RV-3 verses Pro Fex 2

Jack Musgrave · Post by **Jack Musgrave** » 17 May 2003 8:05 am

has anyone ever done a head to head comparison of these two units pro's and con's? I use a Profex 2 through the effects loop on a session 500 and push-pull Emmons for my set up. I have noticed that when I un- hook the Pro-fex and just run staight amp, I get a better tone, but I really like the delay and reverb with the unit, I am considering trying a RV-3. has anyone had similar experiences? what were the results?

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 17 May 2003 12:11 pm

Jack, my biggest gripe about the Profex units is that it takes your guitar signal, turns it digital (and not real good digital either), processes it, then re-converts to analog at the output. The RV-3 on the other hand, keeps the guitar signal purely analog and merely mixes in the digital reverb with it. This way you preserve the integrity of your analog guitar signal and to my ears sounds much better and more natural. I think the RV-3 is a fantastic steel guitar reverb/delay unit. I went the Profex route but just couldn't hang with all the damage it does to the guitar's tone. To be fair, the Profex is a cool sounding unit and it does a lot. I've heard great sounds coming out of them. But, I just cant give up the analog integrity of my guitar signal. Maybe it's psychological... Nah, I can hear the difference.

Brad Sarno

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 17 May 2003 6:03 pm

I've never tried the RV-3, but my problem with the Profex, or the Lexicon MPX200 I have now, is, they're pushbutton units. I'm an old dog, and I'd rather turn a knob, than push a button. On a gig, it's hard to change settings, or should I say edit---see what I mean? I don't even know what to call it, much less how to do it! The rack gear is probably cleaner, but a good old stomp box can't be beat for ease of use---but that's just MY opinion.

Jim Bob Sedgwick · Post by **Jim Bob Sedgwick** » 17 May 2003 6:58 pm

Nope, It's also my opinion, Stephen. Sure, some of the rack units sound a little better. But, in a noisy live application, the difference can't be heard. I don't have time on the bandstand to make complicated adjustments to my gear. ( read edit, etc.). I'll take a stomp box anytime.

jim milewski · Post by **jim milewski** » 18 May 2003 1:06 pm

I had the same problem with an older Digitech 128, so I bought a Vegas and ran 90% of my signal dry in channel 1...then send out to the effects unit which is nearly totally washed in reverb etc and run the output of the effects unit into channel 2 and slight volume there, more natural sound and with effects, but now I use a tubefex and need the EQ it has, so it is back to single channel