Using FX Send and Return

[sacrifice]

What is the purpose for using FX send and return? My amp has these 2 quarter inch jack inputs at the back and so does my Digitech pedal board. Pardon my ignorance but what is the proper way to hook up my effect unit besides the "stomp box way" of GUITAR OUTPUT>EFFECTS UNIT INPUT>EFFECTS UNIT OUTPUT>AMP INPUT. Do you hook it up like this and then hook up the SENDs and RETURNs to each other?

[Steelpriest]

You might find a lot of answers in this thread.

epifriends.proboards28.com/index.cgi?board=FX&action=display&thread=1081094914

It depends for what purpose you will use the FX device and for which way of operating the FX was built. Generally the FX send jack sends the output signal from the amp´s preamp to the FX device, from this device it goes back to the amp´s FX return jack and thus it is routed back to the amp´s poweramp. There are serial FX loops and you have to adjust the amount of desired effect on the FX device, on parallel FX loops you can set the FX balance on the FX device to 100% effect and adjust the desired level of effect on the amp itself. It is added then to the dry sound of the amp which never left the amp. Generally those parallel FX loops are considered as better quality. When using a serial FX loop you need a high quality FX device, a cheap one will surely ruin your sound. Keep in mind: With a serial FX loop the total signal leaves the amp, goes thru the FX device and gets back to the amp again, while on a parallel FX loop the signal is splitted and the pure preamp signal does not leave the amp, the "effected" part of the sound is just added.

[sacrifice]

Thanks! I think my Marshall AS50R has a parallel FX loop since there is a knob that says Reverb/Loop on the front. I am using a Digitch RP-1 (yes the antique roadshow of effects processors! basically a rack on the floor). So for the best sound quality, should I do this?

Guitar Output Jack>Amp Input>Amp FX Send>Digitech Instrument Input>Digitech FX Return>Amp FX Return

Or is this all wrong? Please forgive my "newbie-ness." Can I get it spelled out clearly? I'd like to get the best sound possible.