Using multiple TE heads

[b7l4s]

Hi all - I have a question that I'm hoping someone can help me with... I am [i]fairly [/i]sure I know the answer, but I'd rather ask the question than create the magic smoke through ignorance

I have a pair of Trace Elliot Mk V AH150 heads (long story) that I want to use together, each connected to a 4 ohm cabinet. On the front of each are three promisingly named 1/4 inch sockets - 'signal out low level', 'line out high level' and 'line in preamp link'.

It looks exactly like this - [url="http://i.imgur.com/7ScAiiJ.jpg"]http://i.imgur.com/7ScAiiJ.jpg[/url]

So, is it safe to connect the line out of one head to the line in of the other, and will that slave the power section of one to the preamp of the other? I've trawled the interweb, but can't find a straightforward answer.

The ideal scenario for me is - I plug my instrument into one head and get the sound I want there, then I connect the line out of that one to the preamp link of the other, and I get the same sound, with an independent volume control, from that i.e. the preamp section and graphic equaliser etc. of the second head is completely bypassed.

I hope that all makes sense? Any advice very welcome. Thanks, Paul

[luckydog]

Couldn't find an exact circuit schematic for the AH150 but other TE amps have line out post master volume. So yes, what you suggest should work, the volume control of the 1st amp should also control the level of the slave - HTH !

LD

[b7l4s]

Thanks LD, that just gives me the confidence to try it - starting with everything turned down of course!

I appreciate the quick reply - it's getting help like this that make this forum so good

[BassBod]

You might find you get earth loop induced hum...but otherwise should work fine.

[b7l4s]

That hadn't occured to me - although it will hopefully not be too much to put up with. Thanks for the post, I feel like I've learned a few things today!

I now just need to decide whether the split the rigs either side of the drum kit, for sound dispersion (but really to annoy our guitarist) or just build a mega-stack for the ego-trip...

[BassBod]

Try both - you will probably find both work, but different rooms give different results. Watch out for phase issues (if thing get hollow sounding) and the dreaded hummm....

[luckydog]

You'll probably be OK concerning hum - it's line level and if you do go for the one mighty tower, the grounds will all be local anyways.

Some TE amps have ground lift switches on the rear panel, and for sure that would get you out of jail in the unlikely event of ground hum.

Go for it !

LD

[b7l4s]

Thanks for the further advice - the first chance I'm going to get to try this out will be tomorrow, in a marquee of all places. I can only hope we fair better than the last time we played under canvas...

I don't think my amps have ground lift switches, but assuming level ground I'm leaning (!) towards one having the stack, which should benefit from the common grounds and less chance of phasing issues.

I'll let you know how I get on.

[geoffbyrne]

I remember someone asking about separating their cabs some time ago, and Bill Fitzmaurice recommending against it due to comb filtering.

G.

[b7l4s]

So, I never did get to try this at the weekend... a story I'm sure most people here are familiar with... we're booked to play in a marquee, and we've been told we've got a 9x3 area - great, we can fit into that. We get there, and someone has decided that we need a stage - fine, except the stage is about 6x2. Problem, we don't fit onto that. So after pairing down the gear to the absolute minimum, most of my rig goes back in the van, and because of the extra height of the stage I spend the whole gig praying that my one amp doesn't burn the place down, given it is only the empty pint glass on top keeping the fabric of the roof off of the heatsink. Just to round off our evening we even had a comedy radio mic clash with the DJ - I've never seen our soundman move so fast...

Fortunately we can all laugh about stuff like that - we've had worse happen, and we got to spend Saturday night playing music, which got me out of marshalling the sleepover my kids were having (sorry hun)

On the upside, everything is now in my garage, as opposed to spread through storage spaces, so I'll testing the patience of my neighbours sometime very soon while I check for ground loops... and I'll post back the result. Thanks again all for the comments and advice!