Author Topic: F-2B Question (Read 596 times)

lbpesq · « **on:** July 08, 2015, 11:48:10 PM »

Would the following work?

Plug the channel one out into the channel two in to cascade the channels. Then run the guitar signal through an A/B switch with A going to the channel 1 input and B going to the channel 2 input on the F-2B. Then would the A/B switch be able to toggle between the single channel B and the cascading channels A? I thought I'd ask here before I blow up my pre-amp.

Bill, tgo

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** July 09, 2015, 09:22:30 AM »

Have you taken this into consideration:

From alembic.com, Plugging into Jack 1 alone gives full sensitivity, while Jack 2 alone is attenuated 6 dB. If signals are plugged into both jacks simultaneously, mixing resistors combine the signals

If I recall correctly, with two signals plugged into channel 2, each will be attenuated 3dB.

I'm guessing your intent is that B will be cleaner, while A will be more overdriven. And I'm guessing that by experimenting with jack choice and volume setting on channel 1, you should be able to get the volume outputs of A and B matched.

And from the same page, The signal from Channel A is high enough to drive the first stage of Channel B into distortion. The tone controls of Channel A are used to emphasize those frequencies which will be most distorted, while the controls of Channel B shape the color of the resulting distortion. Channel A's volume control sets the amount of distortion, while the Volume Control of Channel B sets the output level (Master Volume).

Here, your channel 2 tone controls will be first used to shape the tone of B, but will also affect what is flowing from A. But here again, with experimentation of the tone settings on channel 1, it seems that a useful result can be obtained.

bsee · « **Reply #2 on:** July 09, 2015, 10:15:42 AM »

I traded my F1-X for an F-2B a few years ago specifically to try that experiment. Admittedly, I was doing it on bass rather than guitar, but it did not work out the way I wanted it to. On the up side, nothing blew up.

-bob

FC Bass · « **Reply #3 on:** July 09, 2015, 10:36:34 AM »

I think you can do all kinds of routings with the Voodoolab switcher, that's if you have a spare rackspace and don't mind the extra weight. :-) I have a midi switcher that also allows you to reverse the effects loop banks - Two banks of 4 effects loops that can be used separate (each with it's own input or with the signal from input 1 if nothing is inserted in input 2) or both in series in any order (A-B or B-A) Hoping to use one (I have three of them now) for the ultimate stereo rig to use with the Series bass. (4 programmable effect loops for each pickup) :-)

lbpesq · « **Reply #4 on:** July 09, 2015, 02:59:03 PM »

I'm replacing my Voodoolab midi system. The BYOC Super8 Looper does everything the GCX/Ground control system does, while being far more portable and much easier to set up and break down.

Bob:

What didn't work? Did it not switch between the single channel and the cascading channels or was it just that you didn't like the tone?

What I'm trying to accomplish is essentially a two channel amp, one clean and one overdriven. Can this be done with an F-2B and an A/B switch?

Bill, tgo

bsee · « **Reply #5 on:** July 09, 2015, 11:00:43 PM »

I couldn't get a drive tone that I liked for bass. I may have given up early in that I didn't do any tube swapping. Also, I would have wanted a drive channel that was comparable in volume or slightly louder than my clean signal. If the theory on cascading channels is to drive the second tube stage harder, then I expect a significant increase in volume requiring more hardware to tame. I was looking for simple and gig-friendly.

All I can say definitively is that playing with that configuration resulted in no apparent damage to any component in my system.

lbpesq · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2015, 09:00:44 AM »

Thanks, Bob. The significant increase in volume is just what I'm looking for - essentially using the cascading side as my lead channel ala Mesa Boogie. I'll hook it up and give it a try this weekend.

Bill, tgo

pace · « **Reply #7 on:** July 10, 2015, 01:32:21 PM »

It does work much like the Mesa, Bill.
My only gripe has been w/running a cable from the back of the unit (Aout) to the front (Bin). You might even want to try running a graphic EQ between the channels.

Personally, with the F2-B, I prefer running it as a stereo rig, and when I'm not running an Alembic, i just jumper the input jacks.

lbpesq · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2015, 10:13:15 AM »

Well, I tried the A/B experiment. It worked, but it didn't work. I found that I couldn't get a good usable tone in both modes. If I set the single channel for my rhythm tone, I found the volume was too high to allow for a good distorted lead tone with the cascaded channel. If I tweaked it to get a good lead tone when cascading channels, the single channel was too low.

Mike:

How are you jumpering the input jacks?

Bill, tgo

lbpesq · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2015, 08:09:06 PM »

Figured out jumpering channel A into B. So, with a mono guitar I can tweak the two channels differently. I'm trying the speakers, (two 1x12s loaded with JBL K120s), placed side by side with a couple of feet in between. Using a TC Electronics Hall of Fame reverb pedal. Just the F-2B and Carvin DCM200L power amp. (I might add in an SF-2 down the road). Sounds good by myself. The next step is to try it in a band situation.

Bill, tgo

tom_z · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2015, 01:35:38 PM »

Bill - what guitar(s) are you playing through this?

lbpesq · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2015, 04:50:58 PM »

So far I've tried my Further, my Ferlembic, and my Alembicized BlackKnife/Warmoth.
I haven't tried my Series I 6 or 12 yet, nor a passive guitar. I need to figure out how to use this with the Series guitars as it seems to me that I can only send one pickup through the pedal board. The adventure continues.

Bill, tgo

lbpesq · « **Reply #12 on:** July 19, 2015, 02:14:28 PM »

Used the new rig for the first time in a jam yesterday. Unqualified success! Very clean and full sounding. I don't know how well this set up would work for heavy metal, punk, or other distortion-intensive styles. But for jam band music, where I'm looking for clean definition, the F-2B/Carvin combo gives me a great tone with very light weight and extreme portability.

Bill, tgo

David Houck · « **Reply #13 on:** July 19, 2015, 02:39:20 PM »

So you went in to channel 1, out of channel 1 and in to channel 2, and then out of channel 2, but you didn't do the A/B switch thing?

lbpesq · « **Reply #14 on:** July 19, 2015, 03:05:12 PM »

The A/B switching didn't really work. I could toggle between the channels, but there was no way to get a good tone on both at the same time.

I wound up hooking up the F-2B to the Carvin in straight stereo. I plugged my guitar (post pedal board, including reverb pedal) into input 1 of channel A of the F-2B. I then ran a patch cord from input 2 of channel A (on the front panel) into input 1 of channel B. This is the jumpering connection which is quite different from patching the output of A (on the rear) to the B input, which is cascading.

I then tweaked Channel A to emphasize more of the lower end and channel B to emphasize more of the higher end. The A signal then went through the left channel of the power amp and out to the left speaker cab. The B signal went to the right power amp channel and out to the right speaker cab.

Essentially like playing with two separate combo amps with each receiving the same signal from my guitar. I hope that wasn't too confusing.

Bill, tgo