Psuedo Wet-Dry Setup with One Amp?

[Masta' C]

I'm beginning to see the value of a Wet-Dry setup in terms of creating a bigger sound with more clarity, especially when drive effects and reverb/delay effects are being used simultaneously.

The problem is that a proper Wet-Dry setup traditionally involves 2 amps and, having downsized considerably, I don't feel like buying another amp just yet.

Is it possible to get a similar tonal result with only a single amp by splitting the signal prior to the amp, running one half through the amp's own preamp section and simultaneously running the other half through a separate preamp device, returning to the amp's power section via the effects loop?

Aside from the limitations of a single speaker trying to reproduce the resulting signal accurately, I'm struggling to see why this wouldn't work. Yet, I don't see many people doing it this way.

Couldn't this theoretically provide 90% of the effect of having 2 amps driven separately with the compromise likely being a tiny bit of clarity due to the more complex signal? Seems like it might also bypass the speaker phase issues sometimes experienced with a traditional Wet-Dry situation running 2 amps?

Thoughts?

Here's what I'm thinking:

 

[jeremy]

i think itll sound fine but i dont think itll sound like a wet/dry setup. same amp, same speaker. this isnt that much different than using the fx loop normally other than youre addin a preamp in there as well. part of the sound of a wet/dry setup is the spread which you cant get with one amp

 

[PFDarkside]

In your example you are not going to be returning the front end and preamp back to the power amp. By connecting to the power amp you are breaking the internal connection from preamp to power amp.

One of the benefits of wet/dry is the direct, unprocessed sound of the dry. It started when the studio guys were used to applying studio rack reverb and delay to the tracks in post, then wanted to replicate that all in their own rig.

Since it was done as a parallel chain, the direct guitar tone was kept intact and you could blend delay and reverb on top of it. I think the closest way to approximate that today is to use a parallel mixer with your ambient effects set as 100% wet or kil-dry. Check out the EHX Tri Parallel Mixer as a way to implement it with the ability to bring effects in and out. You’d use it in the effects loop, allowing a direct signal back to the return and mixing in as much wet effect S you want.

https://www.ehx.com/products/tri-parallel-mixer/

(I hope that made sense)

Also, if your reverb and delay are already analog dry through you may not see improvement.

 

[t1r12003]

Won’t sound anything like true wet dry with 2 different amps. I’ve experimented with a stereo 212 combo where I can have wet effects through 1 of the speakers only and the other is dry and that doesn’t really even come close to wet dry. I’ve even done wet dry with battery powered practice amps, Blackstar Fly and Roland Micro Cube and crazy how good it sounds even at bedroom volume.

 

[Masta' C]

In your example you are not going to be returning the front end and preamp back to the power amp. By connecting to the power amp you are breaking the internal connection from preamp to power amp.

I suppose that's the issue right there. Not sure why I didn't think of that. Ugh...

 

[Top-L]

Just buy a Boss Tube Amp Expander. It is a wet dry setup in a box.

 

[Masta' C]

Update!

It appears I can change the effects loop from series to parallel through the amp's software!

I believe that means the internal preamp will bypass the effects loop and the 2 can be combined!

FYI, I'm using a Boss Katana 100 mk2 at the moment.

 

[Masta' C]

Now I have to choose an ABY splitter box. There seem to be a lot of options.

Active vs Passive, Buffered vs Unbuffered, some with isolated outputs, etc.

Any reason to choose one over the other?

Also, is it possible that I will experience phase issues? I'm assuming I won't since there's only one speaker...maybe I'm missing something?

 

[PFDarkside]

Have you tried just using the parallel effects loop as is? Or are you specifically wanting two different preamp tones?

If one of the pedals flips phase, you’ll have an issue. There is a site somewhere that has a list of pedals that do this.

 

[Mincer]

It is sort of a modified 4 cable method set up...usually used with multieffects, it can be used with regular pedals, too. I don't see why it wouldn't work well.

 

[Masta' C]

Have you tried just using the parallel effects loop as is? Or are you specifically wanting two different preamp tones?

If one of the pedals flips phase, you’ll have an issue. There is a site somewhere that has a list of pedals that do this.

I am specifically wanting 2 different preamp tones

Good to know on the pedals! Didn't realize that was a thing!

 

[PFDarkside]

I am specifically wanting 2 different preamp tones

Good to know on the pedals! Didn't realize that was a thing!

Ok, makes sense. Should be a cool way to get blended tones.

There are some (like the Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe) that only flip phase when they are engaged or disengaged! At least if it’s 100% you can correct it. Hopefully none of yours do this.

 

[jeremy]

the twin cities from radial is my aby box of choice. in my experience if you are only doing a or b, a simple passive unit is fine. with using the y, you want a good active unit

 

[Masta' C]

Thank you! I was definitely wondering about active vs. passive.

 

[Securb]

I did a wet/dry with two half stacks it sounded wonderful but was not a practical setup for practice or live.