Dean Markley RM-80-DR 112 Combo

I think the RM-80-DR Combo was built in 1985, Dual Channels,Dual Reverb, Dual EQ's, Footswitchable Reverb/Channel Switching, Effects Loop, Speaker Outputs (2), Standby Switch...I bought the amp (serial # SC80DR-975) used from Silver Strings Music in St Louis, for $400. I've replaced the speaker (12") and that is all the amp ever needed. This amp sounds outstanding (especially the reverb) for JAZZ-Classic Rock-Southern Rock-Blues-gets a great Ted Nugent/SRV/Black Crowes/Allman Brothers/Mountain kind of sound. I have gigged with it over the years and it has plenty of power.

The amp sounds good with a Gibson Les Paul Custom (1982) abd also with my Strat (Wormoth/EMG electronics) It can be a bit noisy (slight hum)with neon lighting. The clean sound is crystal, even at high volume (which is LOUD) The overdrive is warm and full of body. It sounds great at any volume.You can't get some distortions which some people might want...like Godsmack/Pantara, but there are always pedals or processors.

This amp is very reliable. I never had any kind of problem,not even a blown fuse!

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I bought this amp primarily for the beautiful Clean Channel with that DEEP "cavern like" Reverb........If you like that, then you need to find one of these, before they are non-existant. These days I play through a Mesa Boogie 50watt all tube Rectoverb head and a Marshall Valvestate 4x12 cabinet. (can't afford a Mesa Traditional 4x12) I was thinking of trading my Dean Markley RM-80-DR in on a Mesa cabinet, so I looked on this sight to see what it is worth....after reading the other ratings on here, it reminded me of how much I like the amp..............I guess I might as well just put it back in the closet (once in a while, it's cool to play through something different;and as I said earlier, they are already rare)

I bought this new in 1985. Extremely versatile amp. Two channels each with there own active eq controls. One 'clean' channel one distortion 'channel' Effects loop, foot switch for channel switching and reverb, fantastic reverb! 80 watts of power transister power, plenty for gigging bars. This amp has a single 12ax7 tube in the preamp section in the distortion channel and also a push button switch that engages the FET transistors. I always found a multitude of ways to get both good clean and dirty sounds from this amp. 12" Dean Markley speaker that sounds great. I never used the rack mounting feature that many talk about.

I've used this with a variety of guitars, but primarily with a 1985 PRS guitar. It always came through for me playing rock and roll. I used it in all sorts of bars and venues. Variety is how this amp really shines, the number of different tones it can produce is outstanding. The distortion is very good, crunchy to mellow, but it does lack any sagging that a tube amp produces, it can come close to my Fender Deluxe but warm blues overdrive is elusive on this amp. As a result the 8 as these are the tones I'm going for these days.

Totally dependable. Built like a tank. Has never broken down.

From what I understand Dean Markley still provides info on this amp series that has long been discontinued.

Been playing for over thirty years.

I own 2 RM80 DR'S and one Rm150. I believe these were all made around 1985 or 86. Two I purchased the RM150 in 86 at Ted Vesleys Music in Vegas. I bought the two RM80's from a friend. These amps came with a pedal that let you switch betwee the two channels and turn on or off the reverb. Independent Eq's for each channel. Not many amp manufacturers wre doing this back then. I used these amps in may different gigs. They are great Jazz/Fusion amps.

I've used everything from Strat's to Jacksons to Carvins to Ibanez with these amps amnd they all sound great.

Style wise I've used these for Prog, Rock, Jazz, Fusion etc..

I think these amps have always been quite in most settings.

They have a really nice clean but I really bought them for they'er Distortion\sustain sounds. I can get a very sweet warm tight distortion sound from these. Very close to the solo sound Allan Holdsworth got from the Lab Series L5's. The sound is very forgiving. I'm mainly using Yamaha Dg80's now and they get close to that sound but not quite enough for me to ever part with these Markleys.

The clean sound is good but I find with the 80's, you really need two to get a good loud clean sound. Otherwise I found I drive one too hard and the clean had some distortion in it. Depends on how hard your drummer hits.

I can depend on these most of the time and would use these on the right occation. I never gig without a backup.

I've had problems with the RM150. The transformer blew twice.
Although I've never had any problems with the 80's.

I've called Dean Markey berfore and they were helpful. They gave me the phone for Terry Laul who they said designed these amps. I know that's a different name then the other reviewer gave but that's all I know.

I've been playing 25+ years. I own several Ibanez guitars, one Holdsworth Carvin and one Steinberger also three DG80's, one Pearce, one UD stomp one Tc G-Force etc...

If it were stolen I would try and find another although I have three now.

I didn't compare that much. I had a friend who found them in Cal. and told me about them and then I played one and had to have it.

great amplfier! quiet too!
if not enough lowend, just add a 4-12,2-12 cabinet and then listen again.sound quality is great.
those amps are very clean and have a real user friendly adjustable tone-eq.
i am using mine, pre-amp out into a soundcraftsman pcr800 mosfet power amp w/effects in between in stereo through a stereo 4-12 cabinet.it sounds loud and clear on channel B without adding alot of extra top and bottm eq like some other tube amps that i have heard.
it is well designed and built like a tank,very dependable,but at the same time very light in weight.i would like to find one more and get rid of the power amp.in stack form,it ranks with the best of them but much cleaner and easy to operate.very nice amp.-jacko

overall awesome!

i don't know but they built it very well

e-mail me if you have one for sale.

Mid 80s amp. Gives a huge range of sounds. For my money, it makes a great studio amp simply because of all the different sounds you can get out of it.

But if you want to gig, go right ahead! The amp section comes out and can be rack mounted. You can use just the amp and output the signal through a 4x12 or whatever you like.

It has more features than you probably need.

Great with humbuckers. Gibson LP. Overdrive is pretty good. I use it in preference to the usual range of overdrive pedals.

Channel switching works pretty nice too. To be honest the other review has all the details you will need to know. All I can tell you is that if you can find one of these, you will be very happy that you have bought it. The only unfortunate thing is, they are pretty rare.

Never broken down. Put a new valve in once, just to see if it would sound different. More better, no worse, so left it there and kept the original as a spare (never needed it.)

No idea...

Been playing forever. If this amp were stolen, I would definately look for another. I am sure that you cannot find something else this versatile in such a tidy package without paying Mesa Boogie prices.

This amp was made in 1986. I would say the amp was well ahead of it's time. It's about the same size as a Boogie Mark I/II. Here's what I really think is great, the amps chassis itself is really a two space rack mountable amp. It's mounted in the front of the amp at a slant to give a traditional look. So you can gig with it as a combo, or if you prefer, unscrew the 4 screws and rack mount the head. It has 2 seperate channels with inidividual EQ & reverb settings for each channel. I also like the on/off, standy-by, ground life switches together on the front panel. It has an fx loop, speaker outs, plus a cord cradle on the back. Only gripe is that the cord is attached. i like have a detachable cord. It's 80 watts with a Solid State output with a single 12AX7 tube pre-amp stage. It has a F.E.T. switch you can push on which will give you a total mosfet/solid state set up. This is great for clean jazzy stuff. The clean with tube sounds great ! It's gives the repsonse and attack of a full blown tube amp. The overdrive is excellent. The key to getting the crunch to sound great is all in the EQ on this amp. You can make the crunch sound terrible if this isn't dialed in right. Tweak to your own liking. Plenty of power overall. The stock speaker is a Markley Magnum which is a Pyle Driver. Sounds a lot like a Celestion G70. I replaced it with an EV 12L and it smokes. Didn't loose the highs like I thought, but definetly gave it the bottom end I wanted.

Sounds great in almost any setting. If doing small clubs I use the combo set up. When playing anywhere larger, I pull the head and rack mount it and use it with a 4-12 Marshall cab configuration. Have to brag about how quiet the amp is too. Only problem I ever encountered was playing a club near some neon bar lights. It picked up a little extra hum. Also use a stereo set up with two RM-80-DR's sounds great.

Have replaced 1 pot, 1 tube. That's it ! Never has it let me down whether practicing at home or gigging live.

Haven't had to use this much. When I did have questions Mike at the facility in Kansas was extremely helpful. In fact Mike Markley ran this place for his dad. I Bought my second RM-80 with his help. This is also how I acquired the EV 12L. Great guy ! He left before the facility was closed and went on to bigger and better things.

If your looking for a great realiable, versatile workhorse of an amp, this is it. If you can find one in good shape, snatch it up. You won't be sorry. I have loved mine. If you don't find this one, they offered it in these configurations also, (Same circuitry * voicing different output levels) RM-40-SR (Single row EQ) RM-4-DR (Dual row),
RM-80-SR (Single row again) RM-80-DR (Dual etc) RM-150-DR. The Markley line also included the CD series in 60 & 120 watt set ups, they are great all tube amps. Didn't care much for the Spectra Line, this was the company Markley bought out when they went into amp production. They brought on B.K.Butler who tweaked & re-desinged the Markley line and brought out those mide eighties smokin amps. Markley Corporate decided to focus on the cheap offshore budget amps, instead of quality US amps. Thus as things went south so did the future of their amps. B.K. Butler left and went on to desing the Tube Overdrive for Chandler, then went on to start TUBEWORKS based in Colorado.