Building an Amp to Cab Switcher

[MetalWorks]

Im looking for some skilled advice on building an amp switcher for my studio.

I want to be able to connect the amp outputs of say 4 different heads to a switch box, then have something as simple as a dial or toggle that switches 4 possible inputs to one output.

That way I have 1 cab output that has several heads to choose from.

I dont need any load resistors or anything because I dont need to have more than 1 head on at a time.

Seems to me that it should be a simple setup. Four 1/4" Female jacks connected to a rotary switch selector that routes to One 1/4" Jack.

I could basically Drill holes in a blank Rack Panel to mount the switch and all of the speaker jack inputs and output.

I would Imagine something like this:

(Sorry for the shitty graphics conversion)

I would think this could be built pretty damn cheap compared to a ToneBone ToneHead or similar products.

I just want to know if this should work safely and what to look for in components.

I would think a bunch of Nuetrik Female Panel Mount Jacks and a Proper 4 Position Rotary Jack that are capable of handling the speaker power flow should be sufficient.

Maybe get a speaker cable and chop it into 5 small lengths and solder them to the switch and jacks?

Any input?

 

[Metaltastic]

Seems retardedly easy, as long as you kept the other heads off, naturally (when first reading, I was thinking "death death death" until I read that you didn't need to have more than one amp on at a time, so that wouldn't be hard at all, I'd think). Why not just unplug the speaker cable from the back of one and plug it into another, though?

 

[MetalWorks]

Yeah, I would think this would be remarkably easy and nice to have.

The whole thing with unplugging the speaker cable is just that I intend to have a rack of amps that I dont want to have to reach around or pull away from the wall to unplug, find the right hole on the next head, etc.

Then have to repeat that every time I want to use another head.

Just connect them all once.

Flip a switch and get what I want.

Then I always have a speaker cable that goes to my live room and can plug any cabs into.

Im sure im not the only one that doesnt look forward to repatching connections in the studio.

 

[Chryst Krispies]

That seems pretty flipping sweet.
Especially that amp selection.

 

[MetalWorks]

Yeah I wish that amp selection were mine....

Could be if anyone wants to trade a

Line6 HDII for a Engl Special Edition
VL-1002 for a Framus Cobra
or Madison Divinty for a Krankenstein

No takers?

Damn...

Im stuck with these for now:

But yes, I would think this could be a project alot of people that own multiple heads for recording would be into.

Not to mention its simple for any band to bring in their own head and just unplug one of your heads from the front and put their cable in.

:Smokin:

 

[ryanojohn]

I had a case with 3 heads in it once, at the top of the case was a single rack space with patch points, for inputs, and speaker outputs. The inputs had a switch to have input 1 send to all the amps, it was super easy to wire up. I'd just switch speaker output cables, or plug a few cabs in if needed...

 

[MetalWorks]

I would settle for a simple patch bay but apparently you can't put speaker power through them.

I am curious as to why? Components arent right to handle it?

Thats why I want to make sure I can get the right stuff to do this.

 

[everybody's x]

I run mine through a patch bay, but maybe I shouldn't (?)
how about a passive speaker selector rack run in reverse? It should work

 

[MetalWorks]

I run mine through a patch bay, but maybe I shouldn't (?)
how about a passive speaker selector rack run in reverse? It should work

I just recall reading a website for Neutrik and looking at their products and they said that none of their patchbays can be used for powered signals.

And every other place I read said the same thing.

There was a product that did but of course it was multiple hundreds of dollars.

It should be extremely strait forward.

Were talking about components used for an amp or cab speaker jack.

The only thing I have seen is that some jacks and switches have an AMP (Current) rating listed.

Most of the amp switchers I have seen use a relay.

So I am just curious if any amp techs or electronic techy people here know what components and precautions to take with speaker power. Not from hurting the amp, but properly housing and routing the signal.

I think I am not worried about finding the right jack, more wondering about connecting it to the switch.

To me it seems like a conducter is a conducter and it should be simple.

Just need to make sure everything is clean and safe for the user and the gear.

 

[ryanojohn]

Possibly it's 'cause all the patch points are grounded to one another, and I can't imaging linking the speaker level output of four amps together by shield would be good...maybe?

 

[AudioGeekZine]

I think A patchbay would work fine, provided you aren't switching stuff around with the amps turned on.

I think the switching is a really good idea if you can get it worked out.

 

[greyskull]

buy a radial headbone.
and then take it apart and makeit twice as big

 

[MetalWorks]

buy a radial headbone.
and then take it apart and makeit twice as big

That was an idea, but so pricey for a pedal.

 

[006]

At the old studio I had built a rack for all of our heads (9 of them) to keep in the control room next to the desk, and everything was hooked to a patch bay. Originally it was just a regular patch bay, but after a couple of weeks a guy had built us one specifically to handle the loads. Then, in the guitar room we had like 4 or 5 cabinets with mics already set-up on them, and the cabs were all hooked into the patch bay as well. The convenience was unreal...I mean, whatever amp we had, could go to any of the cabs we had.

I would suggest making sure that the components you use are rated for the kind of power that will be going through them. The normal patch bay worked fine, but for peace of mind we decided to have something that we knew for sure wouldn't explode.

~e.a