Rectoverb vs Dual Rectifier (50Watt vs 100Watt)

[borisson]

Hello,

just debating between Rectoverb and Dual Rectifier. (50 Watt vs 100 Watt)
Does the 100 Watt DR sounds "bigger" than the 50 Watt Rectoverb in direct A/B comparison? or tighter in attack?

I play the mark v but want to add the rectifier sound to my rig.

thanks for any help

 

[fluff191]

The sound differences are very minimal. I would get the dual rec and pull 2 tubes to make it 50 watts if need be, that way you still have all the options of the Dual and the wattage of the Rectoverb.

 

[domct203]

The sound differences are very minimal. I would get the dual rec and pull 2 tubes to make it 50 watts if need be, that way you still have all the options of the Dual and the wattage of the Rectoverb.

+1

The difference is really in the available headroom, with the Dual being a bit "cleaner" in the cleans and tighter in the lows. The difference is not huge, but noticable.

The big plus with the Dual is that you have the option of switchable rectification, SS Diodes or 5U4GB Tube Rectifiers, The ROV does not have that option.

It's easy to add a reverb pedal to the Dual, but very difficult and expensive to add Tube Rectifiers to the ROV, if it's even possible.

Dom

 

[borisson]

Thanks,
I just dont want to spend more the really needed, 2 channels on rectoverb is enough and the reverb on board is what i like., headroom is not an issue...i just need that recto sound, i can get the rectoverb for about 850 euro used, dual recto would be about 1100 lowest...my only concern is the 50 vs 100, 100 is noticable tighter and bigger sounding?

 

[domct203]

If the built in reverb is more important to you than tube rectifiers then the choice is easy. Those are bigger differences than 100W vs 50W IMO.

Dom

 

[YellowJacket]

Dual Rectifier: The Tube Rectifier is noticeably sweeter sounding. 4 tubes in a Recto gives a lot of thickness / girth to the sound. It sounds heavier, more urgent, and more aggressive. If that is what you want, great.

I often prefer only 2 power tubes running at 50watts since it gives a cranked tone at a lower volume and I hate those low volume 'buzzy' tones that make the rectos sound like solid state amps.

If you want the 'Rectifier' tone and reverb, the Tremoverb is probably the best kept secret from the Recto line. They're seriously awesome amps!

 

[94Tremoverb]

The Dual is looser than the Rectoverb in any mode other than Bold/Diode, not tighter. (Which if you want a bigger contrast to the Mark, is what you need.)

I disagree that the difference is minimal. The Rectoverb is a very limited version of the Rectifier sound - you get the Recto preamp voicing, but it doesn't have the four-tube complexity, the tube-rectifier dynamics, the Spongy mode, the effortless massive tone, and the reverb is pretty crap (and solid state). It's very much the poor relation in my opinion, it sounds thin and a bit sterile by comparison. The Dual is easily worth the extra €250 - if you really want to make the Dual sound like the single you can (pull two tubes, set to Bold and solid-state rectifier), but if you want to make the Rectoverb sound like the Dual, you can't. You're missing most of the features that make the Dual so great.

OK, it's not strictly a fair comparison since the Tremoverb is a 2-channel rectifier with reverb (proper tube reverb, one of the nicest on any amp) and tremolo, not the same as a 3-channel, but the Tremoverb is my favourite amp ever, and I don't even like the Rectoverb enough that I would own one if it was the only choice. They're that different.

 

[boss4]

Get a Dual and a Boss RV-5 or a Trem-o-verb.

 

[Great Ant]

Don't they make the new Duals switchable from 100w to 50w now?

 

[bendo]

Don't they make the new Duals switchable from 100w to 50w now?

Yes, the older ones required you to pull two power tubes and one rectifier tube.

The new ones are just a flip of a switch.

 

[YellowJacket]

Pulling one rectifier tube and two power tubes really isn't so bad.

To answer your question, the Dual Rectifier does sound bigger. The added tubes add thickness, thump, girth, and grunt to the tone. If you play at 50watts the amp will feel tighter and easier to play but it won't sound so huge. My favourite recto is the 2 Channel Rev F Dual, but the new Reborn heads are also really nice. Heck, the old 3 Channel ones are also nice too. They are just brighter and more aggressive, especially on Channel 3.

OK, it's not strictly a fair comparison since the Tremoverb is a 2-channel rectifier with reverb (proper tube reverb, one of the nicest on any amp) and tremolo, not the same as a 3-channel, but the Tremoverb is my favourite amp ever, and I don't even like the Rectoverb enough that I would own one if it was the only choice. They're that different.

Ya, what he said. Get a Tremoverb!

 

[58boogie]

I have had both. I prefer the bigger headroom and available power of the DR. I also prefer the new DR with better clean channel and switchable wattage. The reverb on the rectoverb is not great. I put a EH holy grail through the effects loop on the DR and it sounds 100X better to me than the reverb on the rectoverb.

 

[cyber104]

Hi:

Having just purchased a Series 2 Rectoverb head last week for myself, and having played my son's DR (not the multi-watt just a regular old 3-channel) for the past 3 years I can offer the following after he and I did some side-by-side comparisons over the weekend. During the comparison we used a 2x12 Recto cabinet.

1) The reverb on the Rectoverb is really bad - we added a Holy Grail Nano into the effects loop (just like he runs on the DR) and the reverb sounded MUCH better.

2) Tonally they are identical on Channel 3 modern as long as they are both running on diode rectification. I prefer the tube rectification on the DR which gives it a 'looser' feel. Unfortunately that option is not available on the Rectoverb. So the Rectoverb sounds 'tighter'.

3) The Rectoverb is REALLY loud - the DR is INSANELY loud.

4) Clean channel is about the same on both.

That being said - I REALLY like the Rectoverb - but I like the DR just as much. I just don't need the kind of headroom the DR provides - the Rectoverb is PLENTY loud as far as I'm concerned.

Hope this helps!
Chris