SansAmp RBI vs RPM

This has been discussed before. Do a search for "RPM" or "Sansamp RPM" in the subject line only and you'll find dozens of threads.

 

i read on this forum that geddy uses two rbis

you can pair them together and using a footswitch you can can switch between two diffirnent tones from either pre.

im thinking about gettin an rbi i hear nothing but good things and i love my bddi and its constantly on so i figured why not just get a rackmount sansamp pre.

 

Geddy has started using RPMs for Rush's current tour. He used RBIs from about 2002-2006.

 

I've owned both, but never ran them together much.

RBI: clean brighter tone, soft overdrive if you want.
RPM: darker tone (maybe better for pick), harder overdrive can be dialed in (I don't know how usable it is)

if you run them together you can get hybrid type results of tone.

FOR THE RECORD: I doubt it really has a "tube" sound, but on inexpensive or dry amps adding one or both of these preamp can really warm up and give a more pleasing tone. same goes for dry cabs or basses that you don't like the tone. thats been my experience.

I eventually out grew my sansamps when I found the right amps and cabs for me (so far). eden is very warm and flexible, funk is very flexible. my cabs are very pleasing in their own ways...

RUSH IN RIO is probably a good example of what TWO RBI's can do for geddy's sound (I saw them in the back stage video), of coarse there are other electronic tweeks in the sound. check out sound samples on www.tech21nyc.com Listen to the "landmark series sounds" these heads incorporate, roughly, RBI and RPM circuits.

 

I would say that using the two different pre's would give you two different tones.You can get a footswitch to toggle between the two preamps for easy tone changes.

 

Geddy changed to the RPMs for more control over his mids (read an interview over summer where he briefly mentioned the switch).

-Mark

 

Ohhh, i wonder if i should get the RPM over the RBI then...

 

Yeah, from what I've heard, it's more difficult to not get the mids sucked out by the RBI, while the RPM has an inherently more balanced tone.

 

But they're both pretty much the same other than more mid control?

 

nope, not at all. i've posted a lot on their differences in past threads. the eq's and gain structure are quite different.

JR

 

Ah, i will have to find that thread then.

 

Here's a great clip from Rio that has an amazing distorted sound. Check this out on a good stereo or better yet with some great headphones!

 

what I think geddy meant by more mid control was the semiparametric mid on the RPM. the RBI also has a mid knob, but the frequency is fixed. I maybe would have kept my RBI if is was semi parametric. THATS the main reason I went with eden wt550 was the semi parametric mids. the full bottom and semi parametric lows and highs were a bonus.

the thunderfunk has TWO semi parametric mid knobs, but not as full/round bottom.

 

+1 I didn't keep the RBI because it has a fixed mid control at 1k I think, which is not very useable for me, as I like to adjust my mids lower than that... plus unless you turn the blend knob way down, it seems to suck out alot of your mids

I did like the overdriven sounds it can get though...

I'd probably prefer the RPM, although I've never tried it... a parametric mid control is a must for dialing out problem frequencies in certain rooms IMO

 

Here's a couple clips of the RPM - I've only had it a couple of weeks, but I can say that it's probably the single most notable improvement to my overall tone that I've ever encountered - preamp, bass head or otherwise - just incredible. The clip with the drive OFF is a little mid-scooped (my fault). On the 2nd clip with the drive ON, I put the mids back to flat (mids not boosted nor cut). Brand new strings - kinda bright on the clips.

http://media.putfile.com/RPM---Closer-To-The-Heart

http://media.putfile.com/RPM---Closer-To-The-Heart---Drive-ON

Drive ON = Drive knob @ 11 o'clock, Blend @ 30% (going for a mild OD mix - just enough to give some light OD growl)

 

Glad you are liking the RPM. Nice tone. I am certainly a fan of Tech 21 products. I use the RBI and have the drive and blend each at around 1 o'clock. Really like the crunchy distortion that the RBI produces.

 

IMHO the RPM is so vastly superior that I'm not even sure why they make the RBI. Better distortion, better clean, better EQ....just better.

 

Thank You - I'm still discovering new tone possibilities after a couple weeks of intensive use with it. The thing is amazing to say the least. I used to have a love/hate relationship with the floor model Bass DI, but that was years ago & eventually got rid of it for previously mentioned reasons here on TB (loss of mids, fixed upper-midrange point, etc.). The newer generations with focus on mid range control, Acoustic DI, ParaDriver, RPM, etc. have really been a vast improvement IMO.