Multi-amp people: Passive splitter or A/B with clean boost or?

[fallen]

Have been thinking about the idea of running two amps to allow for running 2 delays side by side in stereo to get more separation etc.

The question is does one just build a passive splitter box or is it way better to have something like those line selector pedals that can individually control or boost the level of the signal on each side.

Just splitting the signal passively with no buffer or anything can't be ideal can it?

If you have run two amps at once what did you use and what level of control over each signal did you want or need?

[moose23]

Fet splitter ala AMZ is the simplest buffered splitter and what I usually use/recommend. Then there's the next route along of transformers and phase correction if that doesn't work for you.

If you have a Boss Tu2 or 3 then you can use the two outputs from that as a buffered splitter.

[dunwichamps]

you can try a passive split but i will say dont bother and use active splitting with isolation transformers and phase correction. ground loops occur most of the time and the hum sucks balls. you can build a simple splitter yourself, the schematic is simple. there are even BYOC kits

[Baltar]

When I was running my two half-stacks, I used the Radial Bigshot A/B/Y.  It has ground lift, iso, and phase switches.  It's completely passive so it might not be what you're looking for.  It also has a tuner out jack if you wanna leave your tuner on the whole time. Apparently it's pretty easy to build a buffer if you need it.

http://www.tonebone.com/re-bigshot-aby.htm

[fallen]

Cool, thanks, good advice.

The BYOC kit looks semi complicated but could be good as a solution and also a learning experience since I've only ever done soldering work in guitars for the most part.

What I am a bit confused on is if I run delays or other pedals after the splitter then they are sharing ground with all the pedals before the split so does dropping the ground on one of the loops actually do anything?

[Baltar]

Not sure on that one.  I was running one delay into both my Sunn Sceptre and Sovtek MIG-50, so every pedal was going into the Bigshot.  But I did try separate fuzz pedals, one for each amp and had no issues.  SUNN or Hemi might have better info.  Or Clockwork Green, he's owned a LOT of pedals.

[Lumpy]

Two different delays sounds like a mess, but I'm sure you will come up with something cool via experimentation. You should try two different fuzzes, signals EQ'd differently, and just a hair of modulation on one or the other (shallow, slow chorus for example). Or maybe slight reverb on one, but not the other. IMO, delay is mainly for solos. It comes down to trial/error and your own tastes.

You don't have to build anything for a splitter (unless you want to). Lots of available pedals have a Dry Out that can work, for example the Kerry King MXR graphic EQ. The Boss tuner suggestion would work (except I think one amp would always be on, unless you came up with a mute solution, downstream). Tons of options. Might not require you to buy anything new, just look at what you already have.

[Corey Y]

I use the Radial Big Shot and I've never had any problems with it, live or recording.

[liquidsmoke]

I have the Radial Bigshot with the LED and the one without. Both are great. Using one now to activate my tuner as my tuner pops loudly when I have to kick it on where as the Bigshot is silent. So I leave the tuner on all the time when I play. Kind of a silly setup but whatever. I'll probably look for a silent tuner in the future if I run out of pedalboard space.

[hayseed]

When I was running my two half-stacks, I used the Radial Bigshot A/B/Y.  It has ground lift, iso, and phase switches.  It's completely passive so it might not be what you're looking for.  It also has a tuner out jack if you wanna leave your tuner on the whole time. Apparently it's pretty easy to build a buffer if you need it.

http://www.tonebone.com/re-bigshot-aby.htm

I second the Radial Big Shot. I have the one without the LED. The ground lifts are very useful and i get no noise from it all. Not sure if it what you are after but I tested several ABY's out and this one won by a long shot.

[the diddler]

I use the Radial Twin Cities.  Been playing around with what goes in front of it (to both amps) and what's after.   Lately, it's a slight ambient 'verb on all the time into both amps and a delay into both but only used for leads.  Out A is straight into a soldano hr 100+, out B goes into one or two dirt pedals then into one of a number of clean amps i have to choose from.