Rivera Jazz Suprema 1X15

[tomvwash]

Does anyone have any experience with this amp? Time to revamp the amp setup for home studio. I still gravitate toward tube amps, but lots of positive comments on the Henriksens as well, two different paths, I know. Any insight is welcome.

[jads57]

I would find a 15” speaker fine with non Archtop guitars. But once you get into Carved Tops bass response becomes too much

[tomvwash]

I would find a 15” speaker fine with non Archtop guitars. But once you get into Carved Tops bass response becomes too much

Thank you, just reading the older thread now on this that Vinny started 2-3 years ago, comparing the two.

[vinnyv1k]

I have the Jazz Suprema 25W 12 inch. It is a superb amp but very heavy. It is very loud for 25 watts. A 55w 15 is a total overkill for a home studio unless you have a Beverly Hills mansion like Jed Clampett.
Rivera amps are built like a tank. Great tone.

[tomvwash]

I have the Jazz Suprema 25W 12 inch. It is a superb amp but very heavy. It is very loud for 25 watts. A 55w 15 is a total overkill for a home studio unless you have a Beverly Hills mansion like Jed Clampett.
Rivera amps are built like a tank. Great tone.

Thank you, Vinny, great advice here. I'm drawn to the "built like a tank" concept, but yes, too much amp for the house, even though the 55+ FL community is largely deaf.

[wzpgsr]

I’ll be the contrarian here. I play through an Ampeg Gemini II with a 15” speaker and a Twin Reverb with a 15” speaker in my home studio. Even at conversational volumes the sound and feel of each surpasses the sound and feel of 12” speakers at the same perceived volume. I’d argue that a 15” speaker eliminates a good deal of the boxiness that smaller cabs can have at lower volumes.

[tomvwash]

I’ll be the contrarian here. I play through an Ampeg Gemini II with a 15” speaker and a Twin Reverb with a 15” speaker in my home studio. Even at conversational volumes the sound and feel of each surpasses the sound and feel of 12” speakers at the same perceived volume. I’d argue that a 15” speaker eliminates a good deal of the boxiness that smaller cabs can have at lower volumes.

I have the same Ampeg, Matt. Great vintage tone, but it's too large for the house. I don't want to let it go, but space is becoming a premium.

[pingu]

1318285[/URL]]I’ll be the contrarian here. I play through an Ampeg Gemini II with a 15” speaker and a Twin Reverb with a 15” speaker in my home studio. Even at conversational volumes the sound and feel of each surpasses the sound and feel of 12” speakers at the same perceived volume. I’d argue that a 15” speaker eliminates a good deal of the boxiness that smaller cabs can have at lower volumes.

FWIW
best clean sound i ever had
was a Fender 75 combo with a single
15” speaker (designed by Rivera
i believe)

[tomvwash]

FWIW
best clean sound i ever had
was a Fender 75 combo with a single
15” speaker (designed by Rivera
i believe)

Isnt it the wattage, though, that can be too much for home use...this one runs at 55W...

[Bambus123]

I have had the previous version of this amp (not the newer Recording with additional features) since 2016, and it is an amazing amp. I cannot think of a better sounding amp for lush and warm jazz tones.

Yes, it can be loud if I want to, but it is no problem to get wonderful sound without blowing your ears. I use it only at home, and prefered the 15 inch speaker over the smaller ones. It can be dialled in to match every jazz sound I like, and I can adjust it to fit the sound signature of any of my guitars.

Have you seen some of the videos on Youtube?

[tomvwash]

I have had the previous version of this amp (not the newer Recording with additional features) since 2016, and it is an amazing amp. I cannot think of a better sounding amp for lush and warm jazz tones.

Yes, it can be loud if I want to, but it is no problem to get wonderful sound without blowing your ears. I use it only at home, and prefered the 15 inch speaker over the smaller ones. It can be dialled in to match every jazz sound I like, and I can adjust it to fit the sound signature of any of my guitars.

Have you seen some of the videos on Youtube?

Good timing with this note, thank you. I found a mint condition on Reverb with the Weber 15inch speaker and extra tubes, arrives Monday. I was lucky that the seller was in the mood to ship. Lou at Guitars and Jazz has a mint one for sale as well. Yes, I have seen these videos.

[Bambus123]

Good timing with this note, thank you. I found a mint condition on Reverb with the Weber 15inch speaker and extra tubes, arrives Monday. I was lucky that the seller was in the mood to ship. Lou at Guitars and Jazz has a mint one for sale as well. Yes, I have seen these videos.

Congrats I think you will be very happy with it.

[Hammertone]

I'm a fan. Wonderful jazz guitar amp (and does a few other things as well, heh).
-Rake Reverb head;
-1x15" (Altec 417B) Stone Age open-back cab.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Isnt it the wattage, though, that can be too much for home use...this one runs at 55W...

The rated output is irrelevant. That’s the maximum output at its rated distortion (which, interestingly enough, is never provided for guitar amps but is a routine spec for audio amps). The input signal level determines the instantaneous output power. Class A and A/B amps with seriously overbuilt power supplies have even more headroom (but at higher distortion levels) above rated output. Most class D amps don’t have this luxury.

Most jazz players never push an amp beyond a few Watts, even on gigs. Speaker sensitivity (which is thankfully a routine spec in our world as well as the audiophile’s) tells the story. Many 12s generate 100 dB from a one Watt input, measuring SPL at one meter in front of them. SPL drops off about 6 dB for every doubling of the distance to a point source. Since speakers are somewhat directional, it’s a bit less depending on the radiation pattern of the speaker in question.

So 100 dB at 3 feet is about 95 at 6’, 90 at 12’, 85 at 24’ etc. The actual level may even be 2 or 3 dB higher, depending on the environment (reflecting, diffracting, and absorbing surfaces etc) and the speaker’s directivity. 85 dB is loud.

Normal conversation in our living rooms is about 60 dB and a home vacuum cleaner puts out about 70 dB at 10 feet. “Bedroom volume” is somewhere between them. So at home playing levels, even a “100 Watt” amp is putting well under a Watt into any speaker, including the least efficient ones (which make 85 dB or even a little less at a meter from a 1 Watt input).

The power level needed to sustain an unmic’ed 90 dB in the far reaches of a venue is another matter entirely. Sound energy is absorbed, reflected back at the source, and otherwise dissipated by everything and everyone in a room. Power level needed to achieve a given SPL also goes up exponentially with distance from the source. And a doubling of output in Watts means no more than a 3 dB increase in SPL at the same listening location. So getting 85 dB at the back of a crowded bar 50’ in greatest dimension could require 200 Watts from a guitar amp without sound reinforcement.

So you can safely and effectively use any amp for home playing. The output level will be the same regardless of its maximum potential.

[tomvwash]

This arrived today, in tip top shape, with two sets of extra tubes. The YT demos have him plugged into the High Gain channel. I'm on the 2nd channel, and need to fuss around with this a little more. I miss my '65 Deluxe Reverb RI already!

[DawgBone]

This arrived today, in tip top shape, with two sets of extra tubes. The YT demos have him plugged into the High Gain channel. I'm on the 2nd channel, and need to fuss around with this a little more. I miss my '65 Deluxe Reverb RI already!

Congrats on a really sweet amp. I look forward to hearing about your results.

[pingu]

1326965[/URL]]The rated output is irrelevant. That’s the maximum output at its rated distortion (which, interestingly enough, is never provided for guitar amps but is a routine spec for audio amps). The input signal level determines the instantaneous output power. Class A and A/B amps with seriously overbuilt power supplies have even more headroom (but at higher distortion levels) above rated output. Most class D amps don’t have this luxury.

Most jazz players never push an amp beyond a few Watts, even on gigs. Speaker sensitivity (which is thankfully a routine spec in our world as well as the audiophile’s) tells the story. Many 12s generate 100 dB from a one Watt input, measuring SPL at one meter in front of them. SPL drops off about 6 dB for every doubling of the distance to a point source. Since speakers are somewhat directional, it’s a bit less depending on the radiation pattern of the speaker in question.

So 100 dB at 3 feet is about 95 at 6’, 90 at 12’, 85 at 24’ etc. The actual level may even be 2 or 3 dB higher, depending on the environment (reflecting, diffracting, and absorbing surfaces etc) and the speaker’s directivity. 85 dB is loud.

Normal conversation in our living rooms is about 60 dB and a home vacuum cleaner puts out about 70 dB at 10 feet. “Bedroom volume” is somewhere between them. So at home playing levels, even a “100 Watt” amp is putting well under a Watt into any speaker, including the least efficient ones (which make 85 dB or even a little less at a meter from a 1 Watt input).

The power level needed to sustain an unmic’ed 90 dB in the far reaches of a venue is another matter entirely. Sound energy is absorbed, reflected back at the source, and otherwise dissipated by everything and everyone in a room. Power level needed to achieve a given SPL also goes up exponentially with distance from the source. And a doubling of output in Watts means no more than a 3 dB increase in SPL at the same listening location. So getting 85 dB at the back of a crowded bar 50’ in greatest dimension could require 200 Watts from a guitar amp without sound reinforcement.

So you can safely and effectively use any amp for home playing. The output level will be the same regardless of its maximum potential.

thanks for the great explanation Never ….

you are a treasure
you talk great ….
you play great too ….