From tonysounds@yahoo.com Mon Jun 25 07:47:17 2007
Subject:Speakeasy Platinum RB3

Just wanted to drop a quick note: I got my RB3 back from Speakeasy last week after having the Platinum preamp upgrade. I took it to my outdoor fest gig on Sunday. The line up for that show was, left to right, myself on Motif 8/Yorkville 300K and XK1 through Rb3, guitarist through (very loud) Twin with a 15” extension cabinet (stacked), drums, lead vocalist/acoustic guitar, violinist through SWR Baby Blonde and pedal board, bassist, guitarist through Blues Deluxe. All my monitor had in it was vocals and a touch of fiddle and stage right guitar. The Rb3 did a great job of handling the volume and tone. It wasn’t until about midway through the 2.5 hour gig that I finally asked for the RB3 to be put in my monitor. It was pretty brutally hot and humid yesterday, and you know how sometimes the sound just kind of hangs there in those conditions? Everybody starts to turn up (course, they do that anyway!), but the RB3 did really well. I could have squeezed a little more out of
it, but at that point everything starts to sound like Steppenwolf, and it’s what I’m looking for in this gig. My Bulldog would have done the same thing.

The Platinum upgrade gave me a bit more headroom than I had before, and certainly more bass. Previously, I had the Shotglass edition, which I figured was all I’d need, but having those tone controls really gave me a little more volume, and lot more tonal clarity. I ran the XK1’s volume at 12:00, and its tone controls the same way (flat). The RB3’s amp was set at full volume, and the preamp (controls mounted at the top right side in a recessed panel with attractive red chickenhead knobs) set at volume-11:00, Treble 11:00, Bass 4:00. I find the treble is very active, moreso than on my previous preamps; certainly it’s more active than the combination of my previous Classic/howler/barker preamps with my leslies. Then, my treble would typically be at 2 or 3:00. This would have ripped my face off in this combination!

All in all, I’m quite pleased with the upgrade and glad I did it. If you’re thinking of purchasing an RB3, I believe Speakeasy is now going to make this standard equipment. If you’re already an owner, depending on your particular configuration (I know some went out with no amps, with the tube amps/no pre, tube amp with pre, and AMA), the upgrade may be worth doing. If you’re a rock guy and finding you need just a little more, this is probably the answer. If you’re a rock guy and you need a LOT more, you’re probably better off with the AMA. (Personally, I play with 3 different bands and for one of them, the AMA is a necessity; for Pink Freud, my RB3 Shotglass was perfect *and that guitarist uses either a 50watt ½ stack, or a HiWatt Bulldog combo*; for Hello Dave, the Platinum is really a good match, but for the larger outdoor gigs we do a lot of, it’ll be great to have the AMA Convertible.)

Out front, the sound guy LOVED the sound of the rig. And fest’s host is a keyboard player himself who just took possession of an XK1, and he was digging the sound of the RB3 big time. The monitor engineer is a guitarist who took a keen interest in the RB3 for his guitar rig. I was so satisfied with the rig, that it went in the band trailer for next weekend’s outdoor gigs. This is a great Speakeasy Vintage Music product!
If anyone’s interested in seeing or hearing it, next Saturday Hello Dave is playing at the Harley Fest in Lisle, Illinois. I’ll have it onstage there. And if you’re interested in a deal on a used but mint Platinum RB3, hit me offline. I’m interested in selling it as I have purchased an RB3 AMA Convertible and…well, you know the drill.

T

"The meek shall inherit nothing." -FZ
www.myspace.com/pinkfreudchicago
www.myspace.com/ynottnaro



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