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Le Mouk
Published on 05/14/07 at 06:47
The Krank Revolution Series One is a 100W all-tube head with 2 channels, Kleen and Krank. On the back are two speaker outputs with an impedance selector (4.8 or 16 Ohms) an effects loop (send / return, no volume control, unfortunately) and an output LineOut. On the front, for the Kleen channel: volume, bass, midrange, treble. For krank channel: presence, sweep, bass, midrange, treble, master vol.1, vol.2 master, gain. No effect on the head.
UTILIZATION
Manufacturing looks rather neat, the amplifier gives the impression of being solid. Well, it is far from the level of finish of a Mesa, is not messing around! Configuration is very (too) simple, easy and intuitive use. No need to be a sound engineer, or a manual the size of a phone book to tame the beast. Potentiometer "sweep" is acting primarily on medium frequencies, and greatly expands the sonic possibilities of the amp. It determines the "color" the sound before equalization.
SOUNDS
I move essentially in a register-oriented Metal in the vein of Pantera, Children of Bodom, Machine Head, Trivium and Co. ... I play a Washburn WI68 Custom 2 and also on LP that I myself have changed. All are fitted with Seymour Duncan. Given the level of saturation of the Revolution, I do not use any distortion pedal.
About krank channel of Revolution, I love the grain of this very personal amp. It is obvious that the designers have sought to develop an original sound, typed, without wanting to imitate the eternal classic Mesa / Marshall. And they do not have to be complex in terms of grain or gain: the sound is huge, dense, balanced, with a record over this medium that most of the amps I had the opportunity to essayer.La distortion, far from turning to mush sound as is often the case, is very clean and defined, enabling all the nuances of jeu.Je should mention that, though being a big fan of saturation, I'm that 'to 2 / 3 of the gain, as the potential saturation of the amplifier is extended. But what I like most about the Revolution is its dynamics, a punch from hell that makes you vibrate the chest every time the mediator! And even on my Marshall 1960A, fitted with Celestion G12T-75's. I can not imagine with Vintage30's, or with the Eminence normally associated with heads Krank! The Kleen channel is REALLY clean, very friendly with him as an impressive dynamic. It remains clean even at high volume: eardrums saturate before her! Another advantage of the Revolution is its lack of feedback or unwanted breath, even with the gain on full blast! Yes, well, provided they do not stand in the face of the receiver, within a meter ...
For cons, the main criticism I have with this head is about the effects loop: it has no volume knob, it is not controllable by footswitch, and I lose a lot of volume, punch and presence by using it. I asked the technician Krank the reason for this loss, he said (in the half day!) that loops effects were generally designed for use with rack processors (such Rocktron Xpression, or TC Electronic G-Major/G-System) and do not work very well with the effects pedal format, supposedly lower quality (I use the Boss CE-5 Chorus and RV-5 Reverb, which sounded very decently on my previous stuff). I like to have a bit of chorus / reverb on my clean, and a hint of reverb on my lead, so I'm still looking for a solution that does not cost me the skin of the ass and some ... I better understand why in an article in GuitarWorld, the journalist says "you'll never want to use pedals, so that's it-he-is-good." To say that I had taken it for a good selling point! B it is the main downside ...
OVERALL OPINION
The story: Two months ago, I was still looking for the ultimate amp. I contacted by e-mail importer European Krank, Germany, as the brand is distributed in Switzerland. I asked him where I could eventually try the Krank. Now, Fear Factory, endorsed by Krank, should give the last concert of their European tour in Switzerland, a few days later. So he offered to buy half-price one of the heads "Krankenstein" used by Fear Factory on the last tour (4 weeks), subject to later exchange it against a "Revolution" used for two shows with Shadows Fall . I first fell for the Krankenstein, because of the extras it has over the Revolution, but I soon changed his mind. I was disappointed by the Krankenstein, I do not like the sound of frying it emerges at the Dime (one of my guitar-worship, but sorry, it's ...) so I exchanged with the Revolution, and Matt (the importer) even gave me a brand new flight case for the inconvenience!
So finally, I'm rather happy with my purchase, given the modest outlay (1200euros head almost new + the + flightcase good service-customer) The fact that my amp was used for two concerts by Shadows Fall do dépprécie not really in my ears, on the contrary! However, I totally agree with the previous opinion, the Krank are too expensive. In the same price range, I would have certainly opted for an Engl Savage, or better yet, a Framus Cobra (one, one day or another ...) But the Revolution is a very good amp. Since its very pronounced, I think it is an excellent tool for studio, coupled with a good old Rectifier (or other), it will bring a definite plus in the mix.
So in any summary, the Krank Revolution does not end my quest for the Grail sound, but is a very interesting stage ...
UTILIZATION
Manufacturing looks rather neat, the amplifier gives the impression of being solid. Well, it is far from the level of finish of a Mesa, is not messing around! Configuration is very (too) simple, easy and intuitive use. No need to be a sound engineer, or a manual the size of a phone book to tame the beast. Potentiometer "sweep" is acting primarily on medium frequencies, and greatly expands the sonic possibilities of the amp. It determines the "color" the sound before equalization.
SOUNDS
I move essentially in a register-oriented Metal in the vein of Pantera, Children of Bodom, Machine Head, Trivium and Co. ... I play a Washburn WI68 Custom 2 and also on LP that I myself have changed. All are fitted with Seymour Duncan. Given the level of saturation of the Revolution, I do not use any distortion pedal.
About krank channel of Revolution, I love the grain of this very personal amp. It is obvious that the designers have sought to develop an original sound, typed, without wanting to imitate the eternal classic Mesa / Marshall. And they do not have to be complex in terms of grain or gain: the sound is huge, dense, balanced, with a record over this medium that most of the amps I had the opportunity to essayer.La distortion, far from turning to mush sound as is often the case, is very clean and defined, enabling all the nuances of jeu.Je should mention that, though being a big fan of saturation, I'm that 'to 2 / 3 of the gain, as the potential saturation of the amplifier is extended. But what I like most about the Revolution is its dynamics, a punch from hell that makes you vibrate the chest every time the mediator! And even on my Marshall 1960A, fitted with Celestion G12T-75's. I can not imagine with Vintage30's, or with the Eminence normally associated with heads Krank! The Kleen channel is REALLY clean, very friendly with him as an impressive dynamic. It remains clean even at high volume: eardrums saturate before her! Another advantage of the Revolution is its lack of feedback or unwanted breath, even with the gain on full blast! Yes, well, provided they do not stand in the face of the receiver, within a meter ...
For cons, the main criticism I have with this head is about the effects loop: it has no volume knob, it is not controllable by footswitch, and I lose a lot of volume, punch and presence by using it. I asked the technician Krank the reason for this loss, he said (in the half day!) that loops effects were generally designed for use with rack processors (such Rocktron Xpression, or TC Electronic G-Major/G-System) and do not work very well with the effects pedal format, supposedly lower quality (I use the Boss CE-5 Chorus and RV-5 Reverb, which sounded very decently on my previous stuff). I like to have a bit of chorus / reverb on my clean, and a hint of reverb on my lead, so I'm still looking for a solution that does not cost me the skin of the ass and some ... I better understand why in an article in GuitarWorld, the journalist says "you'll never want to use pedals, so that's it-he-is-good." To say that I had taken it for a good selling point! B it is the main downside ...
OVERALL OPINION
The story: Two months ago, I was still looking for the ultimate amp. I contacted by e-mail importer European Krank, Germany, as the brand is distributed in Switzerland. I asked him where I could eventually try the Krank. Now, Fear Factory, endorsed by Krank, should give the last concert of their European tour in Switzerland, a few days later. So he offered to buy half-price one of the heads "Krankenstein" used by Fear Factory on the last tour (4 weeks), subject to later exchange it against a "Revolution" used for two shows with Shadows Fall . I first fell for the Krankenstein, because of the extras it has over the Revolution, but I soon changed his mind. I was disappointed by the Krankenstein, I do not like the sound of frying it emerges at the Dime (one of my guitar-worship, but sorry, it's ...) so I exchanged with the Revolution, and Matt (the importer) even gave me a brand new flight case for the inconvenience!
So finally, I'm rather happy with my purchase, given the modest outlay (1200euros head almost new + the + flightcase good service-customer) The fact that my amp was used for two concerts by Shadows Fall do dépprécie not really in my ears, on the contrary! However, I totally agree with the previous opinion, the Krank are too expensive. In the same price range, I would have certainly opted for an Engl Savage, or better yet, a Framus Cobra (one, one day or another ...) But the Revolution is a very good amp. Since its very pronounced, I think it is an excellent tool for studio, coupled with a good old Rectifier (or other), it will bring a definite plus in the mix.
So in any summary, the Krank Revolution does not end my quest for the Grail sound, but is a very interesting stage ...