so here's an update.
a few weeks ago I got the Rivera KR7 in.
That amp has an amazing array of tones in it.
however, and I imagine it might be just me here, and the same way with some folks on the Marks, but there is almost too much dialing and tweaking to do with the amp, and I just simply cannot grasp the EQ after using my Mesa stuff for so long.
just to get an idea of what I am talking about, see this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2XgMfR7Bq0&feature=player_embedded
When I first plugged into it I was pleased and glad to hear it had tones of TONE!
However, the amp changes with volume, just like every tube amp, but it changes differently than my old Recto. When I crank the Recto, it just gets better and more amazing the louder it gets. I am sure some of it might have to do with tubes, as the KR7 has the stock Sovtek tubes still in there, but when cranked the tone gets...too thick? It is a very round tone, very warm, kind of darker, and I can see why the guy from slipknot uses the head, and perhaps it works best for detuned stuff rather than standard tuning.
I have tried it with the band a few times and it is incredibly hard taming the Rivera...it is possibly the loudest amp ever! I had to do rehearsals on 2 or 3, and still had to cut the power (it goes all the way down to 12 watts i think). It is definitely over the top where volume is concerned.
My vintage 30 loaded Marshall couldn't handle the bass this thing threw out at higher volumes, so I went and picked up a Marshall Mode 4 MF400 cab (loaded with Celestion K-100's, the same as in the Rivera SEVEN cab).
This cab is oversized and built quite nicely more than any marshall cab i have ever seen, and although the Mode 4 head might be a piece of crap, tonewise, the cabs are pretty well built.
However, I am not sure I like it. I got rid of my Recto Standard cabs because I like an extremely tight low end, and hate when it is all loose, and this mf400 cab is somewhat the same way.
The clean sound out the KR7 is probably the best clean sound on a high gain amp ever. it sounds very very good.
I still need to play with it, but I did a test yesterday with my Dual Recto and my Kerry King JCM800 through the same cab after playing for awhile with the Rivera and was trying to get the KR7 to be tighter, and as soon as I plugged in the Marshall, I was amazingly tighter. That's also a pretty good matchup. I know they say Kerry King uses the MF400 cabs with his head, and I can see why. It sounds very good with the Marshall. The cab also sounded very good with the Recto as well. Definitely not as tight as with a V30 cab, but it allowed a ton of bass and clarity to shine through. However, it was still an amazing difference over the KR7.
What I keep wondering is the difference in cabs between the Rivera SEVEN cab with the K100's and the MF400 cabs. I really like the K100's now, but I just need more tightness, and I have to go check out the Rivera cab again, to see the dimensions, and to see if it is bigger or smaller than the Mf400...I thought it was a pretty tight aggressive cab, and the mf400 just seems...a little loose to me. I Keep wondering if I should just try pulling the speakers out and trying them in a regular Marshall 1960 cab, or even my Mesa Traditional cab, but I hate messing with cabs and swapping speakers. I find my 1960AV very aggressive, moreso than my Traditional, so would probably try the marshall first.
Either that, or just sell the Rivera and pay the credit card bill, or trade and keep on the hunt! I just don't know where to go from here though. It's getting to be a little much.
:shock:
