Voodoo Lab Amp Selector

The 4 button amp selector I purchased did what I wanted it to do, allow me to run both my amps at the same time, two high gain new half stacks.

It is capable of doing more including some programing that I have not needed that seems a bit complicated, you do need the manual to explain as it is not intuitive.

If one does wish to use that function however having the manual is all you need.

The unit has worked for me without introducing noise in to my rig.

I have needed to use one of the ground lifts to stop noise but that is why they have it built in and it took care of the problem.

I am using a Ashdown FA-180 Fallen Angel though a Mesa rectifier slant cab 4x12 with the stock Celestion vintage 30's and my other amp is a new Peavey JSX Satriani 120 watt all tube amp running through its matching stock cab. As long as the cabs are close to each other it gives me a tone I am totally satisfied with and the Voodoo Lab amp selector is very easy to use to make this happen. While I like having the fine tuning volume knobs that the unit has there is not too much need for them as the main volume setting is done with the amps volume controls.

I have a problem with mine but it is not the fault of the unit, it worked perfectly until I accidentally left it out and my dog got to it and chewed on one of the knobs which I believe has damaged the pot.

I have not used it enough to know if not damaged by me how reliable it is but it is hand wired and seems to be well made and sturdy.

Even though I told Voodoo labs that it was very likely my dog that had damaged the unit they gave me a return authorization and if the unit is out of warranty they charge 35.00 plus whatever the cost of parts to make it like new again are. I think this is very reasonable for fixing a product out of warranty. They responded quickly to my phone call explaining the situation and so far I have had excellent experience with their customer support. Even when it is not the fault of the unit to have this coverage I think speaks highly of the company. 35 bucks for something being out of warranty and not damaged by a defective product, what more could you ask for?

I purchased this because it did what I wanted it to do and had the ability to expand to operate another amp were I to decide to add a clean amp to my rig at some point.

It does what I need it to do now and anything I may wish to do in the future as well.

If something goes wrong with the unit they will fix it without a hassle.

I would suggest anyone needing an amp selector to consider the Voodoo Lab.

Well it couldn't be more clear I guess. By just looking at it you can easily figure out where to plug in what. And to be sure I knew what I was doing i read the manual before i got started. During the reading I actually thought 'this is a really good manual'. First of all its short. No bull**** or fancy talk, straight to the point on every subject dealt with. Short but very complete and written very clearly.

Ok let me sum up what I'm doing and what I'm using the amp Selector for. I play in a hardcore band, in our songs we try to keep the raw old punk feeling and at the same time integrate certain kinds of metal elements. The sound I tried to created (and think I succeed at doing) had to be really raw, also fat but at the same time not too greasy (like say TRAP THEM), tight but at the same time not too dry (like say PALEHORSE). First I tried to create my visionary sound with this set up: An old Fender Twin Reverb (which is a combo tube amp, which my father built into a separate head), this amp dates from pre-distortion existing times, so I put a Boss Mega Distortion (md-2) pedal in front of it, and in between the amp and the pedal I put a Peavy EQ. Usually I'm no fan of distortion pedals, and I like built in distortions way better, but this whole set up clearly had something special. The other guitarplayer from my band bought a 2nd hand Peavy Ultra Plus head (made in the early and mid 90'). I liked the raw sound of that Utra Plus so much i decided to buy one for myself. Btw, I should mention you can find those 2nd hand for killer prizes! Then I got the idea to combine the sounds of these two amps I really like, and create ultimate rawness! They both sound really raw, but both in another 'raw-department'. The guitar that I'm using: a LTD mh-1000, not used much by hardcore bands, probably because its considered too modern or too metal. anyway in combination with those amps and my settings it sound incredibly raw. and i always use a standard Marshall 1960A cab.

To the Amp Selector's point now:
So on top of my marshall cab I stacked my Fender Twin, My Peavy Ultra Plus, and my EQ with Boss pedal. Let it be clear that I wanted to combine the pure sound of the Ultra Plus with my Fender-Boss-Eq set up. So this is how I connect: Guitar -> amp selector input 1, amp selector output 1 -> boss md2 pedal -> EQ -> Fender, amp selector output 2 -> Peavey Ultra Plus.
It works amazing! The signal stays the original signal, no loss of tone at all, no fuzz. I put my cab on stereo so the 2 right speakers are putting out the fender sound and the two left ones the Ultra Plus. I'm amazed by the sound I've created. I haven???t sticked with the original setting I had on the amps, but decided to go with the Ultra plus for the low-end and with the Fender for the top-end. Still only having 4 speakers I should have the same 'amount' of sound, but using one amp in highs and one in lows really broadens the sound spectrum.

The 'hum-issue':
Most people complain about different brands of amp-switching or amp-layering devices because they create this big amount of hum. when I first plugged in there was a HUGE amount of hum. But I didn't worry, because Voodoo Lab claims their 'ground lift switches' can fix that. So I tried it out, put both switches 1 and 2 on the off position. Result: Hum is way worse, it even became crispy sounding. But still I didn't worry, and emailed Voodoo Lab, I mailed them before I bought the Amp Selector with some questions and they where kind enough to answer, so I figured all hope wasn't gone yet. The same guy as before replies, telling me to put one switch on, the other off, result: HUM TOTALLY DISSAPEARED!! Awesome.

the 'effect pedals-issue':
Another review on this website mentions that putting a effectpedal after the amp selector can create signal weakening. This in combination with the online manual saying you should always put effectpedals before the amp selector had me worried. Like I said, I wanted to use the Peavy's own distortion and only use the Boss pedal on the Fender. But the kind people from Voodoo Lab informed me before my purchase that this only was the case with certain kinds of vintage pedals, and it would be no problem to put my boss pedal after the ampselector. And they where right.
I'm rating this category 9, they'll get 10 when they figure something out for those vintage pedals.

Firmly built, you can tell they used all the best materials.
I use it live, no back up.

They are awesome, I mailed them before and after my purchase with all kinds of specific questions considering how I use it in my set up of gear and they are always very helpful.

It's awesome, I guess i won't really use it to play more then 2 amps, but i don't mind the extra 2 outputs. I guess they can come in handy later on. If this baby would get stolen I would absolutely buy a new one. All the stuff that is bad about other switchpedals this one manages to eliminate.
One thing though that I find less cool and completely useless are the volume controls for each output. The only thing they could do for me, is give me the uncomfortable idea that my signal is being modified before going into my amp. I mean, you can just set each amp's volume on the amp itself? I think they should get rid of those, just seems like an extra feature with no use.

Very robust build quality. Straight forward to use. 2 modes permit individual or joint switching. Earth switching allows removal of any circuit hum loop.

I use this to A/B the two channels on my Bad Cat HotCat and also to add in a Cornford Hurricane. Previously used a Boss LS2 to A/B the HotCat and am astounded by the difference. As others have said this is noiseless (truly, even in my studio) and no pops when changing channels or amps.

Dont know, seems very solid

Dont know but as Im in the Uk I think it would be difficult

Does what is says on the tin and brilliantly. The (admittedly cheaper) Boss LS2 will not be used again.

Simple. The manual is straightforward and the switcher is an intuitive design.

Excellent.
Signal chain is as follows:
guitar>tuner>optional rangemaster boost>switcher>to amps
I use a Peterson pedal tuner, which is true-bypass, so I place it in front of the amp switcher for muted tuning without having to de-select my outputs at the switcher. Before I got the Peterson, I used the dedicated tuner out on the switcher with my Boss TU-2; even though the Boss is a good tuner, I prefer true-bypass or removing the tuner from the amp's signal path if possible.
I run my Rangemaster in front of the switcher when I want to use it. Optimally, I would like to run it after the switcher, in front of a dedicated amp, but because my Rangemaster is a germanium-transistor based effect, and because the outputs of the switcher are lo-z, this results in the pedal sounding thin and unpleasant when on. Vintage-style wahs, fuzzes and some other effects use germanium transistors, and will experience the same problems when fed a low-impedance signal.
I am looking for a similar-sounding non-germanium boost I can place after the switcher.
I use a combination of the on/off and exclusive modes (assignable/programmable). I have outputs 1 & 2 set to exclusive, both going into the bright and normal inputs of a Marshall JTM-45 head. When 1 is selected, 2 is switched off, and vice versa. I do this because I have the amp's two input volumes at different levels, for a switchable clean or overdriven tone from a single-channel amp. I don't need to combine the two inputs.
Output 3 is set to on/off into a 100-watt plexi head, so I can layer that amp along with either the clean or od tones from the '45. I lift the ground on the 3rd output. No hum.
I don't currently use a third amp, but I have. I used 4 when I initially got the switcher, to check for hum. I ran in to the two Marshalls, as well as an early-50's tweed Supro, and an AC-30 combo. All amps had three-prong cords prperly grounded. By lifting all but one amp's ground, I reduced hum to nothing. Very cool.
The manual states unity gain from the adjustable output levels is around 3 o'clock on the clock face. I haven't a/b'ed to hear how close it is to plgging directly in, but I don't hear an increase in the gain of my amps at that level. You can get a very small amount of boost if you crank the level. I don't use this feature.
I use a DOD FX96 analog delay in front of one of the inputs of my '45, placed after the switcher. When used without the switcher, the pedal affects the direct tone when bypassed. It isn't true-bypass, and while that isn't that big a deal for the most part, some effects do color the bypassed signal, and this pedal is one of them. I work around this by leaving it on (set to slapback) and just going for it. However, with the lo-z out of the switcher, the tone is far less affected when bypassed, and much less noisy. Cool bonus.
I used it intially with a 9-volt battery powering it, and it sounded quiet and transparent. I use it now with a Pedal Power 2, and there is no tonal difference between the two to my ears (as long as your battery is has enough juice).

So far, I'm using it in on record sessions. I do plan on making this part of my pedalboard when touring, and using it live at all gigs where I play through my own rig. So far, so good.

It's on par with D13 SwitchHazel, Lehle Dual, Framptone, Radial Switchbone. Equal quality, similar price point, built in the USA, more/unique options (4 outs, plus dedicated tuner out can also serve as daisy chain out or dedicated amp, etc., ability to use it as stereo ins/dual aby's, battery or ac power) make it a keeper for me. It's cosmetically well-designed, good size, seems sturdy, easy to use. I did my research, and decided on this one. I am happy to say, I wasn't disappointed.

The unit is very powerful yet I was able to install it on my pedal board, hook up my amps, and get a great sound within minutes. The manual is well written & very easy to understand.

The features of this 4 channel amp switcher include 2 buffered inputs, 4 isolated outputs w/ individual volume controls, 4 ground lift switches, 1 dedicate tuner/slave output, 1 9v center negative power input jack, 4 red LEDs, and 4 footswitches that can be set to either ON/OFF MODE (only 1 channel on at once), EXCLUSIVE MODE (1 or more channels on at once) or any hybrid of the two.

This unit gives me dead silent switching between the various amps in my studio. I have three main amps - a Mesa Mark IIC (hyper-clean), a Dr. Z Route 66 (dirty rhythm) and a Mesa Mark IIC+ (high gain), and the unit switches between all of them silently. No pops, cracks, or time delays. No ground hum, either - the isolated inputs in the unit quieted down my amps nicely. I used to have a Morley A/B switcher on my pedal board, but this thing just kicked it to the curb. They did a seriously nice job with this unit!

Voodoo Lab has always made professional grade equipment built to withstand world tours. This unit is built to the same high standard.

These guys are among the best in the industry, and rate right along side with Zachary Vex and Mike Zaite (Dr. Z) in my opinion. I spoke with Josh for quite a while at the NAMM show a couple of years ago, and was very impressed with his passion & commitment in building high quality gear. As far as their customer service goes, I recently ordered some custom power cables for my Pedal Power II unit and they arrived within 2 days of my calling the order in - and I live on the other side of the country. The person I spoke with (John) helped me figure out exactly what sort of cables I needed, and nicely answered a couple of technical questions I had.

This is an extremely expensive peice of gear, but it works flawlessly and gives me tremendous flexibility in my studio. I'd buy another if lost. It's certainly not for everyone, but if you have the money & play through a multiple amp rig I can't recommend this unit highly enough.