Help please with EVH wet dry setup

[Viperdriver5150]

Good morning everyone

I am new to the forum and I am looking to do a wet dry setup and wanted to do it the best way possible.

My equipment consists of 2 Evh 6l6 50w heads and 2 matching 2x12 cabinets. I have a eventide h9 that has the ability to output the original untouched dry signal along with a separate wet signal. I would also like to be able to control the amp channel switching with one foot switch and not 2. I emailed Evh and they said running both heads channel switching cannot be done with a y splitter.

So please tell me what is the best way to do all this. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[XSSIVE]

You don't want to actually run the preamp sections of both heads, you use one amp as the "master" and the other as a power section "slave". So you only need to control the channels on one head.

guitar into input of head 1
preamp out of head 1 into H9
H9 out into FX return of head 2
Channel switching pedal into head 1

With that whatever channel changes you make on head 1 come out of the cab for head 2 since you're only using the preamp section of head 1 to dial in your tone and using the poweramp section of head 2 to to make that sound with FX heard (and tonally the same as head 1). It doesn't matter where the EQ controls are set on head 2, only the volume will work to let you balance them. This is the easier, and better way to do stereo or w/d or w/d/w using one preamp section and as many power sections as you want. That way the tone from the preamp is the same into each power section and you don't have to worry about perfectly trying to dial in two different amps preamp sections to sound the same due to component and pot drift. Also makes channel switching easier since you're only switching one heads preamp section. You also only need to plug the guitar into one head with no need for a splitter of some sort into the front end of both heads.

You can also run stereo if you want. For that you'd just add the other in and out of the H9 in the FX loop of head 1.

 

[Viperdriver5150]

Thank you so much for explaining that. I will go ahead and try that this weekend. One question, with the attenuators would both have an effect on the head or only head one.

Again thank you.

 

[lowmantotempole]

My quick n easy VH w/d/w...

Guitar into amp
Amp out into Suhr Reactive Load
Amp through into cab
Line output into 5150 Chorus
Chorus L and right into stereo power amp
Power amp l and r into separate cabs.

Sounds huge!

 

[Viperdriver5150]

You don't want to actually run the preamp sections of both heads, you use one amp as the "master" and the other as a power section "slave". So you only need to control the channels on one head.

guitar into input of head 1
preamp out of head 1 into H9
H9 out into FX return of head 2
Channel switching pedal into head 1

With that whatever channel changes you make on head 1 come out of the cab for head 2 since you're only using the preamp section of head 1 to dial in your tone and using the poweramp section of head 2 to to make that sound with FX heard (and tonally the same as head 1). It doesn't matter where the EQ controls are set on head 2, only the volume will work to let you balance them. This is the easier, and better way to do stereo or w/d or w/d/w using one preamp section and as many power sections as you want. That way the tone from the preamp is the same into each power section and you don't have to worry about perfectly trying to dial in two different amps preamp sections to sound the same due to component and pot drift. Also makes channel switching easier since you're only switching one heads preamp section. You also only need to plug the guitar into one head with no need for a splitter of some sort into the front end of both heads.

You can also run stereo if you want. For that you'd just add the other in and out of the H9 in the FX loop of head 1.

So my next question would be, since the eventide does do a wet/dry output or stereo depending on how the preset is saved, could I essentially run the dry output from the eventide to the FX return on head 1, wet output to the FX return on head 2 and basically do the switching between wet/dry or stereo with the eventide?

Also what would you suggest using if I am having phase/polarity issues or ground loop hum and where would I place something like that in the chain to solve these issues if needed? I also have a phase 90 EVH and would I place that in the the wet output coming from the eventide to keep all effects on head 2.

 

[ZachMN]

Mine is similar to Lowmantotempole:

Line out of head into modulating effects- I have an Alesis midiverb, also have used just a stereo pedal-chorus/Flange- that into power amp (Lee Jackson Perfect Connection) and that into two cabs. It does sound amazing...lot o fun.

 

[515O_GUY]

You don't want to actually run the preamp sections of both heads, you use one amp as the "master" and the other as a power section "slave". So you only need to control the channels on one head.

guitar into input of head 1
preamp out of head 1 into H9
H9 out into FX return of head 2
Channel switching pedal into head 1

With that whatever channel changes you make on head 1 come out of the cab for head 2 since you're only using the preamp section of head 1 to dial in your tone and using the poweramp section of head 2 to to make that sound with FX heard (and tonally the same as head 1). It doesn't matter where the EQ controls are set on head 2, only the volume will work to let you balance them. This is the easier, and better way to do stereo or w/d or w/d/w using one preamp section and as many power sections as you want. That way the tone from the preamp is the same into each power section and you don't have to worry about perfectly trying to dial in two different amps preamp sections to sound the same due to component and pot drift. Also makes channel switching easier since you're only switching one heads preamp section. You also only need to plug the guitar into one head with no need for a splitter of some sort into the front end of both heads.

You can also run stereo if you want. For that you'd just add the other in and out of the H9 in the FX loop of head 1.

Great info... but how the hell do you make this rig work if you want some of your pedals/effects in front of your WET AMP and some in the EFFECTS LOOP?

 

[Racerxrated]

Great info... but how the hell do you make this rig work if you want some of your pedals/effects in front of your WET AMP and some in the EFFECTS LOOP?

You’d have to buy more fx and run each of them the additional ways to the previous WDW setup.

 

[515O_GUY]

You’d have to buy more fx and run each of them the additional ways to the previous WDW setup.

What I mean is:

How do you route effects in front of the WET amp and in "rear" of the WET amp? Particularly if you're using a foot switcher like a RJM Mastermind LT?

Everything I've read tells it's dangerous to go out from the EVH Pre-Amp out (on the back of the main EVH amp) into the insert/input (on the front) of the second EVh amp... So how would you rout a WET/DRY rig with 2 EVH 515OIII's where 1 amp is completely DRY and the second amp (the WET amp) has effects "in front" of the amp (like Wah, Compression, Etc.) and run time/modulation effects (like Flangers, Harmonizers, Reverb, Delays, Etc.) in the "rear" of the (WET) amp?

I am so confused... I'll bet it's funny as hell to all your veterans...

 

[Ben Waylin]

What I mean is:

How do you route effects in front of the WET amp and in "rear" of the WET amp? Particularly if you're using a foot switcher like a RJM Mastermind LT?

Everything I've read tells it's dangerous to from EVH Pre-Amp out (on the back of the main EVH amp) into the insert/input (on the front of the second amp)... So how would you rout a WET/DRY rig with 2 EVh 515OIII's where 1 amp is completely DRY and the second amp has effects "in front" of the amp (like Wah, Compression, Etc.) and run time/modulation effects (like Flangers, Harmonizers, Reverb, Delays, Etc.) in the "rear" of the WET amp?

I am so confused... I'll bet it's funny as hell to all your veterans...

The pseudo standard for this rig is to run your "time based" effects between the two amps (delay, chorus, etc..)

Your other effects (boosts, EQ, etc) in front of the "tone generator" amp.

Guitar > boost/EQ > 1st amp > reactive/resistive load - line out > chorus/flange/harmonizer/delay > clean solid state amp.. Both amps are connected to speaker(s). The first amp is setup with a "parallel load", in that the speaker outs go to both an actual cab & a load with a line level signal out to the 2nd (usually a clean solid-state power amp).

You place your "time based" effect(s) in that line level signal path between the two amps.

Enjoy the ground loops


ymmv

 

[515O_GUY]

The pseudo standard for this rig is to run your "time based" effects between the two amps (delay, chorus, etc..)

Your other effects (boosts, EQ, etc) in front of the "tone generator" amp

Fair enough. It's what I thought initially... but doesn't that mean this isn't a "truly" WET/DRY rig? Wouldn't that make this a WET/MOIST rig?

Or does "WET" only refer to time-based/effects-loop type of effects?

Thanks for the response by the way!

 

[Ben Waylin]

Fair enough. It's what I thought initially... but doesn't that mean this isn't a "truly" WET/DRY rig? Wouldn't that make this a WET/MOIST rig?

Or does "WET" only refer to time-based/effects-loop type of effects?

Thanks for the response by the way!

Yes. time based = wet

I ran a rig like this 20 years ago. It sounded fucking massive.

Once you solve the inevitable ground loop issues, it's a fun rig to play.

 

[515O_GUY]

Yes. time based = wet

I ran a rig like this 20 years ago. It sounded fucking massive.

Once you solve the inevitable ground loop issues, it's a fun rig to play.

For fixing the ground loop issues is using an issolated switch power supply a good place to start?

 

[515O_GUY]

The pseudo standard for this rig is to run your "time based" effects between the two amps (delay, chorus, etc..)

Your other effects (boosts, EQ, etc) in front of the "tone generator" amp.

Guitar > boost/EQ > 1st amp > reactive/resistive load - line out > chorus/flange/harmonizer/delay > clean solid state amp.. Both amps are connected to speaker(s). The first amp is setup with a "parallel load", in that the speaker outs go to both an actual cab & a load with a line level signal out to the 2nd (usually a clean solid-state power amp).

You place your "time based" effect(s) in that line level signal path between the two amps.

Enjoy the ground loops


ymmv

Since the EVH 515O III 5OW 6L6 has a "Pre-Amp Out" jack wich is meant to input to the Effects Loop "Return" of a 2nd amp (for the purposes of amp slaving), does this eliminate the need for the "parallel load" setup?

 

[Ben Waylin]

Since the EVH 515O III 5OW 6L6 has a "Pre-Amp Out" jack wich is meant to input to the Effects Loop "Return" of a 2nd amp (for the purposes of amp slaving), does this eliminate the need for the "parallel load" setup?

I wouldn't know..

I did this rig with a JCM800 & 4x12 cab and a solid state power amp into a 2x12 cab.

 

[515O_GUY]

I wouldn't know..

I did this rig with a JCM800 & 4x12 cab and a solid state power amp into a 2x12 cab.

Gotchya!

Thanks for all the great pointer though. Very much appreciated!

 

[panhead]

Great info... but how the hell do you make this rig work if you want some of your pedals/effects in front of your WET AMP and some in the EFFECTS LOOP?

MO MONEY

 

[TheGreatGreen]

You'll only be able to use the preamp channels of the EVH head your guitar is plugged into. The other amp will simply serve as a poweramp.

Also, the main amp's volume controls will serve as the volume controls for both amps. EVH amps don't have true "master volume" controls. They actually have "channel volume" controls. The power sections of those amps always run at 100% full all the time, and the volume controls just control how much preamp signal is sent to the poweramp for their associated channel. For a W/D rig like this one, this means that the three volume controls (green, blue, red) of the dry "main" amp will serve as the master volumes for both amps. In other words, none of the controls on the wet amp will function at all, not even the volume knobs. The slave amp is going to output the exact same thing as the master amp, including volume.

Final thing, as you can see above, the EVH 50w has both an effects loop and a preamp out. The effects loop exists before the preamp out in the circuit, so that means you can wire in post-effects to influence both amps, OR just the slave amp. So like if you want to add an EQ pedal or something like a tremolo for volume control that wouldn't really work without it effecting both amps, you'd put those in the main amp's effects loop. But for spacial effects like delay and reverb, you'd put those in the "preamp out > slave effects return" route.

For ground loops, just buy some $20 isolation transformer boxes from Amazon. They'll resolve and ground loop issues. They're usually about the size of a pedal or slightly smaller. I've used them and they're absolutely essential for complex rigs like these where you have multiple devices that require power. For this rig, I'd recommend one on both sides of the main amp's effects loop, and another in the "preamp out > slave effects return" route.

So my next question would be, since the eventide does do a wet/dry output or stereo depending on how the preset is saved, could I essentially run the dry output from the eventide to the FX return on head 1, wet output to the FX return on head 2 and basically do the switching between wet/dry or stereo with the eventide?

Also what would you suggest using if I am having phase/polarity issues or ground loop hum and where would I place something like that in the chain to solve these issues if needed? I also have a phase 90 EVH and would I place that in the the wet output coming from the eventide to keep all effects on head 2.

This is just a personal preference so by all means do what you want and take this with a grain of salt, but I'd highly advise running the phase 90 before the main amp's preamp, even in a W/D rig. If you run a phaser after your preamp gain, it's going make for an extremely obvious and overpowering effect to the point of sounding cheesy. Instead, if you route your phaser before your distortion stages, it will make for a much more subtle and "airy" kind of effect which phasers are best known for.

 

[515O_GUY]

You'll only be able to use the preamp channels of the EVH head your guitar is plugged into. The other amp will simply serve as a poweramp.

Also, the main amp's volume controls will serve as the volume controls for both amps. EVH amps don't have true "master volume" controls. They actually have "channel volume" controls. The power sections of those amps always run at 100% full all the time, and the volume controls just control how much preamp signal is sent to the poweramp for their associated channel. For a W/D rig like this one, this means that the three volume controls (green, blue, red) of the dry "main" amp will serve as the master volumes for both amps. In other words, none of the controls on the wet amp will function at all, not even the volume knobs. The slave amp is going to output the exact same thing as the master amp, including volume.

Final thing, as you can see above, the EVH 50w has both an effects loop and a preamp out. The effects loop exists before the preamp out in the circuit, so that means you can wire in post-effects to influence both amps, OR just the slave amp. So like if you want to add an EQ pedal or something like a tremolo for volume control that wouldn't really work without it effecting both amps, you'd put those in the main amp's effects loop. But for spacial effects like delay and reverb, you'd put those in the "preamp out > slave effects return" route.

For ground loops, just buy some $20 isolation transformer boxes from Amazon. They'll resolve and ground loop issues. They're usually about the size of a pedal or slightly smaller. I've used them and they're absolutely essential for complex rigs like these where you have multiple devices that require power. For this rig, I'd recommend one on both sides of the main amp's effects loop, and another in the "preamp out > slave effects return" route.



This is just a personal preference so by all means do what you want and take this with a grain of salt, but I'd highly advise running the phase 90 before the main amp's preamp, even in a W/D rig. If you run a phaser after your preamp gain, it's going make for an extremely obvious and overpowering effect to the point of sounding cheesy. Instead, if you route your phaser before your distortion stages, it will make for a much more subtle and "airy" kind of effect which phasers are best known for.

Or instead of buying multiple isolation transformer boxes, why not just get a Rack Mount Hum Eliminator with several channels?

 

[alund]

Couple things that I learned over time with what you want.. btw there a few ways to do this so know other ways are good too. This is my way. I did it with 2 amp heads which is what you have.
Guitar into input Lehle ABY or AB split. Since the AB has isolated transformers there won’t be a ground loop.
Lehle A output-> EVH amp head one-> cabinet 1
Lehle B Output-> EVH amp head two -> cabinet 2
Your eventide can go into the effects loop of one of the amp heads. The boosts/wah etc can go into the dry head.. I still do mine this way. But I also use a 3rd head for solo boost. Call it overkill. Fuck it. It loud and Huuuuuge