Best way to split guitar to signal to into 2 inputs of Axe FX III

Z

ZippityZippity

Member
Hello all! I am looking to split my guitar signal to simultaneously go into input 1 and input 2 (L) of my Axe Fx III. I'm using 2 amps in my preset, one cleaner (fed by input 2L) and the other dirtier (fed by input 1). I have a pedalboard with various boost/ dirt pedals and I want some of them to go to both, some just to the clean amp, and some just to the dirty amp; and thus my desire to split my signal before going into the Axe Fx III. Unfortunately, none of the pedals I am using have stereo out. From what I can tell the 2 most basic ways to do this is either use a Y cable, or an ABY box. My questions are:

Has anyone used a simple Y cable to accomplish this? If so, what were your results? And, are there any specific models you would recommend, or are there any specs that I should look into before purchasing one?

Has anyone used an ABY to accomplish this? If so what were your results? And, are there any specific models you would recommend, or are there any specs that I should look into before purchasing one? I know there are many features that differentiate models, 2 of the biggest ones being ground lift and phase inversion. However, from what I can tell these features are mainly used to alleviate issues arising from running 2 physical amps so I don't know if these features would be necessary in my situation with the Axe Fx III?

Finally if anyone has tried both, I'd really love to know if you favored one solution over the other. Thanks so much Axe community for any help!!

-ZZ
 
Not sure why you need to split the input.

Are you wanting to blend 2 amp blocks? - if yes, activating any given single external (or modelled) pedal, placed before the 2 blended parallel amp blocks will boost/od both equally if the amps are set to take the pedals' output (ie amp blocks input set to L+R).

If you are not blending amp blocks and using one amp or the other, again, activating whichever one of the pedals placed before these amps will affect the active amp.

3rd scenario - If you are wanting to blend 2 amps hard panned L/R with separate and different active OD pedals, or you want parallel L/R active mono drive pedals, then this would require a L/R external drive pedals setup (easy to do with modelled drives, but would need external pedals to be separated onto a L/R path separeately - still no split input needed though). But I don't get from your post that blending amps / drives in any way is what you intend, so I don't see the need for split input.
 
Last edited:
sprint said:
Not sure why you need to split the input.

Are you wanting to blend 2 amp blocks? - if yes, activating any given single external (or modelled) pedal, placed before the 2 blended parallel amp blocks will boost/od both equally if the amps are set to take the pedals' output (ie L+R).

If you are not blending amp blocks and using one amp or the other, again, activating whichever one of the pedals placed before these amps will affect the active amp.

3rd scenario - If you are wanting to blend 2 amps hard panned L/R and you want different drive pedals boosting each amp, then this would require a L/R external drive pedals setup (easy to do with modelled drives). But I don't get from your post that blending amps in any way is what you intend, so I don't see the need for split input.
Click to expand...
So I mainly use the Axe Fx for recording songs, so I mix my guitar tracks in my DAW vs blending them together in the Axe Fx. I usually use 2 amps, each recorded to their own track. One is cleaner and the other is dirtier. I use the clean track mainly for the transients and attack and the dirty track for the sustain and "meat of my tone" if you will. I like using my pedals in front of the Axe Fx, however I want my clean track to be less saturated than my dirty track. So I would like to be able to track with a cleaner signal feeding into my clean amp (via input 2L) and a more saturated signal feeding my dirty amp (via input 1) and I would like to use a splitter in my physical signal path so that way I can send a cleaner signal to input 2L and a separate signal with more pedals in it (that I don't want applied to the cleaner signal) to input 1. I hope that make sense lol?
 
Zedhed said:
Or plug straight into AxeFx and split on the grid with pedals in loops?
Click to expand...
So I was doing that before, but I was using my pedals first thing in my chain so I don't need any Axe fx processing between my guitar and the pedals ya know? Also I didn't like that

a) i was using more cable than if I could just split my signal before hitting the Axe Fx

b) I'm trying to cut down on the number of AD/DA conversions
 
Radial is a most trusted brand for me. I used a JX2 to run two amps simultaneously with reversed polarity (basically the delay trick to make it sound like two guitars) and it sounded massive. It has some features such as that one that you might not need, so the Bigshot might be the one for you.
 
ZippityZippity said:
So I mainly use the Axe Fx for recording songs, so I mix my guitar tracks in my DAW vs blending them together in the Axe Fx. I usually use 2 amps, each recorded to their own track. One is cleaner and the other is dirtier. I use the clean track mainly for the transients and attack and the dirty track for the sustain and "meat of my tone" if you will. I like using my pedals in front of the Axe Fx, however I want my clean track to be less saturated than my dirty track. So I would like to be able to track with a cleaner signal feeding into my clean amp (via input 2L) and a more saturated signal feeding my dirty amp (via input 1) and I would like to use a splitter in my physical signal path so that way I can send a cleaner signal to input 2L and a separate signal with more pedals in it (that I don't want applied to the cleaner signal) to input 1. I hope that make sense lol?
Click to expand...
k - clear now, thanks - still thinking this should be possible without splitting input though - pondering ...
 
ZippityZippity said:
So I mainly use the Axe Fx for recording songs, so I mix my guitar tracks in my DAW vs blending them together in the Axe Fx. I usually use 2 amps, each recorded to their own track. One is cleaner and the other is dirtier. I use the clean track mainly for the transients and attack and the dirty track for the sustain and "meat of my tone" if you will. I like using my pedals in front of the Axe Fx, however I want my clean track to be less saturated than my dirty track. So I would like to be able to track with a cleaner signal feeding into my clean amp (via input 2L) and a more saturated signal feeding my dirty amp (via input 1) and I would like to use a splitter in my physical signal path so that way I can send a cleaner signal to input 2L and a separate signal with more pedals in it (that I don't want applied to the cleaner signal) to input 1. I hope that make sense lol?
Click to expand...
so, after some pondering - I still don't think you need dual input which is going to be awkward + it may be tricky to get the exact same signal coming into the grid on both due to special input sauce on input1 only. As in the example below, if you go out L/R through loop3 (I use loop3 because it is unity gain so best for pre pedals) into your mono OD pedals with your clean amp OD pedals in loop3L and your dirt amp OD pedals in loop3R (same separation / order as you would set them up with split input), then back in to hard panned amp blocks 1 and 2 set up for Input L and R respectively, and then into a stereo hard panned cab block, then output1 to your DAW will yield your Clean L with active clean OD pedals, and your Dirt R with active dirt OD pedals. L/R could be separated / mixed in DAW (or in the preset, ie if you wanted the two going out separately (add Vol blocks to send L to out1 and R to out2)).

methinks... maybe?

1675223137619.png
 

Attachments

  • DUAL PEDAL PATH.syx
    48.2 KB · Views: 1
Last edited:
Don't use input 1 and 2L, just use 2L and 2R. There will be a tone difference and a very slight phase difference when using 1 and 2L.

As far as splitting the signal, sounds like you need a signal line with certain pedals for input 2L and a signal path for certain pedals into 2R. The easiest thing to do would be to get a stereo DI (1/4" input to dual 1/4" out) and go from the DI into each signal chain.
 
blastbeatdown said:
Radial is a most trusted brand for me. I used a JX2 to run two amps simultaneously with reversed polarity (basically the delay trick to make it sound like two guitars) and it sounded massive. It has some features such as that one that you might not need, so the Bigshot might be the one for you.
Click to expand...
Thanks man! I appreciate the recommendation and I think the Radial stuff is looking more and more appetizing
 
sprint said:
so, after some pondering - I still don't think you need dual input which is going to be awkward + it may be tricky to get the exact same signal coming into the grid on both due to special input sauce on input1 only. As in the example below, if you go out L/R through loop3 (I use loop3 because it is unity gain so best for pre pedals) into your mono OD pedals with your clean amp OD pedals in loop3L and your dirt amp OD pedals in loop3R (same separation / order as you would set them up with split input), then back in to hard panned amp blocks 1 and 2 set up for Input L and R respectively, and then into a stereo hard panned cab block, then output1 to your DAW will yield your Clean L with active clean OD pedals, and your Dirt R with active dirt OD pedals. L/R could be separated / mixed in DAW (or in the preset, ie if you wanted the two going out separately (add Vol blocks to send L to out1 and R to out2)).

methinks... maybe?

View attachment 115420
Click to expand...
Thanks man! So I was using loops to accomplish this before but I wasn't using any Axe Fx processing before the pedals so I want to go ahead and put my pedals in front of the Axe Fx. Also I didn't like that:

a) i was using more cable than if I could just split my signal before hitting the Axe Fx

b) I'm trying to cut down on the number of AD/DA conversions
 
boyce89976 said:
Don't use input 1 and 2L, just use 2L and 2R. There will be a tone difference and a very slight phase difference when using 1 and 2L.

As far as splitting the signal, sounds like you need a signal line with certain pedals for input 2L and a signal path for certain pedals into 2R. The easiest thing to do would be to get a stereo DI (1/4" input to dual 1/4" out) and go from the DI into each signal chain.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks for the recommendation! So the phasing issue is something I am really trying to figure out. I admit my knowledge of phase cancelation is rather miniscule, but I've been trying to figure out if phase issues will pertain to my situation with the Axe Fx. Do you happen to know why sending the signal into input 1 and input 2L will result in phase issues? The main reason why I want to use input 1 though is because I record a DI track when recording so I use input 1 for that.
 
ZippityZippity said:
Hello all! I am looking to split my guitar signal to simultaneously go into input 1 and input 2 (L) of my Axe Fx III. I'm using 2 amps in my preset, one cleaner (fed by input 2L) and the other dirtier (fed by input 1). I have a pedalboard with various boost/ dirt pedals and I want some of them to go to both, some just to the clean amp, and some just to the dirty amp; and thus my desire to split my signal before going into the Axe Fx III. Unfortunately, none of the pedals I am using have stereo out. From what I can tell the 2 most basic ways to do this is either use a Y cable, or an ABY box. My questions are:

Has anyone used a simple Y cable to accomplish this? If so, what were your results? And, are there any specific models you would recommend, or are there any specs that I should look into before purchasing one?

Has anyone used an ABY to accomplish this? If so what were your results? And, are there any specific models you would recommend, or are there any specs that I should look into before purchasing one? I know there are many features that differentiate models, 2 of the biggest ones being ground lift and phase inversion. However, from what I can tell these features are mainly used to alleviate issues arising from running 2 physical amps so I don't know if these features would be necessary in my situation with the Axe Fx III?

Finally if anyone has tried both, I'd really love to know if you favored one solution over the other. Thanks so much Axe community for any help!!

-ZZ
Click to expand...

I'm not clear on whether you're saying you blend the two paths or not. If not, you don't have to worry about phase issues. If you are blending, are any of your path-specific pedals digital? That would probably be the biggest source of any phase issues. In any case, don't use a y cable. Any buffered splitter will work fine.
 
GlennO said:
I'm not clear on whether you're saying you blend the two paths or not. If not, you don't have to worry about phase issues. If you are blending, are any of your path-specific pedals digital? That would probably be the biggest source of any phase issues. In any case, don't use a y cable. Any buffered splitter will work fine.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your comment man! So I am not blending the channels and I am not using any digital pedals. Thanks for mentioning to avoid the Y cable solution. Do you mind if I ask why you recommend against them though?
 
GlennO said:
You'll get a voltage drop if you don't use a buffered splitter. JHS makes one:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...fered-splitter-micro-single-in-dual-out-pedal

Another option, instead of splitting, since you're not using both paths at the same time, would be to use a switcher, something like a Boss MS3. That might even make it easier to manage your pedal configuration.
Click to expand...
Shoot I made a mistake in describing my setup. I actually am blending the channels but it's in my DAW in post recording (I record each path to separate tracks in my DAW). So I actually am using the paths simultaneously. And I actually just got a tumnus that I use as my buffer before before I split the signal. I've seen that JHS buffered splitter before and I think it seems like the simplest and most cost efficient option. But I have been looking at the Boss loopers/ switchers and I like them but they might be overkill for my needs. Thanks for recommendations!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom