Stereo Path

[Jtroop]

The input mode does not affect the panning of the individual cabs at the block output. It only determines which tracks feed the block and cabs. If you want to maintain stereo separation through the block, you have to select Stereo input mode AND hard pan each cab accordingly with cabs 1 and 3 hard left (-100) and cabs 2 and 4 hard right (100). If you pan the cabs anywhere but hard left or hard right, you will get mixing of the two input channels and potential phase issues.

In any of the other 3 input modes, all 4 cabs are fed the same signal so you can pan them however you want. Sum L+R obviously can cause the same phase issues since it's combining both tracks together.

I just ran into this while building a preset. You are referring to the cab block input mode, correct? I'm trying to understand how to set this. From what you are saying, I understand it to mean use cab input mode stereo if you are using 2 or more cabs but make sure to hard pan them to avoid phasing issues. I downloaded a preset that came with a custom IR. The cab block input mode was set to stereo, yet there is only one cab. After reading your comment, I switched it to left. I didn't notice much difference in tone, maybe a slight volume increase. I have another preset I downloaded that has two cabs that are panned hard left / right and the cab input mode is set to left. I switched that preset to cab input mode stereo in case I use it running out to stereo. Again, there was no difference in tone or anything. Is cab input mode mainly used for which method you use for your output? Also, the only way it would sound bad is if you select stereo and do not hard pan your cabs?

 

[stephenclark1]

This is what I meant, but didn't say very well. Great explanation. 3 years in, and I'm still learning!

The input mode does not affect the panning of the individual cabs at the block output. It only determines which tracks feed the block and cabs. If you want to maintain stereo separation through the block, you have to select Stereo input mode AND hard pan each cab accordingly with cabs 1 and 3 hard left (-100) and cabs 2 and 4 hard right (100). If you pan the cabs anywhere but hard left or hard right, you will get mixing of the two input channels and potential phase issues.

In any of the other 3 input modes, all 4 cabs are fed the same signal so you can pan them however you want. Sum L+R obviously can cause the same phase issues since it's combining both tracks together.

I think every preset I have, whether mine, factory or whoever, I've got four different cabs in four channels and each channel I've got -66 ,66, -66, 66. I guess I picked 66% just caused it looked good on the dial. Not sure I've ever done a preset with one cab, I've got all these things I might as well used them right? I love me some weird combinations too.

 

[mr_fender]

I just ran into this while building a preset. You are referring to the cab block input mode, correct? I'm trying to understand how to set this. From what you are saying, I understand it to mean use cab input mode stereo if you are using 2 or more cabs but make sure to hard pan them to avoid phasing issues. I downloaded a preset that came with a custom IR. The cab block input mode was set to stereo, yet there is only one cab. After reading your comment, I switched it to left. I didn't notice much difference in tone, maybe a slight volume increase. I have another preset I downloaded that has two cabs that are panned hard left / right and the cab input mode is set to left. I switched that preset to cab input mode stereo in case I use it running out to stereo. Again, there was no difference in tone or anything. Is cab input mode mainly used for which method you use for your output? Also, the only way it would sound bad is if you select stereo and do not hard pan your cabs?

Hard panning is not always a necessity. It depends on the signals you are mixing together. If the two input signals are in phase with each other or different enough to avoid phase problems, you can pan the the cabs wherever you want in the stereo field without issue. Hard panning them just maintains full stereo separation of the left and right channels from input to output in the event you do run into phase issues. The input select parameter sets which cabs get fed by which input channels. In Stereo input mode cabs 1 and 3 are fed by the Left input signal and cabs 2 and 4 are fed by the right input signal. In Left only or right only mode, all 4 cabs are fed by either just the left or right input signal respectively. In Sum L+R, all 4 cabs are fed by a equal mix of both input channels.

An example of this is using two amp blocks with two different cabs in one cab block. Say you have both a Plexi and a Deluxe Reverb going in two amp blocks and you want the Plexi to go through a greenback IR and the Deluxe to go through a Jensen IR. In this case you'd use stereo input mode and put your greenback in slot 1 and your Jensen in slot 2. You'd hard pan your Plexi amp block hard left and the Deluxe Reverb amp block hard right. That would make each amp only feed it's matching IR and not the other. As long as your two amp signals are in phase with each other, you can pan those two IRs anywhere you want in the stereo field. In contrast, if you used Sum L+R input mode in the cab block or didn't hard pan the output of the amp blocks, both cabs would get an equal blend of both amps instead.