Amp switcher.....Do any REALLY work well???

[Wycked Lester]

actually you use instrument cable (1 conductor -the hot, and a braided shield - cold) for ALL connections unless your plugging directly into a speaker, then you use speaker cable (2 seperate wires, like a lamp cord)

 

[LPMarshall hack]

actually you use instrument cable (1 conductor -the hot, and a braided shield - cold) for ALL connections unless your plugging directly into a speaker, then you use speaker cable (2 seperate wires, like a lamp cord)

I thought so, but I was never 100% sure....except for the speaker cable for speakers...tks!

 

[Wycked Lester]

anytime bro

 

[jitees]

for the record, you also use speaker cables from the head to the switcher......just as if you were going from the head to a speaker.

 

[triftstrassa]

Another radial bigshot user here when I run two amps at the same time.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

for the record, you also use speaker cables from the head to the switcher......just as if you were going from the head to a speaker.

OK, so speaker cabler from the switcher to the speaker, and speaker cables from the amp heads to the switcher. What about from the switcher to the amps? Speaker cable also?

I'm thinking of the Radial Headbone. It's got two cables going from the switcher to the amps, and two from the amps to the switcher, then the speaker out. All speaker cables?

 

[jitees]

OK, so speaker cabler from the switcher to the speaker, and speaker cables from the amp heads to the switcher. What about from the switcher to the amps? Speaker cable also?

I'm thinking of the Radial Headbone. It's got two cables going from the switcher to the amps, and two from the amps to the switcher, then the speaker out. All speaker cables?

OK......speaker cable (x2) from heads (amp) to the headbone, then speaker cable (x1) from headbone to cab, just as if you were going from the head(s) to the cab but the switcher is in between. So, using 2 heads & 1 cab you will need 3 speaker cables.

The 2 cables going from the switcher to the head(s) are your guitar signal as the guitar plugs into the switcher also. These are regular instrument cables. So with 2 heads you will need a instrument cable going from the guitar to the Headbone, then 2 more from the headbone to each amp.

I also use a regular footswitch to switch the Headbone. This way I can run the footswitch out to me & keep the Headbone back by the amp(s). This allows me to keep all my cables short & I basically use patch cables as my instrument cables from the Headbone to the heads for my guitar signal, instead of longer guitar cables.

It might seem confusing, but it is a really simple setup that works great.....& everything is labeled very clearly on the Headbone. You'll also be pleased to know there is no clicking or delay of any kind when switching......just a very smooth, quiet switch.

 

[Wycked Lester]

yea, thats it.....you would use speaker cable from the speaker outs of your heads to the headbone, then a speaker cable from the headbone to the cab. Very similar to how you would run an attenuator. Sorry if my earlier post was misleading......You do only use speaker cable if your plugging into speakers, but in this case your putting something between your head and speaker, so you'd use speaker cable for both.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

OK......speaker cable (x2) from heads (amp) to the headbone, then speaker cable (x1) from headbone to cab, just as if you were going from the head(s) to the cab but the switcher is in between. So, using 2 heads & 1 cab you will need 3 speaker cables.

The 2 cables going from the switcher to the head(s) are your guitar signal as the guitar plugs into the switcher also. These are regular instrument cables. So with 2 heads you will need a instrument cable going from the guitar to the Headbone, then 2 more from the headbone to each amp.

I also use a regular footswitch to switch the Headbone. This way I can run the footswitch out to me & keep the Headbone back by the amp(s). This allows me to keep all my cables short & I basically use patch cables as my instrument cables from the Headbone to the heads for my guitar signal, instead of longer guitar cables.

It might seem confusing, but it is a really simple setup that works great.....& everything is labeled very clearly on the Headbone. You'll also be pleased to know there is no clicking or delay of any kind when switching......just a very smooth, quiet switch.

According to the website, they have you using 5 cables. Including 2 guitar cables from the amps to the Bone. Confused!?!??

This is from their site:

Headbone Setup:
Plug your guitar or FX chain into the Headbone's 'DIRECT' or 'BUFFERED' input*. Connect 'To AMP-1' to one amp head and 'To AMP-2 to the the other using standard 1/4" guitar cables. Connect the speaker outputs from each amp to their respective 'FROM AMP-1' and 'FROM AMP-2' 1/4" jacks using high grade speaker cables*. Now just hook up a speaker cable from the 'To Speaker Cabinet' jack to your speaker, and that's it.

 

[jitees]

Including 2 guitar cables from the amps to the Bone. Confused!?!??

OK...keep in mind.....not only are your switching between 2 heads going to 1 cabinet (requiring 3 speaker cables), but you are also switching your guitar signal between the 2 heads (requiring 3 instrument cables). So you have to have an input from the guitar to both heads, hence GUITAR goes to TONEBONE, Tonebone goes to Amp1 & Amp2 (the 2 cables going from the TONEBONE to each head input). These are the exact 2 I'm referring to that I use patch cables for instead.

All in all, you will use 3 instrument cables & 3 speaker cables. The remote footswitch (called slingshot by Radial & is a regular everyday footswitch) is optional but highly recommended.

What the website is referring to when they say 5 cables are the 2 signal (inst) cables going from the HB to the heads, the 2 amp to HB speaker cables, & the HB to cab speaker cable. They are not counting the 6th cable you need, the Guitar to HB cable instrument cable.

hope this helps.......

 

[LPMarshall hack]

OK...keep in mind.....not only are your switching between 2 heads going to 1 cabinet (requiring 3 speaker cables), but you are also switching your guitar signal between the 2 heads (requiring 3 instrument cables). So you have to have an input from the guitar to both heads, hence GUITAR goes to TONEBONE, Tonebone goes to Amp1 & Amp2 (the 2 cables going from the TONEBONE to each head input). These are the exact 2 I'm referring to that I use patch cables for instead.

All in all, you will use 3 instrument cables & 3 speaker cables. The remote footswitch (called slingshot by Radial & is a regular everyday footswitch) is optional but highly recommended.

What the website is referring to when they say 5 cables are the 2 signal (inst) cables going from the HB to the heads, the 2 amp to HB speaker cables, & the HB to cab speaker cable. They are not counting the 6th cable you need, the Guitar to HB cable instrument cable.

hope this helps.......

It does. In fact, I re-read your earlier post and you spelled it out perfectly. I feel a little stupid I didn't get it the first time around!

So patch cables are ok to use in place of guitar cables? I guess they're made the same? Thanks a million for your help guys.

 

[jitees]

cool....post some input once you get 'er set up.....would love to hear how it works for you.....

Here's my rig............

 

[LPMarshall hack]

cool....post some input once you get 'er set up.....would love to hear how it works for you.....

Here's my rig............

I will. Might be a bit because I recently bought a new amp and the wife is still peeved about that! HAHAHAAAAA!

 

[bennieusmaximus]

Voodoo labs has a four amp switcher.It has good reveiws.Gonna order one next week.