Voodoo Lab Amp Selector

[rabies]

just bought this for my 3 amps (Rivera S120, Marshall 2205, Peavey 6534+). It can supposedly run up to 4 amps simul. Anybody used this? thx.

keeping with the Marshall as main tone and beefing up with rivera and/or peavey (low-end).

 

[rabies]

trying to run two amps into gflex 212 (75 watts per side) so peavey can't be cranked or separate cab.

 

[racerevlon]

I have one and it rules! Makes you sound massive and can also work as a solo boost, layering, or create interesting tone combinations.

 

[EOT]

I have one. I haven't used it in a long time, but I never had any issues with it. Never tried it with more than two amps. What are your concerns with it?

 

[mrkmas]

I never heard much about them on here, but I do remember reading about it leading up to the release of them. I have never used it, but anything I have used from Voodoolab has always been been built tough and never failed, and worked flawlessly so I have no reason to think otherwise for this.

 

[rabies]

none yet, but I had a bigshot radial aby recently that had volume and tone issues, we'll see with this one.

i think playing thru two amps (esp. if one is 6L6 and the other is EL34) would fill up the tone range.

my combo may end up being killer but i can only run the rivera in mono (S120 is 2x60 stereo head) if I use the gflex (2 8 ohm inputs)

 

[JTyson]

I have one, its collecting dust.
It works as advertised, but sucks tone pretty badly. I was running 4 heads with it, all setup for very different tones. 1 clean, 1 dry heavy rhythm, 1 wet heavy rhythm, and 1 wet lead. In the end I put it on the shelf and have not touched it for a few years.
The Radial you have now actually sounds better than the voodoo, although it sucks a wee bit of tone too. Not too bad though, its workable. It dosent sound bad at all until you plug straight in. I've had no problems out of mine for several years now.
If you dont like the Radial, the Lehle is a better built unit with less tone suckage.
I'd put the voodoo in the classifieds for CHEAP, but I dont want to hear whoever buys it whine about it for the same reasons I sold it

 

[steve_k]

It is a decent switcher, but you will have to be aware of the impending phase issues when switching amps. There is no way with all those channel changing amps that you will keep phase issues in check. Just a word of advice and be prepared.

 

[garey77]

It is a decent switcher, but you will have to be aware of the impending phase issues when switching amps. There is no way with all those channel changing amps that you will keep phase issues in check. Just a word of advice and be prepared.

Explain, please.

 

[steve_k]

It is a decent switcher, but you will have to be aware of the impending phase issues when switching amps. There is no way with all those channel changing amps that you will keep phase issues in check. Just a word of advice and be prepared.

Explain, please.

When you have two amps A/B/Y, they will either be in phase or out of phase. You can hear this through the speaker cabs and out of phase will sound thin, bottom end will be gone and you will be grabbing for the EQ controls. Several companies make a box for phase reversal or Lehle and RJM build them into their switchers. I think Radial does too.

That is easy enough fixed, but the problem is when you start changing amp channels and adding to or removing a gain circuit from an amp. It has to do with the even/odd gain stages of a tube circuit. So, the amps that were in phase in one state, will be thrown out of phase immediately. This is the problem with amp switchers that don't have a phase reverse feature. I can't imagine trying to mess with 4 amps like that.

Now, if they are all 3 tube, single channel Marshall's, that is a different story....it's something I found through trial and error in my young and dumb days, then went to find out why.

Steve

 

[garey77]

It is a decent switcher, but you will have to be aware of the impending phase issues when switching amps. There is no way with all those channel changing amps that you will keep phase issues in check. Just a word of advice and be prepared.

Explain, please.

When you have two amps A/B/Y, they will either be in phase or out of phase. You can hear this through the speaker cabs and out of phase will sound thin, bottom end will be gone and you will be grabbing for the EQ controls. Several companies make a box for phase reversal or Lehle and RJM build them into their switchers. I think Radial does too.

That is easy enough fixed, but the problem is when you start changing amp channels and adding to or removing a gain circuit from an amp. It has to do with the even/odd gain stages of a tube circuit. So, the amps that were in phase in one state, will be thrown out of phase immediately. This is the problem with amp switchers that don't have a phase reverse feature. I can't imagine trying to mess with 4 amps like that.

Now, if they are all 3 tube, single channel Marshall's, that is a different story....it's something I found through trial and error in my young and dumb days, then went to find out why.

Steve

Okay, that's very interesting. Thanks man... so say, for instance, I have my VHT CLX and UL, and say, a CCV and a JCM 800, and I'm mixing between them. I'll most likely have phasing issues, correct?

 

[JTyson]

It is a decent switcher, but you will have to be aware of the impending phase issues when switching amps. There is no way with all those channel changing amps that you will keep phase issues in check. Just a word of advice and be prepared.

Explain, please.

When you have two amps A/B/Y, they will either be in phase or out of phase. You can hear this through the speaker cabs and out of phase will sound thin, bottom end will be gone and you will be grabbing for the EQ controls. Several companies make a box for phase reversal or Lehle and RJM build them into their switchers. I think Radial does too.

That is easy enough fixed, but the problem is when you start changing amp channels and adding to or removing a gain circuit from an amp. It has to do with the even/odd gain stages of a tube circuit. So, the amps that were in phase in one state, will be thrown out of phase immediately. This is the problem with amp switchers that don't have a phase reverse feature. I can't imagine trying to mess with 4 amps like that.

Now, if they are all 3 tube, single channel Marshall's, that is a different story....it's something I found through trial and error in my young and dumb days, then went to find out why.

Steve

That was probably my problem all along Steve, I just did not realize it at the time. I just used the universal "tone suck" to describe it
I figured out very quickly that 4 heads was gonna be a problem without a high-end switcher and gave up. 2 in an A/B setup was workable with the phase reversal on the Radial. I just knew it sounded better, I had no idea why

 

[rabies]

so this would explain why most rock bands use only one amp in their rig (and maybe a standby/backup). well i received fedex today so may try it tomorrow.

what rig exactly does adam jones use live? I saw tool a year or so ago and it looked like he had two (diezel) heads on stage...

 

[steve_k]

so this would explain why most rock bands use only one amp in their rig (and maybe a standby/backup). well i received fedex today so may try it tomorrow.

what rig exactly does adam jones use live? I saw tool a year or so ago and it looked like he had two (diezel) heads on stage...

Adam uses a Diezel VH4 and a Marshall Super Bass blended. He doesn't switch either of them out of the signal path nor does he change channels on the VH4. Not sure what he uses for ganging the amps, but since he is not changing channels, the phase always remains the same. He runs his stuff with the mids dimed and no bass - so it probably wouldn't matter anyway....

 

[rabies]

He runs his stuff with the mids dimed and no bass - so it probably wouldn't matter anyway....

really? no bass, so all the bass is coming from the bass guitar only? I find that hard to believe for such a heavy band...

that's interesting you mention this, today I tried similar settings on the peavey cranked (no bass, mids cranked, treble past noon) at the studio. sounds very "in your face"...

 

[steve_k]

He runs his stuff with the mids dimed and no bass - so it probably wouldn't matter anyway....

really? no bass, so all the bass is coming from the bass guitar only? I find that hard to believe for such a heavy band...

that's interesting you mention this, today I tried similar settings on the peavey cranked (no bass, mids cranked, treble past noon) at the studio. sounds very "in your face"...

Search for YT vid from Dunlop for Adam's rig rundown. Remember, what you hear from the amp isn't what is projected to the FOH. He's gets his bass tweaks from the PA, as do most. Keeps the bottom end from mushing up the rest of the mix.

Steve

 

[racerevlon]

I never had any phasing issues...

 

[steve_k]

I never had any phasing issues...

Because you are special

 

[JTyson]

Steve, I need some clarification-
When you say switching channels, you are talking about channels on 1 amp within the multiple heads right? (clean/dirty)
I was basically using separate heads for different tones instead of switching channels while combining some of them at times.
I still think your logic applies, it sounded out of phase now that I'm thinking about it more.
Whatcha think?

 

[James Lugo]

I use mine on every guitar session, perfection! I have to run my knobs at about 90% to get an full signal to the amp from the guitar. Awesome box.