Rectoverb Owners!!

[TheRazMeister]

Hey guys, I have a ROV combo and had a strange experience at my local Mesa dealer. They have a rectoverb head going thru a 2x12 (celestion V30's I think). The cleans seemed alot better to me on the head and the 2nd channel seemed to have more output.
Example: at home I can turn the Master and Gain on the 2nd channel all the way up without a problem (output on zero). The head started feeding back (as in too much volume) at about noon on the master.
Any ideas???
I'm thinking of selling my combo and getting a head/cab. Note that the sound of the 2nd was EXACTLY like the combo, but the cleans seemed more alive.

 

[chennie]

soundwise it makes a lot of difference using the combo speaker with its non closed back and C90 speaker and the closed back 2x12 cab loaded with v30. The latter sounds a lot louder of the sound pressure of two speakers and the closed back. Also it had a more low end to my ears.

We can start an endlessly discussion wether there is or there is no sound difference in head/vs combo amplifiers, (taking only the amp part), with arguments as speaker cab volume, tube rattling in combo's, tube position, (hanging or standing) etc etc etc. To me these differences are minimal and the difference in the fact you were using two totally different speakers and cab is the foremost reason of diference.

As a final note, it could also be that the cab has been connected as a mismatch or anything similar, making a fair comparison impossible.

 

[TheRazMeister]

Would the cleans sound that much nicer thru a cab??? The difference was startling. I had just gotten done praising the F series and express as having better cleans but inferrior gain to the ROV....then I plugged into the cab to prove my gain point (which I did - to the salesclerk) and was surprised that the clean was sharp/crisp and definitely in the ball park of the express series.

soundwise it makes a lot of difference using the combo speaker with its non closed back and C90 speaker and the closed back 2x12 cab loaded with v30. The latter sounds a lot louder of the sound pressure of two speakers and the closed back. Also it had a more low end to my ears.

We can start an endlessly discussion wether there is or there is no sound difference in head/vs combo amplifiers, (taking only the amp part), with arguments as speaker cab volume, tube rattling in combo's, tube position, (hanging or standing) etc etc etc. To me these differences are minimal and the difference in the fact you were using two totally different speakers and cab is the foremost reason of diference.

As a final note, it could also be that the cab has been connected as a mismatch or anything similar, making a fair comparison impossible.

 

[recto-robbie]

I used to own a ROV series 2 combo. I dont recall any volume difference when hooked up to a 2x12 recto cab.
I do remember the day I brought home the new 2x12 recto cab and once hooked up I never again went back to combo alone.
I will say though I never hooked up the cab alone without the combos speaker,, I always had the 3 speakers running together and in my opinion running the closed back with v30's and the combos open back with c90 fit each other perfectly,, good compliment to each other.
Adding the cab did make a big difference in sound,,, much bigger and much better.

 

[Charlie]

Could be the speakers... or it could be the tubes. Were you using the same guitar the whole time? I don't see any reason for a combo sounding different than a head other than tube type and speakers.

 

[TheRazMeister]

I used an LP STD they had at the store...somewhat different than mine in regards to pickups and weight (I have a 2001 Standard with Duncan 59's) but it should be roughly the same. Now as far as tubes go, the head looked brand new with stock Mesa tubes. I have 6 month old Mesa STR-454's (Svetlana's) and a recent full pre-amp retube from Doug's Tubes (tung-sol, JJ's, etc). Could tubes make a that much of a difference?

Could be the speakers... or it could be the tubes. Were you using the same guitar the whole time? I don't see any reason for a combo sounding different than a head other than tube type and speakers.

 

[Mr. Brady]

I used to own a Rectoverb Series II. I ran several combinations with the amp just to see what I liked the best. I had an Avatar 2x12 open back cab with a V30 and G12h30 speaker. The amp plugged into only the cab sounded much clearer and more defined on both clean and distorted settings. The C90 black shadow speaker sounded much harsher and more fizzy running on it's own. I liked running all 3 speakers at the same time for the added bite and extra air moving from the c90. I eventually went to a tremoverb head. I like the cleans even better on it.

In short to answer your question, yes, speakers and type of cabinet can make a huge difference. The rectoverb combo was a good amp on it's own, but really became a great amp with the extra cab. It inspired me to eventually step up to a tremoverb.

 

[TheRazMeister]

Mr.B...1st I take it you're my bud from the 'Burg in the HC forums and 2nd...I've got a closed back V30 1x12 and my Crate V32 with a V30 that I could hook up to my ROV tonight. It'll be real interesting to hear the difference.

I used to own a Rectoverb Series II. I ran several combinations with the amp just to see what I liked the best. I had an Avatar 2x12 open back cab with a V30 and G12h30 speaker. The amp plugged into only the cab sounded much clearer and more defined on both clean and distorted settings. The C90 black shadow speaker sounded much harsher and more fizzy running on it's own. I liked running all 3 speakers at the same time for the added bite and extra air moving from the c90. I eventually went to a tremoverb head. I like the cleans even better on it.

In short to answer your question, yes, speakers and type of cabinet can make a huge difference. The rectoverb combo was a good amp on it's own, but really became a great amp with the extra cab. It inspired me to eventually step up to a tremoverb.

 

[Mr. Brady]

Mr.B...1st I take it you're my bud from the 'Burg in the HC forums and 2nd...I've got a closed back V30 1x12 and my Crate V32 with a V30 that I could hook up to my ROV tonight. It'll be real interesting to hear the difference.

I used to own a Rectoverb Series II. I ran several combinations with the amp just to see what I liked the best. I had an Avatar 2x12 open back cab with a V30 and G12h30 speaker. The amp plugged into only the cab sounded much clearer and more defined on both clean and distorted settings. The C90 black shadow speaker sounded much harsher and more fizzy running on it's own. I liked running all 3 speakers at the same time for the added bite and extra air moving from the c90. I eventually went to a tremoverb head. I like the cleans even better on it.

In short to answer your question, yes, speakers and type of cabinet can make a huge difference. The rectoverb combo was a good amp on it's own, but really became a great amp with the extra cab. It inspired me to eventually step up to a tremoverb.

That would be me. Which of the VA forumites are you?

 

[TheRazMeister]

I'm RAZSAN...we had talked about checking some music out in Norfolk and the Schenker (fiasco :x ) at Toad's place in Richmond..

That would be me. Which of the VA forumites are you?