Two amps setup with ABY pedal

[Blackened Soul]

Another radial vote. I've used the Twin City and the Bigshot. For me I need an active splitter due to the complexity of my chain.. my splitter is in the middle chain wise: I have effects before it and effects after going to their separate amps and need the buffering plus ground and phase control.. and still I have the pedal sitting on top of a furman box to isolate chains to kill more noise.. On the other hand.. None of this work with running a Orange Thunderverb 200 with another amp.. they hate all your American amps and will hum and buzz if you even think of using it with your other amps...

[codetocontra]

Did you use a passive before and had issues?

No, but research showed me it can be an issue. Long ago the most basic option available seemed to be a passive Morley ABY. Many people had problems, etc. The science makes sense to me. If your splitting the signal and running it into different paths you are allowing more potential for signal loss. Not trying to go all TGP about the issue, I just didn't want to deal with it. What I liked about the Twin City was the adjustable buffer on a dial in the back. I keep it at noon and seems neutral to my ears.

[Lebowsky]

So I got the Bright Onion one in the end. (active, with gnd/lift and phase switches) - it was smaller and I was able to have the sockets placed wherever I wanted them.

Just curious as to phase issues - it is totally possible there could be none, right? I don't hear any problem, and whichever position the phase switch is in, I don't hear any difference.

[codetocontra]

You will hear it mostly in the bass response. Turn on your deepest, bassiest fuzz or some octave pedal, then cycle the phase switch. You will hear more bass in one position and that is phase correct.
If you are out of phase with yourself you will hear different things, like your sound is coming from the middle between your two speakers/cabs or even less defined and then you reach for the volume knob and it doesn't really change anything.

[Lebowsky]

Thank you! I played last night (after posting my message, but before your answer), and I heard differences this time. Indeed there was some strange stuff, like not knowing where the sound was really coming from etc. The switch definitely had a position where there was more bass. I will need to try different amps placement as well (the rehearsal place is shared and has a weird layout, so it's not easy), will check that out next week. Thanks for the tips!

[Christophe]

I'm using a Gigrig aby baby. It's super small (fuzz factory size) and has all the main features you need.
Concerning pedal placement, you'll have to experiment once your rig is ready. For instance, for playing over drones, I'm not sure that sending a drone to amp A and playing on amp B will be the best solution. On my rig, I use a delay on amp A, to give a feeling of perspective. You've got your main sound on both amps, and some reverse delay doing it's own thing in the "background". Works great. But If I need something that creeps through the whole room, it has to be on both amps, otherwise it sounds unbalanced... You might end up using the Baklengs on both amps. Things will be much clearer anyway with two amps, even if pedals are not split on different amps.

[Lebowsky]

That gigrig looks nice, would probably have gotten it had I found out about it earlier

Thanks for the advices, yeah, experimentation phase is starting now. I will have other options for droning on both amps as well, not just the backlengs on the second one I'll post a pic of the setup once it's completed... hopefully by the end of the week once my last pedal is cleared from customs