Trying to hookup two combo amps

[shawshank72]

I have a peavey max 115-II that i bought and was expecting money to come in to buy a better setup but basically got screwed out of it so i need to do with what i have.
In the one situation this amp is plenty but in the other im getting buried. And with summer coming and possible outdoor stuff i need more.
I figure id just spend the $300 and get another and stack them.
Bobby from peavey gave me a diagram to try but i dont feel comfortable messing with the electronics inside and soddering.
Now.....
Is it as simple as i can just take the d.i. out and input it into the other amps input?
Would stacking combos result in weird sound issues?
I figured it was same as stacking cabs.

 

[tgriley62]

You need a A/B-Y box. This will alow you to run either one or both combo's at once. Stacking the combo's will let you hear your sound better. I can not tell you what using two matched combo's will sound like though

 

[Slough Feg Bass]

you can use a tuner that has 2 outputs, many do, and just run both outs to both amps.
That's what I would do.

 

[funnyfingers]

You should be able to use the effects loop. Send from 1 and return to the other. I tested this out with 2 I have at home and did it because the manual manuals me to.

 

[funnyfingers]

Or possibly send to input of other... It is in my Rumble 350 manual and tested it to my crate bx100...

 

[shawshank72]

You should be able to use the effects loop. Send from 1 and return to the other. I tested this out with 2 I have at home and did it because the manual manuals me to.

There is no effects loop.

 

[funnyfingers]

Are the inputs and outputs adjustable? That should work as well...

 

[Steve Dallman]

I looked up your amp. It does have an effects loop right on the front panel. The big thing though is that this is a 60watt amp and even two won't get you much volume and punch.

 

[shawshank72]

I looked up your amp. It does have an effects loop right on the front panel. The big thing though is that this is a 60watt amp and even two won't get you much volume and punch.

Mine is the peavey max 115-II
its the 300w new version

 

[shawshank72]

Are the inputs and outputs adjustable? That should work as well...

Only output on amp is the direct out

 

[RickenBoogie]

Just get a buffered (active) AB/Y splitter box, or a stereo fx pedal. Run bass into pedal or splitter, and 2 lines from there to each amp.

 

[experimental bassist]

What you are asking for is very simple. All you need is a second guitar cable (and the second combo of course!)

Your amp has two inputs, active and passive.

Plug your bass into whichever one you always use.

Take another guitar cord, plug one end into the other input, and plug the other end into the input of the second combo.

Just make sure you have both combos plugged into the same power strip, and you won't have to worry about electric interference/phase/or grounding issues.

Adjust volume and eq of both combos to taste, and enjoy your stack.

 

[shawshank72]

Dont see how two inputs and no outputs would work like that.....

 

[experimental bassist]

The two inputs are parallel. It's like a built in splitter.

I've done it countless times over the years.

 

[two fingers]

The two inputs are parallel. It's like a built in splitter.

I've done it countless times over the years.

This. I have an old PA100 (Fender tube four channel PA head). It has two inputs in each of the four channels. I can chain them together all day long. If it has two inputs, odds are they are parallel. (In fact I can't imagine any other way they would be wired.) So you are good to go. Run from the bass to one input. Run OUT of the other input into either input of the other amp.

 

[shawshank72]

Thank you
Will give it a try in the next week or so.

 

[funnyfingers]

I can't find this manual, but if both inputs are plugged, the input of the bass to the primary might end up using the -6DB pad so you might need to put it into the -6DB input of the secondary combo.

 

[lowend1]

This is what you want to use. I do it with two Ampeg B100R combos. Works like a charm.
http://www.tonebone.com/re-bigshot-aby.htm

 

[anderbass]

Mine is the peavey max 115-II
its the 300w new version

I checked out your manual and might have a better way to link 2 of your combos, but I need to know if plugging headphones into your headphone jack automatically mutes its speaker or not? (usually they do, but I noticed your model has a separate speaker mute switch, so...)

Because if the headphone jack does not mute the speaker, you could simply patch a cable (with 1/8" TRS plugs on both ends), from the headphone jack of your master/top-combo to the AUX Input of your bottom combo. Cool thing about this method is you'd only have to adjust the tone/volume knobs on the top combo, to control both amps. (believe me, thats way better than trying to make quick knob adjustments to each combo at a gig)

As an similar alternative, you could also try patching from the XLR/DI-out of your top/master combo, to the AUX Input of the bottom/slave combo.

Either one of these alternatives would be more like linking 2 combos that were equipped with effects loops.

 

[busapilot911]

Another option that opens a few doors is to buy a small mixer (could just be a line miver or something like a Behringer 502, 802, etc). Now you have a few inputs (nice if you use multiple basses, keys, etc) and the mixer will have a stereo out. Left out to one amp, right out to the other.
The small mixers range from 20 to 80 bucks