Is the Sansamp RBI for me?

No experience with the GK800RB here. But I do use the Sansamp RBI. To my taste this one is perfect especially for rock. It can produce a broad range of useable sounds. 'a good fat, rock sound, but also a fat, round low end with chrystaline highs' and much more. E.g. if you want a bit of a raw edge to it, this can be done too.
For recording purposes the RBI is not what you want: Too much louse.
I plug it through the power amp of my Acoustic Image Focus head. I guess you could use any good power amp.

But the most important thing: Try it before you buy it to be sure it's giving the sounds you are looking for.

 

I had an RBI for 3 years and dug it a lot, I just sold it cuz I am looking for more of a high fi sound. but for rock it is great, lots of meat in the sound and a great DI for the FOH. The DI has a seperate volume knob so you can send a post signal to the board with the drive circuit and eq engaged but onstage volume tweaks dont effect the FOH level.

 

I have an RBI. Like it a lot. Nice fat clean sound, can adjust for many different sounds.

 

as much as my RBI experience was a good "stepping stone" phase I don't know if I'd call it "fat". the RBI is warmer than some SS preamps I've heard, but not as fat a real tube front end head like the Eden WT550 or an all-tube amp. It was good for me at the time, I'm NOT saying its bad, but like most gear has its particular sound. if you can borrow or buy/return one for a trial. go for it.

correct me if I'm wrong, but the RBI is a "modern" sound not "old school" or "fat" or "tube-like" even though it was marketed that way.

 

I have the RBI and the RPM and I love them both. I would put them at the top of the list for a rock sound - they excel at grit. They are also very capable of doing clean with the gain/blend turned down. The RPM is darker and warmer souding to my ears, and suprisingly it also has significantly more gain. They are actually very different beasts though they are capable of similar sounds as well. I find them to be as warm as many tube units out there.

Don't be put off by the lack of extensive eq - they are voiced very well and I have gotten great results setting everything at noon - subtle boost and cut from there can go a long way.

I think their low price gives them the perception of not being a "serious" piece of gear, but let your ears decide.

Pair them with a good power amp - I have the RBI and RPM each paired with an Aguilar DB728 and it's quite impressive sounding. I was also playing around with them yesterday going into an SWR Power750 with excellent results. The speakers I use them with are SWR 12-stacks and a Mesa Powerhouse 610.

JR

 

Been using the RBI for a while now...

Great sound for rock, especially "harder" rock, IMHO, but it's a great all around pre. Your highs can get pretty bright if you want them to on the RBI. I'd worry more about your choice of power amp though. I'd get a PLX2 1804 anyday of the week over an RMX or better yet, a Crest CA9