Running 2 Amps At Once ?

[dwells]

does anyone run 2 amps at once and what do you use to do that ?
not seperate i mean at the same time with 1 guitar
thanks

 

[Colin]

does anyone run 2 amps at once and what do you use to do that ?
not seperate i mean at the same time with 1 guitar
thanks

aby switch is what I've used in the past

 

[Monty Billocks]

Do you want to hear both amps simultaneously or do you wish to set one up for clean tones and the other for driven and then switch between them?

Also, are mainly talking combos or maybe heads and cabs?

Steve.

 

[greenwizard]

I run two amps just to get more sound and I run one of them with a little extra bass. I like the combination. I run my guitar through a Digitech modeler and it has two outputs.

 

[tristan]

I do it with a radial tonebone switchbone...I can play A & B amps separate or together...and the sound of my guitar stays just perfect...

 

[candid_x]

I've used an A/B/Y. Lets you use one or the other or both. I've also used a stereo chorus pedal with and A and B out, but that was just for grins. If I was serious about it, I'd choose an A/B/Y with a booster, cuz there's signal loss with one guitar signal split into two amps.

 

[SteveB]

Many years ago I used a setup that involved two amps (both on and audible simultaneously at all times).

I just ran a cable from my guitar to my pedals, and the last pedal in the chain was a Boss Stereo Chorus which had two outputs. I sent one to each amp.

One amp was a Fender Vibroluxe Reverb and the other was a Peavey Deuce.

 

[candid_x]

I just ran a cable from my guitar to my pedals, and the last pedal in the chain was a Boss Stereo Chorus which had two outputs. I sent one to each amp.

Works pretty good, dunnit? Sounds sweet with chorus on too.

 

[dwells]

thanks guys ill probably go the a/b/y pedal i have two of the same amps peavey triple xxx s but one with different valve setup

 

[SteveB]

Candid X: indeed, that setup worked very well for many years until I sold off the Peavey.

dwells: I had an ART Coolswitch A/B/Y box, but it didn't hold up very well. Unless mine was a fluke, I'd recommend avoiding that particular stompbox. Boss makes one that looks reasonably durable.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

My Duoverb has a two amps at once feature. I have tried it, but I find the sound just looses definition when you run it like this. Not for me, me thinks.

 

[candid_x]

Tim, same here. I've even reduced it to 1x12 speaker. Get more punch from it than a 2x12 or a quad. That's why God created mics . And it's sure easier to lug around.

 

[GHWelles]

does anyone run 2 amps at once and what do you use to do that ?
not seperate i mean at the same time with 1 guitar
thanks

I use a Boss DD3. Has a dry and wet out. If the effect is off, both amps get the dry signal. If the effect is on, one gets dry one wet. True stereo.

After the signal is split by the DD3 you can put some effects on one side, some effects on the other.

 

[hbucker]

If one of your amps has two inputs odds are you can use one of those inputs as an output to the front of the other amp. Both amps will be running at the same time but you can set one clean and the other dirty or whatever.

All you need is a cable. Try it. You might like it.

 

[Astrofreq]

I have an ART coolswitch and it did fine by me.

Also, I use the piezo EB splitter, taking the piezo straight into the board. Saves taking a 2nd amp.

 

[TylerDowBryant]

I just use an aby switch...they are cheap, and the get the job done.

 

[SteveB]

I have an ART coolswitch and it did fine by me.

Good to know, Radrock. Mine lasted about 3 sessions and something went wrong internally... I'd get massive HUM from the darn thing sometimes when the switch was thrown. Enough that I feared blowing the speakers on my rig, so I retired the Coolswitch.

If dwells is talking about a magnetic and piezo configuration (I didn't think he was), then I would mention that I'm using the Ernie Ball splitter. I send the magnetic output to my rig and the piezo to the PA via a direct box.

 

[Dr. Sound Good]

Running 2 amps at once

This is an old question, but someone might still be helped. Using multiple amps is a bit tricky. I use 4 amps in my full rig: Twin Marshall half stacks for left and right and twin Twin Reverbs for the center. They are 2 stereo pairs. I also configure them clumped together side by side, with the Twin Reverbs stacked on top of each other in the center. Dynamite sound. I use the Marshalls for distortion while the Fenders deliver clean tones simultaneously for a great huge sound that's very well defined. The first time I used multiple amps, I got a huge obnoxious and unbearable ground loop hum. The remedy is a Morley George Lynch Tripler. No more gound loop. You have one input and can route it to 1, 2 or 3 different amps, together or separately in any combination. Output 1 goes to one stereo pre-amp/pedal configuration, Output 2 goes to a stereo tube pre-amp effects unit. Or, Outputs 1 and 2 go to twin Princeton Reverbs (stereo) and Output 3 goes to a Vibro-Champ in the middle. Great sound.

 

[slukather]

You could try effects loop out into the effects loop in (of another amp), so you are pretty much using the preamp of one amp and 2 power amps.

Cheers,

Scott.

 

[Tim O'Sullivan]

This is an old question, but someone might still be helped. Using multiple amps is a bit tricky. I use 4 amps in my full rig: Twin Marshall half stacks for left and right and twin Twin Reverbs for the center. They are 2 stereo pairs. I also configure them clumped together side by side, with the Twin Reverbs stacked on top of each other in the center. Dynamite sound. I use the Marshalls for distortion while the Fenders deliver clean tones simultaneously for a great huge sound that's very well defined. The first time I used multiple amps, I got a huge obnoxious and unbearable ground loop hum. The remedy is a Morley George Lynch Tripler. No more gound loop. You have one input and can route it to 1, 2 or 3 different amps, together or separately in any combination. Output 1 goes to one stereo pre-amp/pedal configuration, Output 2 goes to a stereo tube pre-amp effects unit. Or, Outputs 1 and 2 go to twin Princeton Reverbs (stereo) and Output 3 goes to a Vibro-Champ in the middle. Great sound.

I take it you have a roadie too