We recently received a query from an XO user who wanted to split the signal from his bass to feed two different amps. Their question highlighted the fact that there is actually more than one way to use the XO as a signal-splitter…
Perhaps the most obvious signal-splitting approach is to use the high and low send outputs:
The incoming signal is split by the XO's high- and low-pass filters at the frequency set by the Crossover Freq knob. Everything above this point goes to the high send (to, for example, a guitar amp) and everything below this point goes to the low send (to, for example, a bass amp).
However, this isn't always the best way to go. What the user who contacted us had found was that, while the signal heading to the guitar amp (via an octave up and other effects) sounded good, the low end signal sounded muffled, soft and, as they put it, "a muddy mess of a bass tone".
This is because, while the output of a bass guitar does major on low end, there is plenty of mid-range and some high frequency information in there too and these things are important for giving notes their attack and ensuring that the bass sounds whole and generally "right".
So how do we fix this? The answer is to feed our bass amp not from the low send but from the main output of the XO instead:
By turning up the Dry Blend control, we can feed some (or all) of the full-range signal from the input straight to the main output. We now have two controls we can use to shape the signal split. The Crossover Freq knob acts as a high-pass filter on the high out, deciding how much low end goes to the guitar rig, while the Dry Blend knob sets how much mid- and high-frequency information is fed to the bass amp.
We might use a similar setup with guitar, this time using the low send to feed a bass amp and extend low-end reach:
In this scenario, we would probably max out the Dry Blend control to send a full-range guitar signal to the guitar amp. Meanwhile, the Crossover Freq knob can be adjusted to take some of the top end off the signal sent to the bass rig.
You could even feed three amps from the XO, using the main out, high send and low send simultaneously. This is a pedal with a surprising number of different uses for those willing to explore them!
If you have any questions – or even suggestions – about how to use our pedals, why not leave us a comment or drop us an email?
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