EBS Reidmar 752 - anyone got one?

[fretmeister]

I am thinking about getting a new amp head. I am limiting my list to amps that have built in compressors for the moment in an attempt to reduce the amount of stuff I have to carry.

 

Is anyone using a Reidmar 752? How are you finding it?

Does the compressor actually compress properly or is it a bit on the crap side like Ashdown built in compressors?

 

What's the fan noise like?

[thodrik]

Not got one, but in general EBS are renowned for having really high quality compressors, both in their amps and their Multicomp pedal. I would be astounded if the compressor was anything other than really good or excellent. 

[Lozz196]

I can`t recall where it was that I read it but someone commented on the on-board compressor on an EBS amp saying it could actually be used unlike that on many other amps - may have been a YouTube clip thinking about it.

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

I can`t recall where it was that I read it but someone commented on the on-board compressor on an EBS amp saying it could actually be used unlike that on many other amps - may have been a YouTube clip thinking about it.

 

Not that I needed an excuse to trawl some bass vids...!

[fretmeister]

@Dood I watched your demo, and really enjoyed it.

 

How compressed did the compressor get? Do you remember what the fan noise was like?

 

ta

[Dood]

4 hours ago, fretmeister said:

@Dood I watched your demo, and really enjoyed it.

 

How compressed did the compressor get? Do you remember what the fan noise was like?

 

ta

 

It's a superb amplifier, really like it. The compressor I'd say is actually more like a studio use compressor (even though SO many brands call their onboard devices 'studio compressors', which I understand as they are talking about the quality of the design versus it's operation). So, what I mean is that it's good at taming dynamics in a subtle but effective way. It's not an aggressive sustainer on its own, if you're trying to get Billy Sheehan type effects from it. That said, piledrive it with a big fat bass distortion and you'd get that brick wall effect from it riding the amp gain high. I liked it to be almost invisible, just grabbing the peaks. IIRC it's a 4:1 comp, but I'd need to look at the manual to remind me.

 

As for the fan, well, it's the same with any "high powered" D Class amplifier in a small box. The heat has got to go somewhere and forced air cooling means that large heatsinks (and thus bigger boxes with more air space) can be done away with. The fan will kick in and you will hear it if you are in a silent room / studio control room. Some will find it annoying and get their knickers in a twist, others will appreciate that an amplifier designed for the stage in a little box is going to have a noisy fan. No one complains about the noise of an F1 car on the track, but you would if it was sat outside your house every day. blah blah... 

I didn't;t find the fan noise to be massively intrusive in the review I don't recall. I actually have more issues with my iMac fan bleeding in to the very sensitive reference Lav mic I use.

 

[Dood]

4 hours ago, fretmeister said:

@Dood I watched your demo, and really enjoyed it.

 

How compressed did the compressor get? Do you remember what the fan noise was like?

 

ta

 

And thank you SO VERY MUCH for the kind words about my review videos. I work really hard on my own to create them and wish they'd have gotten a much larger audience than many have, because I see people asking about the gear I've reviewed and know nothing about the videos and detailed magazine write-ups! GAHHH!!!!

[fretmeister]

The compressor might be a bit tame for me then. It seems that only Andertons have one in stock at the moment and I don't have the time to go down to try it.

 

I get the point about the fan, but I often go from supporting a single woodwind to a full band in the same set. A bit of fan noise isn't a problem when the other 25 of us are playing, but in a silent hall with just a clarinet and the bass a fan can really ruin the feeling. Some makers manage to deal with this. My Ashdown RM800Evo2 fan is pretty much silent, for example. Others, like The v2 amps from Darkglass, have reactive fans - even Ashdown have seen the light on the newer ABM V 750, and I believe that new fan system is on newly built ABM iv 600 as well now.

 

Very quiet fans are usually only £10-15 more expensive than the cheap ones that many amp makers use.

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, Dood said:

 

And thank you SO VERY MUCH for the kind words about my review videos. I work really hard on my own to create them and wish they'd have gotten a much larger audience than many have, because I see people asking about the gear I've reviewed and know nothing about the videos and detailed magazine write-ups! GAHHH!!!!

 

You need a catch phrase like Gregor at Bass The World!

 

They've got a great new approach. They have the longer demos - that are never more than 10 mins - but then they do 30 second extracts from it and post them separately.  Usually no talking on the short ones, just sound clips. "X Amplifier overdrive" - 30 seconds of filth. "X amplifier slapped" etc.

 

Those mini clips get impressive views.

 

With the shorter attention span of the viewer that might be something to try. Just chop up an existing vid and see what happens?