Alternating between dual amps

[giroux0518]

Here is what I am looking for...

 

I'd like to run two amps (one for clean tone, one for dirty tone w/ possible tube screamer), and be able to alternate between the two. Initially, I was thinking of running dual signal path for this, and then setting everything to the same switch (pressing the switch turns on dirty amp mod and tube screamer, and turns off clean amp and vice-versa), but I would need the unused path to be muted. 

 

I would assume the other way to do it (in the same patch) would be to run the amps in series. I am running a mono output, so I don't need stereo signals. 

 

I'd rather not have to set a different patch (in each block of 4) for each different tone in a song. And I would also be concerned about the delay between switching (the firehawk was a nightmare with this, I didn't keep it long...). 

 

I'm new to the PODHD world, and I've only been able to spend a few hours with the HD500x thus far. 

 

If anyone can give me good insight into how to set this up, I'd appreciate it. 

 

For a little more info, I'll be leaning towards the higher gain amps for my dirty tone (Fireball, Elektrik, etc.), and so far I'm liking the blackface for my cleans. My amp rig is a 6505 on an 212 orange cab with vintage 30s. I love my dirty tone from the amp, but I'm currently just using it as a power-amp to see what the HD can do. I find running it into the effect return on the head sounds much better than the instrument line in on the front. 

[giroux0518]

Can it be set up where switches 5-8 turn on a specific set of amps/effects while turning the others off? I know I could do separate tones within the the 4 preset block and set it to ABCD mode, but as I mentioned before I'd like to see if I could do it in one patch. Better to have one patch for a song rather than four. Plus I'd be losing trails, and it's a more abrupt switch. Thanks for any help and input! 

[cruisinon2]

Set up a dual amp patch... two paths, one clean, one dirty. Assign the channel volumes for each path to the expression pedal, rather than toggling them on/off with a footswitch. For the "heel down" position, set the desired channel volume for Path A, with Path B volume at "0"...then do the for opposite for "toe down" position. This way you can morph seamlessly from one to the other with no audible drop outs. Ran most of my HD patches like that for years before I Helix-ed myself a while back.

[giroux0518]

I like that idea. That just leaves me with the effect issue. I can always leave the effects separate like a normal pedalboard, but I was hoping to have separate switches set up where I could, say for example, go from a dirty tone for the intro, then a clean tone w/ delay and reverb for the verse, dirty tone with phaser for the chorus, and maybe dirty w/ reverb and wah for the bridge... or something along those lines. I got sick of tap dancing on my current stomp box-based board. 

[cruisinon2]

I like that idea. That just leaves me with the effect issue. I can always leave the effects separate like a normal pedalboard, but I was hoping to have separate switches set up where I could, say for example, go from a dirty tone for the intro, then a clean tone w/ delay and reverb for the verse, dirty tone with phaser for the chorus, and maybe dirty w/ reverb and wah for the bridge... or something along those lines. I got sick of tap dancing on my current stomp box-based board.

You can do that too... you can assign multiple FX blocks to the same footswitch. Save the patch with each effect toggled on or off as desired, then have one footswitch flip everything on or off as needed. It's just a more abrupt change between tones...I grew to like the expression pedal smoothly fading one tone out, and the other one in. No clicks or pops...works great live.

 

You can also position your FX blocks in one path or the other, leave them turned on, and the effect will fade in and out with the expression pedal too.

[giroux0518]

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll play around with those and see what works best for me.