Rhodes Stage piano: split signal to two Twin Reverbs w/ effects loop for re-201

[burymyteeth]

Hi all. I am working on my mad scientist idea of a rhodes rig and was wondering if anyone would have any suggestions. Just to curb any shouting down of using two twin reverbs, i play in a very spacy almost Sigur Ros style band and the rhodes is the primary melodic instrument over live drums and bass so I need to push a ton of air. The two twin reverbs is what I've arrived at so far and I am very happy.

Currently I'm sending my Rhodes' signal straight into the instrument input on a roland re-201 space echo. The output goes to the input of a DL-4 which splits the signal to the two amps. It's totally killing my tone. The space echo is an absolute necessity. The dl-4 is really just for the purpose of splitting the signal, its all i have on hand at the moment. If i remove the effects the life is back in my tone, it is night and day. Even just the space echo seems to be really deadening my tone. I want all the intricacies of the naked rhodes tone and to blend in the amazingness of the space echo ontop of that while splitting the signal to two amps.

I've been looking around at splitter DIs but I haven't found what I've envisioned. Perhaps there is a player out there that has done something similar?

Any suggestions? Anyone come across a DI splitter that includes an effects loop? Would my best option be a small mixer to do this, and if so, if anyone could recommend a model that doesn't destroy the tone I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks a lot for your time.

[mvanmanen]

I have a RE-201 and do find that it unavoidably colours the tone, but I never gig with it so it is not a big deal to plug in or plug it out for when I feel like using it. I have heard of some people giving it a capacitor job but am not sure whether even with fresh caps that you are not going to loose some tone through the 201's circuitry. My suggestion therefore would be to look at some kind of loop interface pedal so you can completely remove the 201 from your signal chain when it is not in use, and a higher end splitter to divide your signal send to your amps. I use a SupraTrem2 as a "splitter" and find the tone is very much preserved. Plus you get stereo tremolo bouncing back and forth between the two amps.

BTW I would love to hear your set-up. Twin Twin Reverbs sounds epic!