Signal splitter

[FinnDave]

Searched and googled for this, but am more confused after that than I was before! I'd like to have to ability to use both my cabs, powered by two amps, so need some means of splitting the output signal from my bass. I am using a Smooth Hound wireless. I had thought a simp Y lead would be OK, but having googled it, it seems there are all sorts of impedance issues to take into account. Just occurred to me that a second Smooth Hound receiver might be the way to go, but is there a cheaper/better way?

[dannybuoy]

If the input impedance of both amps are the same, and you have an active buffer before splitting the signal (which you do), then a simple passive splitter box or cable should work just fine.

There are some simple active splitters around also, SFX Sound make one, as do Lehle, there's the Boss LS-2, and a new one I saw recently:

https://www.prymaxe.com/products/ohmless-pedals-hatchet-signal-splitter

Edited June 22, 2017 by dannybuoy

[Monkey Steve]

to be clear, you are simply wanting to send the same signal from your boss to two completely separate amps? Each amp has it's own completely separate cab and there is nothing connecting anything other than the shared/split input from the bass?

Edit: having seen Dannybuoy's post which seems based on the answer to my question being 'yes', I'd add my vote for a LS-2 - it's more of an A/B box but I'm sure mine can do what you want. It's got a few whistles and bells so something simpler may do just as well

Edited June 22, 2017 by Monkey Steve

[FinnDave]

Thanks, I have just sent a message to Smooth Hound, so will see what they have to say. A simple passive splitter would be simple and cheap, and I can't see me using it very often!

[pete.young]

Think of the smooth hound as a cable. Having two isn't going to help you with this. LS-2 is the way to go.

[FinnDave]

If I can save a few quid by not having it switchable, I'll be happy, I just want to able to use two amps, each powering their own cabs, with one input from my bass.

[Hazy Bass]

The Fender ABY does exactly what you need for about £30

[FinnDave]

Thanks, keep the ideas coming! This relate isn't something I can see myself doing very often, but 2 or 3 times a year, it might be useful. The available budget reflects that! I've had an offer of an A/B/Y box I can borrow and buy if it does the necessary, so I think I'll start with that.

[Woodinblack]

TBH - seeing as you are going from an amplified source, you can just connect two plugs in parallel in the front of two amp inputs and adjust the volume to suit, it will work fine. It wouldn't work from a passive bass (well, it would but you would be messing the tone up), but active is fine.

you could take a mono ¼" jack to 2 mono ¼" socket (like https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/142347532378 for instance), plug the plug into one amp, plug the lead from the output into one socket and connect a lead from the other socket to the other amp. Set both amps to passive for higher impedance and it would work fine.

Obviously not as slick as a box doing it, but the result would be the same.

Edited June 22, 2017 by Woodinblack

[Lozz196]

I used to use my Boss TU2 for this. Only slight downside is that when you hit the pedal to tune something only one amp goes quiet.

[davegriffiths91]

Studio spares have a cheap signal splitter. Works for me.

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='Hazy Bass' timestamp='1498159070' post='3322904']
The Fender ABY does exactly what you need for about £30
[/quote]

This.

[FinnDave]

I've ben offered a loan of an ABY pedal by a guitarist I am doing some work with, so I'll give that a go first. Thanks for the advice everyone.

[keving]

I would try plugging into one amp, then taking the effects send of that amp and plugging into the other either through the input or the effect return depending on if you want to use the preamp section of the second amp. Of course this only works if your amps have effects loops.

[EssentialTension]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/306848-artec-se-swb-switch-box"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/306848-artec-se-swb-switch-box[/url]


... if you're interested.

[NancyJohnson]

The ABY is by far and above the easiest way to split things into two. While this isn't a vanity thing, here's the floorboard I use for recording and the occasional live thing. The important stuff (tuner!) feeds into the ABY, which then splits into two channels, channel A routes the mild-dirt/cleanish whump (Sansamp BDDI) and the dirt is carried through channel B (choice from Boss ODB/Sansamp GT2/VT Bass DI). On channel B I tend to leave the VTBass +10db on as this makes the signal hotter into the poweramp. You can follow the signal path by following the cables.

The beauty here is that I can run a pair of cables into a stereo power amp and into two independent enclosures, giving me control over both channels. The BDDI and the GT2 give me a dUg Pinnick type tone...it's quite mental.

[FinnDave]

[quote name='keving' timestamp='1498219730' post='3323206']
I would try plugging into one amp, then taking the effects send of that amp and plugging into the other either through the input or the effect return depending on if you want to use the preamp section of the second amp. Of course this only works if your amps have effects loops.
[/quote]

That's an idea, I'll run that past Ashdown as I'll be using ABM 600 and a Rootmaster 800 heads. Good call!