The Poor Man's Dual Rectifier? - Bugera Trirec! 

Is it just me or is that Bugera freaking humongous lol

Didn’t know Matt Damon was into playing metal and testing out shit all day!! 🤣

Bugera blows everything away in any comparison video i see.

Thanks so much for getting this together so quickly! I absolutely love my Trirec, and its nice to see a good review from someone who knows tone.🤘 Thanks again Kyle.

You should do some blind challenges, i.e. Bugera vs Mesa Boogie etc.

I just got a Trirec yesterday! I was trying to use the modern setting on channels 2 and 3 but was not happy at all. Really high pitched and ear piercing at a high volume no matter how little treble and gain I tried. Your video really helped me get it dialed into the vintage setting of both channels and I love this amp already. I don't feel like I'm missing out on the Mesa DR anymore.

I love my Tri Rec! Running it through a Peavey XXX 4x12 cab. Great review man.

New to your vids... Self-taught player and I've learned more about tone over the past few weeks of watching your videos than I ever did when I started learning better than 20 years ago.

I have this and the 1960 and they both sound fantastic. I've had them both for I want to say 4 years. Bought them new from Amazon same time before they went up a bit in price. I want to say I paid around 800 total. I have had 0 issues however they both get very hot to the touch so I could understand people having issues with them failing.

I loved mine! I wish I still had it. Ran it through a Randall cab with 4 V30s. Great times.

Great to see this video considering I'm actually looking at one of these right now. Think I might pull the trigger

Great review, Kyle! 3 thumbs up! Right off the bat, I will say that I have never been a fanboy of Mesa Boogie Amps. I have always felt that they were over rated, over priced and pretentious pieces of garbage.... there, I said it (bring on the hate, I don't care...lol). I do however, love the Bugera TriRec Infinium. I already had a Bugera 333XL 2x12 combo (pre Infinium), which I really liked. I started seeing demo's of these TriRec amps, probably 8-9 years ago and was quite impressed with what I was hearing and the price point was a great motivator to give it a try. I bought one about 8 years ago and I must say that I was even more impressed in person. I am a bit of a collector of amps (14 as of now) and have Sovtec's, Marshall's, Peavey's, Crate /Blackheart, Fender's etc and my new favorite boutique amp co. Ceriatone.. All tube amps of course (because there is no substitute for great tube tone). I also collect high end and oddity(Unusual) guitars (49 as of now), mostly Gibson's and Fender's I also have alternate's of those high end guitars and amps, that use to play out in local bands. I do this, because... well... thieves and drunks. Nobody steals a Bugera or an Epiphone or a Squier... but if they do... I'd rather lose a few hundred bucks, than a few thousand bucks. I have been gigging locally with the TriRec for 8 years and it's never let me down and with the Infinium technology, I can change out a bad tube, on the fly, so no down time... or I can change my tone completely, by trying out different tubes and tube combinations (6l6, 5881, EL 34, KT66, KT 88, 6505 etc). It is quite frankly, the best of all worlds, when it comes to tube amps. Just my 3 cents worth.

You crack me up man! Literally during the intro I was laughing out loud! 🤣

Hell yeah. Glad you did this one buddy. \m/

As an owner of this amazing amp, i have to admit how sensitive it is. Using your ear to eq it is a vital skill to master.

You can combine silicon diode and tube rectification on the Roadking depending on if you have 4 or 6 power tubes running. If you're in 50 watt mode then you have the option of silicon or diode.

nice video. that guitar sounds great. i agree with pretty much all that you said. i got both amps as well. here is my take on it: Bugera PROS: - you can change channels easily on the front panel. the mesa requires you to go in back of the amp to change channel (big design flaw IMO) or use a footswitch. HUGE PRO - you can actually turn down the bass/low end on the bugera. on the mesa, even with the bass turned all the way down it has too much low end in many situations. - built in attenuator which lets you turn up the amp a bit in a bedroom situation and hear that tube sag. - built in volume boost that actually works great. its strictly a volume boost for solos, not an overdrive type boost. think of it as having a boost in the fx loop instead of before the preamp. - it has built in reverb. and its pretty decent. - the control knobs are more user friendly on the bugera in my opinion, easier to see your settings at a glance. on the mesa it is not always clear, especially in low light conditions. - sounds tight without a tube screamer. sounds like it already has a tube screamer built in and permanently on - takes pedals well on all the channels (the mesa does too) - extremely well ventilated compared to the mesa. plenty of airflow even with something on top. - cool LED internal lighting that illuminates the tubes. (purely cosmetic, doesn't affect sound in any way) - sits better in a mix. controversial opinion i know, but it cuts through more easily by itself. sound guys/FOH wont mess with your sound as much. - plenty of gain without pedals. Bugera CONS: - popping sound when you change channels, the mesa has the same problem, just something i wish they would have improved instead of adding reverb or attenuator. - does not sound as good at low volume as the mesa without playing around with the varipower + pre + master volume knobs like you mentioned. - its a lot bigger than the Mesa and slightly heavier, which sucks if you plan on gigging with the amp frequently. - not capable of the boomy low end that the mesa has even if the bass is maxed. easily fixed with an EQ pedal though - great clean channel, but the one on the mesa is way better. the one on the mesa sounds much closer to a fender style clean. - sounds like there is always a tube screamer on, which sucks for those of us that hate tube screamers lol. its why the mids sound a bit different than a stock mesa and comes across as honky depending your settings. - channel 2 and 3 are the exact same as you mentioned. depending on the user this might actually be a positive and not a bad thing. but limits the tonal possibilities compared to the mesa. - people look down on it cause its a bugera. - low resale value. Bottom Line: sound wise i wouldnt say its better or worse than the mesa, just different. personally i think its great for 80s and 90s metal, and rock in general. maybe not as good as the Mesa for hardcore, grind, death etc but it ain't bad. you can easily get that metallica sound...if you play metal and are on a budget you cant go wrong. overall its a great sounding amp for the price and better than most amps in the same price range. tons of gain right out the box without pedals. I've heard of people saying its unreliable but i've had mine for many years and have two buddies that also have one and none of us have had any problems. so maybe it was user error? tube amps are less forgiving than solid state amps when it comes to mismatching cabinet impedance. maybe it was a quality control problem and some unlucky people got lemons. like any other product, even if it was only 1 in 100 amps that failed, but the company made thousands, you will end up hearing about the lemons online. If you can find one of these today, and its working fine, you probably wont have any problems with it. i noticed you have a 5150 too. i prefer my 5150 compared to both the mesa and bugera. if you get a chance try out the new Marshall DSL100HR with the dual master volumes. i just got one a few months ago and it absolutely rips. might actually be my new favorite amp of all time.

It sounds like a beast 🤘

I wish they still made this amp. To me channel 2 has a more Mark 2c+ sound when you turn on the boost. Great video!

thank you , nice review :o) i like the tweakability with the controls and the 3 channels you get out of it . . . would probably use a straight oversize cab tuned to a specific speaker and select various microphones. A little side note; i cannot play through a mesa dual rectifier. Although i can play through this all night and day long.

I have one, replace the power tubes and the thing is a beast!!!! The stock bugera power tubes suck. I also changed the rectifier tubes to older US made ones. Change v1 as well, any older well-made 12ax7 tube and bam! The amp has so much complexity and mid range detail after getting rid of some of those bugera tubes.

Great test with amazing setting explanations, I also like the riffs used to test. I don't know what happen with so many people testing amsp with ultraspeed solos

I did the Bugera thing many years ago. Had the 6260, TriRec and 333XL. I think the 333XL was the best amp in their lineup. I’m rocking the PRS MT15 now……BEST AMP EVER!!!!!!!!!

Had one, sold it Wish I still had it though, with the reverb it's really an all in one Ch2 and ch3 being the same is also really cool

Sounds kind of better than a dual rec

good review Kyle. I think I'd go with a Mesa out of the 2

i had a 6260 That thing was insanely loud!!!!!! left it on the Crunch channel, master quite high gain around 6 with a boost heavy as hell!!!!

I own this head! It's a great budget head! Sounds WAYYYYY better than the Mesa imo

I've seen a few of these used around town. It seems to have a balanced tone, like a lot of the old Carvins, somewhere between Mesa and Marshall.

Super informative thank you for explaining about the negative feedback on the Tripple rectifier I didn't know they could do that. maybe it is possible to make an amp with the clean channel sounding like a voxAC30 and the dirty channel sounding like a high-gain chug monster after all! that would be my dream amp.

Not "The Poor Man's Dual Rectifier." The "Frugal Man's Dual Rectifier." Bugera's a solid amps. I have a V55H, a V22 Combo, and a 6262. All Infiniums. The other night I was switching out pedal boards and inadvertently failed to connect my cabinet to the V55. I had it on standby for 20 minutes before I realized I didn't connect the speaker cabinet. I turned it off the instant I discovered my error and was worried that I'd fried it. I contacted my Sweetwater agent and he suggested that I power it up (with a cabinet connected of course) and check to see if the tube health status lights were lit which would indicate fried tubes. I followed his instruction and the lights were dark. No damage done and I've been playing ever since. I'm not so sure a Marshall would have survived the same scenario.

I totally agree that this amp does not have the lowend. Truth

For the price, these things are beasts! I have a 333XL combo (pre-infinium), and it screams after a proper bias. The 333LXL is a copy of the JSX. I know there were early issues with reliability and component quality, but those were what seemed like 2 bad production runs. Everything after has been rock-solid and easily better value of price/tone than almost any amp out there. The 333XL, if you bias it properly (factory bias and internal bias switch are junk, manual bias all the way) is absolutely killer. A weird quirk of the 333XL is the 2nd channel tone controls seem to affect the tone on the 3rd channel when the 3rd channel is in-use.

Never jelled with this amp for the high gain sounds. Had the Bugera 333XL-212 combo and IMHO it was far superior to the Trirec. It doesn't surprise me that Bugera stopped it while the 333Xl, 6262, etc are still produced. Eventually I got rid of the Trirec, got myself a Katana Head MKII and live happy days (or so I think :p). Could you please do a 333XL video? Thank you and Happy New Year :)

If you were going for Danzig tones....nailed. Just need some mild compression and it's absolutely perfect for rock. I do have to wonder what it would sound like with a modeler instead of its preamp.

Reppin the Queensway shirt 🤘🏼

Your shirt game is quite strong once again, Baltimore HC represent!!

When I was a kid I wanted a 5150, I could have afforded a line 6 half stack or brugera, but I didnt, i saved literally for years. So long they stopped making the 5150 and switched to the 6505, I still got one. Didnt even have a cab to plug it into for several months. Moral of the story. Tone is worth spending good money on. Even if you can’t play at all for a while. It was worth it. If i had a brugera it would have died by now. I got 13 years out of my stock tubes and they still worked when i finally swapped them

Sounds damn good 🤘

I want one of these so bad.

I preferred my 333XL to my JSX tonally so I don't doubt Bugera can keep up with whatever they copy sound-wise. Always heard it's the reliability that kill em and not the sound.

Nice queensway shirt hell yeah

now i want to see what you think of the B52 AT100. for years that was called the poor mans recto

Ayyyyy!!! Finally Rectifier for me! Haha

Sounds badass, how are you liking the Revv G8 after using it for a while now ?

Had 2. Absolutely loved the sound, one of my favourites. But they truly did both blow up. And I used them as bedroom amps

I was always curious about this one. Never see them. On my end; it sounds a little fizzy and hard to play? There are some good tones in there throughout but not sure it would be something I would seek out. I had the 6262 and with a preamp tube swap, eq in the loop, and the most aggressive noise-gating known to man (lol); it sounded pretty darn good.

interesting to me this sounds better than the Randall Satan which was a massive disappoint. way cheaper with better tone cant go wrong. would love to see you demo a Marshall Mode 4

Almost bought one but got the actual dual rect instead, also heard those old B52s come close. I’ve wanted to try Bugera’s Plexi clone though

I have a trirec and a redback and v30 cab also.. im also running a behringer UM300 Ultra metal distortion as a overdrive... on channel 3 of the trirec, modern.. i think it sounds better than a messa duel rectifier

Another great "poor man's Recto" is the Ibanez Thermion TN120H. Absolute monster of a high gain head.

happy thanksgiving man. What pickups are in that guitar?

Roadking and Roadster can be blended on the rectifier settings

Hey Kyle ! If you still have both bugeras, could you do a shootout between the trirec and the 6262 ? 🤘😖 Maybe throw in the 333xl if it’s still around too !

Queensway! 👍

I have the Bugera BC-30 2-12 combo (Matchless DC clone) I do old-heavy, not this modern metal, so it works well for me. I'm sad they don't make them anymore, might have been a lawsuit?? Dunno... If I find another for a back-up, I would definitely buy it

I thought it sounded pretty damn good!

I had 3 in a row, all blew up mightily in a short time!! It had potential, a strange efx loop (reverb before loop, so gate didn't work), nice presence control on all channels though very hard to set right. Not trying a fourth one! I used a 12AU7 (maybe AT7) as V1 as far as I remember, to get the cleans right, I'm not a Metal player.

I wonder how you'd feel about the Randall Vmax head, Sammy Duet's and Scott Ian's old touring head of choice

I bought one back in 2010. A real poor-mans Boogie. Sounded great until it died, 2 weeks after I bought it. Turned it on, took it out of standby and nothing. No sound, no hiss, no nothing. Been sitting in my closet for 10+ years.

I had one for over 5 years, it probably spent half that time in the repair shop. I ended up trading 2 trirecs for a mesa dual rec and am very glad I did. I do miss the trirec!

The only thing I don't like about my Trirec is the fact that I need an overdrive to get the amount of gain and tightness that I want. Then I have to turn off the boost, then change channels if I want to go clean. Its tedious.

I had one got rid of it... It weighs a ton... Also have the 333XL infinium which I like better definitely keeping that... For whatever reason the Triec was discontinued but the 333 is still being made

Would make more sense to run it through your mesa cab?! Since your comparing it to a Mesa and you have one right there? 🎸🎶🤷‍♀️

I've been thinking in buying one of those or the 333XL infinium. But the second hand market in Spain it's not very affordable nor diverse, assortment.

There's a video on RU-vid Bugera or a gear store put out and the guy they have demoing the amp straight has the Molly sweats lol

I've wanted one of these for awhile but I never see them for sale

I have a Tri Rec and i am not that pleases with. It just isn't what l thought it would be. BteWhen I first heard about it this thing was a mythological brute of an amp, And I thought this is what I want, a badass amp at a good price. So, I struggle finding good tone with it because when I adjust, for instance the bass knob It changes the tone not really adding or subtracting bass and that goes with all the knobs. It completely changes tone. So for me it's been really hard getting the sound I want. And with a different channels, the volume gets really wonky. For instance channel 1s clean mode is the thickest, most bass driven and ultimately sounds the best. I wish channel 3's modern tone was as heavy and as thick as channel ones clean mode. The volume outputs are super weird. What I've been doing for the last year is just using it for a power amp It works really well for that. Btw, my boost option works pretty good. I would sell it but I tried re-tolexing the thing and did just an, uh..ok job l guess. If anybody's interested in purchasing it hit me up and I'll take some photos

Nissssssssssssssssssce 🍻🤘🏻

It sounds quite good, definitely usable tones. However the shell is huge, kinda bugs me. Needs to be a couple inches shorter. I know, just cosmetic.

I bought the original 6260 and 333XL heads right when they came out. They sounded good enough at the time.. They just weren't built to last. By the time the Trirec came out, their reputation was already ruined.

He is obviously tone-deaf and can't seem to dial in his ears. The bagheera is f****** amazing

Hey guys, I'm getting a 240v Trirec. It was the only one I could find..I'm in the US. It needs to be converted to 120v.. Can this amp be converted internally, and if not what power converter do you recommend?

This is the best sounding amp I have ever had. I bought 3 Bugeras, 2 died within 2 years, one still works. So bugera succs. I say, fuck Burgera!

As someone who is very easy on amps, I had so many issues with this amp I got rid of it, loved how it sounded but super unreliable.

Do you think this would be good with a Meatzaballa cab? 🤣🤣🤣

Can't ever find these for sale anymore

I don't think this amp is available anymore. :(

Where'd you get that? Throught they got discontinued

The fucking Queensway tee. My dude.

So basically a Mesa Triple Crown is what I got out of it.

not my favorite amp but a good review.

To buy or not to buy 🤭

You remind me of a young Matt Damon.

Never got a chance to try this amp in person. Now I don't need to. Thanks Kyle.

I usually dig his reviews but I believe he already discounted this Amp before he gave it a chance

Peavey Sux and always have.

This Bugera does not sound same as Mesa. I owned the Bugera and 3 Mesas, and after constant fiddling with knobs, different speakers/cabs, trying to make it sound great, I sold it. The Bugera always sounded generic, generic tonestack, generic gain, etc. Yes, I tried different tubes, biasing, pre and power amp tubes. Generic sound. I much prefer my Peavey Bandit to it. I wouldn't want the Bugera even if it was $100. My Peavey ate it alive. Bandit has great voicing, Fender cleans, Marshall gain hot rodded! No need to fiddle with knobs trying to get a good tone, its always there.

Why on earth would they discontinue this amp?!? ...???

Im sorry bugeras have a strange sound on the tail end when the sound is supposed to round off its sloppy. Ive played one and it theyre just awkward

so much technical issues with this amp that they had to discontinue it, the last batch was sold as B stock for damn cheap. if you are looking for a great recto clone just look into the fame bulldozer!

Except Bugera no longer makes the "Trirec Amp!

They are noisy as hell and Suck for Lead. I've tried several that Friends had & they All got Rid of them Quick. Nothing like a Dual Rec, I've owned all versions including the original that had An A/C Cable coming from the Chassis not removable. Got 3:Current Multi Watt. Bugera have always Sucked both tonally and for Reliability. Their Q. C. SUX.

This doesn’t really sound like a recto to me

Sounds pretty dark

Usually this guy makes everything sound awesome not even he could dial in a good tone on that thing lol

Mezzabarba cabs do not have uk English v30s they have Chinese ones. The only company celestion sells English v30s to are Mesa and some marshal special edition cabs. You can tell very easily by checking the speakers. If they don’t say “made in Ipswich England” than its Chinese. I have looked up mezzabarbas and even the website doesn’t say they are English. Also I’ve looked at pictures of them and they indeed do not say “made in Ipswich England” still great speakers tho. If they are English ones someone changed them out.

it got real ugly when the varipower was turned down.

tight but the is no presence for my taste

The reason they were discontinued was because so many of them were crapping out as a result of the plastic wiring clips getting too hot and over time (sometimes a very short time) causing the amp to fail. Some people who knew this and knew how to safely work on tubes amps would simply remove the clip plugs and solder the wires directly to the PCB, which would successfully fix the problem. This design flaw was the main reason Bugera got such a bad rep, which led to them going out of business. It's too bad they didn't address this problem because their amps were actually pretty amazing for the price. The 333xl was a clone of a Peavey JSX, the 1960 was a clone of a Marshall 1959 Super Lead Plexi, the 1990 was a clone of a Marshall JCM900 and the 6262 was a clone of a Peavey 6505. PS - another pretty good sounding poor man's Dual Rec was the B-52 AT100 and the B-52 Stealth ST100A amps, which can still often be found on the used market for anywhere from about $200 - $350 bucks.