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  • #1

    Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

    All right... I'm having an episode again... So bear with me.

    Has anyone ever ran two preamps AT THE SAME TIME parallel into a power amp?

    I have this screwy idea about adding my Sansamp PSA-1 or Voodu Valve to a loop parallel with my CAE3+se to get this one sound that the CAE doesn't quite get on its own. The first two get it, as they have that solid state tightness, but are lacking in overall tone, and need the CAE tone to carry them...

    I have ideas about that I would of course need a mixer of some sort of course to combine the signals... Just curious if anyone has ever done this...

    Any comments, other than about my sanity?

    [ January 27, 2003, 08:03 PM: Message edited by: Cleveland Metal ]
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  • #2
    Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

    I did something like that for a while... Did it the cheap way--probably not a way you would want to LEAVE like this, but a good way to get an idea of how it would sound...

    Y-Cables...yep, Y-Cables. For a while, I was doing different things with using Y-Cables to mix the sounds of things together like that. It's not really the optimum or proper way to do it, but it's cheap, and will give you some idea of how the two units might sound together. Gotta split out from the guitar signal somehow, first. You didn't ask about that, so I'm guessing you've already got an idea of what you want to use or have something you can use for that. Then, 2 sets of Y-Cables can be used to mix the signals from the preamps to the power amp. You might get some signal degredation from mixing the signals, but it's a good, cheap way to see if it's even worth going to a more expensive/elaborate extent.

    An even cheaper way to go, to get...well...some slight idea of how they might sound would be to just use one of the outputs from each preamp into each side of the power amp. Should give you at least some idea of how it might sound.

    But, yep, to my understanding, the best "real" way to do the job is with a mixer unit. That's what people used to always tell me. I don't know jack about mixers to tell you what's a good one or the best way to go about doing that, though.

    BUT...email me, John. I think you have exactly the same situation I had with my Egnater M4, and I think I can give you some other ideas that might help the situation and leave you with a more natural sounding, better setup overall.

    [email protected]

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    • #3
      Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

      Gotchya...

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

        Hey Cleveland (John)-

        Good to talk to you again, man...

        Hey, I recorded my whole album with a mixture of multiple preamps. I used a Little Labs splitter box - $$$$$$$ but worth it. Splits three ways with ground lifts on all inputs/outputs. My signal path was from guitar->Bespeco volume pedal->Little Labs splitter->out to:

        *Bogner Fish preamp
        *Matchless GPR preamp
        *Groove Tubes Trio preamp
        *straight signal to built in DI out to Pro Tools for reamping dirty tracks to Amp Farm

        I mixed and matched a blend of all or a selection according to the song. Absolute best unit for this - BUT I currently run just the Matchless and Bogner using my Rocktron Rack Interface unit. At least this is the plan once I get my new rack case.

        BTW, we'd love to have you, Spiderman and Soloist 1 post some more CAE 3+SE clips - more than just Bill dinkin' around (no disrespect BillZ). If you can tell me how to send you audio files, John, I'll have you post a clip or two of my rough mixes so you guys can hear my personal blend of preamps and a description of those clips.

        One last thing: John, did you ever get a ProQ. Before you go through ANY of that rewiring crap, check it out.

        Keep rackin' and rockin'.

        VoodooJer
        [email protected]

        P.S. Keep in mind that if John posts my clips, I am more of a "hard rock" guy, not an Iced Earth guy. My gain is a little more backed off than you guys. FYI. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

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        • #5
          Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

          Hey John Mario makes that splitter that should work well for the scenario you are mentioning. I would give him a call and find out what he has to say about it.
          We must!
          We must!
          We must increase the bust!
          The bigger the better!
          The tighter the sweater!
          The boys are counting on us!

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

            Which are you splitter referring?

            Bear in mind I want to run these at the same time...

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            • #7
              Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

              I believe it is called the BS2.
              We must!
              We must!
              We must increase the bust!
              The bigger the better!
              The tighter the sweater!
              The boys are counting on us!

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

                Ahh, ok. That would nicely split the guitar signal quite well and make sure no problems were there in that process. That is a good piece.

                I still need a way to mix them back together properly though... I hate to think I might have to buy a rack mixer, but that's prolly the wat they do it in the real world, haha...

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

                  Do you absolutely have to mix it back together? Why not run the left stereo side with one and the right with another?
                  We must!
                  We must!
                  We must increase the bust!
                  The bigger the better!
                  The tighter the sweater!
                  The boys are counting on us!

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

                    Well, I don't run stereo... I "usually" use only one channel of the 2150 at shows etc...

                    HOWEVER, I'm gonna see about sending one into one side of the intellifex and the other into the other side, and setting it to be mono output...

                    Hmmm.... It has a sort of a mixing function...

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

                      Another possibility is, a lot of the "switcher" boxes can also be used as "combiner" boxes. I use a Morley A/B/Y switcher, that can be used to combine both A and B inputs into one Y output. I don't notice any degredation in the signal with the Morley.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Parallel preamps question.. woohoo!

                        Wellll, I tried the intellifex as a mixer. Which technically it should work as one. Left and right stereo channels get mixed together if you want inside the unit...

                        Anyways, It sounded like ass... So, bad idea.. haha...

                        I'm getting closer to the sound I want with tubes and creative gain structuring, haha... So, eventually, I'll be there. Maybe, haha...

                        Thanx for the input guys!

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