TA-15 with delay in front?

thinking of getting the TA15, my only concern is the missing effects loop. How does the delay work in the front mainly for distorted sounds (hi1,hi2)?
thanks

It all depends how much delay and how much OD you use. And it is also a big taste question. The more OD you use the more sensitive your delay mix is. So you will have to turn it down to get the same amount of wet signal. For full on high gain with lot's of delay the delayed signal is amplified A LOT and it is very tricky to get a nice setting. The whole sound get's somewhat muddy, but I'm no fan of high gain with lots of delay any way you slice it.
For some more vintage sound with a bit of delay it works fine in my opinion. It sound's clearer and is easier to dial in with the delay after the OD though. If delay is a big part of your sound try it beforehand as you might not like it.
If you like it complicated you can always go Eric Johnson and wet up the miked signal from the amp or EVH and attenuate the speaker out of the amp to line level and then run your time based effects. That are the ways I know to get power amp distortion and still have the delay after all the overdrive.
The other option is an OD pedal in front of the delay which works well if you have an OD you like.

Usually delay is used post gain either in an fx loop or after a distortion pedal. This is what happens if you run a delay before a high gain preamp.

When your amp is distorting and you roll the volume control of your guitar down, the volume stays approx the same, but the signal gets cleaner. The same thing happens with your delay trails. As the delay fades, the repeats stay at approx the same volume, the tone just gets cleaner and cleaner.

Generally the desired effect is to have the distorted signal repeat and softer and softer, and the only way to get that sound is to have your delay post gain. If you don't have a distortion pedal you really dig, maybe take a look at the TA-30. It's more money, but a compromise has to be made, whether that means spending more, or settling on a different kind of delay sound or finding a good dist pedal.

I've been using a strymon el cap in front of my TA-15 and have been very happy with how it sounds. My favorite setting is the Top Boost, so I don't spend a whole lot of time on the other side of the amp, but I've been happy with it. I have to adjust the delay level when I switch over to the second channel (H1 and H2), but I've never been displeased with the sound once I've made the necessary adjustments. I'm sure any music store will let you try it out with a delay in front you want to check it out for yourself though.

I am going to be posting some clips on you tube soon of a recent show my band did with Blues Traveler. I used my TA-15 as a backup and ended up using it to play to 5,000 people with it. I ran my pedal board in the front and it was great! I'm even considering the TA-30 now! My delay is an MXR carbon copy you will hear.

I don't have a TA (though I am very curious to play one), but I use all of my effects in front of my amp. The "clean" channel of my Stiletto is set to crunch for a slight breakup, and delays and verbs both come through very well. They also work okay on the dirty channel, but levels really have to be adjusted. Luckily for me, I'm not a fan of effects with "full distortion."

I know this isn't 100% applicable, but I hope it helps.

I run a Nova Delay at the end of my effect chain out front.

I no longer use modulation effects in the "loop". EQ only............. :twisted: :?:

I use an MXR CC and an El-Cap in front of the TA-15 and it will work well when the mix levels are set low into the overdriven channel, only problem is that it will need to be turned up again when usng a clean channel or the verbs/delays may be too subtle.

I use the Catalinbread Montavilian. Wonderfull lush pedal. Just up front of my TA-15 top boost mode. Wonderfull!