Rockerverb 50 mkiii vs AD30

[Thinline_slim]

Wow, I haven't posted for a looooooooong time, but I still drop in and read from time to time.

I've picked up a new project in the last couple of months that has me wanting a channel switcher as a dedicated clean channel is needed. Lots of classic rock and blues/soul type music. I currently have an AD30htc, which is use as a clean/dirty but I'm curious about how the Rockerverb 50 mkiii would compare. Thoughts?

[Ronnie Robinson]

Hello good to see you back.
I'm sure the Rvmkii will sound great, but just a thought ...To get the most clean out of the ad30htc have you tried using the gain knob on channel one as a volume control?..... Certainly the cheapest option.

So turn gain to zero, max volume control then dial in the gain knob to the desired volume, sounds good, but Orange flavoured cleans if that's what your after.

[wrath]

In my opinion RV50 MKIII is useless since RV100 MKIII exists and has a bunch of features that the 50 doesn't including switchable watts (100, 70, 50, 30) and an attenuator...so basically you get a RV50 with an attenuator, and other watt options. Also if you need a lot of cleans just put that baby to 100 watts and you'll have tons of headroom.

[Bensnake]

In my opinion RV50 MKIII is useless since RV100 MKIII exists and has a bunch of features that the 50 doesn't including switchable watts (100, 70, 50, 30) and an attenuator...so basically you get a RV50 with an attenuator, and other watt options. Also if you need a lot of cleans just put that baby to 100 watts and you'll have tons of headroom.

The RV50Mklll also have these features. Switchable between 50 and 25W AND an attenuator. The question is if you really need 100W. Otherwise you save a little money and reduce valve cost by choosing the 50W version.

[wrath]

my bad, sorry...but I would go for a RV100 anyway, because I'm in a very loud band ...I'm picking up a used RV100 MKII next week and also have RV50 and OR120 Overdrive...I'll probably sell the RV50 though....maybe! cuz I freaking love that amp, and I'm in two bands, and 50 watts is enough for one of them...for the other one I'll aby OR120 Overdrive and RV100. The bassists ABYs a SS 600 watt bass amp that goes into 2x10 and 1x15 cabs and a vintage OR120 that goes into a 4x12 bass cab...my RV50 struggles with his setup, mostly because of the low end because in that band we tune to A and 50 watts can't push enough low end for that kind of tuning. I'll also probably put KT88 into the RV100...they give it even a bit more power, right?

[Thinline_slim]

Hello good to see you back.
I'm sure the Rvmkii will sound great, but just a thought ...To get the most clean out of the ad30htc have you tried using the gain knob on channel one as a volume control?..... Certainly the cheapest option.

So turn gain to zero, max volume control then dial in the gain knob to the desired volume, sounds good, but Orange flavoured cleans if that's what your after.

Great points. I'm running the AD30 ch2 clean, high master, low gain and a slightly scooped mid. It's a good clean but I've never had an opportunity to play an RV50 so I don't know if there's much to gain in making the change.

If the general consensus is the RV50 cleans are close to what you can get out of the AD30 then I won't worry about it.

[Les Paul Lover]

my bad, sorry...but I would go for a RV100 anyway, because I'm in a very loud band ...I'm picking up a used RV100 MKII next week and also have RV50 and OR120 Overdrive...I'll probably sell the RV50 though....maybe! cuz I freaking love that amp, and I'm in two bands, and 50 watts is enough for one of them...for the other one I'll aby OR120 Overdrive and RV100. The bassists ABYs a SS 600 watt bass amp that goes into 2x10 and 1x15 cabs and a vintage OR120 that goes into a 4x12 bass cab...my RV50 struggles with his setup, mostly because of the low end because in that band we tune to A and 50 watts can't push enough low end for that kind of tuning. I'll also probably put KT88 into the RV100...they give it even a bit more power, right?

Yeah, the KT88 will push around 140w EMS clean, 200w peak power if all maxed out.

Since I never get to crank my RV50, 140w sounds a bit scary......!!!!

[Les Paul Lover]

Hello good to see you back.
I'm sure the Rvmkii will sound great, but just a thought ...To get the most clean out of the ad30htc have you tried using the gain knob on channel one as a volume control?..... Certainly the cheapest option.

So turn gain to zero, max volume control then dial in the gain knob to the desired volume, sounds good, but Orange flavoured cleans if that's what your after.

Great points. I'm running the AD30 ch2 clean, high master, low gain and a slightly scooped mid. It's a good clean but I've never had an opportunity to play an RV50 so I don't know if there's much to gain in making the change.

If the general consensus is the RV50 cleans are close to what you can get out of the AD30 then I won't worry about it.

I d8nt exactly know how are the clean on the RV50 MKIII, but the clean on my current AD15, and an AD30tc and AD5 I used to own are seriously sweet. My 1st generation RV50 is very good too, but totally different in flavour. I dare say that with a strat, the AD series probably have the best cleans. Seriously amazing.
That doesn't take anything away from my RV50, it sounds glorious too, but with a strat type guitar, the AD series edges it out IMO.

On the other hand.... the AD series don't have that much gain, and need to be driven super hard to deliver any type of sustain with regular low power single coils.

There, the RV50 offers a lot more.

[afjungemann]

The RV MKIII has more gain for sure but it doesnt have to be the high gain monster if you don't want it to be. I run the gain around 2 o'clock and it has really smooth lead tone but then I roll my lp back to about 6 and it has a perfect rhythm crunch.

When I play and AD30 (at shops and friends), I feel like it gets the rhythm crunch really well but only with the guitar at 10 so it doesn't leave room to saturate it more.

[Thinline_slim]

Hello good to see you back.
I'm sure the Rvmkii will sound great, but just a thought ...To get the most clean out of the ad30htc have you tried using the gain knob on channel one as a volume control?..... Certainly the cheapest option.

So turn gain to zero, max volume control then dial in the gain knob to the desired volume, sounds good, but Orange flavoured cleans if that's what your after.

Great points. I'm running the AD30 ch2 clean, high master, low gain and a slightly scooped mid. It's a good clean but I've never had an opportunity to play an RV50 so I don't know if there's much to gain in making the change.

If the general consensus is the RV50 cleans are close to what you can get out of the AD30 then I won't worry about it.

I d8nt exactly know how are the clean on the RV50 MKIII, but the clean on my current AD15, and an AD30tc and AD5 I used to own are seriously sweet. My 1st generation RV50 is very good too, but totally different in flavour. I dare say that with a strat, the AD series probably have the best cleans. Seriously amazing.
That doesn't take anything away from my RV50, it sounds glorious too, but with a strat type guitar, the AD series edges it out IMO.

On the other hand.... the AD series don't have that much gain, and need to be driven super hard to deliver any type of sustain with regular low power single coils.

There, the RV50 offers a lot more.

Again, thanks for the input. After starting and reading the responses from this thread the question really is would I get better cleans from an RV50mkiii than what I'm already getting with my AD30. I might have to just wait around and find either a RV100 or RV50 to try. To be honest I might just be spinning my tires and need to go after something else entirely.

I have an original 1969 Bassman that I converted to a 3 prong cord and replaced all the electrolytic caps that might work well. Or even the trusty Black Pearl 30, which I'll try tonight. Maybe having one of those as a foundation will give me a few more options on top.

[Thinline_slim]

The RV MKIII has more gain for sure but it doesnt have to be the high gain monster if you don't want it to be. I run the gain around 2 o'clock and it has really smooth lead tone but then I roll my lp back to about 6 and it has a perfect rhythm crunch.

When I play and AD30 (at shops and friends), I feel like it gets the rhythm crunch really well but only with the guitar at 10 so it doesn't leave room to saturate it more.

Absolutely! And thanks for the input. The dirt is absolutely not a concern on either the AD30 or RV50. I know I'll be able to dial in either and be blissful. The clean comparison is more where my doubt lies.

[Les Paul Lover]

Can I ask as well, how old are your valves?

If you play it regularly, and the power valves are on the tired side, you will be missing some sparkle.

Ah... you have a black pearl too... what a sweet amp!
Can you tell me honestly, do you play it much next to your AD30? I tried it once and was pretty much blown away. It's on my eBay permanent search list, but no deals have materialised so far. I keep wondering how much I'd play one if I had one....

[Thinline_slim]

The valves don't have a lot of use on the AD30. I replaced them maybe 2 years ago but that amp hasn't had a lot of use up until now. My OR50 has taken the lions share of the gigs the past few years when I was playing primarily Classic Rock with some blues thrown in. More of a mid gain base tone for the night. Not that the AD30 couldn't do that as I used it for years prior doing that, it was just fun/different to bring the OR50.

The BP30 is a killer amp especially for how cheap they are on the used market. I think you could pick up a 1x12 combo for around $500. It's supposed to be a mix of an AC30 and a Matchless DC30, with the ability to dial in either of those tones with the voice setting, which I think makes it remarkably versatile, and why I've had it since 2010. It's stupid loud though (and it just sounds so damn good at 30w that it's tough to bump it down to the 15w), and it's a little difficult to get a good grind out of it without some intervention (attenuation) BUT I will say that recently I put in an Emanence Reignmaker in it to knock down the dbs a bit and it sounds fantastic. I really like the Reignmakers with the OR50 and Fender Bassman too.

Tonight I'll use it as a light OD or even clean platform, which I'd say it kills the AD30 in cleans as it can do Vox, Matchless or a bit of Fender cleans. I think the AD30 can get you 80%, OR50 maybe 90%,of the way there and up until recently I didn't really need that last 10% until this latest project. I just need some serious clean/reverb (which I never used with my Oranges before either) for some rhythm stuff.

[Les Paul Lover]

The valves don't have a lot of use on the AD30. I replaced them maybe 2 years ago but that amp hasn't had a lot of use up until now. My OR50 has taken the lions share of the gigs the past few years when I was playing primarily Classic Rock with some blues thrown in. More of a mid gain base tone for the night. Not that the AD30 couldn't do that as I used it for years prior doing that, it was just fun/different to bring the OR50.

The BP30 is a killer amp especially for how cheap they are on the used market. I think you could pick up a 1x12 combo for around $500. It's supposed to be a mix of an AC30 and a Matchless DC30, with the ability to dial in either of those tones with the voice setting, which I think makes it remarkably versatile, and why I've had it since 2010. It's stupid loud though (and it just sounds so damn good at 30w that it's tough to bump it down to the 15w), and it's a little difficult to get a good grind out of it without some intervention (attenuation) BUT I will say that recently I put in an Emanence Reignmaker in it to knock down the dbs a bit and it sounds fantastic. I really like the Reignmakers with the OR50 and Fender Bassman too.

Tonight I'll use it as a light OD or even clean platform, which I'd say it kills the AD30 in cleans as it can do Vox, Matchless or a bit of Fender cleans. I think the AD30 can get you 80%, OR50 maybe 90%,of the way there and up until recently I didn't really need that last 10% until this latest project. I just need some serious clean/reverb (which I never used with my Oranges before either) for some rhythm stuff.

Oh damn you. You aren't helping my massive BP30 GAS!!!!!

I remember it being a great great amp. In the UK, people have had to sell them for peanuts as nobody as hears of them. I've seen some sell for £300..... but they weren't ready to ship them to me....