HOW IT LOOKS IS LIKE THIS

Another Peavey amp. New one. Stereo, they said. A stereo combo, I said? But you need to separate the speakers to get proper stereo, I said. You don't know much about stereo, do you, they said.

Here it comes, out of the cardboard box. Grunt strain. Very heavy amp, even for a 2x12. Two channels. Channel One proffers high and low gain inputs, and a green LED to tell you it's working. Plug the guitar in, and study the six knobs and the dual functions that some of them provide. First knob, with white top, is called 'GAIN' and 'PRE', and works the preamplifier volume to give that lovely distorted sound. It can be pulled out for brighter noises. Next along is the 'SATURATION' control with dark grey top. SATURATION is another preamp of sorts. A patented Peavey design, it seems to add a richer harmonic distortion than traditionally expected from solid state devices.

Third knob, with pastel blue top, is GAIN too, but this is for the power amp stage. Fourth is a two tier piggyback knob; the inner and smaller marked HIGH, while the larger is LOW. This is a good old-fashioned tone control. Fifth knob is likewise a two-tier passive tone control. The markings of MID and SHIFT might imply a parametric-type sort of adjustment. Not so. The MID/SHIFT seem to be upper and lower middle tone controllers.

Last knob in Channel One is PRESENCE with its exhortation to PULL THICK. Presence circuitry adds a little extra clarity for the highest frequencies; the pull-out function is a mid-range boost that adds severely more clout around the front pickup, heavy rock noise area. Plus and minus indications around the knob show that this is an active control. End of Channel One. Sit down and rest brain.

Channel Two: a yellow LED glows when in operation. It commences with a high gain input marked '2', then runs familiarly past the white topped PRE/GAIN with PULL BRIGHT, and the blue topped POST/GAIN. No SATURATION on what is presumably the clean channel, but instead, a three part active EQ consisting of the HIGH/LOW piggyback calibrated from zero to plus or minus 15, a parametric with a sweep from 150Hz to 1.5KHz, and an active PRESENCE without the PULL THICK available on Channel One.

No more channels, but three knobs left. CHORUS is a two tier knob with DEPTH on the upper control, RATE on the lower. VIBRATO has identical configuration. The last item before we come to the power switch is a nice simple reverb control that works from 0 to 10. Easy.

HOW IT WORKS IS LIKE THIS.

This Peavey is a switchable, two channel amplifier: plug into any of the inputs, and the pedal board gives the option of either channel, or both. Channel One is obviously designed for overdriven heavy rock sounds, while Channel Two is intended for cleaner, clearer settings. Since each has its own power amp stage, it's easy to set up the relative levels of the channels — a touch more volume for the overdriven settings helps bring out 'solo' type conceptualising.

Semantic problem: stereo for this amplifier is a product of its built in chorus/vibrato unit. It is because it has two channels; these channels do not drive a speaker each. The speakers are driven separately, but by the one input signal that has been split by the chorus. If you want your Peavey Stereo Chorus 400 to provide a stereophonic image, tread on the Footswitch's CHORUS/VIBRATO knob.

HOW IT SOUNDS IS LIKE THIS

Toy with the knobs on Channel One, the overdrive half, and you will find yourself in the land of ZZ Top and Eddie Van Halen. With the preamp control pulled out onto its brighter setting, and halfway level for the passive EQ, the single coil pickup guitar will sparkle and shine. Increase the SATURATION and the harmonic pink noise of a hugely overdriven Marshall comes up behind the hard edge of the note. Too much, and the sound will grow mushy, though the versatility of the tone controls can rescue all but the wildest excesses. If the PULL THICK mid range boost is activated, your Strat will immediately turn into a Les Paul, and will sing out with even more sustain and fat Eric Clapton style rotund 'womantone'.

Channel Two is easier to treat normally. The EQ stages are vicious at their extremes, and provide sufficient tonal leeway to make the finest guitar sound appalling, vice versa, and all levels inbetween. My own particular preference was for a slightly distorted noise, akin to a Fender amplifier as the valves begin to rattle, though the Peavey is quite capable of imitating most other distinctive makes of loud machine.

With the two channels set up to my satisfaction, playing and swapping backwards and forwards for the big and small parts of songs was simplicity itself. Channel One gives a more natural distortion than any overdrive pedal I have yet encountered, one that is rich in harmonics. The effect is sweeter than true valve distortion, and not as gritty, but so what? A matter of taste, rather than deficiency on the Peavey's part.

So much for the straightforward stuff. Let's talk stereo. Stereo: tread on the CHORUS/VIBRATO footswitch, and there it is, swirly swirl. The basic sounds vary from a slow chorus via a Nils Lofgrenish shimmering tone to a totally ridiculous maximum setting which renders actual notes obsolete.

The effect of the bi-amping (powering each speaker separately) is best contemplated with the head placed directly in front of the amp. While it's not wholly feasible for most audiences to share the experience, it's recommended for those smaller, more intimate settings. From further away, the effect of the stereo is to add richness (because of the chorus/vibrato) and amazing (I do not use the word lightly) depth to the guitar sound. Switch it on and suddenly the 2x12 speakers seem to take on a wholly different character, the music issuing from behind the amplifier, spreading and filling the area around the Peavey. Groovy. Add a touch of the deep and clear reverb, and yowza — instant orchestra.

HOW WE CONCLUDE IS LIKE THIS

It's not perfect. The two tier knobs are small and fiddly; it's a slow job setting up a usable sound as the various EQs are over-complex. While the footswitching works perfectly (with the exception of some badly thought out wording — please change this), it would have been useful to have LEDs on the pedal board itself to indicate what state the amp was in (channel, chorus, reverb). Another omission is indicator lights, either there or on the amp, for chorus and reverb.

In the time I worked with the amp, the only fault I found with its sound was a slightly unnatural cracking at the onset of distortion. It's not a major problem, and was only occasionally noticeable. The amp is also too heavy, and could do with castors and more handles. Quibbles, but annoying ones.

OK, they were right. It's not necessary to separate the speakers to get proper stereo. Sometimes it's helpful; but not with this amp.

Stereo Chorus 400 amp: £582

CONTACT: PEAVEY UK, (Contact Details).