypass the pre-amp like the one on the Nashville 112?

I was in a band in the 80's and the bass player owned a music store and was an amp tech. Since I despised the sound of my Session 400, he modified it with a power amp in jack to use with my Webb as an additional amp. I don't know how he did it, but it worked great.

[Bill Hoskins]

Thanks, Richard.
I would like to be able to use my Pro-Fex II and bypass the pre-amp and tone controls on the LTD. I'm thinking about breaking the circuit between the pre-amp/EQ and the power amp input and insert a 1/4" jack at that point. It looks like that's how it's done on the Nashville 112. If it doesn't work, I at least hope there's no smoke!
I would appreciate any other comments about trying this.