Running stereo live

bdrepko

bdrepko

Fractal Fanatic
Who runs in stereo live and how do you achieve a wide sound? There are several methods such as the enhancer block, pitch detune, delay one channel, multiple amps, etc. Which one do you use and why?
 
2 slightly different amps + cabs hard panned
Stereo wet fx
Enhancer block on classic mode

This combination gives me a very wide stereo image in the IEMs. The width means I’m not competing with content in the center, so I don’t have to turn up my signal as loud to hear myself clearly, which results in a better, more natural sounding mix. I’ve tried the pitch shifting LFO and other tricks on the forum but I don’t really like them, they don’t sound as natural as the enhancer block classic mode which simply delays one side. I’ve also played around with flipping the phase on one side with the enhancer block, but compared to the widening effect of the enhancer block itself, I don’t think it makes a big difference.
 
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As discussed in other threads, "live" and "wide" often work at cross purposes. I run stereo, but I try to keep my primary guitar tone focused. Ambient effects go wider, but amps stay close in the stereo field. If one pans my signal, it's a stereo image, but it's positional--as opposed to stretched across the whole stage as happens with hard pans. Most of my heroes run two amps somewhat out of phase at one side of the stage, and I'm usually thinking of that while designing patches. Cheers.
 
I run a VOX amp and Fender amp, each hard panned. I almost always have a lot of delay and reverb. Delay is often somewhat panned, but not too much, as I don't want a listener to hear all 1/4 note and none of the dotted 8th notes, e.g. The delay, plus reverb, cause a sprinkling of each of those amps' tones onto the other side via effects trails.
 
To obtain a really wide spread, the Enhance Classic block (+-50%) adds some nice girth to a live mix. I prefer that to panning effects. Sometimes panning dual cabs adds some girth, but the Enhance block is where it warms up a live mix...
 
With the AX3, I run 2 different but very similar amps simultaneously, stereo cab block and FX. Untl the FM9 gets gapless, my solution has been to use one amp at a time, but use slightly different cab IRs panned L/R, use a mux to switch amp lead/rhythm changes. I run stereo to FOH and to a pair of on-stage cabs. The effect is subtle in FOH, but every sound tech so far has been supportive of the idea, and later told me the guitar sounded terrific. I only use the Enhancer for nutty glorious lead scenes. Introducing stereo from differing amps/cabs/mics sounds more organic, less obvious.

I can't monitor in stereo with my IEMs due to typical venue limitations (at least not without hauling more crap). I tried using the AX3's mixer to run a custom stereo mix to my IEM xmtr, but without Global support for the mixer block it wasn't really workable. Mono does the job just fine - good IEM support makes a world of difference in a band's performances.
 
I'm running stereo with Fractal since day 1 (more than 10 years).
It used to be in the beginning, 2 real cabs on stage but then I switched to full direct to the mix so sometimes it’s a mix of 2 amps and sometimes mix of 2 cabs but the idea is always panning hard L+R and a pitch block imitating in a way the mimiq pedal, this give the overall sound a wider / bigger feel.

BTW – sometimes I switch to mono when I play lead.
 
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I lean on stereo-izers to give me spread. Stereo delay, chorus, enhancer. MOSTLY I'm sending mono to a stereo system, and I use stereo effects intermittently to punch it up.
 
strabes said:
2 slightly different amps + cabs hard panned
Stereo wet fx
Enhancer block on classic mode

This combination gives me a very wide stereo image in the IEMs. The width means I’m not competing with content in the center, so I don’t have to turn up my signal as loud to hear myself clearly, which results in a better, more natural sounding mix. I’ve tried the pitch shifting LFO and other tricks on the forum but I don’t really like them, they don’t sound as natural as the enhancer block classic mode which simply delays one side. I’ve also played around with flipping the phase on one side with the enhancer block, but compared to the widening effect of the enhancer block itself, I don’t think it makes a big difference.
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Really great for iems but that also means that you are never center focused for foh.
If you play with a keyboard player chances are you a re drown in the mix.
 
I have tried the Pitch block and the enhancer block for stereo. I prefer the enhancer in classic mode with a phase inversion on one side. This gives me the widest possible sound in my IEMs.
 
I use chorus and enhancer, but even without them, I might have 2 of the same amp, one with less treble and more presence, and the other the opposite.
 
strabes said:
2 slightly different amps + cabs hard panned
Stereo wet fx
Enhancer block on classic mode

This combination gives me a very wide stereo image in the IEMs. The width means I’m not competing with content in the center, so I don’t have to turn up my signal as loud to hear myself clearly, which results in a better, more natural sounding mix. I’ve tried the pitch shifting LFO and other tricks on the forum but I don’t really like them, they don’t sound as natural as the enhancer block classic mode which simply delays one side. I’ve also played around with flipping the phase on one side with the enhancer block, but compared to the widening effect of the enhancer block itself, I don’t think it makes a big difference.
Click to expand...
+1
 
rushfan said:
I use chorus and enhancer, but even without them, I might have 2 of the same amp, one with less treble and more presence, and the other the opposite.
Click to expand...
Have your tried panning the amps left and right and adding a subtle delay (~8ms) to one side?
 
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