SQ5 FX send and return confusion

[Still No Idea]

New to SQ5 and probably overthinking this….but
For the sake of clarity this is what I am doing. FX send 1-4 all at 0dB FX returns all at 0dB Master Fader for sends at 0dB and LR as the selected mix. So hit layer A to display my 8 local inputs. Hit FX1 and adjust channel 1 to required level and so on to each of the 4 fx units. And this all works perfectly. As soon as I select FX 1 or any of the other FX buttons the LR light goes out….as expected.

Now….select layer B which shows both Sends and Returns. Select FX1…. This is where I get confused. All 4 returns are now at -25dB Hit the LR button and they go back to 0db, which is where I set them for the FOH mix so expected, hit FX1 again and they all go back to -25dB. Hit FX2 and RTN 1,3+4 go down to infinity, FX2 Return goes to 0dB. This is repeated for 3 and 4, the selected fx going to 0dB and the others going down to infinity.

If I then adjust the settings of the FX Rtn and scroll through FX 1 to 4 again then they remain as ive just adjusted them. I guess the question is When/If LR is not selected where are these FX Rtn settings going/doing.

Probably being unbelievable stupid and its not even affecting what Im doing but its bothering me as I don’t understand it!!!

Thanks

[SQuser]

> Select FX1…. This is where I get confused. All 4 returns are now at -25dB Hit the LR button and they go back to 0db
Take a look at the block diagram:
If you are in the main LR mix, then its FX returns feed the main LR (yellow in the picture).
If you are in an FX mix, however, then its FX returns naturally feed the selected FX (red in the picture).
In this way, you could practically “chain” effects if necessary.
But I think you don’t plan on doing anything like that (yet).
Be careful: If, for example, you send the FX1 return into the FX1 mix, there should logically be feedback at some point.

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[Tom]

You can also change your perspective by the “CH to all Mix” button.
Select a channel on a layer (input or FX) and hold the “CH to all Mix” button.
The faders will switch so you can see all the busses the selected channel at the same time.
I expect when you do this for FX1 you will see it feeds the other effects like SQuser suggested.

That button is also very handy for doing monitors.
Hope this helps..

[Still No Idea]

Thank you SQUser and Tom. I’m coming from Presonus SL3 and that being the first digi desk for the band, I was probably not using that correctly anyway!

Perhaps not the correct terminology, but I need to view selecting any of the FX 1-4 buttons just as I would if selecting a mix/bus.

With my send and return layer selected, hit the FX1 button and that shows the sends and returns for ‘Mix’ FX1. And also the massive feed back loop I have clearly created!!

SQuser, I had a look at the block diagram in the manual but It doesn’t show them fully joined up with the final destinations as yours does, thank you.

Tom, yes love the CH to all Mix but not visualising FX1 etc as a ‘mix’ hadn’t thought of using it.

Back in front of desk again this evening to play.

Many thanks!

[SQuser]

> Perhaps not the correct terminology, but I need to view selecting any of the FX 1-4 buttons just as I would if selecting a mix/bus.
Yes – that’s exactly how it is.
And such an “FX mix” are your FX sends and they send (dose) your channels to a FX engine.
For your FX returns, however, the term return refers more to the FX engine.
For each of your mixes (including the “FX mixes”), a FX return is seen as a completely normal input and therefore has for each mix (warning: confusion!) its own “send”.

[Author]

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