Stereo Amp Combinations

[Open Lane]

Hi. My name is Greg, from Philadelphia. A couple weeks ago, I bought a Yamaha Billy Sheehan bass. I am in love with it. However, I do not have an amp yet. This bass has a rather unique option of stereo out to hook into 2 amps at one time. I'm trying to decide which amps to get. If I were to get one 1x15 300 watt amp, and a 1x15 150 watt amp, do you think that the volume of the 300 watt amp would strongly overpower the 150 watt?

Does anyone here have experience running stereo through two amps? Could you let me know what your experiences have been and the recommendations you'd make?


Thank you!

 

[Zooberwerx]

Just get one decent amp and be done with it.

Riis

 

[Open Lane]

Just get one decent amp and be done with it.

Riis

Given I paid a premium for a bass with such a feature, I'm interested in utilizing it.

 

[Jeff Scott]

This bass has a rather unique option of stereo out to hook into 2 amps at one time.

What's unique about that? Stereo guitars and basses have been around since the early 1960s (maybe even earlier).

 

[Zooberwerx]

Given I paid a premium for a bass with such a feature, I'm interested in utilizing it.

Fair enough. I would re-shift my focus to a preamp or amp that offers dual channels, one for each pickup, and provides some type of blend to provide a single output. This would allow you to optimize the character of each pickup individually. I did this 35 years ago with a Ric (stereo), Ric-o-Sound box, and my dual channel Sunn Beta Bass...I still remember the Chris Squire "cut the crap" advertisement / endorsement. I, for the life of me, can't think of one comparable unit at the moment.

Riis

 

[Open Lane]

What's unique about that? Stereo guitars and basses have been around since the early 1960s (maybe even earlier).

Excuse me if I used the wrong word. The only reason I called it that is because it was the only one with that option, as a new bass from the website I bought it from. I am well aware that it is not a new type of feature. I did not call it "new," and I did not call it "cutting edge."


I understand what you're getting at though. "Unique" was not the right word.

 

[Open Lane]

Fair enough. I would re-shift my focus to a preamp or amp that offers dual channels, one for each pickup, and provides some type of blend to provide a single output. This would allow you to optimize the character of each pickup individually. I did this 35 years ago with a Ric (stereo), Ric-o-Sound box, and my dual channel Sunn Beta Bass...I still remember the Chris Squire "cut the crap" advertisement / endorsement. I, for the life of me, can't think of one comparable unit at the moment.

Riis

Riis, thank you for your input based on you experience. I'm a big jazz/fusion fan, the best way I can describe the tone I'm looking for is "round" and "fat." I understand that this bass is not exactly the signature bass of a fusion player. Do you have any specific suggestions of such gear to try?

Again, totally appreciate the response.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I see where you're going but there is a point of diminishing return which is why I referenced a dual-channel preamp. It's a pretty cool idea but I cannot attest to useful it will be. Either way, you need something that will serve you well even if the stereo output is not all you though it would be. You can EQ the pups separately, put certain FX in-line with the bridge pup, etc. I've got major brain-stall, so I'll ask the big question:

Can anybody suggest a dual input, dual-channel preamp or integrated head which allows the channels to be blended?!?

Riis

 

[Zooberwerx]

Even a small 4 channel mixer would work. Keep in mind that you'll have to treat the signals as if you were mixing two separate instruments. Each pickup would require its own individual signal path replete with the processors / FX of choice for each and separate DI's. Run your mic cables to their respective channels. Drummers frequently use a similar configuration when spare main mixer channels are scarce. This would give you the desired latitude when mixing. You can also screw with the soundguy's head if he runs FOH in stereo. Send him two feeds and tell him to pan hard left & right.

Riis

 

[GrooverMcTube]

That looks like a pretty cool bass!

From the website:

• Seperate outputs for each pickup with the option to combine both pickups into one output

Having two versions of the same amp would seem to defeat the purpose. The [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]is a low end beast so it seems you might want a low pass filter hooked up to whatever amp you're going to hook up to it, maybe even a sub. The Middle Pickup is a classic P-style so you would want an SVT and an Ampeg 8 x 10. Your neighbors will hate you, but a man's got to do what a man's got to do...

 

[Open Lane]

Thanks, Groover. Ha i have a strong feeling that even if i got 2 1x15 amps hooked up, the walls will literally be shaking. I live in a small house, really need a basement badly to pull of a rig like that. Once the weather gets nice, i am gonna get to practicing/jamming in the backyard. Yes, my neighbors are gonna love me

 

[Open Lane]

This is jumping into and entirely dif topic but how do people around here generally feel about hartke practice amps in a context like this?? They seem well priced and a lot of guys seem to use them. Opinions?

 

[Open Lane]

That looks like a pretty cool bass!

From the website:

• Seperate outputs for each pickup with the option to combine both pickups into one output

Having two versions of the same amp would seem to defeat the purpose. The [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]is a low end beast so it seems you might want a low pass filter hooked up to whatever amp you're going to hook up to it, maybe even a sub. The Middle Pickup is a classic P-style so you would want an SVT and an Ampeg 8 x 10. Your neighbors will hate you, but a man's got to do what a man's got to do...

Btw just looked up the stv. There is no way i can make a stack work in my current house. Looking for bedroom vol levels

 

[Jim Carr]

Does the stereo separation actually matter?
If not, I'd do bass1 -> + bass2 -> small good mixer -> clean amp -> full range cabinet.

Or...maybe you just need a small PA?

 

[FunkHead]

You could definitely use those two amps and just adjust the volumes to sound equal. I would also try switching back & forth to see which pickup works best with each amp. Good luck, looks like a cool bass.

 

[DWBass]

Kinda expensive but.............2 preamps into a power amp. 1 to each channel running in stereo.

 

[Open Lane]

Thanks jim and thanks nyc. I think what i'm gonna have to do is take a little trip to a store in my area that specializes in bass, try the dif options from there. I am just afraid that if i go - i could be pressured into making a decision based on what a salesman wants to sell. I don't think it will do any harm to just try some stuff out though.

 

[4001]

Two matching amps and two matching cabs.

 

[mbelue]

Warwick LWA1000-2 independent channels.

 

[Jim Carr]

Throwing together a couple of different but nice sounding bass amps is not a stereo system. It is just two different sounding amps, which will take EQ differently, have different response to the frequency range of the input, and have differing output response. That is a recipe for eternal knob twiddling, IMHO.

If you really need a stereo system, get an actual stereo system. Two identical and separate channels of audio. That would mean 2 identical cabinets (maybe reverse baffles), 2 identical preamps, and a 2 channel power amp. A mixer might be cheaper than two preamps—each channel of a mixer is, in effect, a simple solid state preamp which can drive a power amp—though you might do well to use a DI on each channel. You can even have a couple of effects loops using either a mixer or two pre-amps.

IMHO, you could control the pan of each pickup better with a mixer, because besides each having channel totally isolated L/R, you can also blend differing amounts of either pickup into both channels with channel Pan controls. That would not be possible with two separate preamps.

Once you have the two channels "pre-amped," FX applied, and levels balanced, then each side of the power amp get's a different input that goes to a speaker. Having identical power and speakers on each side would give you a much better chance at controlling and shaping a stereo image.

I don't know if putting such a system in a typical stereo separation config (cabs at least 8 feet apart) makes any sense—in fact to me it seems pointless unless it is the PA, as the bass is just one voice in a whole set of sounds from a stage. The stage is then by definition "stereo" once its muti-source waveform is turned loose in a room and perceived to by two ears and a brain!