Revelation Tube Preamp and rack pics

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 15 Oct 2007 10:58 am

I just received a New Revelation Tube Preamp.

All I can say is wow!!

It is every bit of what you read here. It is beyond words.

You couldn't deal with a better people than Brad & Auset Sarno.

I am so glad I made the purchase.

Just wanted to chime in and remind those who have yet to get on board with the RTP ...what are you waiting for?

here are pix of how I configured my rack case:

Thanks!

Tim

Ivan Posa · Post by **Ivan Posa** » 15 Oct 2007 11:53 am

Tim, now try it with a Furlong SPLIT CB 12. Best possible combo for Steel.

Chuck Thompson · Post by **Chuck Thompson** » 15 Oct 2007 10:10 pm

coolness tim!! - i am looking forward to hearing you playing through it - nice job on the rack too!

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 16 Oct 2007 3:06 am

I knew you would love it Tim.. Nice job on the rack too
Hook

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 16 Oct 2007 7:31 am

Nice rack! How often do you hear that said to a dude?

Brad

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 16 Oct 2007 7:56 am

Chuck Thompson · Post by **Chuck Thompson** » 16 Oct 2007 8:05 am

[/quote]

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 16 Oct 2007 8:14 am

Thanks everyone!

The 110v outlet that is mounted on the rack floor is really handy.

I have a power conditioner/light in the first rack space. This has the power strip on the back of course. So I have the surge protection, et al...

This is a sturdy set up and not really that heavy either....

Bill Miller · Post by **Bill Miller** » 16 Oct 2007 8:21 am

You won't regret your purchase Tim...the satisfaction doesn't wear off. Mine still puts a smile on my face every time I power it up.
Nice job on the rack setup too. Looks like a T.C. Electronic M350 for effects? One thing I haven't done yet, but plan to soon, is install twin XLR outs to the case exterior. They would have come in handy a couple of times.

Brett Crisp · Post by **Brett Crisp** » 16 Oct 2007 2:21 pm

Sweet rig Tim! I may be looking into one after i move down to Florida. Could you send me the phone number of the people i need to talk to in a PM? Thanks buddy!

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 16 Oct 2007 2:39 pm

Here's the contact info:

www.sarnomusicsolutions.com

Brad

Chuck Thompson · Post by **Chuck Thompson** » 16 Oct 2007 9:19 pm

hey Tim! looks like i will get to hear your rig and get a good look at that nice rack of yours on nov 3rd hehe - btw - when i went through the school of music they were issuing ibanez guitars not the nice gibsons - they were getting ready to send them to public disposal auction - can you believe it? the ibanez's were ok but i played my tele and strat

Scott Denniston · Post by **Scott Denniston** » 17 Oct 2007 7:36 am

Tim, I was going to set my rack up similar to your's but then started thinking about all that heat in a box like that. The way I've got it now is I tilt it on a board & block that I cut at the angle I like it and take that rack bottom off so the air can flow through it. I'm powered with a VHT 2/90/2 though and that does generate some tube heat. It has a built in fan. If those solid state power amps heat up some of them are made to automatically shut down in the middle of a tune.

Allen Peterson · Post by **Allen Peterson** » 17 Oct 2007 12:06 pm

Being a novice as far as rack systems are concerned, I have some questions. What kind of power amp do you plug the Revelation Preamp into? What kind of speaker or speaker system do you use with this set-up? Can you use the Revelation with a Nashville 400 or some other similar amplifier by plugging it into the pre-amp in jack?

Thanks,
Allen Peterson

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 17 Oct 2007 12:16 pm

I use the RTP with two Nashville 112 amps (a NV 400 would work well too).

The two NV 112s are very portable and self-contained. if I want one... I use one; if I want two I take two.. Makes it really easy.

The system I have also uses a TC Electronic M350. I use it for Reverb and Delay. The variables are limitless on the combinations of reverbs and delays that can be programmed into the user bank.

This "rig" is very full, rich and warm sounding. It is plenty loud for most situations I would find myself. I mic the amps when there is a requirement to be loud. But in a normal club environment - they really put out.

I have to say when I first thought of using that set up I was worried that the volume would suffer - but I was dead wrong.

Also, I use a PODxt into the Aux In on the RTP. This allows for the PODxt to run through the last stage of the RTP as it is then routed into the Power Amp and speakers on the NV112s. I use this for my Telecaster and for my Dobro (Dobro runs through a Baggs Para-Acoustic DI then into the POD which I use for effects only (reverb) when using the Dobro)

Overall, it is a great system that doesn't need changed at all... it works great and I am happy about that.

Keith Hilton · Post by **Keith Hilton** » 18 Oct 2007 7:12 am

I had the pleasure of playing through Brad's Revelation preamp at a steel show in Baxter Springs, Kansas. I used Jerry Newberry's equipment with my Emmons steel. I think Jerry's equipment is the same as John Hughey's except for the speakers. It is the best sound I have ever had, and a bunch of people told me it was a great sound. I am sold on Brad's preamp, and need to get me one. I do have a question about Jerry Newberry's equipment; The power is a Stewart World 1.2 amp. If I am not mistaken this is a big PA amp, or bass amp, that has around 1000 watts. Why is so much power needed with two 15 inch speakers? Don't give me the story about head room, because this is far too much power above the headroom needed. Also would like to know more about the Lexicon reverb/delay unit in Jerry's set up. Are their programs available for the Lexicon, as I sometimes have trouble programing those type of units to get the sound I like? Jerry uses 2 Eminence 15 inch speakers, and someone told me John Hughey was using 2 D130 15 inch JB Lansing speakers. Maybe Brad can tell us why this combination of equipment has such a wonderful sound? I have listened to Jerry Newberry and Austin Stewart at several steel guitar shows, and to me, their equipment gets the best sound I have ever heard. I ask Jerry if I could use his equipment when I played the steel show in Baxter Springs. Boy, what a sound? What will this set up cost me? Jerry, Austin, and John Hughey use my pedal.

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 18 Oct 2007 7:42 am

Keith,

I use your pedal as well. Love it!

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 18 Oct 2007 12:31 pm

Wow, thanks Keith. That really means a lot.

Well you know that Stewart 1.2 is PLENTY powerful for most steel guitar situations. Way enough power to blow speakers. But there's always been a good argument for having lots of power. As long as a player knows the power limits of a speaker and hopefully doesn't play so loud that they get near that limit, clean power headroom can be a good friend because the signal to the speaker is always clean. When a power amp starts to run out of power or clip, it begins to send square waves (distortion) to a speaker, and that can be pretty brutal and can blow speakers. But you know for a guy like Hughey who doesn't play all that loud, that 1.2 is way enough power. John does have another rig though where he uses his Evans speaker cabinets with D130's, and inside each speaker he's using the smaller Stewart power amp, the PA100b. That amp is a lot less powerful than the 1.2, but is still plenty. Tommy Dodd turned a bunch of us onto that little amp. It really gets quite loud given it's power rating, especially with the ultra-high efficiency of the JBL's that really need very little power to get up there. The Stewart amps, in my opinion, are an adequate, clean sounding, very neutral amp. They don't really enhance the sound, they just deliver it pretty cleanly.

If I had to guess why Hughey's, and Austin's and Jerry's rigs sound so good, well I guess it's just the right combination of all the well chosen elements. Good pickers (#1), good pickups, good guitars, good cords, good preamps, good volume pedals, good effects units, good power amps, and good speakers in well designed cabinets. Above all, I'm a staunch believer in the use of very cleanly run, high B+ voltage vacuum tubes in a circuit using good polypropylene film and foil caps, and clean power supplies, ie. the Revelation Tube Preamp or the Black Box. (my shameless self promotional plug here) The clean tube thing maintains the high fidelity that steel needs to avoid excessive overtones, and also allows for a very clear sound without any harshness. All-transistor rigs may be clean, but they (in my opinion) tend to lack a treble sweetness and a midrange gentleness that tubes like to do naturally. This hybrid approach using tubes in the preamp and solid state transistor circuits for the clean, lightweight power seems to be a winning combination for pedal steel. That Hilton volume pedal in the chain sure doesn't hurt either.

Brad

David Arel · Post by **David Arel** » 18 Oct 2007 2:14 pm

Tim, I have had my REV for 6+ months hooked up with the TC-M350 in a rack, into a NV112 and a Hilton VP and sometimes my 2nd output goes into a Fender deluxe reverb with Boss DD6 and RV5,I LOVE IT.
great to hear you love your REV,KEEP ON A PICK'EN

Dave Arel-Ct.
Mullen RP-SD10
NV112&FDR
Hilton VP..ect

Glenn Porter · Post by **Glenn Porter** » 2 Jan 2008 3:20 pm

Tim, I like the Rack Road Case that you have a picture
of on the Forum.
What brand of case is it and where can I get one.
My Anvil Road Case is beat up.

Thanks,
Glenn

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 3 Jan 2008 9:43 am

http://www.roadreadycases.com/prodetail.php?sku=RR4UED

Road Ready Cases

Bought mine at Guitar Center in Chicago

EXCELLENT cases , very solid

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 4 Jan 2008 12:57 pm

Will the Rev fit in a shallow rack case (14.25")?

Jonathan Cullifer · Post by **Jonathan Cullifer** » 4 Jan 2008 1:46 pm

Yes. It's only about 9 inches deep.

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 27 Sep 2008 6:38 pm

An update... I still have the same rig as described above.

It is still the best I have heard!

Tim

Hook Moore · Post by **Hook Moore** » 28 Sep 2008 4:36 am

Same here !!
Hook