Krank Amplification Rev +

The Rev+ is one of the big time amplifiers that Krank offers. This, along with the Krankenstein, are the most famous amps that they have in their lineup. The Rev+ is a two channel amp that features four 6550 tubes, four 12AX7 tubes, separate tone stacks for each channel, a footswitchable master, effects loop, worldwide voltage and a few other things such as the sweep control.

UTILIZATION

The layout on this is done pretty nicely. Everything is labeled clearly, and it's pretty easy to understand what to do. That said, the presence on this thing is pretty retarded. It's way too sensitive, and it takes awhile to get a good tone out of this. I've never read the manual, so I can't comment on that, but be sure to spend a few minutes trying to dial in the amp because of their awful tone stack. Also, be sure to watch out for some fake reviews that the Krank employees have been sending out throughout the years. They've been known to have employees write their reviews for them to get more positive feedback.

SOUNDS

The sound is decent. That's really all there is to it. There is a ton of gain on tap, so you can do brutal music without an issue. The clean is a bit sterile, but it's nothing too awful like the Krankenstein is. I find that it's almost Krank's take on what a Savage 120 and 5150 should be, but it doesn't come anywhere near the sounds of those amplifiers. The build quality is also suspect when I took a look inside this, so keep that in mind when bringing one of these things on tour.

OVERALL OPINION

This is the only other decent sounding amplifier that Krank offers, aside from the Chadwick. The controls on this are pretty sensitive, especially the presence. You'll probably want to keep that low. The clean is average, and the distortion tone is really nothing to write home about. If you're looking at one of these, at least try it in the store first as you could easily be disappointed if you're expecting to sound like your favorite guitar hero who Krank paid off to show the amp live.

Two channel, footswitchable 120W head
(4) 12AX7 tubes in the preamp
(4) Sovtek 6550 tubes in the power amp
Separate volume and 3 band eq sections per channel
Footswitchable Master 1 and Master 2 controls
Gain & Sweep control on Krank channel
Global presence control, active effects loop, worldwide voltage use, ohm selector
“Boost” on Kleen channel
Footswitch included

Custom tolex and grille options available

UTILIZATION

Unlike the original Revolution amp by Krank, the Rev+ is a lot easier to dial in. While the Krank channel is a little more tricky (due to the Sweep knob's interaction with the rest of the EQ), the Kleen channel is very straight-forward, and getting an awesome clean tone here is quick and easy. With the over-sized transformers and upgraded power section (5881s in the original to 6550s in the + version), this amp packs a HUGE punch.

SOUNDS

Having owned a ton of amps over the years (a few of them being Kranks), I can confidently say that this amp has the most unique sounding gain channel I've ever heard (in a good way). Honestly, I have no idea how to even begin describing this amp in terms of another, it doesn't really sound like anything I've heard before, which is great! If you want a unique sound, this thing definitely delivers with a whole different take on a mid range voicing!

Krank seems to get a bad rap a lot online, but their newer series of amps they're putting out sound great! The biggest factor in getting a good tone out of the high gain Krank amps, is learning how to use the Sweep knob. The Sweep knob is the most powerful knob on Krank amps, and will make or break your sound. Usually, I keep mine at about 9:30 (on the o'clock scale), as I find that's the sweet spot for what I want out of it; however, the range of sweep on the Sweep knob (no pun intended!), is much more minimal on the Plus series, and the changes aren't nearly as drastic as they were in the previous version. This allows you to dial in a nice tone much quicker, with less settings resulting in a horrible tone.

I'm a huge fan of 6550s, and they REALLY bring this amp to life. The Rev+ is clear, with an aggressive upper mid range and can just get downright brutal on the Krank channel. The voicing of this channel allows you to keep the gain set low, while still sounding ridiculously heavy and saturated, which in turn gives you masses of clarity. However, if you like tons of gain, it definitely has more than anyone could ever use on tap. Generally, I like to boost my amps with a Maxon OD-808, but usually only end up keeping the amps that sound great without it, this amp passes that test! While it does sound awesome with the gain rolled back and a boost up front, it's not needed, like it would be on something like a 3 Channel Mesa Recto, that will just sound like a sludgy mess if it's not boosted.

The Kleen channel on the Rev+ is simply beautiful. While I kinda wish there was some reverb in the amp (it sounds a bit sterile by itself on the cleans), for the price this amp costs new (and used), it is probably one of the best, if not THE best, clean channel I've heard for a high gain amp in its range. Add some reverb in and you have a clean sound that rivals the best of the best. Kick in the Boost on this channel, and you get a nice grind to it that's great for mid gain tones!

OVERALL OPINION

Overall, the Rev+ is an awesome amp. While the Sweep knob may take some getting used to, it's certainly capable of some great, unique tones.

I've actually owned (2) of these amps before, the original was shipped with 2 bad preamp tubes (I bought it used), and I initially hated it. Once I figured out that the reason it sounded under-gained and grainy, was because 2 of the tubes were dead, I replaced them, and it quickly became one of my favorite amps of all time.

For anyone looking for a great high gain amp that's versatile, but doesn't compromise on the clean or lead channels, I would definitely recommend this amp!