Suggested Stereo Amp Setup - Help!?

[fastlanestoner]

For me dual amp setups are all in the combo of amps. They should compliment one another.

You can also get a stereo amp like a JC120 and mic both speakers.

Be wary of things that offer "stereo" features that are really just dual mono

[nedorama]

I'd just get two amps and be done with it. that way, you can have different flavors of clean/dirt, and can switch between them. Also, for gigs where a stereo rig isn't practical, you can still gig on 1 amp.

I don't know of any amps that have 2 inputs and 2 different outputs -- they're mono.

On the Roland Jazz Chorus, I believe you only get a "stereo" effect if the chorus effect is on. Otherwise, it's like a normal amp.

[Bill@WelcomeHome]

There is a difference between stereo, dual mono, and two stereo amps. From this:"..., as I have an A/B/Y setup with a momentary switch for creating dub-style feedback delays from time to time. So would be nice if both inputs were stereo!..." it appears that you want two stereo amps.

I can't advise you, because I don't think that stereo works on stage. True stereo requires that a listener be seated within a narrow space wherein he can hear both signals appropriately. This is seldom possible for all of the audience in a live performance venue.

[nedorama]

Good point; in the US, a lot of the smaller clubs/stages the PA is run in mono, so the audience may not get the full effect; if the amps are right next to each other, you'll hear yourself in stereo, but not everyone else will.

Also raises the question - what to put in the monitors for everyone else? sometimes stereo, especially pseudo-stereo effects, collapse when you sum to mono because of how they're achieving "stereo."

Another way to do it is what Eric Johnson and others do which is have the amps in mono, but then put the mics into a mixer and blend in stereo effects with aux sends. You then can send FOH your mix as you want, and you'd be able to ensure the wet/dry mix is relevant for different venues.

Can you describe a little more the type of venues you'd be playing (size, # of people) so we can understand if it's a bar/club or a venue with a 30' stage.

[Manfrensengensen]

True stereo would require 2 amps, and as stated a lot of FOH systems are setup Mono. IMHO it's a waste of money and effort except for recording purposes and then you would prob isolate the amps for that.

[Silent Sound]

I use a stereo rig and love it! I'd highly suggest getting two separate amps and cabinets, or two different combo amps. The problem with running stereo from a single cabinet is unless you're standing within 5 feet of the amp, you're not going to hear it in stereo. You can mic each speaker, but that's not always easy to do at a gig. Really though, the secret to a great sounding stereo rig knowing what you want from it when you set it up. If you have a very large stage, you can place one on each end and create some stereo separation. The problem with this is unless you're sitting in the dead middle, you're not going to get a true stereo sound. If you're right in front of one amp, you'll likely not hear much from the other, if anything at all. At some point, if you get back far enough in the crowd, it starts to get pretty mono anyway. The sweet spot for a stereo rig set up this way is going to be pretty small.

That's why I set up my stereo rig so that one amp is pointed directly at the audience, and the other is pointed so as to bounce the sound off the nearest wall or ceiling or whatever works best in that venue, so that the audience is getting a direct and reflected sound. In order to take full advantage of this effect, I use complimentary amps. One is bright and punchy, the other warm and robust. The amp reflecting off the wall is usually turned up a bit louder, but it actually sounds quieter to the audience. I will also sometimes throw some reverb on the reflected amp, and keep the forward facing amp sans reverb.

With this setup, your effects will take on different characteristics. For example, with my Stereo Pulsar, the sound doesn't seem to bounce from left to right, like how the pedal was probably intended, but instead seems to bounce from near to far. Stereo delay pedals sound especially rich this way (I always use the Ping Pong setting)! Chorus and rotary effects still sound good, but they probably benefit better from a left to right setup. Oddly enough, some mono effects also benefit from this setup. For instance, my wah pedal. With the toe down, the brighter amp pointed directly at the audience takes over, and with the heel down, the darker reflected amp becomes more prominent. It's not as pronounced an effect as I get from the true stereo effects, but it does add a bit of depth to sound that would not otherwise be there.

I know this technique produces some cool sounds because I'm always getting compliments from people after the show about what an amazing guitar player I am. Other guitarists are usually especially impressed. Truth be told, I'm mediocre at best. I better with the knobs on my pedals than I am with the fretboard, but hey, people seem to like it, and I like it too! I guess I'm just one of those guys whose better at playing one note 1,000 different ways than I am at playing 1,000 different notes one way. The thing is I tend to get more compliments and attention after a show than my other band mates, and they are WAY more skilled and talented than I am. I just spent more money on gadgets.