stompbox mixer outputs

[SeanHowson]

Hi, I'm Sean, it's my first post!

So im a moderately clued electronics enthusiast, I've built a fair few music based items here and there and a few others too, i was wondering if someone could possibly tell me anything about the differences between mixer outputs and normal amplifier outputs on stompboxes.
I'm aware a mixer requires and preamp stage somewhere between the guitar and it's input, so I'm assuming this must be the main difference between the two outputs on the boxes, but any extra information on how this is done would be brilliant, i've a serious interest in valve distortion (my last build consisted of a slightly adapted mesaboogie bottle rocket V1, with an extra switchable gain channel i'd love to be able to use this stombox as a preamp for my guitar and run it into a mixer input, this is my main goal).

Any information would be brilliant, feel free to ask any questions, i would have written something a little longer but i've often found it puts people off sharing their knowledge with you :S

Thanks very much
Sean

[Kipper4]

I guess it would depend on which mixer input you want to put the stomp box into. Mic input? Line input?

[SeanHowson]

line input

[tombaker]

So are you saying that you'd like to plug your stompboxes into the line input on a mixer?
Analogue mixer or digital?

Or are you asking what the difference between the output of your stompbox and the line level output of a mixer would be? Presuming you mean gain difference or do you mean impedance difference?
Just trying to get a handle on your question.

I've plugged many a guitar pedal straight into a line level input of an analogue mixer. Overdriving mixer inputs/preamps can be fun and using the EQ of the channel can be an easy way to shape a sound.

[ashcat_lt]

Yeah, most pedals seem to work pretty well driving a mixer's line input. 

I got the idea that the OP was like looking at a pedal that had two separate outputs - one for going to an amp and one dedicated for a mixer - and wondering what the difference might be.  Unless the "mixer out" is balanced and/or very low-Z for connection to a mic input, the most likely difference would be cabinet simulation.  We'd probably need more specifics (like WTF pedal are you looking at?) to be sure...

[GibsonGM]

Yeah, I'd be thinking about cabinet sim if I were wanting to go direct.  Nothing says "Crap" (to my ears, at least..."strange brew", kids...) more than going into a PA without any kind of speaker emulation....PA's are meant for a wider range than instrument amps, and the response you get is something less than stellar, IMO.