2 amps. 1 cab. ?

Zako · #1 10-17-2010, 08:21 PM

My usual set up is a Carvin b1500 through a PH412, but i like the tone of my Peavey Mark IV better.

Well, i was wondering if i could some how use the Peavey to bypass the preamp on the carvin and just use the carvin as a poweramp? so i could have 2 amps used through one cab?

I read i might be able to do it through the Peaveys poweramp out into the effects in of the Carvin. or is this totally wrong?

Appreciate any help/suggestions.

Rick Auricchio · #2 10-17-2010, 08:24 PM

If the Peavey has enough power to get the volume you need from the cabinet, why even bother with the Carvin? Using the Carvin as a power amp won't give you much of the Carvin's tone---a lot of an amp's tone is in its preamp.

Zako · #3 10-17-2010, 08:26 PM

well thats the thing, it really doesnt. my bands guitar player is ridiculous. he has a ampeg v4 with a sunn 415(yes a 415) and another Orange cabinet with some other head i cant remember.

Zako · #4 10-17-2010, 08:28 PM

what im saying is i wanna try to use both heads so i can get the tone i want from the peavey, but the power of my carvin. cuz it really isnt loud enough for my band :P

Zako · #5 10-17-2010, 09:00 PM

Bump.

I just wanna know if this can work and how to do it :P

JimmyM · #6 10-17-2010, 09:07 PM

if your peavey has a preamp out, just plug it into the effects return of the carvin. if not, then i have no clue

Zako · #7 10-17-2010, 09:12 PM

Thanks Jimmy

thats what i was thinking but wasnt sure, im glad SS heads dont have to have a load to work properly ha.

Sartori · #8 10-17-2010, 09:12 PM

Yes, preamp-out of the Peavey to the effects-in of the Carvin.

Can't remember if a Peavey Mark IV has one, though.

So, why aren't you using he 4x15?

Big B. · #9 10-17-2010, 09:13 PM

are you saying that you want to get the power of both amps into the same cabinet, not just use one as a preamp for the other? Sounds like a recipe for a dead rig. Maybe I am wrong but I tried to run a bass amp and a p.a. head into a cabinet once and it shut both amps down within 30 seconds. The ohms mismatch between the cabinet and the 2 amps could be bad news. Maybe someone can explain how that would work... or not work.

Zako · #10 10-17-2010, 09:20 PM

@ Satori,
Im not sure lol, my guitarist is crazy, he bought it so i guess its his

@ Big B.,
No just using the Peavey as a Pre amp to the mighty 1200 watts of the carvin lol.

Zako · #11 10-17-2010, 09:22 PM

Yes the Peavey 400BH Mark IV as a preamp out/in combined in one jack ? oh well i have the manual online so ill figure it out.

PotsdamBass8 · #12 10-18-2010, 09:16 AM

You should try to convince your guitarist to stop using that setup... Guitar through a bass amp sounds great by itself, but it's occupying a huge tonal spectrum. He's basically covering up the range that you should be playing in.

My guitar playing friend used his bass amp in a band with me for a few years before he got a true guitar amplifier, and it was terrible...I never had enough juice to be heard, he just overpowered me the whole time.

Zako · #13 10-18-2010, 10:07 AM

Honestly i can hear myself pretty well, he doesnt turn up too loud because he knows how loud he really is. he uses a Rat distortion pedal to still make it sound like a guitar(a really muddy guitar), and yeah i crank the mids ha.

AwkwardLoudness · #14 10-18-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zako

My usual set up is a Carvin b1500 through a PH412, but i like the tone of my Peavey Mark IV better.

Well, i was wondering if i could some how use the Peavey to bypass the preamp on the carvin and just use the carvin as a poweramp? so i could have 2 amps used through one cab?

This is a question of pre-amp section of one head into the power section of another amp head, rather than 2 amps + 1 cab. I don't know if your Peavey is able to that. If not, you may want to consider getting a real pre-amp like the Peavey BassFex to feed into the Carvin to shape the tone to your liking. A more extreme solution: sell both amps and get a Peavey BassFex pre-amp and Peavey CS4080HZ power amp + add an additional PH412 cab.

That guitarist has a ridiculous rig. I sometimes play guitar through my 400 watt bass amp for the fun of it, but I wouldn't likely ever want to do that with a band.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big B.

are you saying that you want to get the power of both amps into the same cabinet, not just use one as a preamp for the other? Sounds like a recipe for a dead rig. Maybe I am wrong but I tried to run a bass amp and a p.a. head into a cabinet once and it shut both amps down within 30 seconds. The ohms mismatch between the cabinet and the 2 amps could be bad news. Maybe someone can explain how that would work... or not work.

This can be done, but the impedences (ohms) do need to match of course. I've run two Hiwatt amps (overdriven 100 watt + clean 400 watt heads, 8 ohms each) into a single 8x10 cab many times. Some 8x10 (and other type) cabs have a stereo option to drive half the speakers from one speaker jack and the other speakers from another jack. Specifically, I've used SWR Megoliath cab and very recently a Laney Nexus NX810 cab for doing this. It's essentially the same concept as running two amps into two 4x10 cabs.

Mo'Phat · #15 10-18-2010, 11:20 AM

I propose a different solution.

Your question will require you to drag two boat-anchor amps everywhere you go, while not using either to their capabilities.

You should either find an external preamp or pedal that gives you the tonal flexibility you desire plugged into the input of the B1500. That way, you can just keep using the B1500's preamp to augment the pedal.

Or...

Sell both heads and get one that has the power and tone you need.

Something like the SansAmp BDDI or Tech 21 VT Bass can work wonders for giving you 'that tone' from an amp that doesn't have it.

Also, since I'm a B1500 user who loves its tone, I'm curious if you've spent a lot of time dialing in the tones and experimenting with the drive and subbass controls. There's a whole lot of 'that tone' in the B1500...just needs to be coaxed a bit.

Zako · #16 10-18-2010, 12:13 PM

I actually use a Tech 21 VT bass :P i like the tone, maybe i just need to experiment more.

I just like the tone of the Peavey Mark IV better, with the VT bass i might add. My whole bands thing is a muddy/gritty tone. The Peavey is pretty much perfect for that i just wish it had more power ha. Or that my guitard wouldnt be so incredibly loud.

BigOldHarry · #17 10-18-2010, 12:15 PM

Be very careful how you wire this up before you apply the AC - - In my misspent youth I thought I knew what I was doing and blue and amp up doing this... So tread carefully!

Zako · #18 10-18-2010, 09:19 PM

well the peavey has a preamp out, so ill just connect it to the carvin's effect return.
but would i plug my bass into the carvin or my Peavey now the "preamp"?
and if i wanted to use my VT bass pedal still how would i incorporate that?

MIJ-VI · #19 10-18-2010, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zako

My usual set up is a Carvin b1500 through a PH412, but i like the tone of my Peavey Mark IV better.

Well, i was wondering if i could some how use the Peavey to bypass the preamp on the carvin and just use the carvin as a poweramp? so i could have 2 amps used through one cab?

I read i might be able to do it through the Peaveys poweramp out into the effects in of the Carvin. or is this totally wrong?

Appreciate any help/suggestions.

Please never do this as it will result in magic smoke and vanishing currency.

MIJ-VI · #20 10-18-2010, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zako

well the peavey has a preamp out, so ill just connect it to the carvin's effect return.
but would i plug my bass into the carvin or my Peavey now the "preamp"?
and if i wanted to use my VT bass pedal still how would i incorporate that?

Bass-->VT Bass-->Peavey's instrument input.....Peavey's pre-amp out-->Carvin's Effects Return,

or

Bass-->VT Bass-->Carvin's Effects Return.

Have you downloaded and studied the manuals for both amps? Said manuals will hopefully include BLOCK diagrams (which show the signal path through an amp).