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Anonymous
Guest
So now I kinda want a Venus 6 
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rp108
New member
Picked it up today. Played it again in the store before I purchased, to make sure. I ran it through an Orange 2x12 with v30s. Sounded gorgeous. I tried a Maxon AD9 Pro through the loop to make sure it worked. I was floored how transparent the loop is. I will run it through the paces but overall I think Crunchity and I stumbled upon an awesome amp. Rivera fans in the making.
Edit: I just realized that Crunchity has the non reverb model and where the focus control is on his head that's where the reverb control is on my head. I wonder what that focus control does?
Edit: I just realized that Crunchity has the non reverb model and where the focus control is on his head that's where the reverb control is on my head. I wonder what that focus control does?
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mjtripper
Member
The rivera focus controls the negative feedback amount which is similar to how a depth/presence works except it changes how much instead of which frequencies. Think of it as a control to adjust if the power section is tighter like a soldano or looser like a marshall. Going from memory here but I think that's what that one was.
Dave L
Well-known member
Congrats, the Rake is a killer amp! I´ve had the K55 non-reverb (which is very similar but with a bit less compression on the lead channel) as my main amp for years, and even though I´ve loaded up a Lynchbox for different flavors of higher gain I use it every day for clean work and mid-gain tones. It covers the blackface and JCM800 tones extremely well and is a joy to play.
As for the Focus, it really does focus the tone. Turn it one way and it tightens up and also sort of cleans up harmonically, turn it the other and it loosens up and blooms both in the highs and lows. Since I don´t push the gain on it as far as I used to, I can set the Focus pretty loose and it sounds positively huge without any flab.
As for the Focus, it really does focus the tone. Turn it one way and it tightens up and also sort of cleans up harmonically, turn it the other and it loosens up and blooms both in the highs and lows. Since I don´t push the gain on it as far as I used to, I can set the Focus pretty loose and it sounds positively huge without any flab.
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rp108
New member
Looks like I got a dud. Worked fine in the store, brought it home and no sound. 
Checked the tubes, all of them were glowing and not loose. That is about as far as my amp tech abilities go. This may be a sign to return it.
Checked the tubes, all of them were glowing and not loose. That is about as far as my amp tech abilities go. This may be a sign to return it.
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Anonymous
Guest
rp108":24yjm64x said:Looks like I got a dud. Worked fine in the store, brought it home and no sound.
Checked the tubes, all of them were glowing and not loose. That is about as far as my amp tech abilities go. This may be a sign to return it.
Tubes can be damaged in transport, yet still glow
Might be cracked, then the vacuum is done
Try changing them one by one, if one is cracked, you'll easily see it at the base
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nzsteve
Active member
rp108":23ez2i6m said:Looks like I got a dud. Worked fine in the store, brought it home and no sound.
Checked the tubes, all of them were glowing and not loose. That is about as far as my amp tech abilities go. This may be a sign to return it.
You could check and see if the loop might be activated. You could set the loop in/out on 5 and put in a lead with no pedals in to see if it might be turned on. The Rivera amps are pretty bullet proof. If you have another amp, you can quickly check your leads and guitar to rule out a bad cable.
I had the Fandango and it was awesome. I didnt know it was based on a Rake, mine had the GT75's and Rivera had put in boost level adjustments externally, which were also very helpful..
Crunchity
Well-known member
Man, sorry to hear about that, rp108, hoping it's just something very minor or maybe like mentioned, something you overlooked (cables, etc).
As for the Focus feature, this is what the manual states:
"This control is another RIVERA exclusive that actually lets you change the speaker's response characteristics, from tight to loose. The effect can give closed-back cabinets a sound more akin to an open one, and vice-versa, plus you can "custom blend" the amount of hardness your final sound has. New to Rivera amps, first unveiled on Quiana is a new "Pull Warm". By pulling this control, the bottom end response of the power amp section changes as well as the high end, giving a sweet contoured tone. The Focus and Presence controls will also be modified in their sweep, increasing their effectiveness."
I've been experitmenting with my 'focus' settings, lots of ways to incorporate it with the other eq settings depending on what sort of tone you're going for at the moment. For crunch rhythm ala Marshall for example, I like it at 6ish, for soling/lead settings, I'm liking it closer to 4, etc. A nice tool.
As for the Focus feature, this is what the manual states:
"This control is another RIVERA exclusive that actually lets you change the speaker's response characteristics, from tight to loose. The effect can give closed-back cabinets a sound more akin to an open one, and vice-versa, plus you can "custom blend" the amount of hardness your final sound has. New to Rivera amps, first unveiled on Quiana is a new "Pull Warm". By pulling this control, the bottom end response of the power amp section changes as well as the high end, giving a sweet contoured tone. The Focus and Presence controls will also be modified in their sweep, increasing their effectiveness."
I've been experitmenting with my 'focus' settings, lots of ways to incorporate it with the other eq settings depending on what sort of tone you're going for at the moment. For crunch rhythm ala Marshall for example, I like it at 6ish, for soling/lead settings, I'm liking it closer to 4, etc. A nice tool.
Crunchity
Well-known member
On another note, I REALLY need someones help with checking my bias because I want to first, read/check the current levels with the tubes it came with, then load up a new pair of matched JJ's and adjust accordingly. I've biased my share of amps over the years, but only the idiot proof models, lol, where a trimpot and handy test points/contacts are provided, or better yet, external test points, lol. Amps like the 5153, the JVM, etc, were ultra easy to bias with just a multi-meter because they had the clearly marked 'bias (-), bias (+)' test points. So anyway, the Rivera thankfully has this as well. Per the manual and what I was able to scrounge up online, the circled pads/contacts in the pic I took have two wires that lead to one of the pwr tubes, these are obviously a thoughtful/handy addition to make it easy. From the manual: "observe the two wires connected between the output tube circuit and the speaker jack board. These wires carry the output tube cathode current. Connect your meter across the pads/contacts of the speaker jack board where these two wires are soldered to."
OK. So I'm missing something cause I'm not getting a reading on my mm. I'm aware of the dangers and am being extremely careful. Can anyone here baby step me through this and simply tell me where the hell to place my red/black leads from the mm by looking at this pic? I tried placing the ground to the chasis and the red to one of the pads/points in the pic but that doesn't work. Arrgh! I only have a digital mm at the moment. I know a bias-rite and the like would make things easier, plan on getting one, but for now, I sure would love to snake by with just my mm and getting a reading. There is no official Rivera forum so I'm kinda depending on yooze guys. Thanks for any help!!!!
OK. So I'm missing something cause I'm not getting a reading on my mm. I'm aware of the dangers and am being extremely careful. Can anyone here baby step me through this and simply tell me where the hell to place my red/black leads from the mm by looking at this pic? I tried placing the ground to the chasis and the red to one of the pads/points in the pic but that doesn't work. Arrgh! I only have a digital mm at the moment. I know a bias-rite and the like would make things easier, plan on getting one, but for now, I sure would love to snake by with just my mm and getting a reading. There is no official Rivera forum so I'm kinda depending on yooze guys. Thanks for any help!!!!
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nzsteve
Active member
Can you have a look at the Fandango manual, I think they show or say where and how to bias the amp, I don't think it was from the area you circled. I have heard that alot of the Rivera circuits are close to each other, based on that, I know I check mine from another area of my amp, I don't think it was next to tubes...if you can wait till Monday you can call or email them.
Sorry on the iphone, I didnt see the second circle. If that is the correct test point area. I think you would put the meter across those two points. But again, safer to wait till Monday or see if you can find a amp tech locally you can go to and confirm.
Sorry on the iphone, I didnt see the second circle. If that is the correct test point area. I think you would put the meter across those two points. But again, safer to wait till Monday or see if you can find a amp tech locally you can go to and confirm.
Crunchity
Well-known member
Thanks. I looked at the Fandango manual, not much on how to bias, at least not in detail. I read elsewhere that most Rivera amps are biased the same way as many of the circuit layouts are similar. One of the manuals has a diagram for reference, the k-55. Here's a pic. Very much looks like the Rake. I'm just missing something.
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nzsteve
Active member
The test points in that picture look the same as my KR7, if your amp has those that may be correct, however because of the voltage, I would have a tech confirm or check with Rivera just to be safe.
Crunchity
Well-known member
Thanks for the info, nz. I'll keep digging and experimenting with the biasing. Sooner or later I hope to stumble onto someone with a Rake, maybe they will point out exactly how they do theirs with only a multi-meter as well (as in "hey, I place the black lead here, place the red lead there, done, lol 
).
I did have a little time with it this weekend, slowly getting it dialed in, made a quick and ugly early test crunch clip (random chords) with a high-ish gain setting, straight into the amp...
Rivera Test / Save
). I did have a little time with it this weekend, slowly getting it dialed in, made a quick and ugly early test crunch clip (random chords) with a high-ish gain setting, straight into the amp...
Rivera Test / Save
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rp108
New member
Crunchity":6n4bekaj said:Thanks for the info, nz. I'll keep digging and experimenting with the biasing. Sooner or later I hope to stumble onto someone with a Rake, maybe they will point out exactly how they do theirs with only a multi-meter as well (as in "hey, I place the black lead here, place the red lead there, done, lol
I did have a little time with it this weekend, slowly getting it dialed in, made a quick and ugly early test crunch clip (random chords) with a high-ish gain setting, straight into the amp...
Rivera Crunch Test / Download
Sorry I couldn't help. Mine went back to the store.