A new twist on A/B/Y selection?

[Fleetdog]

I've done some searching through A/B/Y posts but haven't seen anything quite like what I'm thinking.  I'd like to have an A/B/Y where A and B are both unbuffered and full strength but Y is buffered and has 2 knobs to control the signal going to each amp (either independant volumes or a volume and a blend).  In the end, I'd like to dial in my 2 amps to be about the same volume then dial in the Y setting so that the 2 amps together are not much louder than either one is by itself. 

It's possible that no one does this because cutting the signal that far makes the amps sound like junk but I think it's an interesting idea.  Even without trying to keep the overal volume stable, it might be fun to experiment with the amps getting varying levels of input in Y operation.

Do you think this would work?  Have you seen anything like it done before?  Links to similar schematics (even normal A/B/Y schems) would be appreciated.

[somis9]

thats interesting because I was just thinking about something similar but going the opposite direction. I want to be able to run a mic (for harmonica) through my pedal board and amp and switch between it and guitar or have both.  I am also looking into a line driver for load/level assistance, which may also help the mic signal.  Mic tone would not be important but mantaining my guitar tone definately is. Having one pedal to accomplish this would be nice.  It could also be used when two guitarists have only one amp in a practice or teaching situation.

[bwanasonic]

In the end, I'd like to dial in my 2 amps to be about the same volume then dial in the Y setting so that the 2 amps together are not much louder than either one is by itself.

It's been my experience that two amps at stage volume are not *much* louder than one. Are you running a two amp setup already? I don't have a lot of experience with two amp setups, but I would think just a volume pedal before the splitter would be another way to go. Whatever adjusment you come up with at soundcheck, would probably need to be tweaked once the room fills up anyway.

Kerry M

[Fleetdog]

While 2 amps on stage may not sound much louder than 1, 2 amps at playing quiet enough in the basement that it doesn't upset my wife levels will sound louder than 1.  Someday I will find time to get in a band and play out, but untill then, I'll be collecting instruments and parts and rocking out in the basement. 

I just got a second amp and it's a single chanel tube amp so I love it for slightly dirty overdriven sounds.  My old amp is a dual channel solid state that works better of absolutely clean or realy dirty sounds.  I'm most interested in mixing a tiny bit of super clean with a lot of tube OD.

[Processaurus]

Good idea about buffering the "Y".   It may be a lot easier to buffer everything though, otherwise the switching may end up being too complex for common footswitches and you'd have to move to relays or electronic switching, I think.  If everything is buffered, you don't have to worry about switching the input, because you can have signal going to your "Y" mixer all the time,  and just concentrate on how to switch whats going to the two output jacks.  Should be able to do all that with a quad opamp.