Stereo

[metropolis_4]

So this is nothing new or groundbreaking, but it’s been a REALLY long time since I had the chance to play two tube amps in stereo…

I just plugged the stereo outputs on my SCF into my SDE-3000d and ran stereo out one side to my JRT 10’ to my right, and the other side to my AC30 10’ to my left and…

How do you come back from that? How do you come down from that mountain top back to the realm of mere mortals?

How do you go back to the world of normal guitar tones after experiencing that?

I ran and grabbed my wife (who couldn’t care less about guitar gear and tone) and made her sit and listen and even her jaw hit the floor!

It’s an experience. I highly recommend it.

For those who have done this, what is your favorite memory of running multiple amps in stereo? What’s the most awe inspiring sound you’ve had?

 

[TSJMajesty]

How do you come back from that?

You cannot.

How do you come down from that mountain top back to the realm of mere mortals?

It is not possible.

How do you go back to the world of normal guitar tones after experiencing that?

At the risk of repeating myself, it can't be done.

For those who have done this, what is your favorite memory of running multiple amps in stereo? What’s the most awe inspiring sound you’ve had?

The first one certainly stands out. For reasons I don't remember, I had 3 different flavor Marshalls at my house at the same time, my JCM900, a buddy's 100 watt Super Lead, and another friend's JCM800. So one Sunday afternoon in the early 90's, having the house all to myself, I paired them up with a Boss CE-2 and I was instantly hooked.

I bought an ADA MP-1 and a Mesa Stereo 50/50 shortly thereafter and gigged with 2 4x12 Marshall cabs in stereo for many years. And from that point on, I never played in a band with a 2nd guitarist.

Another absolutely heavenly tone is when I set my Tri-Axis & 2:90 and 2 Mesa 4x12's out on my back porch, and use the Axe III for the effects, and the stereo coming towards me, along with the reverberations coming back at me through the woods behind my house are unreal!

And now I always practice with a stereo preset thru headphones. It's glorious!

John Petrucci's live stereo rig during his solo tour (amps on stage, pointed right at me 25' away!) was also jean-creaming. His cascading delays washing over his solos was the best tone I'd ever heard!

 

[timbuck3]

I rave about stereo but so many guys poo poo it on this forum

 

[gearJunkie]

Stereo tube amps . .

 

[metropolis_4]

You cannot.

It is not possible.

At the risk of repeating myself, it can't be done.

The first one certainly stands out. For reasons I don't remember, I had 3 different flavor Marshalls at my house at the same time, my JCM900, a buddy's 100 watt Super Lead, and another friend's JCM800. So one Sunday afternoon in the early 90's, having the house all to myself, I paired them up with a Boss CE-2 and I was instantly hooked.

I bought an ADA MP-1 and a Mesa Stereo 50/50 shortly thereafter and gigged with 2 4x12 Marshall cabs in stereo for many years. And from that point on, I never played in a band with a 2nd guitarist.

Another absolutely heavenly tone is when I set my Tri-Axis & 2:90 and 2 Mesa 4x12's out on my back porch, and use the Axe III for the effects, and the stereo coming towards me, along with the reverberations coming back at me through the woods behind my house are unreal!

And now I always practice with a stereo preset thru headphones. It's glorious!

John Petrucci's live stereo rig during his solo tour (amps on stage, pointed right at me 25' away!) was also jean-creaming. His cascading delays washing over his solos was the best tone I'd ever heard!

I bet those were amazing! Just once in my life I need to run a couple Marshall stacks in stereo and experience that first hand.

 

[Blix]

This is the way.

 

[TSJMajesty]

I rave about stereo but so many guys poo poo it on this forum

Well like all things, it's about context, and it can be overdone.

In a band, if you have a 2nd guitarist, it needs to be limited to solos, imo. And you can't use it like on early VH albums, where the dry was one one side, and the wet was on the other. That won't sound right live. But with tight rhythm parts, you gotta play it straight.

But in a 1-guitar band, it definitely can work fine. Dream Theater is a prime example. JP's solos sound fantastic in stereo, no matter where you're sitting.

 

[TSJMajesty]

I bet those were amazing! Just once in my life I need to run a couple Marshall stacks in stereo and experience that first hand.

It was really fun, but I only had the experience that 1 day. And I cranked those amps! I even figured out a way to use all 3 at the same time!

 

[Eagle]

Been stereo or WDW since the late 80s . Hard to go back.

 

[laxu]

I just don't have the space to make that good use of it. I currently have my BluGuitar Nanocab sitting under a desk, and BluGuitar Fatcab on the other side of the small room. My two BluGuitar Amp 1 models are sitting on top of the Fatcab.

I used to have a Victory VC35 + 1x12 Alnico Gold vs Bogner Goldfinger 45 SL + 4x10 Greenback setup and when it was dialed just right, it sounded absolutely fantastic, but even minor adjustments tended to make one amp dominate the sound.

It's a cool and fun setup but unless you have a stereo poweramp or two identical amps it can be a chore to manage without one amp overpowering the other.

I wouldn't bother with it for gigs unless I had that stereo poweramp setup.

 

[Eagle]

I just don't have the space to make that good use of it. I currently have my BluGuitar Nanocab sitting under a desk, and BluGuitar Fatcab on the other side of the small room. My two BluGuitar Amp 1 models are sitting on top of the Fatcab.

I used to have a Victory VC35 + 1x12 Alnico Gold vs Bogner Goldfinger 45 SL + 4x10 Greenback setup and when it was dialed just right, it sounded absolutely fantastic, but even minor adjustments tended to make one amp dominate the sound.

It's a cool and fun setup but unless you have a stereo poweramp or two identical amps it can be a chore to manage without one amp overpowering the other.

I wouldn't bother with it for gigs unless I had that stereo poweramp setup.

I agree you need a stereo power amp based rig to make stereo practical or be digital with powered speakers. If I use a head is configured WDW using my Axe 3 rig 4CM as the wet. I sometimes use a mixer and keep the dry all analog adding an analog only pedal front end.
Only my portable jam rig is mono and that’s a Kemper power rack and a Mesa Thiele EV.

 

[Stone]

Always in stereo,

 

[MTB1973]

 

[Chocol8]

2 amps isn’t necessarily stereo. Stereo requires differentiation and separation, and the downside is the experience then becomes localized.

It works fine for playing alone or recordings, but it generally is not great for most live situations unless you don’t care about what the audience hears, or the two sides are similar enough to not matter.

 

[texhex]

View attachment 49590

That is a thing of simple beauty. Nice!

Stereo or WDW is the only way to fly. EVH knew what he was doing. WDW is the ultimate guitar rig if you can swing it.

 

[CorrosiveMatter]

2 amps isn’t necessarily stereo. Stereo requires differentiation and separation, and the downside is the experience then becomes localized.

It works fine for playing alone or recordings, but it generally is not great for most live situations unless you don’t care about what the audience hears, or the two sides are similar enough to not matter.

Not totally true, I have a Mission Engineering Gemini 2 and it's stereo and not a huge split but with a proper stereo preset the FM9 or Helix sounds glorius! Now I have upgraded to 2x of the Electro-Voice PXM-12MP and now I can get a better split it sounds great but you would be surprised what the Gemini2 can do with it's design.

 

[metropolis_4]

2 amps isn’t necessarily stereo. Stereo requires differentiation and separation, and the downside is the experience then becomes localized.

It works fine for playing alone or recordings, but it generally is not great for most live situations unless you don’t care about what the audience hears, or the two sides are similar enough to not matter.

Did you read what I said in the post?

One amp 10’ to my right, one amp 10’ to my left, sitting on the floor right in the middle. I’m not sure how I could have any more differentiation/separation than that?

 

[Chocol8]

Did you read what I said in the post?

One amp 10’ to my right, one amp 10’ to my left, sitting on the floor right in the middle. I’m not sure how I could have any more differentiation/separation than that?

I wasn't just referring to what you did, but the idea of running two in general.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I ran and grabbed my wife (who couldn’t care less about guitar gear and tone) and made her sit and listen and even her jaw hit the floor!

Let's not get carried away here. Stereo is great but no way it was THAT great?!

 

[sleewell]

last night we got asked to play a show tonight by one of our friends who said a band cancelled. our bassist cant make it. they are going to have 2 4x12s there for the backline. going to bring two amps. its not going to be perfect but fuck is it going to be loud