I have been on the lookout for a nice Brunetti amp to try for quite some time, but here in the US they are quite hard to come by - and expensive when they do show up. I wasn’t too particular on the model, I wanted to get to “know the brand” and what makes in unique and sometimes that means casting a wide net, similar to the way I handled ENGL (which started as one amp and now I’ve had 9 of them!).
Brunetti has been making amps officially since 1993, starting with the Mille! preamp. This led to a full-size head version which is probably the best-known Brunetti amp on my side of the pond, the XL “Extra Lead.” The XL was a 3-channel high gain amp available in 2-power tube and 4-power tube configurations for 60w or 120w respectively. This design had a separate EQ for the clean channel, but the “boost” and “xl” channels shared an EQ, though they retained separate gain and volume controls, along with a few voicing switches.
Next in this lineage is the amp I have recently acquired, the XL R-EVO II.
This amp differs from the original XL, with separate EQ’s for all 3 channels, although lacking the front panel switches. Like its predecessor, it also has a unique physical feature; the 1U rack mount slot. I always thought this was a really cool idea, and the head box itself is not much taller than your standard Marshall style shell. It isn’t particularly deep, but my beloved Yamaha SPX90 fits perfectly.
So how does it sound? Pretty good! Cleans are quite scooped, bright and sparkly, but most importantly highly customizable with a lot of range in the EQ. I also love a clean channel with a gain control, so you can get a little bit of hair on it if you prefer a pushed clean tone. It’s very elastic feeling to play, and I have to say this is one of the best clean channels I’ve heard on a high gainer - it almost feels like there is a compressor on all the time and makes spanky rhythms and clean fills a lot of fun to play. The XLead channel really rips - super high gain, and super saturated tone. I don’t have a schematic but it really feels like it’s in between that SLO-5150/6505 territory, and it stays surprisingly together even with the gain near max. The Depth control of the power amp enhances this a lot, and interestingly the depth control all the way maxed (in the “extra” area) doesn’t flub out or overwhelm you, and adds a lot of low-mid punch. That’s not to say the bass is rolled off though, it’s full sounding and depending on your pick attack and/or speakers, it can get a bit squishy. I like this feel when playing, and it makes lead lines stand out really well, but it’s not going to do that ultra-tight Mesa Mark type sound (and I wouldn’t expect it to anyway). My sources tell me that the Mille! and original XL circuit is heavily SLO inspired, so that makes sense, and comparing this amp side by side with my Soldano Avenger I can hear some similarities, but the Brunetti is a bit more polished and polite at neutral EQ settings. I’d love to know the exact differences between the XL and this XL REVO under the hood.
Now the one issue - I bought this amp As-Is, with a non-working Boost channel. I was able to work out a very good deal and it was worth the risk… this won’t be the first amp to come through my hands that I needed to repair. Luckily, it seems like it’ll be an easy fix, as the entire amp sounds fantastic except the boost channel which has a loud buzzing sound (probably open ground from a cracked solder joint). I’ll take a look with my tech team and fix it right up.
Don’t worry, I didn’t let them actually touch the inside of the amp. Safety first!
Great amp to have in the collection, and now I really want to get an original XL, or one of the other cool older Brunetti amps like the 059 or Mille!.
It’s also worth mentioning that Brunetti is still in business and currently producing amps, cabinets, and effects pedals. In fact, there is a current production Mille being offered this year, as well as a flagship boutique head called the “Mercury.” Definitely worth checking out.