Revolution Review

Proudly designed and built in the USA by most dedicated bunch of amp fanatics ever assembled, the Krank Revolution features two channels each with separate volume and concert tuned 3-band EQs.

Features:	9.5
Sound:	10
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.9
Users rating:	8.3
Comments:	25

overall: 10

Featured review by: FacEraser117, on december 13, 2005

Price paid: $ 1399

Purchased from: Washington Music Center

Features: The Krank Revolution 1 head is a 100 watt tube amp that has more balls than any other amp made today. This amp has two amazing channels, the Krank channel which has an extreme in your face metal tone and the clean channel is also great. I use this amp in my basement and it's ready to tear the walls down. It has two master volume knobs. You control which master volume you use by the button on the foot switch. This is not by any means a bedroom amp. The second you get the volume on 1 it's ready to blow your brains out. // 10

Sound: I use a Jackson RR5 with Seymour Duncan pickups and it gets a great metal tone. I am a metal guitarist and listen to Shadows Fall, Lamb Of God, Pantera, Damageplan, etc. and it can pretty much grasp all those sounds very easily. This is a definite metal amp. There is a little bit of variety if you mess with the setting a little bit but this isn't too much of a classic rock amp. The clean channel is super clean and doesn't get distorted at high volumes. The distortion is absolute pure brutality. At high volumes the distortion of this amp will make your balls crumble. Again I will remind you this is not a bedroom amp (unless you want things to fall off the walls). // 10

Reliability & Durability: This amp is built like a tank. I have never personally had any problems with this amp. I definitely don't think that you would need a back up amp if you were on a gig. // 10

Impression: I am a pretty much 100% metal guitarist and this is the perfect amp for metal. I love the distortion channel because of it's extremely heavy and dark sound. If it were lost or stolen I wouldn't even think about not buying this amp because it is just so good I couldn't live with out it. Before I got this I was thinking about buying a Mesa Solo Head because of their heavy sound but they don't even come close to what Krank amps sound like or are built like. So if you love a brutal metal sound don't even wait just buy this amp right now! // 10

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: rvdsm, on march 07, 2006

Price paid: $ 1700

Purchased from: Rock Shop

Features: I'm not sure what year this amp was made. 100W all-tube, hand wired guitar head. I don't know what type of preamp tubes it has, but the power amp tubes are Sovtek 5881S. I play hard rock/metal. It's versatile enough for me. The amp has 2 channels (kleen and krunch) which are only switchable via a remote footswitch. It has an effects loop, but I have yet to use an effects loop on any amp. Also has 2 speaker output jacks and a line-out jack. I really wish it had switch built into the amp that let you change channels without the footswitch, other than that it's great. I use this amp live. Not only does it have enough power, it has the full-range power that an amp should have, not just maximum wattage concentrated to the mids and highs. // 9

Sound: I'm using an Ibanez RGA121 with stock pickups (V7 and V8), Boss NS-2 Noise Supressor, Boss DD-6 Digital Delay and the Krank Revolution 412 cabinet. It suits my style perfectly. This amp produces the sound I've wanted out of an amp for years. It's super quiet on the clean channel while the distorted channel produces some minor hiss, but no more than any other amp. The sound is clear and allows the tone of your guitar to come through beautifully. The clean doesn't break up at high volumes and remains clear. The distortion isn't hot-rodded, but it's got enough gain for me. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I'm sure the amp is reliable (I haven't had it that long), but the only thing that comes to mind is protection of the amp's asthetics. The road can really be brutal on equipment. My last amp got beat up pretty good and I only had it for 10 months. With as light as the Revolution head is and as well built internally, I can't foresee any need for a backup. // 10

Impression: The place I bought this amp (The Rock Shop in Springfield, IL) were great about it. I wasn't entirely sold on the sound when trying it out in the store, so I asked if I could use it at my show that night and make my decision then. They obliged, but they really didn't need to. I fell in love with this amp immediately. The only thing that I don't like about the amp is that it's too cosmetically beautiful. It's the kind of amp that would make you cry if it got a tear in the tolex or a dent in the mirrored chrome grill. I know that's not really a complaint, but the appearance of the amp makes me not want to take it out on the road for fear of damage. I've been playing for 16 years: guitar and bass. I've owned/played the following: Fender Bassman, Fender Super Reverb, Fender Twin, Marshall JCM 800, Marshall JCM 900, Marshall TSL 60, Ampeg V-4, Ampeg VL1002a, Mesa Dual-Rectifier Solo, Roland JC-120, Peavey Deuce II, Peavey XXX and far too many combo amps to remember. Out of all the amps mentioned, I would choose the Revolution over them hands down any day of the week for anything. // 10

Comments

[KoRRuPT]

I've heard a lot about krank good and bad...I don't what to buy any more..

[jumpmanhat]

ya same, but I think Kranks are good, ive tried the Krankenstein and it was pretty haevy, but I didnt try it out like crazy, it was just 1 time, for a few minutes. One thing you cant ignore is the artists and the endorsers that this company has, its bound to be good of not killer.

[ready4thebreak]

I really wanna know if they are better than mesa boogie rectifiers???

[bobross]

rvdsm, dude i played the amp the day they got it in there,i live in springfield, and damn if i hadnt been poor i i would have bought it before you. it is a damned good amp and im sorry i diddnt have the money, ill still get one somewhere down the road.

[Bozie8823]

Got my Rev Head a few weeks back, and played it through my buddies Mesa 4x12 cab as i'm still waiting on my custom krank cab to be built (blue/chrome) Great sound...sounded thin though compared to his Boogie...my guess is the cab though.

[aidandude]

im trying to decide between this and a dual rectifier. i want the ball crushing metal sound but i need some versitility! and mesas are prety heavy already. but this is used by dimbag! that alne is eason to buy it

[jumpmanhat]

So many bands just switch from whatever they were using (Marshall/Mesa/Randall/etc) to Kranks in a *snap* which prolly means that it's not bad

[HopePoisoned]

jumpmanhat wrote:

So many bands just switch from whatever they were using (Marshall/Mesa/Randall/etc) to Kranks in a *snap* which prolly means that it's not bad

it's called an endorsement

as for those endorsements, there's no way in hell they are playing normal revs! revs sound like ass, completely, not even close to their artists tone - so unclear tone, no treble, it's just fuzz and noise - yes i would take mesa over this, but i don't really like mesas either with their dark tones - steaming POS amp, my least favorite amp make right here - it's a load of crap

[Csquared1001]

yeah you have to play the amp before you buy. personally i think i like the krankenstein more

[DeathByStereo23]

I tried one at my local music shop and it's just GROUNDBREAKING!

[angusslashdime]

just because heaps of artists switch doesnt mean they are awesome for one all these artists arent that huge barr a few and of corse an up and coming band will accept an endorsment i mean they have the money to modify them if they are crap and they get em for free and or are getting payed to play them now im sure they are a decent amp but just because it has BONE CRUSHING gain dosnt mean its the best amp around and to all the metal heads look at Zakk Wylde he has a great tone and he dosnt use a high gain amplifier

[DeathByStereo23]

Zakk Wylde doesn't use a high gain amp? Are you kidding me?
Are you talking about a Marshall JCM 800 with the Zakk Wydle mods,that features a MONSTER HIGH GAIN

[punkmetal16]

yea zakk beefs up the tubes for some pretty hard core gain plus he's got a hot rodded guitar

[DeathByStereo23]

ready4thebreak wrote:

I really wanna know if they are better than mesa boogie rectifiers???

they kill recto's

[DeathByStereo23]

and definitively i'm going to get one soon

[Brendan.Clace]

for me, Mesa ftw.... played both in the store, and when played side by side, IMO, the Mesa crushed the KRANK. It is all a matter of opinion for amps, but for me its Mesa.

[DeathByStereo23]

damn they are sooo expensive here were I live....about 2000 euros,in dollars a rev is 2450! shit.....in the usa is only 1600 dollars....T_T

[Tonefreeq89]

Engls, Diezels and Bogners kill all of these amps. They are a hell of a lot more expensive, but there is no comparison. I have a Diezel Einstein and it slays any Mesa Krank etc.

[HELLSHREDD]

Check out Bogners new line6 & come back & tell me that this new tube amp doesnt punch you in the throat, any sound you want with the highest gain 2 f@%k your brain to insane.....dont waste your money , go line 6

[FreddoX]

wow, All I can see on this board is, This and this would kick ass, and this kicks so much ass that this kicks ass better then the last that kicked ass! Can you guys be more constructive, you should all know that ppl are actually making huge decision on what you guys writes here on what to buy. I get shit nervous if I recently ordered something from the net and suddenly sees a review seeing that thing is just crap, but the fact is that the review can come from a non-reliable source. So plz guys, be serious for the sake of others!

[Tonefreeq89]

HELLSHREDD wrote:

Check out Bogners new line6 & come back & tell me that this new tube amp doesnt punch you in the throat, any sound you want with the highest gain 2 f@%k your brain to insane.....dont waste your money , go line 6

Line 6's are digital modelling POS's, nothing, and I repeat nothing can outdo a good set of tubes. The modelling section in the Spidervalve kills the whole process. Tubes are the best, bar none.

[ragn4rok234]

Please help, I am purchasing new equipment and this is on my list; so, which is better?
Revolution Vs. Krankenstein
or
Rev+ Vs. Krankenstein+ (If they are better than their 100W brethren)

[STorpedo]

HELLSHREDD wrote:

Check out Bogners new line6 & come back & tell me that this new tube amp doesnt punch you in the throat, any sound you want with the highest gain 2 f@%k your brain to insane.....dont waste your money , go line 6

Idiot, Line 6 blows, they're jus trying to appeal to the entry level market, it was my first amp, and i thought it was the SHIT for a year, and ow i want to take the ****ing thing to pieces, blew 300 quid on it, its so boring and stale because it tries to be everything, and ends up being average. The only ppl who use line 6 (ONLY, i repeat ONLY) are meshuggah, who prolly got a wad of cash for that. Krank rocks, gonna get 1 soon.

[STorpedo]

DeathByStereo23 wrote:

Zakk Wylde doesn't use a high gain amp? Are you kidding me?
Are you talking about a Marshall JCM 800 with the Zakk Wydle mods,that features a MONSTER HIGH GAIN

Btw he uses a distortion pedal on the OD2 channel of the marshall, so no you dont need a krank to get shitload of gain, a krank will jus sound better, zw only uses it cause he got an endorsment or somethin

[VORTEX3333]

i think the dude in the first review is not really creditable due to him stating that "The second you get the volume on 1 it's ready to blow your brains out.", not really possible for a tube amp, they need to be driven hard like on 6 or 7 to get the voltages high and all the electrics working at optimum,the one thing would work on a solid state that emulates like the insane channel on the line 6s (mesa boggie rect' red channel) i like the sound of all the krank amp though