5150 amp debate

[TheGreatGreen]

Had the 50 watters
Own the original 5153 ivory 100 watt
Have the 6l6 stealth and the El34 stealth
Was using them together in a rig.
In my humble opinion when we a/b them in the studio the 100s sounded better not to mention bigger in the room.

Not that the 50s aren’t good they are killer and for the money I think a no brainer. Dollar for dollar I don’t know anything that goes against the 50 watters.

I prefer the 100s for low end response
The way they move a boogie cabinet is second to nothing, and they are rock solid.
I attached a shitty photo of the rig.

I found what was mentioned before to be correct the 34 sat in the midrange and low end nicely. It was mix ready quicker.

the original 5153 ivory 100 watt is a dryer sound, blue channel I can never get going
Red is where it’s at. Gojira in a box if that’s your thing.

hope that helps

Fantastic rig, wow.

Something I've always wondered about these two amps... obviously the power sections shape the frequency response of each amp differently overall but... how different are the preamps? If you plugged both amps into a separate tube poweramp, would the preamps sound different?

 

[JR-OZ]

Fantastic rig, wow.

Something I've always wondered about these two amps... obviously the power sections shape the frequency response of each amp differently overall but... how different are the preamps? If you plugged both amps into a separate tube poweramp, would the preamps sound different?

Thats a great question man i never tried that. I can tell you this having both of them side by side and using them the 34 has so much more output its not funny. Don't know why and it's not just midrange lol. I think the plate voltage and design def have something to do with it. Apparently there are differences within the preamp design that Eddie wanted for with the 34's what they are i dont know. When i get settled in my new spot i will give it a try with a vanilla Matrix power amp to really see.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

Thats a great question man i never tried that. I can tell you this having both of them side by side and using them the 34 has so much more output its not funny. Don't know why and it's not just midrange lol. I think the plate voltage and design def have something to do with it. Apparently there are differences within the preamp design that Eddie wanted for with the 34's what they are i dont know. When i get settled in my new spot i will give it a try with a vanilla Matrix power amp to really see.

Good info! And thanks, that's cool of you. Looking forward to your opinion about those preamps!

 

[VESmedic]

I’m telling you once again... the el34 100 is the winner... if you mic’d them all up , I doubt anyone would disagree. It’s just devastating. It’s low end hits so much lower, better non bloated mids... it’s insane... it doesn’t get much talk I think because it’s so much more expensive, but man it’s worth it... give it a shot... I’ll buy it if you don’t like it, only sold mine because I got a great deal on something else that isn’t readily available like the EVH is, I always consider that when buying gear. I miss it everyday, even with 9 other amps, it’s a clear winner to me and will be bought back immediately.

 

[PBGas]

I've had one of the very early 50watt heads from Vietnam. Unfortunately that one bit the dust and had to be returned.
I did have a 2x12 combo at one point which was great sounding as well as the 100W EL-34 when it came out and the 50W Stealth last year.

I really like the 100W version as it sounded a bit more full when playing louder for obvious reasons. However, the little 50W stealth was a great amp as well. I know that if you want a 50W Stealth and are going to order one, they won't be available until Feb 2022 at the earliest. Yikes!

I only wish I was able to get the 100W Stealth but at that time, there was none around.

 

[fek]

I know that if you want a 50W Stealth and are going to order one, they won't be available until Feb 2022 at the earliest. Yikes!

Really? I have not heard anything about that but i haven't been looking either.

I bought one a few months ago and it took a while to grow on me. Almost returned it but I have warmed up to it a good bit. It was just so different from my main JCM800 that my ears took some time to adjust. Keeping it around for a while.

 

[mrmega]

After reading what you guys said about the EVH 100 watt EL34, does anyone know how it compares to the Marshall JVM410H? After reading the description of the 100 Watt EL34, it reminded me of the JVM so that's why I am asking. I have a JVM in my arsenal so I'm curious.

 

[Geo]

I really think the magic of the EVH amps is the 6L6's. That was the first version of the amp and the correct one.

The EL34 amps came after and steered them more in a Marshally direction. If you want a Marshall buy a Marshall.

The 50 watt EVH with the 6L6's is more of a supercharged Soldano kind of sound.

 

[VESmedic]

I really think the magic of the EVH amps is the 6L6's. That was the first version of the amp and the correct one.

The EL34 amps came after and steered them more in a Marshally direction. If you want a Marshall buy a Marshall.

The 50 watt EVH with the 6L6's is more of a supercharged Soldano kind of sound.

It has nothing to do with it being more marshally or not , it’s just simply a much better sounding amp to Me. I’m telling you ,’micing them all up in a decent studio and listening through a great monitoring system , I doubt anyone would pick anything over the EL34 100 . It’s just the best of the line simply to me, it was laughable micing up the OG EVH 5153 comparatively, and this was listening to one of the best monitoring systems you could imagine . It was a significant difference in the midrange clarity and a massive difference in the low end.

 

[Big Al]

After reading what you guys said about the EVH 100 watt EL34, does anyone know how it compares to the Marshall JVM410H? After reading the description of the 100 Watt EL34, it reminded me of the JVM so that's why I am asking. I have a JVM in my arsenal so I'm curious.

I had the JVM and really liked it but the EVH EL34 Stealth has more low end thump that I could never get out of the JVM. I tried many of the DIY mods but could never get it to my taste.

 

[Zachalou]

Owned all the 5150s, ended up keeping the invective which in my opinion smokes them all

 

[crankyrayhanky]

It has nothing to do with it being more marshally or not , it’s just simply a much better sounding amp to Me. I’m telling you ,’micing them all up in a decent studio and listening through a great monitoring system , I doubt anyone would pick anything over the EL34 100 . It’s just the best of the line simply to me, it was laughable micing up the OG EVH 5153 comparatively, and this was listening to one of the best monitoring systems you could imagine . It was a significant difference in the midrange clarity and a massive difference in the low end.

Unless you were changing the amp so top of the same cab/mic (which it doesn’t appear so) you were likely preferring other variables in the rig chain. Including Mic placement

 

[Geo]

Unless you were changing the amp so top of the same cab/mic (which it doesn’t appear so) you were likely preferring other variables in the rig chain. Including Mic placement

Was thinking the same, also so many different speakers would give you a completely different sound.

I particularly like the EVH 50 through my old 13 ply birch 4x12 loaded with 80's CL80's.

 

[VESmedic]

Unless you were changing the amp so top of the same cab/mic (which it doesn’t appear so) you were likely preferring other variables in the rig chain. Including Mic placement

Huh? Of course the exact same signal chain was used...no cab or mic placement changes ( Dynamount robotic mic system as well) no mic pre changes etc... come on man .

 

[VESmedic]

Was thinking the same, also so many different speakers would give you a completely different sound.

I particularly like the EVH 50 through my old 13 ply birch 4x12 loaded with 80's CL80's.

Once again, this wasn’t the case...

 

[Geo]

Once again, this wasn’t the case...

Maybe you want tell tell the people which speaker it sounded really good with.

 

[VESmedic]

Maybe you want tell tell the people which speaker it sounded really good with.

I think you’re kind of missing my point here, the amp sounds great with quite a few cabs, but the overall consensus was regardless of the cab being used, the differences in tone I referred to were constant. But if you are interested, this was mostly a 1960BV cab and a Mesa traditional.

 

[Spaceboy]

I preferred the 50w when I had both original versions side by side. I've never owned a Stealth or the updated versions with concentric pots. Just the base OG 50w and 100w. The biggest different was the blue channel, which is where I think the 5150 III shines. The 50 was juicier, a little more gain and better feel under the fingers.

 

[Geo]

I preferred the 50w when I had both original versions side by side. I've never owned a Stealth or the updated versions with concentric pots. Just the base OG 50w and 100w. The biggest different was the blue channel, which is where I think the 5150 III shines. The 50 was juicier, a little more gain and better feel under the fingers.

The Blue channel is where the gold is.

 

[fearhk213]

It has nothing to do with it being more marshally or not , it’s just simply a much better sounding amp to Me. I’m telling you ,’micing them all up in a decent studio and listening through a great monitoring system , I doubt anyone would pick anything over the EL34 100 . It’s just the best of the line simply to me, it was laughable micing up the OG EVH 5153 comparatively, and this was listening to one of the best monitoring systems you could imagine . It was a significant difference in the midrange clarity and a massive difference in the low end.

Was this comparing the red, blue, or both both? I’ve always heard mixed things about the EL34 blue channel being to bloated and loose, but I’ve never played one. Were you able to compare a 6L6 100 Stealth also?