Krank Revolution Owners

[mantis]

Whats up people?
Over the years of owning a Revolution one , I have tried a slightly different power amp tube but never had good success. Sovtech 5881 WXT tubes that have the slightly longer base. They do not produce the same tone as the Sovtech 5881/6l6 WGC factory tubes the Rev 1 comes with.
With that in mind , there are no user adjustable bias adjustments so if the WXT tube needs some tweaking , I can't do it myself.
Also without purchasing on line or ordering the factory tubes ( no one around me carries the factory tubes which pisses me off) do you guys bring your heads into a local repair shop for bias adjustments? Try different tubes etc? I'm in the Phila Area of Pa and if someone knows someone who is really good at Krank amps I would like to know who to see.
Honestly I would just like my amp checked over to make sure it's performing in Spec , use all factory tubes and I'm cool. I love the way it sounds and have no desire to improve anything. Well I would however love to try out a Rev Plus as it has the boost feature and supposed to have better power transformers and some other improvements. That would be pretty cool to hear go.
Shame Krank went out of business but I did however learn they opened a new company called Revolution Amps. I thought Tony opened another Amp company I wonder what happened with that?

 

[mantis]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

O I wanted to add a few things.

I honestly play about 10 hours or so a month. I don't play in a band anymore , don't play outside of by basement. I don't play loud maybe 1 to 1 1/2 max. If I hit 2 no ones home and I'm just feeling something I wrote and want to pound out the notes a but louder. I probably should pick up one of those 20 watt Rev Jr's.

But what I noticed was my tone went south very fast and I was a bit surprised as I just replaced all the tubes about a year ago. When I was playing a lot , I would change the power tubes about every 6 months and the preamp's about once a year. I would start to notice some sag and out they would come and tighten back up my tone with some fresh tubes.
This time was a but different. I think one of the preamp tubes or more went south early. The amp went from sounding normal to super fuzzy overnight. I went on a quest to find local tubes and just found preamp tubes in stock. I had to order the power amp tubes which sucks balls but it's what I had to do. I like going to the Store , picking up what I need and going home and using it right now. Old fashion?, Probably.
I'll tell you what though , replacing the preamp tubes with fresh ones matched quad set was amazing. All my tone is back and my amp sounds wonderful. But I still would like to get it all checked over as I never had it checked since I purchased it new back in 2006.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

You should probably consult a local tech who can tweak your amp to your liking and install a bias pot.

That would probably be easier and cheaper than dealing with Tony who runs Stiff Amps now.

 

[mantis]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

I heard they made a new company called Revolution amps

 

[nocturnalbob]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

I'm a bit late but o well. get the tubes from tony krank. his numbers on krankamps.com. Thats where i get mine.The stock sovteks sound great. ps im also in philadelphia. let me know if you found a good tech.

 

[mantis]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

I'm a bit late but o well. get the tubes from tony krank. his numbers on krankamps.com. Thats where i get mine.The stock sovteks sound great. ps im also in philadelphia. let me know if you found a good tech.

The Factory Tubes are the only ones I like to use. I got a new quad matched set and my amp is back and sounding amazing.
I have not gone to him yet but I was strongly recommended to this dude who is in Phila. His name is Jim Walton his number is 215-342-7327.

 

[nocturnalbob]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

yeah the sovteks sound the best. kranks amp tech said they tried tons of tubes and the kranks would eat them all up. they settled with the sovteks. as for the preamp tony krank installed and recommended theses from the power tubes left. 2 chinese 12ax7, a ruby12ax7ac5 in the shielded slot and at the end a tungsol 12ax7. sounded way better than my jjs i had in there. thanks for the number too. im going to give jim a call see if he can set up my jsx with 6550s in the power section.

 

[mantis]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

NEW TUBE UPDATE
Hi Guys,
I just picked up a set of Ruby 6L6GCMSTR matched quad set and so far so good. I'm still nervous about using them as I never used anything else in this amp other then the Factory spec'd Sovtek 5881/6L6WGC.
My issue is only spec's , does anyone know if the spec's match? I didn't re bias my amp as it doesn't have adjustments on the outside and honestly I never Biased a amp anyway. I'm sure I could easily learn how to do it but I think not use the Krank Revolution 1 is a fixed Bias? I know you don't have to Bias when replacing tubes with factory spec'd models but now that I have the Ruby's in there, I'm nervous if I should have the Bias reset or learn IF I can on this amp.

Any ideas fellas?

 

[nocturnalbob]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

NEW TUBE UPDATE
Hi Guys,
I just picked up a set of Ruby 6L6GCMSTR matched quad set and so far so good. I'm still nervous about using them as I never used anything else in this amp other then the Factory spec'd Sovtek 5881/6L6WGC.
My issue is only spec's , does anyone know if the spec's match? I didn't re bias my amp as it doesn't have adjustments on the outside and honestly I never Biased a amp anyway. I'm sure I could easily learn how to do it but I think not use the Krank Revolution 1 is a fixed Bias? I know you don't have to Bias when replacing tubes with factory spec'd models but now that I have the Ruby's in there, I'm nervous if I should have the Bias reset or learn IF I can on this amp.

Any ideas fellas?

Yeah i think you have to rebias it. Sucks the have a fixed bias. Did see a guy on youtube with ruby 6l6s in his stein
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScYR0EInaiI

 

[mantis]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

I saw the video years ago. I'd like to find the spec's of both the Ruby's and the Sovtek. I played it yesterday after I installed them and it sounded damn good but I was nervous was I was completely studying the sound anally. I don't think it sounds better the when I'm using the Solvtek. But without having a fresh pair of them to compare them to it's very hard to say. Maybe they sound the same and I'm just happy to have fresh power amp tubes. I'm gonna play today and listen again.
I still would rather have the factory spec tubes and then I don't have to worry about Bias or anything.

 

[nocturnalbob]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

I saw the video years ago. I'd like to find the spec's of both the Ruby's and the Sovtek. I played it yesterday after I installed them and it sounded damn good but I was nervous was I was completely studying the sound anally. I don't think it sounds better the when I'm using the Solvtek. But without having a fresh pair of them to compare them to it's very hard to say. Maybe they sound the same and I'm just happy to have fresh power amp tubes. I'm gonna play today and listen again.
I still would rather have the factory spec tubes and then I don't have to worry about Bias or anything.

yeah i love the stock sovteks. theyre a popular tube. I think they come stock in soldanos as well. I doubt ill ever switch mine out for another brand. I do love the way ruby 6l6s sound in my peavey jsx though.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

The specs do not match between the Ruby 6L6GCMSTR and the Sovtek 6L6WGC. The Sovteks are not really "true" 6L6's, but some Russian variation called 6Π3C-E which can handle more plate voltage than American 5881's, but don't put out as many watts as 6L6GC's. So no, you'd probably have to bias the Krank hotter to get the most from the Rubies.

I have a Krank Rev Jr., and I have tried Tung Sol 5881's, Tung Sol 6L6GC-STR's, and JJ 6V6S's, and I keep coming back to the stock cheapie Sovteks. Love those tubes in my Krank.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Krank Revolution Owners

The specs do not match between the Ruby 6L6GCMSTR and the Sovtek 6L6WGC. The Sovteks are not really "true" 6L6's, but some Russian variation called 6Π3C-E which can handle more plate voltage than American 5881's, but don't put out as many watts as 6L6GC's. So no, you'd probably have to bias the Krank hotter to get the most from the Rubies.

Yeah, same tube to look at but there's a pretty big difference sound-wise. NOS 6Π3C-E (6P3S-E) tubes sound quite different to current production Sovteks. Much bigger/darker & rounder/smoother sounding..