Blue Robbie

[toine6]

Just bought one for $450 off of Ebay. I'm hoping it doesn't have the gain pot problem. Any tube recommendations? And yes, I noticed it can be rack mounted for $19-$25.

NOTE: Don't Google search pictures for Blue Robbie (unless you like seeing naked Robbie). That's probably half the reason they didn't become overly popular.

[xj32]

I would ask Bowie, he picked out the tubes for mine. I am still loving my pair.

[toine6]

Originally Posted by xj32

I would ask Bowie, he picked out the tubes for mine. I am still loving my pair.

Thanks, yeah, I'll ask him some time down the road.

I've been testing out the Robbie and it's nice, although, for all the preamps I have, it's still difficult to say any of them are better than the other, they're all just different. I like a messy/gross/bastardized cheap preamp like an Art MP sometimes, I like to make a big nasty mess that can't be missed. Other times I like it clean, accurate, and thin, and sometimes, dark and heavy.

Anyway, if I just sing and record into the Robbie normal, then it's very similar to some of my other pres and I was slightly disappointed, if only because it wasn't leaps and bounds better than my other equipment, although the tube seems to mellow it out just a bit, subtle though. The thing Robbie did that I've NEVER heard with my other pres (granted I haven't really tried either), was that when I overdrove the hell out of the Robbie, while playing an electric guitar straight into it, it gave me the coolest/expensive sounding, nice distorted guitar tube amp sound I've ever played myself (keep in mind, I'm not really a guitar player, so purists please ignore). Just awesome though. I love the build quality, and how easy it is to change tubes, the way it always keeps the tube warmed up, even if it's turned off, and it looks cool to boot.

So, I'm still trying to learn the subtleties of the sound, but so far so good, it certainly is a high quality piece of equipment, and a real deal at the price I paid.

[bwrecordings]

I agree with everyone else... I love the robbie but if you want tube tone go with the 610.

There both great and there both in a wonderful price range.

Rick Carson

[bwrecordings]

also the 610 has multiple impedance and filters which are very useful on such a colored pre

[RobertRyda]

i own a 6176 and i try to get the robbie for myself. even though most ppl say 610 lacks the headroom you can still use it efficient enough with pad or any other -gain options. for some reason my blue kiwi sounds like crap to me through 610 and the invert phase switch wont really do anything much. so now i have a blue kiwi cable and im trying to get THIS robbie thing. Do you guys think the matching signal chain is gonna shine? how does the signal react when i eq it after being recorded through robbie? ty