Two heads through one cab...possible?

amnesiac · Post by **amnesiac** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:41 pm

This may a dumb question, but can I run two heads into one cab and use an A/B switch to switch between the two? The reason I ask is that I've got the chance to get an old Bandmaster reverb head and cab on a trade and I can get a 'cosmetically deficient' (lol, it has a dent in the front) Orange AD30TC head. That would be much cheaper than buying an AD30tc combo and possibly waiting six months to get it. Plus, I'd have the best of both worlds...that classic british sound and that old fender clean sound. But, something tells me that this wouldn't quite work correctly without some modification to the cab. Am I right? and what should I do?

My intentions would be to use both through the fender cab, and start saving for an orange cab to run them through. Bad idea?

Post by **bclaire** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:04 pm

You don't want to do this. The amp has to have some kind of load on it at all times or the output transformers will blow (wave goodbye to $250 in that case). There is a company that makes a switcher that supposedly provides a dummy load for the amp that isn't going through the speakers, but I question whether during the switch if there isn't a quick time when there is no load on the amp... personally, I wouldn't chance it- I'd get a second cabinet for the second head.

acorkos · Post by **acorkos** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:16 pm

Check this out...not cheap, but it will do what you want...

http://www.axess-electronics.com/_p_hs2.htm

amnesiac · Post by **amnesiac** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:44 pm

oh well...there goes that idea. It seemed to make sense that if there are two inputs on the back of the cab, you could run two heads into it. but, then again, i know nothing about electronics.

LeonC · Post by **LeonC** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 11:51 pm

Yes, several companies make head switchers. I've not heard about any failures resulting in damage to amps but it's certainly possible that you could dammage your amp.

Two heads--each into its own speaker--in one cab is do-able too; you just have to make sure you're matching up the impedences correctly. E.g., if you have a 4x12 loaded with 4 16 ohm speakers, you could wire two pairs, each in parallel (for a load of 8 ohms per pair) and you'd plug into an 8 ohm jack in each amp. All of that being said, this seems like a really clumsy way to get "two channels"...

acorkos · Post by **acorkos** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 12:46 am

Bite the bullet and get a second cabinet...

vinyl · Post by **vinyl** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:15 am

Radial makes an excellent head switcher, Headbone I believe. I've seen one in action and it works great. Pricey but top quality products I own a Tonebone and it's great.

Meole · Post by **Meole** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:53 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by amnesiac
 oh well...there goes that idea. It seemed to make sense that if there are two inputs on the back of the cab, you could run two heads into it. but, then again, i know nothing about electronics.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

If you rewire the cab to be stereo. 2 speakers used by one amp, the other 2 speakers by the second amp.

Orange Julius · Post by **Orange Julius** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:50 pm

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by acorkos
 Check this out...not cheap, but it will do what you want...

http://www.axess-electronics.com/_p_hs2.htm
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Yup I just bought one of those, killer.

Post by **bclaire** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:10 pm

I'll say it again... none of those products have been on the market long enough. I wouldn't trust any of my amps with any of those...

Two heads through one cab...possible?

Who is online