I think I may have puzzled out my ideal setup... sort of.

[screamingdaisy]

I've been playing the ED a lot lately. I really like the way it sounds to the point where I don't have any issues any of the channels. What I do have a problem with is that the ED is not a Recto... and a Recto is not an ED.

Problem #1 - The ED isn't a Recto. When at home I find myself continually switching back and forth between the ED and Recto, depending on the kind of music I'm playing. Unplugging a guitar to change amps obviously isn't ideal, and not really a gig worthy solution.

Problem #2 - The Recto isn't an ED. Playing the ED has made it painfully obvious how weak the Roadster is at mid gain sounds. The whole reason I bought a Roadster was because I wanted the extra channels to score some more foot switchable "in-between" options than I could out of a 2 channel Recto, but it's getting harder and harder to be satisfied by the Roadster's in-between sounds anymore.

Solution - Have your cake, and eat it too (see pic below).

New Problem #1 - Both amps sound best through the 4x12....

New Problem #2 - I hate gigging with a lot of gear. I wanted to slim down and this is the total opposite to the direction I want to be going...

 

[ifailedshapes]

It looks like you're setup to be playing through both at the same time. If you're interested in an A/B type of setup, I think I might have an idea you might like. Key word being "might".

 

[screamingdaisy]

It looks like you're setup to be playing through both at the same time. If you're interested in an A/B/Y type of setup, I think I might have an idea you might like. Key word being "might".

The Recto's channel 1 volume is at zero so when I change channels it mutes the Recto. It gives me an A/Y setup... if I want "B" I have to hit the standby switch on the ED.

Not at all ideal obviously... but good enough to test some theories.

If I go this route it'd be with a proper A/B/Y box. A/B for rhythm... Y for lead.

 

[ifailedshapes]

Oh, okay. That's actually pretty ingenius. What I was thinking was maybe picking up a Mini Recto for its portability, trading your ED combo for a head, and using a Radial Headbone to use the 4x12" with both amps. I also edited my original post because I realized there's no 'Y' option in that setup.

 

[ifailedshapes]

And to derail the thread just a little bit, I just realized the Ace is nowhere to be seen in this rig. Have you bonded well with that amp?

 

[screamingdaisy]

I really like the Ace and will keep it, but it's not my main sound. I'm primarily into darker, sludgier guitar tones... Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, Melvins, Alice in Chains, Corrosion of Conformity, Metallica... stuff in that vein. For this kind of stuff the Rectifier is a pretty good match, and the ED is really starting to prove it's worth in this area as well.

The Ace is a balls out rock/punk monster. I really like it for that since it's really nice to just rock out at times, but for my day to day playing I tend to stick to the ED or Recto.

 

[YellowJacket]

I hear you! The Recto is great for huge, heavy, wide, articulate rhythm tones but like you said, it tanks at low to mid gain tones.
The weird thing is that I find myself preferring to record rhythm tones with the recto but for live, I almost prefer the 'Dyne until chugging is involved. It's this ying yang thing that really forces one to consider running two amps at once. If there was a 1 x 12 cab for a recto that was as good as the 27' 1 x 12 cab I have for the 'dyne, I might consider this.

Also, +1 for the sludgy modern tones. I LOVE vintage Hi for this, especially with the volume (Gain) around 3:00. For me, the gain never moves from there and the gain trim switch stays at 'clean'.

 

[screamingdaisy]

My gain tends to be set around 11:00 and I usually back my bridge volume off to 8 or 9 when playing rhythm. I can hit Metallica levels of heavy on Vintage High but it lacks the saturation of the Recto.

 

[papersoul]

I would never take more than one amp to a gig. The Audience can care less. I would either take my 20th Shiva, PWE or the Electradyne and that is it. With a good guitar, good pickups and good volume pot, you can get all you need with the volume knob and sound better than a rectifier! I have owned three dual rectifiers, a good boost with the ED sounds better than Rectifier I have ever played. Period.

 

[screamingdaisy]

A boosted ED doesn't sound anything like a Recto, so that angle is a non-starter for me.

 

[elvis]

I get a halfway OK rectifier tone from a Metal Zone into the clean channel of my Dyne. It's passable for the 2 songs I need it on in a band setting. At home, only the real thing will do.

I am thinking about maybe a Triple Wreck to get a little closer. I so hate the MT-2.

If you went with a Dyne head and a 2x12, you could go with both amps live. :twisted:
A Radial Headbone + Slingshot would be a cool way to switch between amps.

 

[ifailedshapes]

I get a halfway OK rectifier tone from a Metal Zone into the clean channel of my Dyne. It's passable for the 2 songs I need it on in a band setting. At home, only the real thing will do.

I am thinking about maybe a Triple Wreck to get a little closer. I so hate the MT-2.

If you went with a Dyne head and a 2x12, you could go with both amps live. :twisted:
A Radial Headbone + Slingshot would be a cool way to switch between amps.[/s]

Headbone FTW!

I was also just about to suggest trying out a Wampler Triple Wreck or a Zvex Box of Metal to see if they could get close to the Recto tones you're looking for. Neither will probably be 100% accurate, but they might be surprisingly passable for a gig. I have no experience with either, so it's just a thought...

 

[screamingdaisy]

I thought about the Headbone... but I'd like to be able to use both amps simultaneously at times which rules that option out.

I'll probably just plug the Recto into the 2x12 and stack them and the ED into one goofy looking full stack.

I'm not going the distortion pedal route. If I'm going to have to compromise I'd rather just do without.

 

[elvis]

Picky picky....

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[screamingdaisy]

Picky picky....

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Yup.


On a side note, I found one potential solution: started using Raw mode on my Roadster.

I always kind of ignored this feature. It doesn't sound as good as the ED... basically sounds like a Recto with the gain turned way down rather than an overdriven amp. But, it provides an edgier, more aggressive sound than the Tweed mode pulls off and fills the gap between clean and insane nicely.

 

[ryjan]

Either lug all that gear to gigs or buy a modeler.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I just developed a whole new respect for the Rectifier.

Over the years I've been using mine in what I figure is a fairly standard way.... variations on the Clean with Vintage and/or Modern theme with most of the knobs within a few hours of 12:00. Mostly I used Bold/Diode. I've never been a big fan of spongy mode... seemed to bleed off a bit of top end and make the amp feel a little... squishy. Not really my bag.

Yesterday I was farting around with the ED in 45w mode. The 2ch Recto on 100w was too much, and for some reason I decided against turning the volume down and threw it in spongy/tube rectification instead. Normally I only use spongy in really low volume scenarios to kill some treble fizz, but as you know the ED in 45w mode is still really loud... so with the power sagged I wound up with the Recto's volumes (FX loop bypassed) at 2:00 trying to keep up.

Holy ****.

Some new Rectifier came out of nowhere that I've never experienced before. I've had it up crazy loud on bold/diode before and it sounds monstrous right up to the point where the power amp compresses and the bottom end mushes out... but this was a totally different beast. The character of the breakup was different... less chainsaw and more... angry chainsaw. The typical Recto treble grind turned into a harmonic swirl. Instead of pulling the top end back in an effort to reduce fizz I found myself adding more treble to the mix. I had to back the gain down to compensate for the extra overdrive I'm getting, and as the overdrive increases the mids shift and produce more of a clang as the bass becomes rounder and less exaggerated.

Anyway... it's probably not the sound for everyone but I really dig it. It's not the heavy metal or tight boosted metal sound many are after and is probably better suited to hard rock or sludge metal. I almost wanted to keep it a secret, but I figured I'd pass it on as I assume that few people have put a whole lot of effort into exploring spongy mode. As a bonus, this mode works well with both tweed and raw modes as well.

Normal Recto..........................................................................................................Angry Recto