VENUS 5 OWNERS MANUAL Version 1.0 October, 2010 Your Rivera Amp Is An Important Part Of Your Sound Your sound is your signature, your mark, your voice. An amp only deserves to have your guitar plugged into it if it can deliver the tone you want--and, of course, the dependability you need. It's as simple as that. And it's exactly why you bought your RIVERA amp. For that, we thank you, and we're confident that you'll enjoy your amp for years to come.
isn't, either. And there's no law saying that an amp must sound good or be well-made. But we dedicate ourselves to making the best-sounding, most reliable amplifiers anywhere. That's why we use only the highest-quality components, regardless of price. Such features as metal jacks, ultra-strong dadoed cabinet construction, and highest-quality electronic components are part of our uncompromising approach.
Caution: Always turn off the amplifier before making or unplugging any speaker connections. Always transport your amplifier securely, preferably in a suitable flight case or packing carton. Before operating your amplifier, be sure the speakers used are properly connected. For countries where 220 to 240 volts AC is encountered, make sure that you have the correct power cord. Our 230-volt export unit can be used with any of these voltages.
Plug in! Now plug the amp into the wall, plug your guitar into either input jack, and set your controls to one of the Quick Start settings outlined here. Then turn on the Power switch. Wait for about a minute for the tubes to warm up. Turn on the Standby switch. Now it's time to rock. After you've played with your Venus 5 for a while, check out the rest of the manual for some good tips on getting the most out of your amp. Quick Start Settings If you're looking for a good starting point, try these settings.
High gain shred-(Master pulled for boost) Channel 2 Clean Jazz-(knobs are pushed in) Spanky clean, Reggae-(Treble Bright pulled) Blackface tone-(Middle Notch pulled) Blues-(Treble Bright pulled and switch on back to vintage) Front Panel High Gain input This is a high-sensitivity input. If your guitar has hot pickups, then plugging into it makes it easy to overdrive the preamp section, creating harmonic distortion.
Low Gain input This is a low-sensitivity input. Guitars plugged into it have more headroom before distortion sets in (meaning that you can crank up a channel's volume a little louder before you experience Preamp distortion). This is a good choice for a clean overall sound, and is especially well-suited to active pickups or guitars equipped with Preamps. Channel 1 Both channels are voiced differently. Channel 1 has an added gain stage which gives it more gain than most of the other Rivera models.
Channel 2 Channel 2 is extremely flexible, with a flavor that brings to mind the great classic American tones and textures. You can get some pretty impressive blues overdrive distortion out of Channel 2 too, and as a rhythm channel it brings out every subtlety of your playing. The range of tones can be anywhere from sparkling-clean to perfect for bluesy rhythm--the kind of sound that has an attitude and gets meaner as you pick harder.
Power This is your main power switch. The on position is indicated by the light being illuminated. The off position is marked by the "0" on the switch. Before turning the amp on, always check that a speaker is connected and that the power cord is firmly plugged into the amp and the outlet. Rear Panel Mains Input Your RIVERA amp has a detachable power cord that connects to the chassis AC connector labeled Mains Input.
For 100VAC and 115VAC versions, the HT Fuse is: 1/2 Amp, 250 Volt Slo-Blo type (3AG, or MDL) For 230/250 VAC versions, the HT Fuse is: T 500ma (time-delay, 5mm x 20mm size) Repeated blowing of this fuse is a clear indicator of a defective output tube. Always use the correct fuse value when replacing the HT Fuse. If the Mains Fuse or the HT Fuse repeatedly blows, refer your amp to your local RIVERA dealer or contact us at (818) 833-7066 for further service assistance.
it may recommend a specific input). The Line Out can also be used to feed a signal to a tape recorder or mixer. Although the recorder or mixer doesn't receive the tone that comes from the speaker, it does receive all of the signal from every other stage of the amp, and for live-performance recording it does an excellent job of isolating your guitar sound. Note: Do not connect the Line Out to speakers or headphones. For further information, refer to the hook-up diagrams for proper connection.
amp and the processor by allowing you to set the level of the signal going to the effect, as well as the one coming back. Therefore, you can tailor your amp/effects levels for best signal-to-noise ratio and the amount of distortion you want. Note: The Effects Loop send can be used to route a signal to a guitar tuner, recording mixer, another guitar amplifiers effects loop return (for Bi-Mono amping), etc. The Effects Loop comes after the Preamp section.
Connecting the Venus 5 with other gear The following illustrations will help you to properly connect your Venus 5 to other amps, extension speaker cabinets, and recording and P.A. gear. Make sure the amp and all other gear are turned off whenever you make or change any connections.
impedance load will be below what is optimum for the amplifier and sustained use could result in overheating damage. When using two 8-ohm cabinets, set the Venus's Impedance Selector to 4 ohms. When using two 16-ohm cabinets, set it to 8 ohms. Running two amps in parallel without a Y-cord The Preamp and output amp sections, as well as all controls, function normally in this setup. Use a shielded cord. Note: Make sure speaker cabinets are connected to both RIVERA amps.
Using shielded cords, connect the Effects Loop Send to the processor's input, and the processor's output to the Effects Loop Return. Adjust the mixture of effect/non-effect sounds at the signal processor, and set the levels at the amp and processor for lowest distortion. If you use multiple signal processors, connect them in series (processor 1's output to processor 2's input, etc.), and patch the Venus’s Send to the first processor's input and the Venus's Return to the last processor's output.
with your amp, don't try to fix it yourself." There are some potentially lethal high voltages inside the amp, plus if you do something that causes even more damage than when you started out, the person who does the real repair will probably tell you, "Hey, I know what's wrong. Somebody's been monkeying around in here." And, of course, your warranty will be void. There are some things you can do to keep your amp running and to determine (and hopefully remedy) common difficulties.
Quick Troubleshooting Guide Amp won't turn on 1. Make sure that the AC mains cord is securely connected at both ends. 2. Verify the power source with something that you know works (a radio, a light, etc.). 3. Check the Mains Fuse, and replace it if necessary (if it blows again, refer your amp to qualified service personnel). There's no sound 1. Make sure that the guitar cord to the input is okay (wiggle it--check your guitar's volume setting, too). 2. Check the Volume controls. 3. Check the Standby switch.
2. Check the cables. 3. Check the signal level at other devices in the signal path. 4. One or more tubes may be bad (refer to the tube information in this manual, or take your amp to qualified service personnel). Tube Care & Replacement Like a sports car, there's a certain amount of wear and tear to be expected in a highperformance tube amp. Over time, especially with hard use, tubes may need replacement. That's why it's a good idea to make note of when you purchased your amp and whenever you replace tubes.
V6-V7 Power amp tubes--for best operation, all power tubes should be changed at the same time. Use a matched pair if at all possible. Checking for microphonic tubes As tubes wear, some problems can come up. One of the most common symptoms is a ringing sound. This is usually due to the tube becoming microphonic (like its name suggests, it's picking up sound and amplifying it). With the amp unplugged and cooled off, examine the tubes to make sure they're in tight and straight.
1. Let the power tubes cool. Remember the way the eight pins are arranged, and note that the center hole on the tube socket has a keyway that matches the center post on the tube. 2. Replace one tube. Turn the amp on. If the fuse blows (or the tube glows cherry red, indicating an internal short), you've found the bad tube. Turn off the amp immediately. If the fuse doesn't blow, replace another tube and turn the amp on again. Repeat this procedure until you've determined which tube is bad. 3.
Total harmonic distortion: 5% at rated power Bandwidth: 50 Hz to 20kHz Preamp tubes: Five 12AX7A Output tubes: Two 6L6 Tube voltage: 430 volts DC Output power: 50+ watts RMS into 8 ohms Operating voltage: 115 volts AC, 230 or 250 volts AC (export model), or 100 volts AC (Japan only) FS-7R Footswitch functions: Channel Select, Channel 1 Boost, Channel 2 Boost, Effects Loop VENUS 5 112 Dimensions and weight: (Subject to change without warning.
Service Station, by returning the unit to the RIVERA factory with prior authorization, or (in countries outside of the United States) by a representative RIVERA distributor. A list of RIVERA Authorized Service Stations can be obtained from RIVERA, 508 S. Varney, Burbank, CA 91502, USA, ATTN.: Warranty Service. Telephone (818) 767-4600; Fax (818) 394-2097. Obligations 1. This warranty will be honored only on the presentation of the original proof of purchase. 2.
