RM50 Combo questions

[ricky]

I have been into the MTS stuff for a few years. I have 2 RM4s, one in my studio and one for my live rig. I have a mess of modules also. My live rig is killer but there are times when it is just too much to carry. I saw a few RM50s on eBay and was wondering what you guys think of them. They have two slots, so my tones would be a little more limited. But the gigs I would use a small combo on are usually musically more limiting gigs anyway. How is the reverb on them? Can you use either ELs or 6L6's? Would Rob's fog lifter help? I guess I would like to know the +/_'s of them. I am sure I would put a Weber speaker in it as I like them, but mostly I am wondering about the amp itself and your experience.
I have also considered an RM20, so any help there would be cool. I was thinking of having Rob do me a Gibson GA-50 mod and just use the RM20 with my L-5 for quiet little jazz gigs, but maybe the RM50 would be the way to go.... more bang for the buck and all....
thanks
rick

 

[JayDA]

How is the reverb on them? Decent, but i still like a pedal more

Can you use either ELs or 6L6's? Yes, or KT88s....or 5881s....or...

Would Rob's fog lifter help? YES....big difference for me

 

[Jaded Faith]

I use one as my main amp with my band and we use a pair or them on my west coast trade shows (courtesy of Jace), so I like them. I prefer it over the RM20 and it's a great grab and go option.

 

[GtrGeorge!]

I owned one, that I bought used and I have an rm4 which I used extensively live for the last few years. So based on that:
I prefer the rm4 rt2/50 combination, over the rm50 combo.
Maybe it was the rm50 I bought (had issues??)...but it never sounded quite as good. The reverb is ok...used sparingly, and the tones are good..whatver 2 modules you use. But for me, considering Id still have to carry a rack for delays, tremelo, chorus etc and it wasnt quite as good..and maybe it would take a mod to "get it there"..I just said to hell with it and dragged my rm4 out with the rt 2/50 power amp.
A royal PIA but very good tones, very consistant.And not that much more space taken up.
YMMV
GtrGeorge

 

[GtrGeorge!]

a constructive idea:
if ya gonna go small...look at a rm22 instead. I say this because it really is more eay to move (small)..has a good loop...hasa good speaker emulation out ,,which you will NEED...cuz its only 22 watts. but its sounds good
I have anger that Bruce and Co never got therm50 right,imho...but therm22 got closer at a true workingman's amp.
naturally,it was basically a last ditch effort and there isnt a glut of them around, but if ya have a serious PA..carry it in in one hand with NO speaker cab(one trip to the car, give the sound man a DI feed from the speaker out and off ya go.
Smaller,lighter than a rm50, good speaker emu out (which the rm50 doesnt have..a just good enough boost feature..and one trip to the car.
I long for the perfected rm50 with 3 modules, 1x12neo dym speaker a good loop, and midi..but tjat will probably never be made..I stopped waiting a few years ago. We just have what we have. I think an rm22 is a better compromise than an rm50..if ya have to compromise. It fits the bill..lighter,faster and still whatever modules you prefer.

GtrGeorge

 

[Mike361]

well I think it's up to you what wattage you need but I have always liked the rm50 combo. Owned mine for many years and once I changed the speaker it sounds great. 2 slots with the right modules is enough with a small pedal board for effects if needed. Never had any problems with mine, and the reverb seems good to me. Never use a lot of it. Pretty simple amp really, the big size adds a lot of low end, but makes it heavier. Still lighter than some combo's I have seen.

 

[ricky]

Thanks everyone. Like GTRGEORGE, my RM4/ Carvin TS100 rig is killer but a PIA to lug around. I sometimes get a call for a small gig and those people do not like accommodating my rig on stage for space reasons, so maybe an RM50 is a good alternative for that.

 

[kc2eeb]

My main amp is now an RM50 head and a single open back 12" cab with an Eminence Maverick speaker. The reverb performance depends on the volume
controls on the modules and PA master as does the entire sound of the amp.
I also use a RM4-RT2/50 set-up with two 2x12" Vintage 30s open back cabs and two 4x10" open back cabs with Jensens when the venue allows.

 

[audiomidijace]

I use one as my main amp with my band and we use a pair or them on my west coast trade shows (courtesy of Jace), so I like them. I prefer it over the RM20 and it's a great grab and go option.

I dig the reverb! For guitar amps I perfer spring reverb.

As to the RM20, it's EL84s, which are nice, but too thin sounding for me.
You can use almost anything in the RM50.
I use one with 6L6 in one and EL34 in the other.
Rob also makes a cool channel/boost footswitch.
I use a Keely modded Boss SD-1 overdrive pedal that kind
of turns it in to 4 channels.
My Foglifters are in, but I haven't heard them yet.
I know that sounds strange. I'll post about it when I can.
The stock G12T-75 Celestion actually sounds great with the 6L6 for me.
I have a Hellatone 60 in the EL34 cab which has more midrange bite.
The rest is all module choice and tube selection,

The RM100 combo is WAY TOO Fing heavy!
No MIDI control is probably the only gripe I can think of for the RM50.

 

[ricky]

So on my RM4 there was a midi footswitch. What does the RM50 use to switch btw channels?

 

[kc2eeb]

The RM50 uses a simple push on/push off footswitch. No midi.

 

[ricky]

Cool. I went ahead and scored one off eBay today. It seemed a crazy good deal....$575 w/ two modules. I don't think I can beat that. I am looking forward to giving my RM4 a baby brother.

 

[kc2eeb]

It's my main amp. It sings with a Jaded Faith OD Special.

 

[Rod]

I love my RM 50's... the magic for me is using KT66 Gold Lion tubes and the Eminence Delta Pro speaker... a killer amp...got to try the foglifter. It has a great master volume and descent spring reverb...

 

[kc2eeb]

+1 KT66s.

 

[ricky]

I got the rm50 combo yesterday and really like it. ****, it is a loud sucker too! It is a lot heavier than I thought. I am not happy with the reverb really as it sounds a little too "underwater" for my tastes, but I can add a unit for effects. How high are most of you running the master? Would it be best to run the master full on and then pull back the vluume on each module? Also for recording, is there a way to turn the fan off? I guess I can gate the channel, but it would be nice to have it quiet as possible.

 

[Mattfig]

I got the rm50 combo yesterday and really like it. ****, it is a loud sucker too! It is a lot heavier than I thought. I am not happy with the reverb really as it sounds a little too "underwater" for my tastes, but I can add a unit for effects. How high are most of you running the master? Would it be best to run the master full on and then pull back the vluume on each module? Also for recording, is there a way to turn the fan off? I guess I can gate the channel, but it would be nice to have it quiet as possible.

Congrats! It is heavy but a great amp...

Firstly, I wouldn't be maxing the master volume...On a single channel amp that is usually the only way to get full tonal breakup but the RM50 doesn't need THAT much of a power tube push....I tend to keep mine under 12:00 most of the time unless I'm playing live....Then the module master volumes seem best around 2:00 or so (you'll need to experiment here)....As for recording, if you miking a cab, the fan surely won't come through if you are using any volume...I know there are guys that have disconnected the fans and haven't heard of issues but my philosophy is that it's there for a reason...

Edited to say: Duh....The fan noise between playing was your concern...Gotcha....Gotta say, ISP Decimators G Series simply love the RM50...Dead silent, no tonal loss...It's crazy sounding but true...

 

[ricky]

So on the RM50, the reverb is really run through the parallel effects loop? So if I want to use a delay I had better find something with a delay and reverb as using just a delay pedal through the loop will neutralize that reverb, right?
What are people doing with this loop and reverb?

 

[Rod]

The reverb tank unit goes through the parallel loop...I use the series loop for delay... If I had electronic reverb I would unplug the tank reverb and use the parallel loop...make sense>?