2 Amp setup, but want to use same pedals in both loops. Possible?

[jbaggins]

I'll be running a 2 amp setup and haven't been able to find much on what I'm trying to accomplish. Is there a pedal out that would allow me to run a single loop of pedals and switch them between two different amps' loops? So picture this: the right side of the pedal has a send/return for the loop of pedals. The left side has 2 send/returns, one set for each amp. Best case scenario that would also be included in an A/B(/Y?) amp switcher, but isn't a deal breaker. Does anything like this exist without going all out on something custom?

[WRGKMC]

You cant use the same pedals in both loops. You could put in a toggle that bypassed one or the other while switching the pedals but there is a few microseconds when toggling a mechanical switch between the to configs where the two may be connected together and spike preamps and damage something.

 

The best way to accomplish the task is with a stereo mixer. You put the effects in the mixers loop then run one preamp into one channel, the second preamp into another, then have the stereo output feeding the two power amps. The mixer would provide the buffering so the two preamps remain independent from one another and if the mixer doesn't have allot of crosstalk, the two amp signals should remain independent from one another. Then you can just adjust up as much effects you need from the pedals to feed either or both channels and if the mixer has dual effects sends you can even dial up different effects for each.

 

The problem with a mixer however is most aren't designed for guitar amp effects loops. Guitar amps effects loops are often designed for instrument levels and mixers output line level which may be too hot for the amp. You'll wind up running the gains or outputs low and it may rob the amp of its normal drive tones.

 

What I'd do is just buy another set of time based effects and use those in your effects loops. Then use any gain or tone shaping effects before the inputs and you can either Y jack or A/B/Y the inputs and ise the drive pedals to drive both.

 

I run two amps and use a Chorus pedal to split my input signal to both. This gives me a nice stereo like sound. I then use a couple of echo units on the amps and their own built in reverb and I get both the control and the sound quality while retaining the amps natural drive.

[jbaggins]

Excellent info, thanks! I may end up doing exactly that. I'll place my boost pedal and sonic stomp before the A/B/Y and leave everything else in Amp A's loop, then grab another delay and run that through Amp B's loop. This seems like the easiest solution.

[WRGKMC]

Right.

 

Echo, Reverb and even chorus can sound best when the saturation comes before those pedals so the saturation is in the echo and the echo has a clean background I.E.the power amp. In recording you would add echo after the mic so everything including the power amp and speaker saturation is included in the echo or reverb regeneration.

 

These effects mimic an actual room reflection or hall echo when you perform in a big room. You therefore get the most realistic copy by using them late in the chain after all your drive tone and phasors.

 

When you have echo before a drive stage, you get these weird harmonic modulations that can cause all kinds of string beating. Try it and you'll see what I mean.

 

Putting time based effects in the amps effect loop is better then having it before the amp if you plan on using your amps drive channels to get saturation. If you run the amp clean and use boxes for your drive, then it reallu doesn't matter if the pedals are in the loop or not and simply comes down to personal preference.

 

Don't rule out breaking these guidelines either. Music is art when what's good or bad is simply a choice based on what's needed for the musical composition. Sometimes having a nasty scratchy blown out sound with all kinds of string beating is what you want to stick in someone's face. Most will prefer the normal chain however which is why most use it.

 

Its like sticking a compressor pedal before or after a drive pedal. Most put it before because there's allot less noise. In recording/mixing, its usually one of the last items you use mastering. .

[loganbg]

I too recommend just putting your dirt and boost up front and just having two sets of your delay and modulation. But another option besides a full on mixer with would be two small line level mixers. They're really cheap and handy to have around for lots of purposes so there wouldn't be much risk if you didn't like how they work.

 

These behringer ones are fine for example. http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-MX400-BEHRINGER-MICROMIX/dp/B000KGYAYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416993321&sr=8-1&keywords=behringer+line+mixer&pebp=1416993321043

 

But like WRGKMC said, I'm not sure how turning down the knobs real low on either the inputs or output is gonna affect the sound. It'd help a lot if your amps had a blend knob or something of the like for the loops so you could adjust the wet/dry factor and you could run it hotter. Might work just fine regardless though depending on what sound you like.

[realtree71]

try a MXR 196 A/B box Put your effects on input side then run A to one amp and B to the other......

[WRGKMC]

try a MXR 196 A/B box Put your effects on input side then run A to one amp and B to the other......

 

That works too but you wind up with pure mono and miss out on some stereo like options. Most chorus pedals can split a signal and give a wide spread between the two amps.

 

I use two lines to my amps after a stereo chorus pedal then I plug each of those into an Alesis Midiverb 3 before the amps. It only cost me $25 and even though its a PA effects processor it sounds good for guitar and gives me about 100 different stereo verbs, echos and choruses to use. Its also midi capable for switching effects and, and has a jack for bypass.

 

I try and avoid hauling the big stuff to gigs though and use the rack stuff mainly on my studio rig.

 

For portability I found something like this does a pretty good job making a stereo field. Its got a stereo mode and does give you a wider field between amps. Plus its 24 bit and low noise which sounds allot more realistic then some older echo units I have including my old Space echo.

http://www.behringer.com/assets/dd600_p0533_m_en.pdf