Vypyr and VIP with effects loop mod

[j_fury68]

[quote="Rippie"]Quick question, does this mod work for the new generation of Vypyr's?
Mainly the VIP 2?

If so, I can't thank you enough. My girlfriend bought me this amp as a surprise
and I love the tone's but I really really want to put a better looper in the chain
and there is no other way, so thank you![/quote

Any girl that buys a guy a guitar amp is worth having around, that's awesome! As of a few weeks ago when I checked, there were no schematics for the VIP amps available yet. I would say that it is possible to install one in these amps, but get the feeling that they are different enough from the first gen vypyrs that it will require more work to lock down the "where" to install it on the DSP board. I'll check back with peavey soon to see if they have any prints available yet. In the mean time would you have any pics of the inside of the vip to share. That might give us a quick idea as to how different they are. Also please note that any physical change to these amps would void your warranty. I believe peavey gives you 5 years on these amps.

[Agileman]

Maybe someone who owns a vip can drop the chassis and take a few pictures to post here. One from each model. Then we can figure out the voodoo.

[j_fury68]

Quick question, does this mod work for the new generation of Vypyr's?
Mainly the VIP 2?

If so, I can't thank you enough. My girlfriend bought me this amp as a surprise
and I love the tone's but I really really want to put a better looper in the chain
and there is no other way, so thank you!

Good news! I just got a peavey representative to email me the DSP Print for the new VIP's. After looking the schematic over, I can see that it is almost Identical to the first generation vypyrs in regard to the area the effects loop mod goes, so I believe that this Mod will work for all the new stuff as well. Those guys at Peavey really go the extra mile to help. I had an email discussion regarding this mod with one of their reps and he indicated that peavey would still consider honoring the 5 year warrantee even after a mod like this is performed on the amp as long as it is not determined to be the source of the presenting problem for the warrantee claim! I think that is just awesome. Now back to the VIP's, I believe the only other thing we have left to figure out is the actually locations of the components on the board. I am wondering if they changed the physical layout as some of the first gen vypyrs had different board layouts than others (two different boards as indicated in the mod "how to") the VIPs may have a different looking board altogether. So I guess we need someone brave enough to drop the enclosure and snap a few pics. We are looking for Resistor 82.

[j_fury68]

To all concerned with this mod. Wanted to update with a finding that may influence your decision to perform this mod or not. With my current rig ,including the Zoom G5 in my effects loop, I haven't needed to use the Vypyr usb for recording because the zoom has a usb and I had been using it (actually tried once and couldn't get the Vypyr to play with Cubase). So any way, while looking over the schematic for the VIP It looked like the signal for the effects loop would not go to the usb and it doesn't look as though it can at all. Unfortunately this is true as I tested it today. So the Effects loop signal will only be present at the headphone jack and the power amp. Very sorry for just now finding this and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. At any rate, the mod is still worth doing in my opinion.

[Sparkopath]

So concerning modding the VIPs, would it be possible to turn the headphone jack into a line out? I mean swap it for a 1/4" output or something? I don't want it to turn off the speaker, but I want it to go out to a mixer or other recording device.

The usb worked fine for updating firmware and Vypyr Edit, but doesn't work at all for recording with my DAW (Adobe Audition).

Other than no line out, this amp sounds great. /sigh

[j_fury68]

So concerning modding the VIPs, would it be possible to turn the headphone jack into a line out? I mean swap it for a 1/4" output or something? I don't want it to turn off the speaker, but I want it to go out to a mixer or other recording device.

The usb worked fine for updating firmware and Vypyr Edit, but doesn't work at all for recording with my DAW (Adobe Audition).

Other than no line out, this amp sounds great. /sigh

Yeah, you can put a 1/4" jack in connected to the headphone jack. I haven't done this one myself, but I know it can be done. The quick and dirty way to cheat the pa mute is to leave the jack out a bit (not fully seated). You may be able to solder a parallel connection over top the head phone jack and leave out the portion that switches the mute function ( I assume it contacts the tip), Or you can perform the "pa mute mod". I did a brief search for this here and only found references to it and not the actual mod. I believe member WashburnTabu had this mod. If not you may find it on http://www.drieg.com/vypyr.html. Hope this helps.

[Sparkopath]

Thanks, J
Honestly, I'm not brave enough to rip open my amp yet. I have no problem tearing into old beater guitars and rewiring/sanding/painting/drilling holes and Dremmeling them to death (ok only one got the Dremmel), but I can't do it yet to my new, nice condition stuff. Who knows, reading a few more of your mod posts might give me the guts though, LOL.

Anyway, I have found it passable to run from the headphone jack to split L/R 1/4" jacks into the line in of my Digitech GNX4 and then into a Roland KC 300 keyboard amp.

For now I think the standard output jack for the VIP is just a wishlist item for me. I found that I don't have to have it. I may get around to it someday, or maybe Peavey will come out with an upgrade at some point.

I wonder what would happen if I ground the tip off my headphone cable...

[j_fury68]

Here are some pics of the VIP mod and location chart. Peavey change the DSP board around quite a bit. Most notably the USB board is now incorporated in the DSP. I recently had to replace a USB board. It cost about 30 bucks for the board for the old peavey vypyr. I dare say this repair will be more costly in the future ( post warranty) with the VIP. That being said the effects loop mod is essentially the same for the vip with exception of locations. Enjoy!

[junkerde]

amazing! you are doing gods work! sorry to annoy you some more after all of this but with this schematic in mind, is there a way for me to mod the board so that headphone jack can become a plug to use an extension cab with? I bought 2 new speakers that sound amazing in the vypyr and wanted to blend the 2 eventually in a 2x12. Unless its very difficult then it's ok!

[davidKOS]

A dedicated speaker out would be a nice mod, as would being able to switch between clean, crunch and lead channels on all amp modules from a pedal.

I have recorded successfully with a 1/4" to 1/8" mini phone plug adaptor from the headphone out. Be careful of the volumes and you're god to go.

[j_fury68]

amazing! you are doing gods work! sorry to annoy you some more after all of this but with this schematic in mind, is there a way for me to mod the board so that headphone jack can become a plug to use an extension cab with? I bought 2 new speakers that sound amazing in the vypyr and wanted to blend the 2 eventually in a 2x12. Unless its very difficult then it's ok!

You can't use the headphone signal from the board to drive a speaker cab without another amp. You can put a bigger 1/4 jack in parallel with the existing 1/8th inch jack. This would be nice for recording out and maybe playing through another amp. It would be a tuffer connection and that's about it. No mod to the DSP board would be needed, just the headphone board. Similarly, a speaker out jack would require no DSP mod. You could create a parallel connection with the speaker wires on the power amp. Be careful to fallow the rules of connecting speakers in parallel (i.e. two of the same ohm value speaker connected in parallel cuts the ohm value in half witch could damage the equipment thats driving the speakers if going below the rated ohm value of the system.) As I understand it, more ohms are better than less ohms. To protect against this you could design the speaker out jack to shunt around the amps own speaker and just send the drive signal to an extension cab. I'll try and draw something up when I have time to show you what this kind of circuit might look like. Anyone who has time and would like to post a drawing or photo of a similar mod would not hurt my feelings at all

[junkerde]

that sucks, i have 2 8ohm speakers, now ill have to shell out more cash for the same speakers but 16ohm versions to run on 8. thats a good $300. But I think its safe to say I'll probably invest in a 6505 head and use those 2 in series then. It's not worth the money to use all that on the vypyr vip, although it does sound extremely tube like for a solid state.

[dominus]

that sucks, i have 2 8ohm speakers, now ill have to shell out more cash for the same speakers but 16ohm versions to run on 8. thats a good $300. But I think its safe to say I'll probably invest in a 6505 head and use those 2 in series then. It's not worth the money to use all that on the vypyr vip, although it does sound extremely tube like for a solid state.

Install the Effects loop.

Unplug the internal speaker, run a 1/4" from the Effects out to a power amp. Tube or solid state, although you might prefer the sound from a tube power amp.

Plug cabinet into the power amp.

I'm using my VIP-1 (the one in the pictures above) as a preamp myself.

[junkerde]

i think buying a tube poweramp that pretty much cost more than buying new speakers, thanks for the info though.

[j_fury68]

that sucks, i have 2 8ohm speakers, now ill have to shell out more cash for the same speakers but 16ohm versions to run on 8. thats a good $300. But I think its safe to say I'll probably invest in a 6505 head and use those 2 in series then. It's not worth the money to use all that on the vypyr vip, although it does sound extremely tube like for a solid state.

You could wire these speakers in series for 16 ohms http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... tNi-ERlXpQ
You probably wouldn't want to go higher than 16ohms, but it would work. Which vypyr do you have?
Better question, what ohm speaker does your vypyr have?