Help Me Build a Rack Rig - UPDATED 12/7/2011

  • Thread starter Thread starter IndyWS6
  • Start date Start date
Not sure this answers your question, but if you only plug into Channel A, it feeds to both channels A and B. You still need to adjust each channel's volume control separately, however (if you have a stereo cab, this is a non-issue). As for headroom - unless you're playing arenas, the 9100 and 9200 - even run mono using both sides (i.e., 50w x 2 OR 100w x 2) - should give you PLENTY of headroom.
 
Thanks - that does help, but brings up another question. If I plug into channel "A", and it then feeds to channels "A" AND "B", what output jack do you use to drive the cabinet? For starters, I'll be using a single 4x12 cabinet. Will the volume control for channel "A" be the only control? What does the volume control for channel "B" do if no cabinet is connected to the channel "B" output jack? I apologize for the questions - I've seen the amps but don't have any hands-on experience with them. I should probably find the manual on-line and do a little studying... :doh:
 
Before I went back to using heads, I was (and actually still am) super-happy with this, which used to be my main live setup:

LiveRig2.jpg


2 x Furman Power Conditioners
Korg Rack Tuner
BBE MaxCom Stereo Compressor + BBE
ART 351 (Channel A pre EQ)
Furman Q-Series 31-band EQ (Channel B pre EQ)
Digitech MEQ-14 (MIDI Stereo Post EQ)
BBE 462 Sonic Maximizer (POST)
Rocktron xPression (Channel A only) wet/dry config
Rocktron Stereo MIDI Pro HUSH
Marshall JMP-1 with Boogie 12AX7's wet side
Marshall EL84 20/20
ADA MP-1 v2.01 dry side

Run into a Single custom Stereo 4 x 12 split vertically with a GT12-75 in the top of each side and a Vintage 30 in the bottom of each side.

AWESOME 80's tones for days!! Now that I'm back to using heads, I might part with this rig, if the price is right...

Cheers,

Race
 
Another awesome rack - who wouldn't be happy with that??? I can't even begin to justify that amount of equipment with my feeble guitar skills - or imagine what the "right" price would be - but you can humor me in a PM if you want... :yes:

I see in your sig that you have a Switchblade. A switchblade 100W head on an ancient Carvin 4x12 cabinet is my main setup right now. There doesn't sem to be much H&K love on the forum... :confused:
 
Indy...one other power amp to look into...the Peavey Classic 120/120 Stereo Power amp. Massive power amp...it's a beast but it does have presence and resonance controls on the front. Runs on 8 6L6's and the resonance control helps with added lows. Some amps have presence but I liked the Res on there as well. I used that amp probably longer than any other power amp I owned. Granted the Peavey haters will poo poo that idea but it's probably the best power amp i owned.

Now it is heavy...in fact it's a back breaker and is the reason other than space that I switched to the Boogie 2:90. I never owned the VHT power amps which are considered the coup de grace nor did I own the Marshalls...but I went through a ton of power amps back then and had weight and space not been an issue I would have stuck with the Peavey.

Anyway might be worth checking out...I'm sure you could find these rather cheap. Just remember if interested it's the Peavey Classic 120/120 w/ res, pres, and Vol on the front Panel. Peavey made some other power amps in that series that are mono blocs that look similar so it can be confusing.
 
Thanks for the information...

My old rack rig uses a Peavey Classic 60 (mono) power amp. I know there are a lot of people that look down on Peavey gear, but it has been solid and dependable...
 
Btw/ Indy. I tried to find a pic of my old rack but it's in a storage unit somewhere... but this was my main rack for a few years back during the early 90's.

Furman
Korg Tuner
Alesis Quadraverb (which I still use)
Rocktron Replifex
Rocktron Pro Q (midi eq)
ADA MP-1 (modded by Todd Langner)
Todd Langer DCP-1 Preamp
Scholz Midi Octopus/Chorus Delay
BBE
Rane Line Mixer
Peavey Classic 120/120
16 space rack
1 or 2 Marshall 4x12's

downsized to...

Furman
Korg Tuner
1 Effects processor (usually the Quadraverb)
Langner DCP-1 Preamp or the modded ADA.
Midi Octopus/chorus delay
Boogie 2:90
8 Space Rack.
1 or 2 Marshall 4x12's

This was a very efficient rack, did everything great. The larger rack was just flat out overkill and didn't sound as good as the smaller one. I used this one the most as I was gigging heavily at the time.

For years now I've been down to a simple 6 space rack with my pedals racked/switching system an amp and 1 or 2 cabs.
 
jabps - thanks again for the continuing responses...

My old rack rig has an Alesis Midiverb III (I really like the chorus in that thing) and a Digitech GSP-21 Pro. The effects quality is nowhere near my Eleven Rack or an Axe, but I still use it on occasion for reasons of comfort and simplicity. Paired with the Peavey it was a reliable, albeit "generic" looking, workhorse.

I'd like for the new rig to have that same level of simplicity - at least from a user standpoint - but updated with the latest generation of gear for added functionality. I'm thinking:
Tube Preamp
Tube Power amp
Effect Processor (for delay's, reverbs, chorus, etc.)
Guitar-specific Effect Processor (Axe, Eleven Rack, Digitech, ???)
Shelf with "go to" pedals (O/D, Distortion, Flanger, Phaser, Wah)
MIDI switching to incorporate everything
Anything else as determined by this forum discussion...

I already have some great suggestions and I'm hoping this thread continues to help me zero-in on specific choices for all of the above. I really appreciate the help.
 
guitarslinger: Thanks for posting - it looks great :thumbsup:

Would you mind providing a little explanation of how it is configured? What devices are in front, what devices are in the loop, signal path, etc.? I know that there are dozens of ways to connect the equipment, but knowing what others have had success with will help steer me in the right direction.

Thanks again...
 
Indy,

the jist of my hair metal rack setup in that pic:

nothing in front

Egnater M4 preamp--> it has two outputs.

1. straight into XLR Low Z input of TC Electronics 2290 delay. (I'm getting my dry tone, and primary delay from here)
2. straight into input of Roland SDE-2500 delay

These go into the Rane SM82 Mixer.

Roland RSP-550 multi fx unit is for global reverb in the FX loop of the Rane Mixer.

Stereo Mixer out goes to 2 channels of Uptown Splitter. this has multiple outputs.

1. output to VHT power amp up top

2. output to Lexicon Jam Man for sampling looping.


VHT powers a variety of cabs.


Lexicon Jam man usually goes to the FX return of a Roland JC120 Head to be my accompaniment.


I use a non-latching 4 button switch for the tap tempo on the two delay units, and for the start and stop of the sampler. My midi switch is just an old ADA MC-1 that gets phantom power from the Egnater.


The Boss Chorus and TC Electronics 1128 EQ are not being used in this setup.
 
guitarslinger":18vkovw8 said:
Indy,

the jist of my hair metal rack setup in that pic:

nothing in front

Egnater M4 preamp--> it has two outputs.

1. straight into XLR Low Z input of TC Electronics 2290 delay. (I'm getting my dry tone, and primary delay from here)
2. straight into input of Roland SDE-2500 delay

These go into the Rane SM82 Mixer.

Roland RSP-550 multi fx unit is for global reverb in the FX loop of the Rane Mixer.

Stereo Mixer out goes to 2 channels of Uptown Splitter. this has multiple outputs.

1. output to VHT power amp up top

2. output to Lexicon Jam Man for sampling looping.


VHT powers a variety of cabs.


Lexicon Jam man usually goes to the FX return of a Roland JC120 Head to be my accompaniment.


I use a non-latching 4 button switch for the tap tempo on the two delay units, and for the start and stop of the sampler. My midi switch is just an old ADA MC-1 that gets phantom power from the Egnater.


The Boss Chorus and TC Electronics 1128 EQ are not being used in this setup.
Click to expand...
Ahh the RSP-550...what a great unit. One of my many gear peices that I shouldn't have let go.
 
If you are considering an ADA MP-1, don't discount the ADA MP-2. It has more features and is a PITA to tweak compared to the MP-1 but I like it better, YMMV. I had several of each, plus an ADA bass rig back in the day. check out adadepot.com for more info, they have product descriptions of the old ADA gear here: http://adadepot.com/adagear/main.htm

Here is the last incarnation of my ADA guitar rack:

top to bottom:

MXC MIDI footswitch, Furman, ADA MP-1, ADA MQ-1, ADA MP-2, ADA B200S
 

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IndyWS6":3v08o34z said:
I see in your sig that you have a Switchblade. A switchblade 100W head on an ancient Carvin 4x12 cabinet is my main setup right now. There doesn't sem to be much H&K love on the forum... :confused:
Click to expand...

There's a ton of controversy over the Switchblade--some think it's a "hybrid" amp because, and I quote, "There's no way they're getting that much gain out of two 12AX7 preamp tubes." Well, I'm not a designer but I know you can to some pretty magical things looping the signal routing back through the tubes to juice the gain. As far as I go, I went stoopid a while back and started using amps as EQ. My JVM410H into Heritage 30's gives me great low-mids, the Hughes & Kettner Triamp MK II gives me great low-end and growl, the Switchblade provides great middle crunch, the Hughes & Kettner Trilogy puts in a nice backing thump that's hard to describe but obvious when it's gone, the MIDI rack provides that EL84-based grease you just can't get anywhere else (and most of my effects) and I have a "Secret Sauce" MIDI rig I don't really discuss, but when it's in the mix everyone goes "WHOA" and when it's out everyone asks, "What happened?"

Am I happy it takes six half-stacks to match the sound I want? No

Does my sound kill? Yes.

It'll be interesting to see how I integrate the Diezel VH4. Oh-and everything's MIDI-controlled and split up using a VooDoo labs Amp Selector and an outboard A/B/Y box. Good stuff for layering and I highly recommend it. I use a Rocktron Patchmate 8 with the JMP-1 MIDI rig for interesting overdrive/distortion combinations.

Cheers,

Race
 
I was out of the loop over the weekend - thanks to everyone for the input. I'll digest it and (more than likely) post a bunch of questions :D
 
Started with a 8 spc...then a 10 spc, then a 12 spc,then a 16 spc,then a 20 spc,then 2 12's,but in the end went back to the 20..and that request was made from the roadies at the time--they said they actually liked moving the 20 around instead of two 12's!!!! go figure~... :)
 
Just wanted to throw in, I'm a big fan of a dedicated Delay unit. I'm currently enjoying the TC Electronic D Two. It's not super expensive, built fairly well and is a very clear, clean sounding piece. After I started using this and stopped using my G Major for all of my delays, I've noticed an improvement in the tone coming from both units.

Just my $0.02
 
The ideal rack setup, imo:

Pre: Mesa Boogie Triaxis
Power: Fryette/VHT 2/90/2
and then an Axe FX for the effects, and perhaps the occasional usage as a pre-amp for getting tones the triaxis doesn't quite nail
 
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