Re: Amplifiers for looping

[Phil Diem <pdiem@edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu>]

Matthias Grob wrote:


>Last time I was in the cinema, I felt like trying to have the clean signal
>on one central speaker and reverb on two periferial cabinets (maybe even 
>on
>the ceiling?). I did not do it yet, because I do not have the cabinet and
>amp ready.

>Anyone tried this?
>Does it sound really different from stereo?

>Matthias

Yes, I have tried this and in my opinion it does sound different than 
stereo. I've taken it one step further by adding a third cabinet which is 
wired across the two positive speaker terminals on my stereo power amp. 
This results in the third speaker being out of phase (?) with the left 
and right cabinets which gives it it's own voice. Some very interesting 
stuff comes out of this third cabinet on occasion. I've used this set up 
for years on both my rig and my stereo system and I haven't fried 
anything yet. Maybe I'm just lucky? Actually, I read about this idea in 
Popular Mechanics or something back (again, yup i'm over 25) in the 60's 
as a way to make a regular stereo quadraphonic. In the article they had 
the forth speaker wired between the negative leads from right and left 
and the negative terminal on the amp. I wasn't so impressed with this 
part, couldn't hear any difference in the voice of the fourth speaker. 

So my rig's set up like this: clean signal into amp @ center; line 
out/effects send from amp(s) to mixer; mixer output to loopers (jamman 
and digitech time machine); loopers outputs to 2nd mixer w/ vortex and 
digitech studio twin on effects loops; mixer output to stereo power amp 
w/ speakers @ right, left and third speaker @ back of room or hall. 

Both the vortex and the studio twin essentially have the ability to 
transform the mono signal from the loopers into stereo so I have four 
seperate/different sound sources...surround sound.

Phil