Stereo Rig....help me decide which amps!

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Hey guys!

I'm revamping the stereo rig a bit, and hoping to add stereo effects this time around. I've been smitten be stereo delay, and I'm sure I'll find some other cool sounds aswell!

I'm between two combinations:

a. Mark IV and Roadster in a blended setup (both preamps running all the time, matching channels for sounds)

or

b. Two Mark IV's (more of a slave setup, preamps A/Bed through the power amps)

With option (a), I get both Mark and Rectifier tones, but the blending of the two sounds can become bothersome....it either works, or it doesn't. Phase, etc. becomes a bit of an issue. Trying to decide if it's worth the trouble to be honest. On the upside, the blending of the Recto and Mark IV can give me the best of both worlds when done right...FAT and saturated low end, but the kick in the mids from the Mark IV.

With option (b), I'd be running the Mark preamps through the stereo processor, and then back in the power amps in stereo. I'd get a clean stereo image, with the same power amp running on each side. As for the preamps, I've basically just be selecting between them...I'd only have one preamp running at a time, but the two amps would allow me to have alternate settings per channel (two lead channels, two R2's, and two R1's.

Let's hear what you have to say.

Eric

 

[Laskyman]

Let's hear what you have to say

I would pick option B- particularly if you are truly wanting stereo effects- if you are using quality effect units, having the same base sound in a pre amp (slaving out from the effect unit into the return of the second amp) will really emphasize the stereo nature of the set up.

Option A would also rock, but would sound "more" than just stereo....

my $.02

 

[siggy14]

I would honestly go with the roadster/Mark conbination, you can also slave that as well if you want just more of the Mark setting or recto settings but still have two different amps if you are in different mood and just want to play one amp, plus you would have more options for recording.

Not to mention you could take the recto preamp and make the mark a slave and put all EL34's or run it with EL34 and 6L6's and have a different sound all together.

 

[mcnamee]

I can only speak about option A since that's what I'm running now, or at least a sight variation. I'm running a TriAxis/2:90 dialed into a Mark IV sound (Lead 2 Yellow) in parallel with a Triple Rectifier. I love the mix of the two sounds and depending on the song I vary the mix, very flexible.

Though I must admit that I've been tinkering with the idea of getting an actual Mark IV and seeing how the TriAxis/2:90 dialed into a Mark IV sound in parallel with an actual Mark IV.

I should add that I run the TR dry, but with the TriAxis/2:90 I add some external eq to get a more scooped/darker sound.

Have fun deciding

 

[theroan]

Recto/Mark Vote. The greater the variation the more complex and thick the sound.

 

[ryjan]

I vote for the Mark IV with a Satellite. Tighter, cleaner, and more simple.

 

[MesaENGR412]

why aren't you running the Bogner with anything?

-AJH

 

[joe web]

i would go with a) as well.
but set it up as an a/b/y switching. so you could run both amps a time or choose between the preamp sections and run them back stereo to both poweramps.
this is how i setup my dual recto / roadster rig.
while you are using an effect processor like the g-major or something like that, you can save presets with one preamp with higher output as the presets with both preamps running - and you will have to do it this way, because running both amps full gives you 3db more overall level as only using one preamp.