REVV G20 HEAD
first play
REVV G20 HEAD
20
GUITARIST SEPTEMBER 2020
REVV G20 HEAD
PRICE: £1,135
ORIGIN: Canada
TYPE: Valve preamp and power amp
with Two Notes Torpedo reactive load
and cabinet emulation
OUTPUT: 20W switchable to 4W
VALVES: 2x 12AX7, 2x 6V6
DIMENSIONS: 190 (h) x 160 (d) x
315mm (w)
WEIGHT(kg/lb): 4/9
CABINET: Aluminium
CHANNELS: 2 with a choice of 6
internal cabinet emulations from the
built-in Torpedo module
CONTROLS: Gain, treble, mid, bass,
volume, 6-way virtual cabinet select.
Wide switch, Aggression switch,
4/20-watt output switch, channel
switch, store switch
FOOTSWITCH: Not supplied, can
also be controlled via MIDI
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Built-in
Two Notes Torpedo reactive
load/cab sim, USB (connects to
Torpedo Remote app), balanced
XLR recording out with ground lift,
buffered series effects loop, external
bias test points, pre/post switch
removes power amp from direct
output signal chain, headphones
output with level control, MIDI in,
cabinet lighting extension socket for
dedicated Revv enclosures
OPTIONS: A dedicated footswitch
will be available soon, but the MIDI
option allows superior control and
patch recall. There are matching cabs
(UK availability TBA)
RANGE OPTIONS: The D20 is a little
simpler and costs £1,049
Audio Distribution Group ApS
01732 884972
www.revvamplification.com
PROS Great overdrive sounds;
huge choice of world-class cab
sims; compact and very portable
with a smart carry case included
CONS There’s an occasional slight
pop on this sample when switching
from overdrive to clean sounds
9
room ambience, choose your virtual
cabinet, add virtual microphones, load
IRs and edit dozens of parameters to your
heart’s content.
The Two Notes digital effects are added
to the XLR and headphones outputs but
don’t come down the speaker lead, making
the G20 ideal for the wet/dry mix setups
favoured by many pro players.
The Pre/Post switch is a very cool feature,
letting you bypass the G20’s real 6V6
output stage for direct and headphones
signal paths and substitute the Two Notes
virtual power amp, so you can experiment
with other valve emulations, each with a
distinctively different character.
With all the G20’s switched functions
accessible by MIDI and up to 128 Torpedo
patches to store things in, there’s no end to
the variety of tones you can create. The Two
Notes emulations are impressively realistic,
while the Torpedo Remote graphics are
beautifully realised, making this feature a
real delight to use. The G20’s 20-watt full
output provides plenty of punch for small to
medium gigs while the four-watt setting is
perfect for studio use, allowing the amp to be
cranked up at more sensible decibel levels.
Verdict
Revv has done a great job on the G20. It’s
compact, portable and built to last. The
aluminium chassis is an extra touch of class,
offering improved screening, no interaction
with transformers, better heat dissipation
and, of course, lighter weight compared
with its steel-clad competitors. Thanks to
the three-stage Aggression control the G20
has more than enough tonal range to cope
with any gig from jazz to metal, while MIDI
makes it easy to store and recall patches.
The addition of the Two Notes embedded
technology is what catapults the G20 into
a league of its own, though, with world-
class cabinet simulations, EQ, reverb and
lots more. The G20’s practically seamless
integration between old tech valves, MIDI
control and the Two Notes digital plug-in,
make it a pleasure to use.
Aimed at serious live and studio players
at all levels, we reckon it’s excellent value
for money and could be the perfect tool for
those who want the reassuring security of
a real amp, while enjoying the versatility of
cutting-edge direct-to-desk cab simulation.
Revv’s G20 is proof that sometimes you can
have your cake and eat it.
The addition of the
Two Notes embedded
technology is what
catapults the G20 into
a league of its own
The front-panel headphones
output includes the Two
Notes technology and has
its own level control
GIT463.rev_revv.indd 20 04/08/2020 11:11