Which suitcase amp has better tone? Peterson or Janus??

[modorange]

I have heard the Janus amp is a stronger, more reliable amp. I have heard that the Peterson amp has good tone.

The Janus is reliable and it is easy to turn the knobs and sliders because of the outlay. But it can be very loud. The Peterson amp can be very sweet sounding and overdrives nicely.

Anyone have opinions as to which amp is the BETTER SOUNDING of the 2?

I understand that this could be somewhat controversial, but you know, it is important to one's ears. Both amps are awesome, I think. So what's your opinion, and please include the reason why you feel the one is better than the other, and if you have very much experience hearing either or both.

I've been enjoying my Rhodes 73 Suitcase mk I from '76 and it has the Peterson amp, but I also have a Janus amp Suitcase from around '78 but I haven't had the chance to really A/B them, because the keyboard on the later model is in need of maintenance and it simply doesn't sound as good because of the keyboard issues (varying feel and action from key to key, tines are out of adjustment, etc.). I have thought about taking the front panels and switching them and giving the more powerful amp a whirl with the better of the 2 keyboard tops. But until I get some help moving these around (the other one is downstairs away from the '75 model) I thought I'd solicit some opinions from the Rhodes enthusiasts on this forum..

[jim]

i have owned bothe and i reckon the peterson is way better, especially in the vibrato, it's much smoother.

[Loucas]

Dear Rhodie ,

I own these two pre-amps.
The peterson has more vintage sound and the sound (in my opinion) has more "circles",more range at delay if you want .
Also it can can more close to the wurly sound if you want to.
See my example in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AK-ps_cU9k  

The janus on my Mark II suitcase (1980) has more modern R&B sound and there is more good  ping-pong exchange of the sound.

Generally i can say they are like two sons .They are different but do you easily love the one more than the other .... :lol:  
Cheers !

[jim]

oh c'mon! pick a side! it's a battle to the death between those you love! pick a side!

[Mark II]

Modorange, you should make clear what you are talking about: the preamp, the amp or the hole package.

Mark II

[modorange]

Modorange, you should make clear what you are talking about: the preamp, the amp or the hole package.

Mark II

Well can you really have one without the other? No, you can't. For the sake of this discussion we'll ignore any aftermarket preamps out there as well. I want this to retain as simple of a comparison as possible. So I'm talking about the preamp and the post amp, the entire setup from the wire that comes from the pickups to the sound that comes out of the suitcase speakers. . BUT, I'm talking about the TONE of them, so I'd have to weight a favorable tone over a favorable interface (preamp section).

I agree, Jim, let's has this out!! I mean I hear about the Janus superior reliability. Well, if you have to gig it regularly, that could be a factor. I mean a broken amp doesn't produce very good tone, does it? But, if the Peterson amp is at least reasonably reliable for gigs, etc. then it might not be very much of an advantage.

Another tangential issue I'm trying to discuss here is, if you prefer the Janus, or the Peterson, is it because you simply fell upon one or the other first? Was it the luck of the draw that got you whichever model you have now, and if so, is that what dictates your opinion about its superiority or inferiority?

I think features could really be considered a plus on the Janus side especially if you use effects etc. because of the stereo fx loop, right? I really haven't had the chance to give the Janus a proper trial yet.. But I'm talking about the Peterson setup vs. the Janus setup in a no-holds-barred fight! Come on, enter into the ring and represent your fave! Or just tell us why it's a draw in your opinion.

[Mark II]

allright, but I am no help here as I dont know the sound of the Haigler, I know my peterson, but only the preamp section, so no votes from me.

keep in mind that if you are looking for nice to have features (fx loop, etc), the later peterson preamp have the namerail mono send return accessory jacks. and a true stereo fx loop could be easily installed if you dont fear to drill some extra holes.

kind regards

Mark II

[modorange]

I have the later Peterson with the effects loop in front. I didn't know the earlier ones had a different preamp section. Any Janus owners out there care to chime in? There are a few local players in the Norman OK and Tulsa OK area who both use the later Janus amplifiers. One guy, a prominent player from Tulsa, uses a '71 Rhodes with a Janus panel and he uses the more powerful Janus amps. He has a great sound. Also this guy pulls the top off the piano and puts his synth on a board over the tone bars.. There are a couple of bars that extend above the tone bars and they hold the board/synth.. I think it is a Micromoog..Anyway the Peterson is a sweet sounding setup.. Is it powerful enough for a band?

[jim]

yeah it is.

[Loucas]

Ok jim, i bend more to peterson 'cause it sounds more vintage !

[Mark II]

I have the later Peterson with the effects loop in front. I didn't know the earlier ones had a different preamp section.

It is not really a big change in the design.
signal chain is:
harp output -> accessory jack 1(send) accessory jack 2 (return) -> preamp

accessory jack 1 is a switching jack, if nothing is connected the signal is lead to jack 2 and both jacks are bypassed.

the earlier peterson are missing this feature, but it's only 2 holes in the namerail, 2 jacks and a little bit of wire.

Mark II

[modorange]

Did you mention there is a way to create a stereo send/return on the Peterson setup?

Also, as of now only one vote for the Janus and one for Peterson and one for "it's a wash".. Who voted for the Janus? Why? The Janus amp is definitely a fine amp.. I saw someon using it and they had a tube screamer in the loop and that amp sounded awesome. Gritty, etc. great tone.. So there may not be that much of a difference..

[Mark II]

Did you mention there is a way to create a stereo send/return on the Peterson setup?

yes, but my previous post was about the mono fx loop.

@stereo fx loop:

basically, you just split the signal chain between preamp and power amp and insert 4 jacks, 2 for send, 2 for return. as that is the way it was done in the janus design it should work aswell with the peterson.

janus schematic, upper left corner

kind regards

Mark II

[Ben Bove]

An interesting point of discussion.  The only reason I voted for a wash is -

I've had a number of suitcases come through the shop and a long time ago swapped and compared amps.  I think the photocell-generated vibrato on the Petersons have a better feel, a more organic-ness to them (as they're not as light-switch cut and dry as the Haigler).  Unfortunately as far as tone goes, they're both muddy without bright-mod kits (do you see any high quality modern keyboard amp with just a 12" speaker, no tweeter?)  In my opinion the overall "tone" difference of the cabinets minus vibrato is negligable, and is dependent on how the piano is set up.  People often say the Haigler systems sound "muddier" than a Peterson but often it's that their Haigler piano top is poorly set up, a majority of them are.  

The Haigler is a far superior amp design.  Petersons are always breaking down whether it's the modules or the preamps.  That's probably why, besides volume, that guy uses his 1971 with the Janus.  They just won't quit.

[modorange]

Still haven't gotten around to "A/B'ing" the 2 speaker/amps under the same '76 top with a panel switch from the '78 (the '78 keyboard needs servicing), but I have "discovered" that Jan Hammer played a Peterson suitcase with Mahavishnu Orchestra, sometimes with a Minimoog on top of that. Of course there is the consideration that this was simply a modern setup for Jan at the time. I mean, Hendrix played a modern Strat, usually a very current model. Also I observed the Keyboard player for Black Eyed Peas playing what appears to be a Peterson MK I suitcase on Saturday night live. More research so far has uncovered the possibility that this Rhodes came from Speakeasy and was completely restored (although that may have been only the one they used in Europe).

So for the sake of keeping the debate somewhat alive I placed my vote for the Peterson. Still I would use the Janus if I was powering a bass guitar or synth into the amp as well.. Does anyone think the Janus might have a more compressed signal, and more sustain? Oh well, the debate continues..

[The Real MC]

Having recently heard the Janus, my preference definitely goes to the Peterson.

[dlux]

The Eq has more range and the stereo tremolo is more adjustable on the Janus . However the Peterson just sounds unbelievably cool. If its one or the other pick the Peterson .