rm20 questions

I am kind of new to the rm20 combo and a have a few questions about it.
(1) There is only one bias adjustment for both power tubes and I have one running at 17.5mV and the other at 18.5mV. Is this normal or should these values match more closely?
(2) What is a good way to record silently? I'm not a huge fan of the XLR output, it sounds kind of detached and far away. Right now I am using the line out with SIR reverb.
(3) Has anyone replaced the greenback with a v30 or any other speaker?
(4) The gain boost doesn't seem to add much distortion. Is it using the power tubes or V1 to increase the gain?

Any chance you can post a clip of what it sounds like with the silent recording?

1) depend on tubes, if is really matched pair, then can be closer, but 1mV is not so big problem
2) Advantage of XLR out is easy of use without next things (PC, plugins etc). IMO SIR (with good impuls) can bring better results.
3) speaker is most important influence to sound then everything other (except player himself and riff/lick itself). I?m not afraid to say that speaker is 10x more important then head, tubes, pickups, strings, cables etc). So V30 is right choice for higain sound (but not good clean), GB is more compromising. Best way is have it both (or more and used for concrete purpose.
4) by my meaning boost has gain enough.

thanks for answering my questions hyenik. i guess what i meant in question #4 is that i don't hear much change in the distortion when i turn the gain boost up. it has both the volume and gain boost and i guess i expected the gain boost to add more distortion.

bj4rd said:

thanks for answering my questions hyenik. i guess what i meant in question #4 is that i don't hear much change in the distortion when i turn the gain boost up. it has both the volume and gain boost and i guess i expected the gain boost to add more distortion.

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Depends on the module. You'll hear more gain if you're running a cleanish or classic gain (plexi, JTM, Tweed) module than if you're running an ultra with the gain dimed. There isn't much room for more distortion at that point!

Pete

3. I swapped out a V30, and to my ears, the RM20 just didn't have enough power to really "wake up" that speaker. It sounded kinda fizzy. I also tried running it thru a Eminence Tonker. Again, the speaker was WAY overpowered compared the the amount of watts driving it. I think the greenback is a great choice for an amp of that size and power, personally.

4. The boost is like a really mild tubescreamerish kinda boost. SLightly cuts low end, increases saturation, etc. I find it works well for low volume practicing and lead playing.

Bumped up...

QUESTION: what is the bias range for EL84s? Where are you guys running your RM20s?

RockStarNick said:

Bumped up...

QUESTION: what is the bias range for EL84s? Where are you guys running your RM20s?

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18-22mV, I ran mine around 20.

Thanks JKD!

RockStarNick said:

Thanks JKD!

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+1

Hi, I have got my RM20 with Eminence V12 George Lynch signature speaker, and with the Mr. Scary mudule have a very good sound for metal or heavy, I think that this speaker is better than Celestion V30 for heavy, beacuse I had an Cornford Harlequin, and RM20 has better distortion and better tone and sound.

is that the speaker he puts in the Benz 2x12? That's a cool looking design