Question: 4 amps in parallel, all on all the time... possible?

boyce89976

boyce89976

Experienced
Here’s the scenario... I’d like to be able to pair a Fender style amp with a Vox style amp, but Fender’s headroom creates issues with the stereo spread when hitting the amps with a boost causing the stereo field to lean toward the Fender.

What I’d like to do, is have a Vox panned L/R and a Fender panned L/R (all 4 blocked parallel to one another) so I can take advantage of the extra headroom in the Fender without causing an imbalance in the stereo field and still get the best off both worlds.

Is that possible in the current firmware? Or would that create issues I’m not thinking about?

important note, I run a pedalboard into the AXE III... everything in front of the amps.
 
The Axe-FX III only allows two AMP instances. AMP blocks are Mono. Both Series and Parallel configurations are possible.
 
boyce89976 said:
What I’d like to do, is have a Vox panned L/R and a Fender panned L/R (all 4 blocked parallel to one another) so I can take advantage of the extra headroom in the Fender without causing an imbalance in the stereo field and still get the best off both worlds.
Click to expand...
Are you running any stereo effects before hitting the amp blocks? If not, you won’t be able to hear stereo unless you have different settings on each amp. For example, if you have a mono FX chain that is split into 2 Fender amp blocks panned L/R, you would need different settings on the amps for it to sound like stereo. Same thing happens if you add in another pair of Vox amps.
 
Piing said:
The Axe-FX III only allows two AMP instances. AMP blocks are Mono. Both Series and Parallel configurations are possible.
Click to expand...
Bummer!
getlostinsound said:
How badly do you want to be able to do this? It is possible, but you would need two Axe FX units! It isn’t that crazy, considering the number of people who gig stereo tube amps...
Click to expand...
That's an option!
getlostinsound said:
Are you running any stereo effects before hitting the amp blocks? If not, you won’t be able to hear stereo unless you have different settings on each amp. For example, if you have a mono FX chain that is split into 2 Fender amp blocks panned L/R, you would need different settings on the amps for it to sound like stereo. Same thing happens if you add in another pair of Vox amps.
Click to expand...
Yes, stereo out of my pedalboard into input 1 and input 2.
 
4 amp not possible.
Why not use 2 amp, panned? Or...
Why not scroll among other amps to find one that suit more your taste and need?
 
boyce89976 said:
but Fender’s headroom creates issues with the stereo spread when hitting the amps with a boost causing the stereo field to lean toward the Fender.
Click to expand...

A few other options are:
  • Put a compressor inline with the Fender to bring down the headroom/linearity
  • When boosting, turn on a filter after the Vox that increases the level of the Vox to be in better balance with the Fender
  • (I think possible) Put a dynamic compressor inline with the Vox sidechained to the Fender so when the Fender is louder the Vox gets louder
None of these will be perfect as the response of the Vox and Fender are different, but you could get them closer.
 
chris said:
can you adjust the Fender to have less headroom?
Click to expand...
That's how I'm doing it now using gain, speaker compression and output compression, to try to balance the two, but it's pretty tedious, and changes slightly based on the guitar used. With my wish, you would simply set it up like this: Vox/Fender (Left) --- Vox/Fender (Right)... I think it would be MUCH easier that way (maybe not for Cliff, haha), and one 1/2 of your audience doesn't hear just one amp.
 
peteri said:
Or

Get rid of the pedalboard - run it all in the Axe, much easier!

Sorry couldn't resist
Click to expand...
I'm about to pull the trigger on the FC12, but I don't think it will replace my pedalboard as my #1 go to. For fly dates tho the FC12 would be perfect. We'll see. I'll be happy if it does, but I like to tweak pedals as I go. ;)
 
judging from Cliff's public comments on this topic, i just don't see this one happening.

there is always going to be a request for "more" of anything. if we get 4 amps, someone will want 6 or 8. it may never end.

i'd suggest trying different amps to see if any work better than the current fender style you're using.

boyce89976 said:
but I like to tweak pedals as I go. ;)
Click to expand...
check out the Perform Pages where you can add parameters from various blocks for quick adjustment on the front panel.
 
At the end of the day, there is a equalization spectrum. Different amps accentuate different peaks and valleys. As you add more amplifiers, you will have more peaks and the essentially wash out any one amplifier's distinct tonal signature. You are basically moving towards creating a wall of noise that is almost across the entire spectrum.

Combine with PEQs, GEQs, and the options within the amplifiers themselves, it seems like a pointless endeavour.
 
boyce89976 said:
Vox/Fender (Left) --- Vox/Fender (Right)... I think it would be MUCH easier that way (maybe not for Cliff, haha), and one 1/2 of your audience doesn't hear just one amp.
Click to expand...

Unless I'm missing what you are saying, if you want both Fender & Vox models going to your L + R outs, you can do that now: center them (which is default).
 
yyz67 said:
Unless I'm missing what you are saying, if you want both Fender & Vox models going to your L + R outs, you can do that now: center them (which is default).
Click to expand...
he has a stereo input from an external pedal board. so he wants 2 copies of each amp one for left and one for right, with the pairs running stereo inputs from the pedal board. the axe3 currently can't quad amp setups.
 
to get the sound of both amps you need to put your stereo pedalboard in the loop after the amps - this is the same as when using the axe-fx effects for stereo effects
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom