Two AD200Bs - how to link properly?

[Ural]

Hi, there!

Please advice me.

Yesterday I got two AD200B amps (with two OBC810). Due to particular performance I should link those two to one bass guitar.

Is it right thing to use f.e. Lehle P-Split II http://ej.uz/83y
for that purpose?

What if I'd like to link more than two amps (f.e. 4) to one guitar?

What is the best way to do this?

P.S. AD 200B have "slave output", but this "after preamp" output, line level signal and I'm NOT sure it is good idea to connect this "slave output" to other amps input (at least with out "reamping")...

[chadds]

D*^n nice rig!
Must roar!

[Din Of Win]

Still wraping my head around the notion of owning TWO AD200Bs...

[Spinal Tapper]

You have one AD200B too many...you should sell me one

[MingusBass]

Damn, that is a RIG! Not a case of "too much of a good thing".

[okcrum]

Why would the amp have a slave output if it were not intended to be connected to other amps for slaving them?

It's certainly worth trying this. What does the manual say?

[jij04002]

Mama mia, that's awesome!

[Bassmec]

After trying loads of splitters of various descriptions over the years
with my 2 X tube amp rig, requiring separate EQ/FX for each speaker set
IE 8 X 10 and the other amp 2 X 15, I found the Lehle high impedance transformer boxes do it better neater quieter hum wise than anything else, I have used the P Split but now have the Dual incase I need to switch quick while playing.
Lehle gets my recommendation every time, Little Labs has a great distro box for this too but its got far more bells and whistles than I actually need for this simple purpose.
If you don't mind making a box you can buy a very good Sowter 1 in and three out high impedance transformer for about £60 and build your own.

PS + with the sowter you can get another AD 200 in the future OOOH!

[Ural]

Originally Posted by Bassmec

After trying loads of splitters of various descriptions over the years
with my 2 X tube amp rig, requiring separate EQ/FX for each speaker set
IE 8 X 10 and the other amp 2 X 15, I found the Lehle high impedance transformer boxes do it better neater quieter hum wise than anything else, I have used the P Split but now have the Dual incase I need to switch quick while playing.
Lehle gets my recommendation every time, Little Labs has a great distro box for this too but its got far more bells and whistles than I actually need for this simple purpose.
If you don't mind making a box you can buy a very good Sowter 1 in and three out high impedance transformer for about £60 and build your own.

PS + with the sowter you can get another AD 200 in the future OOOH!

Thank you! I should look on Sowter things.

[heath_r_91]

Just run a guitar cable from the Slave Out on one amp to the Input on the other. It's exactly what it is there for.

Also, I want to see a pic of this!

[OxJohnson]

No pics... no... you know!

I wanna see the pron! Where did you get that rig? A back story is required!

Ox.

[MAMMOTHvolume]

Originally Posted by heath_r_91

Just run a guitar cable from the Slave Out on one amp to the Input on the other. It's exactly what it is there for.

Also, I want to see a pic of this!

no, this is a bad idea.

if anything you should run the slave out to the effects return, i'm assuming ad200b's have an effects loop

[Never_grew_up]

Oddly there isn't an effects loop on the AD200B, nor is there a power amp input that bypasses the preamp section. So taking the slave output from the 1st AD200B to the ACTIVE input of the 2nd AD200B is the easiest way to do it. I'd start off with all the tone controls on the 2nd AD200B flat, and I'd run the master volume on the 2nd unit up to about 3/4, maybe even full, and use the gain control to adjust the volume on the 2nd amp. That way you're sort of using just the power amp section in the 2nd unit.

If you use the splitter approach you can run each amp completely independently but then you have twice as many things to fiddle with while you're playing.

[heath_r_91]

Originally Posted by MAMMOTHvolume

no, this is a bad idea.

if anything you should run the slave out to the effects return, i'm assuming ad200b's have an effects loop

How is that a bad idea? As stated before, the AD200B doesn't have an effects loop or anything like that.

The Slave Out line is connected directly to the Input. It isn't affected by any of the knobs (except for possibly the gain) and the output isn't hot at all.

[Bassmec]

I think the original poster paid for two fully independent highly featured tube pre amplifiers, For a small additional investment in a transformer he could use both. In this case more is more, not less is more.
Cleaner and dirtier and all the other independent tonal options this brings is not to be sniffed at for little more than the price of a couple of speaker cables.
In order to tour reliably its very good engineering practice to have two of everything. What has been suggested is the aircraft or powerboat equivalent of running two engines with only one fuel tank, battery, gearbox and prop.
The other big advantage is that if anything goes wrong with the power supply at a gig you wont ever get a shock from the mic cos you will be ground isolated and your pedal power supplies will not make your amps buzz either because you are running a quasi transformer balanced system with no common earth.
You lot cant all be related to the Harveys?. With a little bit of engineering know how even rock and roll is sometimes survivable.

[MAMMOTHvolume]

Originally Posted by heath_r_91

How is that a bad idea? As stated before, the AD200B doesn't have an effects loop or anything like that.

The Slave Out line is connected directly to the Input. It isn't affected by any of the knobs (except for possibly the gain) and the output isn't hot at all.

sorry assumed it'd be like the old oranges where the slave output was POST preamp.

I really hate how people compare the new orange amps to the ones from the 70s

[Ural]

Originally Posted by heath_r_91

Just run a guitar cable from the Slave Out on one amp to the Input on the other. It's exactly what it is there for.

Also, I want to see a pic of this!

Isn't Slave Out gives line level (after preamp) output signal, but AD200b inputs are suited for guitar level (pre preamp)?

I tried Slave Out, but then Gain & Master settings for second amp was completely different.
Somebody said - in Slave Out mode one should skip second amp preamp section and run just power section but I'm not sure this is a way to abuse second amp .

[Ural]

Originally Posted by Never_grew_up

Oddly there isn't an effects loop on the AD200B, nor is there a power amp input that bypasses the preamp section. So taking the slave output from the 1st AD200B to the ACTIVE input of the 2nd AD200B is the easiest way to do it. I'd start off with all the tone controls on the 2nd AD200B flat, and I'd run the master volume on the 2nd unit up to about 3/4, maybe even full, and use the gain control to adjust the volume on the 2nd amp. That way you're sort of using just the power amp section in the 2nd unit.

As far as my goal is to get very saturated tone I'm afraid to blow up second amp because even Active input is not suitable for live level signal. Or am I wrong?

[Musicman20]

I cannot wait to see pictures of this!

I have one AD200b, and sorry I cannot help with the linking issue, but Ive seen a few people do it before.

Wear ear plugs!

[Ural]

Originally Posted by Musicman20

I cannot wait to see pictures of this!

I'll make some photos tomorrow for sure!