Combining two amps in Stereo?

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viendette

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So I'm looking to combine my mark iic+ with my iii. I have a stereo chorus with a mono/stereo output that I'd like to put between the amps. How would I go about doing this properly? Does the chorus go into the front of the amps? Effect loop? Personal preference? And do I combine both amps through the Direct/slave output in the back?

I also have an open back 4x12 (I'm assuming I have to re-wire it and set it up to run stereo as it has one output right now, other than that I'd need two cabs correct?)

Your step by step guide would be greatly appreciated as I don't want to mess this up.

Thanks.
 
Both amps always need speakers hooked up.
Just run the chorus out front feeding both amps.

You might have phase or noise problems caused by a ground loop. This can happen any time you use more than one amp.

You might want to look into these topics...
1 - Phase
2- Isolation transform
3 - Ground lift.... Very important to understand the potential of electrocution when doing this.
4 - Buffers
 
Are they both heads or is one a combo?

If both can run independently through speakers already then chorus in front will sound OK but channel switching can becomes an issue.

I generally use a chorus and stereo in/out rack multi-Fx/reverb (it can also take mono in from Fx send and make a big stereo image,

So I use my mk3 as my preamp, I put a chorus and my lexicon rack Fx in the loop. Fx send > chorus > rack Fx (stereo in) > L channel to Fx return & R channel to Fx return of amp 2.

That way my mk3 is the 'master' for gain and channel switching and the power section of the 2nd amp is acting like standalone poweamp. Saved me buying a simulclass 2:50 or 90:90 rack power amp :)

I don't set it up this way often as moving a heavy combo and my big Mesa cab & an extra amp to a gig is a pain but proper stereo reverb and delays are absolutely glorious when I do.

I've not had any ground noise issues but as mentioned, you need to be aware and I always use an RCD device too.

Luckily my rack Fx had input level controls so I can adjust for the Fx level which can get quite high with my mark 3 depending on settings.

FYI... you can still get a great stereo Fx by plugging that extra output into almost any amp, even a cheap practice amp as it tricks the brain just as good into hearing the extra modulation.
 
Promethean said:
So I use my mk3 as my preamp, I put a chorus and my lexicon rack Fx in the loop. Fx send > chorus > rack Fx (stereo in) > L channel to Fx return & R channel to Fx return of amp 2.
Yeah this would be my advice too. It'll be much easier to control, and if you're going for CHORUS you want the two sides to be as identical as possible (aside from the chorus effect)...as opposed to having them running through two different preamps.

You might also need some kind of isolation setup, which could be an effect box or just a 3->2 prong adaptor on one head.

Finally, some guitar heads are out of phase with each other although this may not be an issue if you're bypassing the second head's preamp. With both amps connected, turn the chorus effect off and mute/unmute one of the amps. If having both amps on makes things less bassy, you probably have a phase problem.
 
Promethean said:
Are they both heads or is one a combo?

If both can run independently through speakers already then chorus in front will sound OK but channel switching can becomes an issue.

I generally use a chorus and stereo in/out rack multi-Fx/reverb (it can also take mono in from Fx send and make a big stereo image,

So I use my mk3 as my preamp, I put a chorus and my lexicon rack Fx in the loop. Fx send > chorus > rack Fx (stereo in) > L channel to Fx return & R channel to Fx return of amp 2.

That way my mk3 is the 'master' for gain and channel switching and the power section of the 2nd amp is acting like standalone poweamp. Saved me buying a simulclass 2:50 or 90:90 rack power amp :)

I don't set it up this way often as moving a heavy combo and my big Mesa cab & an extra amp to a gig is a pain but proper stereo reverb and delays are absolutely glorious when I do.

I've not had any ground noise issues but as mentioned, you need to be aware and I always use an RCD device too.

Luckily my rack Fx had input level controls so I can adjust for the Fx level which can get quite high with my mark 3 depending on settings.

FYI... you can still get a great stereo Fx by plugging that extra output into almost any amp, even a cheap practice amp as it tricks the brain just as good into hearing the extra modulation.

They're both heads. I'm trying to get my pedalboard into the effects loop and run the Radail ABY up front to switch and or combine amps. The confusing part is setting up the pedal board to run between both amps through the effects loop.

Current setup: Amp 1 (send) > tuner > Isp Decimator > Mxr Stereo Chorus (mono out) > Deluxe Memory Man (echo out) > Strymon Bluesky. (front of the amps has the radial ABY box) I get stumped around the modulation effects. What goes where into the effects loop? I want to run both amps controls individually as opposed to one as a power and the other as a pre-amp. As you can tell I'm confused. the amps are running into one 4x12 stereo cab.
 

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