Bi-amping Peavey Session 500 with Fender Twin Reverb

[Joe Yednasty]

I've been playing my Emmons S-10 through a Peavey Session 500 for the last 10 years but I recently picked up a sweet-sounding Fender Twin Reverb and I'm thinking about possibly trying to bi-amp these: Session 500 for low frequencies, Fender Twin for high frequencies.

Has anyone tried anything like this? If so, how you you like it?

[Jerry Hayes]

Hey Joe, I don't have those particular amps but on a couple of outside gigs this past summer I used both my Randall Steelman 500 and my MusicMan HD-212 One Fifty which would be about the same speaker configuration as you're talking about. It worked great but it was rough jockeying a couple of fairly large combo amps around.........JH in Va.

[Brett Lanier]

Hey Joe, I often use a 100 watt fender tonemaster head + a peavey LTD. Pretty similar really. I split the signal with my reverb pedal. I think I actually like the sound of it more than my fancy rack amp. I usually mic the tube amp and leave it alone, then turn the ltd up for however more stage volume I need. Sound guys seem to get along with this system pretty well. Your amps are a tad heavier than mine but try it out, I bet you'll love it.

[Ethan Shaw]

those are both full-range, sweet-sounding amps. If you want the combined sound, I would just split the signal, and run them both normally.

[Ken Metcalf]

The thing I notice about this set up is not so much of expanding the sound but it really cancels out unwanted tones like 4th string whine etc.
It does sound better than the amps do individually.

[Johnny Thomasson]

The advantage of bi-amping comes from the fact that power amplifiers operate more efficiently when they are given a limited frequency range to amplify vs. the full range audio spectrum. That, plus the fact that bi-amping allows you to use speaker drivers and enclosures that are optimized for the specific frequency range you are feeding into them. In PA applications, a bi or tri-amped system will out perform a full range system running twice the power, in both usable volume and clarity.

So in theory, it should work better to some extent than running both amps full range. But, since you will be using full range speaker systems for both amps, my guess is that any improvement would be negligible. If you already have a crossover, try it and see. You can experiment with the x'over frequency to see what works best and whether it's worth doing. I'm not sure what type of crossover you'd need for an instrument level signal.

I'd say this is probably pretty good advice:

those are both full-range, sweet-sounding amps. If you want the combined sound, I would just split the signal, and run them both normally.

I have to say this... if you are willing to carry a Session 500 and a Twin Reverb to your gigs, you are definitely "da man".

[Dave Mudgett]

Biamping for a 10-string E9? Seems like overkill to me - the lowest note is a half-octave up from the lowest note on a 6-string guitar.

As Ethan says, both these amps are full-range systems. If I was unhappy with the upper register on E9 and really felt the need to bi-amp, I would want one of those amp/speaker setups specifically designed for that critical upper-frequency range - Hugheyland. Maybe something with 8" or 10" speakers for the high-frequency end and 12" or 15" for the low-mid frequency end.

In general, this seems like a lot of trouble for a single instrument, even one with a wide range like a D-10 or U/12-14 PSG. In a typical bi- or tri-amped PA system, the program material covers a wide frequency range continuously, so it makes perfect sense. I understand why certain bass players sometimes do this - they want way more definition in the upper end for slapping, soloing in the upper register, and so on, but don't want to lose the huge bottom when they're down there. Most bi-amped bass systems I've seen are 2-4 10" speakers for the high-end and one or more 15" or 18" speakers for the low end.

I have both those amps - man, you must be in a loud band, and I hope you have a good chiropractor. The people I play with would shoot me if I showed up with a pair of big amps like that.

[Jonathan Shacklock]

The thing I notice about this set up is not so much of expanding the sound but it really cancels out unwanted tones like 4th string whine etc.
It does sound better than the amps do individually.

Ken, can you give more details, eg are you specifically dialling out these frequencies or...what?

[Jerry Overstreet]

I remember when the Session 500 was introduced, bi-amping capability was one of the new features along with several others.

The 500 has a built in variable crossover. I've known a few people who had one of these, but I've never heard this feature in use and am not familiar enough with it to offer an opinion.

There is some info in the manual. JIC you don't have it, I'm including this link to the pdf. of the Session 500 manual with some info on the crossover design and use.

I'm interested in your findings if you decide to go ahead with it. Good luck.

[Dave Grafe]

If you've got the gear and you want to try it the worst thing that can happen is that you learn something new about music, sound and gear. Quite possibly you will wake up one day to find yourself spending all of your time carting around and troubleshooting a bunch of extra gear just because you can. If this means you don't get the time to practice or warm-up before showtime what good does it do ya?

[Ken Metcalf]

Johnathan.
I was referring to using the two amps and mis-interpreted the bi-amp, point.
Two different amps with two different speakers like Black Widow and JBL..
No I do not dial the un-wanted frequency's out, it is just a product of using 2 amps.
I do this when I get House band gigs and can leave equipment and not drag it around.
My stereo rack is less prone to this also..
Running 2 amps usually requires some experimentation.

[Jonathan Shacklock]

Thanks Ken, interesting, I'll listen out for this cancelling effect next time I try two amps. My guess is you can get lucky with the combination of amps or it can work against you...

[Lane Gray]

I was just about to post a thread just like this, but found this thread, and since it's the same thing, a necro works as well.
So i have a NYE gig in a BIG bar, and I probably won't be in the sound system.
I love the sound of the Green Monster (65 reissue Twin Custom 15), but I suspect it'll break up driving that hard.
I'm thinking of biamping for one basic reason: the Twin sounds so sweet with hot mids and the Peavey honks them, so I have to cut them.
My thinking is: run through the 500, letting it have everything below about 110-150, and letting the Twin handle those sweet mids and highs and the tube reverb.
I saw Ken's post, but the difference in the mids speaks to me. If I'm thinking weird or wrong, 'splain how?

[Bill A. Moore]

Different amps, but we put together a TNT, and a Bandit for my sister in law for her keyboards. Used the TNT crossover, and it really worked well!

[Bill Moran]

I have to say this... if you are willing to carry a Session 500 and a Twin Reverb to your gigs, you are definitely "da man".

I go along with that !

[Lane Gray]

I dunno. I just saw it as doing what it takes.

[Dave Grafe]

Bear in mind that all filters introduce phase confusion, and crossovers are no exception. If you run the two amps in phase they will be 180 degrees out of phase at the crossover point, or vice versa. Since neither rig is optimized for high or low frequencies per se what you will get is neither better or worse, only DIFFERENT, and changing the crossover point and gain structure will simply change how different it is. It's an awful lot of gear to haul around to experiment with tone games but you are bound to learn something from it....

[Lane Gray]

I suppose I COULD leave the Twin at home, but it sounds so much better than the 500, which would be up to the job

[Don Drummer]

Sometimes I use a little 15 watt Crate amp with a regular PSG amp and get that sound that Dave Mudgett describes. I took the "Crate" logo off the grill cloth and some assume it's some kinda expensive amp.