Peavey Renown 400

THE AMP WAS PURCHASED PRIVATELY VIA AN AD. IN THE NEWSPAPER. I NEEDED SOMETHING LOUD ENOUGH AS THE AMP I WAS USING WAS A ROLAND CUBE 60 (WHICH I STILL HAVE) AND THE BAND SAID THEY COULDN'T HEAR ME WELL ENOUGH. THE PREVIOUS OWNER USED TO WORK FOR THE DISTRIBUTORS, AND BOUGHT IT WHEN HE LEFT THE COMPANY. HE WASN'T A MUSO AND IT HAD ONLY RARELY BEEN USED BY A COUPLE OF HIS MATES, SO IT WAS IN IMMACULATE CONDITION. HE WAS ASKING A$1000 BUT I GOT IT FOR A$800 WHICH WAS NOT REALLY CHEAP BUT A FAIR PRICE CONSIDERING WHAT IT WAS AND ITS CONDITION.

THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL COMBO AMP. 160 WATTS INTO THE 4 OHM OUTPUT JACK AND MORE IF YOU USE THE 2 OHM OUTLET. 2 INPUTS (BUT CAN'T BE USED SEPARATELY LIKE A FENDER TWIN REVERB), 2 SEPARATE CHANNELS ONE OF WHICH INCORPORATES A "SATURATION GAIN CONTROL" WHICH PROVIDES REALLY NICE OVERDIVE WITH LOTS OF CONTROL. YOU CAN CONTROL THE SOUND BY ALTERING THE PREAMP OR POWER AMP LEVELS INDEPENDANTLY. THE TONE CONTROLS IN THE LEAD CHANNEL ARE PASSIVE 3 BAND, AND ON THE CLEAN CHANNEL ARE ACTIVE WITH PARAMETRIC EQUALISER. THERE ARE ALSO HIGH BOOSTING AND MID BOOSTING AND PRESENCE CONTROLS, PLUS OF COURSE AN INDUSTRY STANDARD SPRING REVERB.YOU CAN MAKE THIS AMP SOUND LIKE ALMOST ANYTHING YOU WANT IT TO.
THE UNIT INCORPORATES A SPEAKER TRANSFORMER, AS PEAVEY HAVE MADE AN EFFORT TO MAKE THIS AMP SOUND LIKE A VALVE AMP.AND THEY DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB. FOOT SWITCHING ALLOWS FOR EITHER OR BOTH CHANNELS TO BE TURNED ON (THE COMBINER).
SPEAKERS ARE 2 PEAVEY "SCORPION 12INCH" WITH CAST ALLOY FRAMES.
I LOVE THIS AMP. I TRIED A FENDER TWIN REVERB '65 RE-ISSUE(WHICH I BOUGHT NEW) AND NEARLY SOLD MY PEAVEY. I'M GLAD I DIDN'T. THE FENDER WAS UNRELIABLE AND I SOLD IT INSTEAD. I DON'T THINK VALVE AMPS ARE WORTH THE TROUBLE AFTER MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS RENOWN.
I'VE HAD THE PEAVEY SINCE 1991(I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS MADE), AND IT HAS NEVER CAUSED ME A MOMENTS TROUBLE, AND IT IS BUILT LIKE A PROFESSIONAL AMP SHOULD BE BUILT . THE CABINET IS DOVETAIL JOINTED PLYWOOD, NOT PARTICLE BOARD, AND THE COVERING IS VERY TOUGH. MINE STILL LOOKS LIKE BRAND NEW.

ONLY TWO THINGS.
IT'S VERY HEAVY,(NEARLY AS HEAVY AS A VALVE AMP) BECAUSE OF THE TRANSFORMERS AND TWO SPEAKERS, SO I MADE A TROLLEY FOR IT WITH GOOD QUALITY CASTORS, THAT CAN BE REMOVED TO PUT IN ON THE REAR SEAT OF THE CAR IF NEED BE.( IT SEEMS TO GET HEAVIER AS I GET OLDER.)
THE FOOTSWITCH DOESN'T HAVE INDICATOR LIGHTS, SO YOU CAN ONLY TELL WHICH SETTING YOU ARE RUNNING BY THE SOUND. I GOT AROUND THIS BY MAKING MY OWN SETUP INCORPORATING A BATTERY AND SOME L.E.D.INDICATORS.I GUESS PEAVEY MIGHT HAVE INCORPORATED SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN LATER YEARS.

VERY HIGH QUALITY. DOVETAIL JOINTED PLYWOOD CABINET, VERY TOUGH COVERING, HUGE HEAT SINKS ON THE ELECTRONICS, (THAT BARELY GET WARM), AND GOOD USER MANUAL. SPEAKERS HAVE CAST ALLOY CHASSIS (NOT PRESSED METAL LIKE MOST).

I BOUGHT THIS AMP BY CHANCE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ANYTHING BUT HAPPY WITH IT AND I WILL PROBABLY NEVER PART WITH IT. NOW IF ONLY I COULD FIND ONE THAT WEIGHS HALF AS MUCH?

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

2-channel amplifier transistors made in USA. (There must be a long time) 2 HP scorpion USA 12 "
ide power issue but no shipment trs fort.
2Enter (hight / low) between a foot switch and two more hp out an effects loop that can serve as a gateway to power amp.
Many knobs for EQ, presence, reverb and gain a pre and post volume per channel

UTILIZATION

The manual, well there is not much.
APRS ... everything is so faade IT IS's turn and we vary the sounds.
The settings are effective and can rev the amp has a voice in many areas.
Moreover, the 2x12 "trs trs clear and precise and gives a dimension field Audible aprciable trs.
Beware the power that comes trs vite.je never play BEYOND 1.5 2 ... APRS is a live!

SOUNDS

The only amp and guitar (LP or custom Peavey V) and already has rings trs slamming hot enough, just an ide to lights in there. depending on the settings but it softened or rapidly changing sounds.
distortion, although not my style but sounds pretty grunch is very beautiful. as always, the equalization takes us from blues to metal in a short time.
In all cases the sound is clean and notes trs trs well defined.

OVERALL OPINION

For my part, I place a neutral setting and I play on the clean channel with a multi-effects.
But often, I return the configuration guitar and amp because I love that sound.
Only drawback: its weight: it weighs a dead donkey and move them .... aaoufffff.
has not run the streets or fields, but also: C old so if you find a price is negotiated not trs (300) for the U.S. stuff that sounds.