Anyone else using 2 amp set-up ?

jschwalls · #1 08-15-2010, 10:40 PM

Even though I use a Sheehan bass and preamp, I'm not really aiming for his sound. Simple, loud, easy to carry rig.

Woofer pup --> VT Bass --> Compressor --> Mackie 1400i --> Markbass 115HR

Split-P pup --> Ampeg SVP-BSP --> Compressor (effects loop) --> Markbass Jeff Berlin Combo

JimmyM · #2 08-15-2010, 10:54 PM

thought about doing it at one time with a guitar amp for switchable dirt, but it's rare that i get more than one line so i just use one.

jschwalls · #3 08-15-2010, 11:06 PM

I rarely use the distortion on the SVP-BSP .... i use it mainly when I am holding out a note and want it to sustain forever...

rbonner · #4 08-15-2010, 11:29 PM

Shoot, I've been turning off the bridge pickup on my jazz lately. Trying to make life simpler and more basic. This looks like a lotta work.

BOB

jschwalls · #5 08-15-2010, 11:35 PM

yeah, 3 pieces of gear isn't too bad considering each weighs about 43 lbs each... the pedals are velcro'd and wired into the rack so my setup is very simple..

plug my 2 cords (taped together) into white box in back of rack... plug cable from SVP-BSP into back of MarkBass.. plug speaker cable from Mackie to 115Hr cab... DONE...

rbonner · #6 08-15-2010, 11:49 PM

Yeah-No exactly thats what I was saying too, isn't too bad; each 4PRO only weighs about 43 lbs each, add a power distro, 100 lbs of 20 space rack and about 100# of other crap and I have a rack that makes my floor creek when I wheel it around. (450#) Its just music.

BOB

I<34080 · #7 08-15-2010, 11:54 PM

if i could afford it id run ric o sound all the time, but alas I only have one gig-able amp, so it's just something to enjoy at home

countrybass007 · #8 08-16-2010, 12:13 AM

I have been for years. Mesa D180 and an SWR Silverado for about eight years, and now a PJB Roadcase and an Orange Tiny Terror Bass. I like being able to get whatever sound I want at various venues, and found a two amp set-up worked best for me. I set the level of each amp depending on the acoustics, or lack of, at each place we play. It also has kept me from having to deal with poor bass tone through a PA on several occasions. I was never really happy with big amp with a big cab, or multiple cabs, rig.

Timm · #9 08-16-2010, 04:52 AM

Now that is a nice rig :-)

How do you EQ the two rigs? One bassy and one trebely?

s_mcsleazy · #10 08-16-2010, 05:35 AM

deaf pea · #11 08-16-2010, 06:31 AM

Have been for quite a while . . . quoting from my profile:
"(2) Ampeg SVT-3PRO
Ampeg PR-410HLF ("clean")
Ampeg SVT-210HE ("distorted")
Trace Elliot Dual Compressor pedal"

the bass passes through the Trace Elliot Dual Comp, the pedal output goes to the 2 heads . . . I switch in the distorted sound at will (it's NOT "on" all the time) . . .

jschwalls · #12 08-16-2010, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timm

Now that is a nice rig :-)

How do you EQ the two rigs? One bassy and one trebely?

yes and no....

The Split-P pup is set to a normal bass tone but I do have some of the extreme low end shaved off a bit...

the woofer pup is set to just a normal fat EBO sound, which in itself is a ton of thick low end..

craig.p · #13 08-16-2010, 07:53 AM

What would concern me most about a setup like this would be what happens to signal polarity in each signal chain. In other words, how can we be assured, at both power amp outputs, that both signals have had their original polarity either maintained or reversed? You wouldn't want one of each, that's for sure.

(Or is there an industry standard for this sort of thing? I really don't know.)

countrybass007 · #14 08-16-2010, 07:54 AM

The Orange is running an Orange OBC115 for the real deep tones and the PJB provides real nice mids and highs. I'm just thrilled with the sound I'm getting out of this set-up. It seems to work equally with either passive or active basses, but my Lakland really sounds incredible through this rig. (Duck Dunn model)

PJMiDi · #15 08-16-2010, 07:58 AM

I used to. One with a Rat and Tube Screamer for a dirty sound and one clean. Took a while to get certain things to balance well but I never had any problems.

jschwalls · #16 08-16-2010, 08:24 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etU9J9QvgPc

this is the tone I am getting...

JimmyM · #17 08-16-2010, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craig.p

What would concern me most about a setup like this would be what happens to signal polarity in each signal chain. In other words, how can we be assured, at both power amp outputs, that both signals have had their original polarity either maintained or reversed? You wouldn't want one of each, that's for sure.

i just turn stuff on and hope for the best. usually it works out.

rbonner · #18 08-16-2010, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craig.p

What would concern me most about a setup like this would be what happens to signal polarity in each signal chain. In other words, how can we be assured, at both power amp outputs, that both signals have had their original polarity either maintained or reversed? You wouldn't want one of each, that's for sure.

(Or is there an industry standard for this sort of thing? I really don't know.)

Weeeell, when I hooked all six of my amps together for the first time and started playing I thought, hum... Something doesn't sound right. When I had 2, 3 and 4, everything was great and it sounded fine. But the fifth and sixth things got goofy.

With my system I use a Radial JD-7 injector to feed the inputs of each amplifer. I turned off all the amps, then selected #1 and #2, #1 and #3 all the way through. Sure enough I hit the two middle amps and the phase was 180 degrees out. The JD-7 has a 180 switch per channel and I found the problem quick.

Now on my system with identical amps you'd expect everything to be in phase. But at the speaker cab level I was running 810's and 215's. To check the whole speaker "chain" I made up a Speakon female chassis mount with a couple leads and did the battery test on all my cables and cabs.

Low and behold 3 and 4 went the wrong way. A check of the two FACTORY MADE Speakon to 1/4" cables (I had made all the Speakon to Speakons for the 810 cabs) found the + and - swapped.

This left the two 215 cabs out of phase. Swapped the wires, flipped the 180 switches back and away I went.

It is imperative with all multi-amp and multi-cab even with the same amp situations, and ALL CABS and CABLES... that you do a battery test and a 180 degree phase test on all systems.

When they are wrong, it will be really obvious in a multi-setup; but with a single you might never know. If you dont check phasing and play, you will not be happy with the result.

I hate to think how many people out there with those cables who have their speakers going IN instead of OUT !!!

Check your equipment boys. Its well worth your time.

BOB

deaf pea · #19 08-16-2010, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbonner

...Check your equipment boys. Its well worth your time. BOB

Good advice, Bob . . .

. . .

craig.p · #20 08-16-2010, 03:04 PM

I'd like to see one of the following stamped on every piece of rig:

THIS DEVICE INVERTS POLARITY.

...or...

THIS DEVICE DOES NOT INVERT POLARITY.

It would make things easier for us.

But the chances of that happening in my lifetime are about the same as me waking up tomorrow morning with a full head of hair.

SIX amps, Bob? You are one sick pup, LOL.