2 EVH 5150 iii 50 watt amps/Voodoo Lab Commander

[0126]

Hi everybody. Sorry if this has already been asked, but I have 2 EVH 5150 iii Stealth 50 watt heads w/2x12 cabs that I'm running in stereo, and I just ordered a Voodoo Lab Commander and a Control Switcher in order to be able to switch channels simultaneously on both amps, using just 1 device. A few questions:
1.) Do I need the Commander AND Control Switcher, or will the Commander be good enough?

2.) How will this setup affect my ability to engage any pedals that I'm running in the effects loop(s)? Does the effects loop(s) need to be programmed in order to work? The EVH's footswitches have an effects loop button

3.) Would a fairly cheap, say $10 Y midi splitter be good enough to get the job done?

Any help would be appreciated by this tech challenged guitar dude. Thanks!

[Marlboro05]

Hi there,
The EVH heads have midi so a control switcher is not needed, the commander can do it for you. A HEX would have been alright for you to sort out your fx pedals.
To do what you want, you can come out of 1 head, this can be your main amp, then into the pedals, out of them to a buffer, then your splitter cable into the return of the main head fx return, but the second head needs to go through an isolator, such as an Ebtech HE-2 before going into the fx return.
If you don’t use a buffer, such as an MXR MC406, you will lose 6db of volume with the splitter cable and if you don’t use an isolator, you’ll possibly get a ground loop.

The MXR MC406 is also a buffer, splitter and an isolator in 1, this is the best for you I’d say.

https://www.jimdunlop.com/mxr-cae-buffer/

Any more questions, ask away

Cheers

[0126]

Wow, seems pretty complicated. Thank you very much for the reply. Looking to keep it simpler. Can I run the Commander into the Control Switcher, then out to both amps? If the answer is yes, then can I use 2 of the 1/4" outputs of the Control Switcher, going into the footswitch inputs of the amp heads, or do I use the midi out (w/a Y splitter) into the midi inputs of both amps? Hoping the 1st option works, but guessing the 2nd option is more realistic. Thanks again

[Marlboro05]

Hi there,
You can run the 2 amps with a splitter cable or a midi splitter box, you don’t need the control switcher. If you already have the control switcher, you could use it on 1 amp and a midi cable out of it to your next amp.

This is to control everything on the amps. What I was telling you about is how you connect 2 amps, audio wise.

Cheers