Over the past week I was able to test a couple of AB pedal switches before purchase, and here are my findings:
I tested the Whirlwind 'Selector' and the Morley 'ABY' both pedals are available from Musicians friend etc. The Whirlwind is around $90, the Morley about $55. In this case, you get what you pay for!
Both pedals require a 9V battery to accomplish the switching tasks. Both work as one guitar into two amps or in reverse, 2 guitars into one amp etc. The Morley turns on when the B input is plugged in (kind of weird), the WW turns on when something is plugged into the input (makes more sense to me). Advantage: Whirlwind. Both pedals put a bit of noise into your signal path. At first I thought it was just the less expensive Morley pedal, but the WW exhibited some noise as well. Neither one was more noisey than the other, to my ears. I guess this is just the nature of the beast with an inline AB switch. Advantage: tie. The WW features momentary switches and virtually noiseless switching. The Morley was noisey as hell with a solid 'chunk' each time you stepped on a switch. Advantage: Whirlwind.
Last but not least, the Morley exhibited significant bleed-through, in that you could still hear your guitar even when that amp was supposed to be shut off. The WW was dead quiet (save for some hum) when that particular channel was switched off. Advantage: Whirlwind. The Whirlwind also offers an external plug for a 9V adapter, battery only for the Morley. Advantage: Whirlwind. One feature that I did like about the Morley; it is flatter and the switches are placed further apart.
So, obviously I went with the Whirlwind. I want an AB switch to do actual switching, and do it quietly. A noisy switch that 'kind of' turns off the input, just doesn't cut it. The Whirlwind was definitely worth the extra dollars $$.
[img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]
I tested the Whirlwind 'Selector' and the Morley 'ABY' both pedals are available from Musicians friend etc. The Whirlwind is around $90, the Morley about $55. In this case, you get what you pay for!
Both pedals require a 9V battery to accomplish the switching tasks. Both work as one guitar into two amps or in reverse, 2 guitars into one amp etc. The Morley turns on when the B input is plugged in (kind of weird), the WW turns on when something is plugged into the input (makes more sense to me). Advantage: Whirlwind. Both pedals put a bit of noise into your signal path. At first I thought it was just the less expensive Morley pedal, but the WW exhibited some noise as well. Neither one was more noisey than the other, to my ears. I guess this is just the nature of the beast with an inline AB switch. Advantage: tie. The WW features momentary switches and virtually noiseless switching. The Morley was noisey as hell with a solid 'chunk' each time you stepped on a switch. Advantage: Whirlwind.
Last but not least, the Morley exhibited significant bleed-through, in that you could still hear your guitar even when that amp was supposed to be shut off. The WW was dead quiet (save for some hum) when that particular channel was switched off. Advantage: Whirlwind. The Whirlwind also offers an external plug for a 9V adapter, battery only for the Morley. Advantage: Whirlwind. One feature that I did like about the Morley; it is flatter and the switches are placed further apart.
So, obviously I went with the Whirlwind. I want an AB switch to do actual switching, and do it quietly. A noisy switch that 'kind of' turns off the input, just doesn't cut it. The Whirlwind was definitely worth the extra dollars $$.
[img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]