Blog: The Multi-Amp Rig--How to Do it Right

[jon the art guy]

Re: Blog: The Multi-Amp Rig--How to Do it Right

According to Radial:

That's a nice feature. Isolation trannies are dee-lux business. Some of the expensive power blocks only come with one tap.

 

[erksin]

Re: Blog: The Multi-Amp Rig--How to Do it Right

Or you could just buy one of those $3.00 plug adapters from the hardware store that has no ground prong on it.

The reason why you get ground loop hum even when powering both amps from the same source is because the two grounded amps are fighting over which will provide the ground. Use the plug adapter to lift ground on one of the amps and you're golden.

I've been running a two-amp set-up for over 20 years now. The Morley/Rapco/Whirlwind boxes are awful for splitting your signal as they cut a ton of treble - I've owned all of them. The Radial is the best thing to use for the money if you're going to use a dedicated splitter. I just use a stereo effect at the end of my chain to split, but if I was to go the splitter route I'd look no further than the Radial stuff.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Blog: The Multi-Amp Rig--How to Do it Right

Or you could just buy one of those $3.00 plug adapters from the hardware store that has no ground prong on it.

The reason why you get ground loop hum even when powering both amps from the same source is because the two grounded amps are fighting over which will provide the ground. Use the plug adapter to lift ground on one of the amps and you're golden.

I've been running a two-amp set-up for over 20 years now. The Morley/Rapco/Whirlwind boxes are awful for splitting your signal as they cut a ton of treble - I've owned all of them. The Radial is the best thing to use for the money if you're going to use a dedicated splitter. I just use a stereo effect at the end of my chain to split, but if I was to go the splitter route I'd look no further than the Radial stuff.

It needs to be buffered is the thing. I'm not sure how a post-buffer versus maybe a pre-split boost would work, but something needs to be in line to boost and fill the signal or it looses it's luster. This could especially suck for low-gain situations. If it's running into two metal amps, whatever. Throw a Y cable in the mix and chug on, or do what I said earlier and wire two outs to switch. Or wire a two switch box with bypass/2nd switch and A/B on the 2nd. Bypass would go to both.
For buffers, check this video.

There's just a few parts involved. Get a prototyping board from radio shack, assemble these little postage-stamp circuits, and stick inline with the switch-outs. Power them with a plug...or put a couple batteries in...or something. I'm not good enough to know offhand.

Building a daughter board with phase inversion and ground lift wouldn't be too bad either, I bet. Fit it all in a 1590BB box. (the big one that's Big Muff sized)

 

[everdrone]

Re: Blog: The Multi-Amp Rig--How to Do it Right

truth

if I needed that versatility and complexity Ill prolly just save up for the axefx3 and be done with it and stay in the woodshed practicing and sound better by then anyway for that type of versatility