Rivera Venus 6 ???

[PlexiVox]

These new amps sound very interesting as described on the Rivera website. I noticed that there is a Rivera Venus 6, 1 X 12 combo currently on Ebay going for $1500.00. Can someone who has heard or has one of these tell me if this is good deal? Do these amps sound like Fender or Marshall, or both?

[highgeer]

The Venus 6 is a 4-6V6 class "a" amp. I have the 1x12 combo and it is in my top few amps of all time. Riveras have always been good amps, but they have never reached the top level of the boutique market. The Venus 6 brings Paul to the level of the UG 30, Meteor II, D13, etc. It has fantastic cleans and great distorted tones in the typical feature laden Rivera platform. These amps sell for $2,500 with no discounting, so $1,500 is a great price. Once a few more people become aware of how good these are, the used price will start to climb.

Mike

[MightyGuru]

Played a Venus6 the other day. The clean was superb. Absolutely gorgeous. Depth, bottom and detail with a sweet top end. Like one of the best clean Fender blackface tones I've ever heard.

[Benlevy]

I tried one on a couple gigs. Didn't bond with the distortion. The clean was nice.

[GTRJohnny]

There's a couple videos on their site featuring the 6. I played it last night and was thinking a few others would smoke it. I was very surprised; the Venus sounded extremely good. I was able to get a great "just breaking up" blues tone, which is tough on a lot of amps. I also like the boost available on both channels. I was able to get a great clean and slightly dirty tone set up fairly quickly.

I also played the next amp down. I don't know the model, but it was maroon tolex and about $1900. It sounded good, but the Venus had a certain magic that the other one didn't. I think the classA and 6L6 combo is what does it, because the other features were pretty much the same. I would describe their sound as more Fendery than most recent Fenders.

I am now seriously thinking about getting one, too. So, I'd be insterested to hear what people say about the amp and the company.

[Terry Hayes]

I also played the next amp down. I don't know the model, but it was maroon tolex and about $1900. It sounded good, but the Venus had a certain magic that the other one didn't. I think the classA and 6L6 combo is what does it, because the other features were pretty much the same.

The other model you played was most likely the Quiana. Also, the Venus uses 6V6 tubes, not 6L6. The Quiana however uses 6L6.

Riveras are great. They sound great, are really well-built, and very versatile.

Terry

[GTRJohnny]

The other model you played was most likely the Quiana. Also, the Venus uses 6V6 tubes, not 6L6. The Quiana however uses 6L6.

Riveras are great. They sound great, are really well-built, and very versatile.

Terry

Yep, that was it. Not an easy name to remember. I thought it sounded a lot like the Venus, but lacked the warmth and harmonizing quality of the Venus. It was about $400 cheaper, though - which could be a factor...

[myles111]

I do not know if the price you quoted was a good price or not but I will say that Rivera amps are great pieces of gear.

The reason the amps are not in the high end boutique clan is due to pricing. Look inside of one. Pretty darn slick. Look how the cab back is held on with stainless steel machine screws into threaded inserts. Not your typical wood screws.

Drop a Rivera speaker cab off the truck on it's face. Speakers stay put and do not rip out of the baffle board.

Rivera builds great stuff at a great price and if he wanted to get into the boutique clan market all he would need to do is double his retail prices. Even at two times the price compare the construction and features with amps in that price range and it is still a deal.

By the way, on the Venus .... look in back at that heat sink for the cathode bias resistors .... you won't find that sort of thing in ANY amp regardless of price.

I have had some Rivera stuff since the eighties .... and I have never had a single failure or problem.

[go7]

I love my Rivera Quianna. After 30+ years I don`t even look at amp ad sections anymore. Rivera`s are a bit under the radar. Not your typical HC look at my HRD deal. Just great sounding amps built to last. Good Luck!