Stereo Enhancer

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vicknott

Member
Axefxwiki says: " NOTE: The Stereo Enhancer block will cause phase problems if used in a mono setup. Bypass the effect, or don't use it, if not running in true stereo. "
That means I have to use 2 amps and a stereo cab or 2 cabs ?
If I go directly to mixer/P.A. do I have to use both balanced outputs ?
 
vicknott said:
Axefxwiki says: " NOTE: The Stereo Enhancer block will cause phase problems if used in a mono setup. Bypass the effect, or don't use it, if not running in true stereo. "
That means I have to use 2 amps and a stereo cab or 2 cabs ?
Click to expand...
no

vicknott said:
If I go directly to mixer/P.A. do I have to use both balanced outputs ?
Click to expand...
yes
 
Yes, you have to use both L and R outputs from the axe and each output should lead to 2 different speakers/cabs to produce the "enhanced" stereo effect.

The stereo enhancer takes the chain signal, splits it to L and R , and delays the Left output slightly (heightens our perception of the sounds coming from each individual speaker)to produce the "wide" sound. If the L and R signals are both routed to a single speaker/cab, there wont be any stereo effect but there will be comb filtrering

Cheers,
 
JJunkie said:
Yes, you have to use both L and R outputs from the axe and each output should lead to 2 different speakers/cabs to produce the "enhanced" stereo effect.

The stereo enhancer takes the chain signal, splits it to L and R , and delays the Left output slightly (heightens our perception of the sounds coming from each individual speaker)to produce the "wide" sound. If the L and R signals are both routed to a single speaker/cab, there wont be any stereo effect but there will be comb filtrering

Cheers,
Click to expand...

I think I misunderstood the question of the OP

I asumed he meant that he had to use 2 AMPS-block and 2 CABS-block in the grid of the AXE-FX. to that question the answer is NO

of course you need a stereo setup on the FOH to get a stereo sound ;)
 
Ok, thanks for answers. This rises a new problem. On rehearsals I'm planning to go directly to ONE active monitor, what problems could cause that ? The same when using the monitor on stage.
 
vicknott said:
On rehearsals I'm planning to go directly to ONE active monitor, what problems could cause that ?
Click to expand...
Poverty? It's a common one with musicians.
Or possibly mononucleosis.
(2 x rimshot, cymbal choke)
 
Another noob question: the L and R outputs will go to 2 of the mixer channels, should I pan these as well ?
 
vicknott said:
Ok, thanks for answers. This rises a new problem. On rehearsals I'm planning to go directly to ONE active monitor, what problems could cause that ? The same when using the monitor on stage.
Click to expand...

Please clarify this once more for me: if I use one monitor on stage (connected directly to axe-fx or returning one of the mixer's channels) and use stereo enhancer what would happen ? Bad sound, how ? Damage the axe-fx ? Sorry for persistance.
 
vicknott said:
vicknott said:
Ok, thanks for answers. This rises a new problem. On rehearsals I'm planning to go directly to ONE active monitor, what problems could cause that ? The same when using the monitor on stage.
Click to expand...

Please clarify this once more for me: if I use one monitor on stage (connected directly to axe-fx or returning one of the mixer's channels) and use stereo enhancer what would happen ? Bad sound, how ? Damage the axe-fx ? Sorry for persistance.
Click to expand...
If you leave your Axe-fx set to Stereo output, and just plug one output to a single monitor, no problems occur. The problems occur when you collapse your stereo chain to mono (by either setting your Axe-fx to L+R Sum, or if you feed both L and R signals to a mono FOH system). Then, you would get phasing cancellation and other artifacts. It would sound like crap. No risk of damaging your equipment, just bad sound.
 
Dpoirier said:
If you leave your Axe-fx set to Stereo output, and just plug one output to a single monitor, no problems occur. The problems occur when you collapse your stereo chain to mono (by either setting your Axe-fx to L+R Sum, or if you feed both L and R signals to a mono FOH system). Then, you would get phasing cancellation and other artifacts. It would sound like crap. No risk of damaging your equipment, just bad sound.
Click to expand...


EXACTLY!!! The only time where you will experience phase issues when using any types of stereo patches in mono is if your are COMBINING THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIGNALS TOGETHER. If you take an AXE FX with a stereo enhancer block turned on and only send the left signal (for example) to the mixing board, you will not have any phase issues. If you send the soundman your left AND right signals in this situation, and he puts them both through the PA where the sound from both come out of the same speakers, you will have phase issues.

For example, I always run my Axe FX in stereo where I can. I build many stereo patches. If I play a live show and a soundman can't run me in stereo, I just send him one of my outputs. I'll usually give him a cable with the signal from my left output. Then, I'll either live with it for that show and not hear my right signal, or I'll send my right output into my own personal monitoring device on stage (if I have one with me). So, let's say I had an atomic wedge. If a soundman said that he couldn't run my guitar in stereo, he would get my left "output 1" signal. I would then send my right signal to my atomic wedge. In fact, I might even use the right output 2 so that I could separately control that volume on stage from what I'm sending to the sound man. I would hear my cool stereo imaging on some level and not have any phase issues.

So, you can USE a stereo enhancer, a chorus in stereo, phaser, flanger, etc. and still go mono into a PA system. Just make sure that the person running sound does not take your left and right outputs and send them both together through the same PA speakers. The moral of the story is to keep your left and right signals separated.
 
having said all that, using stereo enhancer with one speaker is like watching a 3d movie while wearing an eye patch
 
JJunkie said:
having said all that, using stereo enhancer with one speaker is like watching a 3d movie while wearing an eye patch
Click to expand...

True. But, that's not the point of his original line of questioning or the discussion that resulted from it. What the OP was essentially trying to figure out was... if he went directly to mixer/P.A., does he have to use both balanced outputs? He asked this in light of using a stereo enhancer on some of his patches and avoiding phase problems. We were trying to point out to him that it's OK to build stereo patches even if you don't always get to hear the stereo imaging. And, that he could avoid the phasing issues (without changing his global settings or whatever each time he ran into these situations) if he'd simply avoid sending his left AND right signals to the same place in situations where he had to go mono. Give the sound guy your left OR your right output signal (not both if he can't run you in stereo) and, you're fine.
 
browlett said:
Give the sound guy your left OR your right output signal (not both if he can't run you in stereo) and, you're fine.
Click to expand...

Missing part of the stereo signal this way isn't always a big deal, depending on the stereo effect.

But it's a bummer when having two cabs, panned L/R. In that case missing an entire channel affects the overall tone ...
 
Thanks, guys, for clarification, but I still have some questions (dumb me). Let's say I have a patch with two amps, one stereo cab and stereo enhancer. Do I have to put amp1 to left input select and the other to right ? If so, if I send only the left output to mixer, would I hear only amp1 ?

P.S. I don't have my axe standard yet, shipping pending.
 
vicknott said:
Thanks, guys, for clarification, but I still have some questions (dumb me). Let's say I have a patch with two amps, one stereo cab and stereo enhancer. Do I have to put amp1 to left input select and the other to right ? If so, if I send only the left output to mixer, would I hear only amp1 ?

P.S. I don't have my axe standard yet, shipping pending.
Click to expand...

The input select setting won't matter; it's the amps' balance controls that need to be left/right if you want each to be exclusive to one cab of a stereo cab. There are a few options if you want to monitor in stereo w/ enhancer while sending one channel to a mixer:

1. Leave cabs panned L/R, hear only one amp/cab through mixer.

2. Center cabs so both reach mixer, hear enhancer effect but not the L/R tone difference at monitors.

3. If you're not using output 2 for anything else you can get the panned/enhanced monitoring of method 1 while the mono sum of method 2 goes to the mixer.
 
vicknott said:
vicknott said:
Ok, thanks for answers. This rises a new problem. On rehearsals I'm planning to go directly to ONE active monitor, what problems could cause that ? The same when using the monitor on stage.
Click to expand...

Please clarify this once more for me: if I use one monitor on stage (connected directly to axe-fx or returning one of the mixer's channels) and use stereo enhancer what would happen ? Bad sound, how ? Damage the axe-fx ? Sorry for persistance.
Click to expand...
You just wont "hear" it the same as FOH.
 
voes said:
I think I misunderstood the question of the OP

I asumed he meant that he had to use 2 AMPS-block and 2 CABS-block in the grid of the AXE-FX. to that question the answer is NO

of course you need a stereo setup on the FOH to get a stereo sound ;)
Click to expand...

I recently looked into the enhancer and got information that lead me to believe I'll need an enhancer. My setup starting from the axe Fx goes to a Stereo Mesa 2:100 power amp. Both L/R cables comes from the axe going to the power amps L/R Jack's which feeds two separate 4×12's CABL.

In this setup, I will benefit using the Enhancer correct?
 
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