Using the FX8 with 2 Amps

[flying_walrus]

I spent most of yesterday running my Orange OR15 and Splawn Competition in stereo using the 7 cable method. DANG, what a huge sound! There is no compromise in tone running both effects loops. Effects levels and mix settings may need to be adjusted in presets used for single amp setups. I don't know if setting the FX8 to SUM L+R or COPY L>R would help this or have any adverse effect on the tone.
I'm not sure I agree with the comment about it not being as good for lead lines as it is for rhythm work. I found lead lines much more satisfying but everyone is different and each has their own preferences. Effects may need to be used differently but it still sounded much better to me than using one amp.

it sounds like your tone is better dialed in than mine then

 

[Sonofiam]

it sounds like your tone is better dialed in than mine then

Not sure about that. I did use the Splawn with a Mesa Roadster with similar results. Maybe it has something to do with pairing two different amps rather than two of the same amps? Don't know why that would make any difference.

 

[SonVolt]

This what TC has to say on the issue with their G Major 2. Does this apply to the FX8 also or will it handle both signals without being "blended"?

http://support.tcelectronic.com/entries/23917277-G-Major-G-Major-2-Setup-with-two-amps

G-Major / G-Major 2: Setup with two amps
Question
Can I run two amps with a G-Major 2 at the same time? I split my guitar signal in front of the amps with a Lehle Little Dual. I use the left Input/Output on the G-Major 2 in the effects loop on Amp 1. I use the right Input/Output on the G-Major 2 in the effects loop on Amp 2.
Would you recommend connecting and setting up G-Major 2 like this?

Answer
You can connect it in that way, but we cannot guarantee the result is something you want.

The G-major 2 is a Stereo effect and has no Dual mono possibility.

When you feed both inputs at the same time, they are summed to create the effect - so if the signal comes from 2 amps, the sound of both is mixed before the effects are created. result : the sound of effects is based on the 2 amps.

 

[flying_walrus]

This what TC has to say on the issue with their G Major 2. Does this apply to the FX8 also or will it handle both signals without being "blended"?

http://support.tcelectronic.com/entries/23917277-G-Major-G-Major-2-Setup-with-two-amps

short answer: kinda, but it's not really a problem.

long answer:

depending on which effects you place in the post loop, there may or may not be some "blending" of the effected signal. a quick glance through the effect descriptions in the axe-fx manual will show you which ones "blend" and which ones don't. the reverb, for example, sums its inputs before creating a stereo effect:


Whereas a stereo delay block does not sum the inputs before creating the effect:


in practice I'm usually not trying to keep the two signals pristinely separate, and if I use reverb at all, it's at the end of the post chain and turned down pretty low, so I'm perfectly happy with the sounds I get.

if I was running two very different amps, or two very different cabinets, I might be more worried about the reverb blending the signals, but Im intentionally using identical power amps and cabs so I can get stereo panning effects without the sound changing from one side to the other.

 

[Hamster Spanks]

Great info people, thank you!!