Re: [Harp-L] RE: Two Amps

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Lenny M wrote:
<This sounds like the ticket to me. Very cool... lenny m
<
<
<Mike Lynch <slapbackslim@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:  I've done this quite a bit, 
<with both Fender and Gibson amps. I had the best results using an A/B/Y 
<box. Wtth this device, you can play through either amp or both 
<together. The box I used (still have it) was manufactured by Whirlwind. 
<The double Gibson setup (a GA-20T and a GA-8) sounded excellent.

Another approach that costs a few dollars more, but adds a lot of 
flexibility, is to use an inexpensive small stereo mixer, like the 
Behringer UB502 or UB802.  Run the mic to one of the inputs on the 
mixer, pan the mic straight up the middle, and run a line from each side 
of the stereo mixer output to a different amp.

This is flexible in lots of different ways:
1) If you have an effects device, like a delay or reverb, that you want 
to use with both amps, you can put it on the effect send from the 
Behringer, where it will affect both outputs (keeping in mind, of 
course, that you'll be adding the effect before your amp does its work, 
not after, so the effect sound will be colored by the sound of the 
amp(s)).
2)  By changing the panning for the mic input, you can control how much 
signal from the mic goes to each of the amps--in other words, you can 
use the mixer to mix the combined output signal.
3)  You can use multiple mics--just run them to different input channels 
on the mixer.
4)  You can use low-Z mics without an adapter, because the mixer has XLR 
inputs as well as 1/4" inputs.  For that matter, you can use both low-Z 
and hi-Z mics at the same time.
5)  You can even add a third amp to the setup if you like, by running a 
line from the mixer effects return to the third amp.

A good ABY box costs about $30-40.  The Behringer UB502 and UB802 cost 
about $40-50 respectively.  For the extra ten bucks, you get a lot more 
flexibility.

On the down side, you can't switch amps with the mixer just by clicking 
on a footswitch--you have to change the panning by turning a knob. 
That's more difficult in particular if you put the mixer on the floor. 
But with a footswitch, you can't mix the amps--you can only switch 
between them or combine them.  And of course, you can use the mixer for
lots of other things too.

I bought a UB802 especially for this purpose, after reading an article 
in Recording magazine about how Korn's guitarist recorded an album with 
his guitar lined into four amps at once.  It works.

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com
Latest MP3s always at http://www.broadjam.com/rhunter