5150 Cabs - Worth Speaker Upgrade?

[Atomic Amps]

Is a 5150 cab well made? I got one for free in a deal and was considering upgrading the speakers. It currently has the Sheffields. I'm not going to bother if the construction is poor. Thoughts? Thanks.

-TK

 

[glpg80]

Ran two 5150 cabinets for years in 3 bands. I eventually sold them for two splawn cabinets.

5150 cabinets have 9 ply baltic birch baffles/cabinet with an MDF backboard. For the price and build quality it's years above any marshall cabinet I have ever played and on par with avatar/mesa cabinets once the speakers are changed. I can say this with certainty since I have also played every cabinet mentioned in this post at band volumes with a variety of speakers.

I recommend giving it a go. You won't be disappointed.

 

[bubbastain]

Cabs are solid. Do you not like the stock Sheffields?

 

[Atomic Amps]

Ran two 5150 cabinets for years in 3 bands. I eventually sold them for two splawn cabinets.

5150 cabinets have 9 ply baltic birch baffles/cabinet with an MDF backboard. For the price and build quality it's years above any marshall cabinet I have ever played and on par with avatar/mesa cabinets once the speakers are changed. I can say this with certainty since I have also played every cabinet mentioned in this post at band volumes with a variety of speakers.

I recommend giving it a go. You won't be disappointed.

Great news. Thanks!

 

[Atomic Amps]

Do you not like the stock Sheffields?

Truth be told I haven't even had a chance to play them yet. I hear a lot of people saying that they're not very good. Most people seem to favor V30s. I will definitely give them a run before swapping them out, though. You never know!

 

[ActiveCape]

The Sheffields are not bad, they're just flat sounding (EQ)
I guess most amps will benefit from a more "coloring" speaker

 

[maddnotez]

I would say any cab with sheffields would benefit from an upgrade.

The cab itself I hear makes a huge difference but so do the speakers.

I actually did exactly what you are considering. Got a free Peavey MS412 and it had Sheffields. I thought they sounded really bad so I switched to V30 X 75 and it was a huge improvement.

 

[siggy14]

Remember Eddie was trying to get those speakers close to his old cab so withat being said, the sheffields in the 5150 cabs are more of a high powered green back sounding speaker, if you are using it for a more modern metal then yes change them to V30's, if you like more of a classic metal, hair metal or rock tone then I would leave them in.

 

[bubbastain]

Do you not like the stock Sheffields?

Truth be told I haven't even had a chance to play them yet.

Ah ha! Very common to think that if something is stock that it "needs" to be "upgraded". Sold an old guitar earlier this week and the guy was trying to not pay my asking price saying that he'll "have to swap out the pickup". I told him that the stock pickup sounded pretty damn good to me and that if he swapped it out it would be because he wanted to or thinks he has to and my price was firm.

Do you not like the stock Sheffields?

I hear a lot of people saying that they're not very good. . I will definitely give them a run before swapping them out, though. You never know!

That's right. A good chunk of people bashing gear have probably never even tried it themselves.

Here is a quickie clip I recorded with the 5150 speaker.

 

[Atomic Amps]

Do you not like the stock Sheffields?

Truth be told I haven't even had a chance to play them yet.

Ah ha! Very common to think that if something is stock that it "needs" to be "upgraded". Sold an old guitar earlier this week and the guy was trying to not pay my asking price saying that he'll "have to swap out the pickup". I told him that the stock pickup sounded pretty damn good to me and that if he swapped it out it would be because he wanted to or thinks he has to and my price was firm.

Do you not like the stock Sheffields?

I hear a lot of people saying that they're not very good. . I will definitely give them a run before swapping them out, though. You never know!

That's right. A good chunk of people bashing gear have probably never even tried it themselves.

Here is a quickie clip I recorded with the 5150 speaker.

Nice clip. You're making them sound really good!

 

[bubbastain]

Do you not like the stock Sheffields?

Truth be told I haven't even had a chance to play them yet.

Ah ha! Very common to think that if something is stock that it "needs" to be "upgraded". Sold an old guitar earlier this week and the guy was trying to not pay my asking price saying that he'll "have to swap out the pickup". I told him that the stock pickup sounded pretty damn good to me and that if he swapped it out it would be because he wanted to or thinks he has to and my price was firm.

Do you not like the stock Sheffields?

I hear a lot of people saying that they're not very good. . I will definitely give them a run before swapping them out, though. You never know!

That's right. A good chunk of people bashing gear have probably never even tried it themselves.

Here is a quickie clip I recorded with the 5150 speaker.

Nice clip. You're making them sound really good!

Thanks. I forgot to mention that Yes, I like them a lot. Try them. You might like them. Or not. But at least you'll know from actual experience.

 

[glpg80]

Remember Eddie was trying to get those speakers close to his old cab so withat being said, the sheffields in the 5150 cabs are more of a high powered green back sounding speaker, if you are using it for a more modern metal then yes change them to V30's, if you like more of a classic metal, hair metal or rock tone then I would leave them in.

^This.

I will say however high powered greenback is an understatement. I had my 5150 on 10 and dumped the bar on my wolfgang in my buddies basement. It literally shook pictures off of the basement foundation wall. Speakers laughed and begged for more.

They are solid and very neutral. If the amplifier sounds like shit through a 5150 sheffield it is because it was tuned to another speaker. I find sheffields to be a true representation of how an amplifier sounds.

0.02

 

[JSutter]

As stated the cabs are well built. The speakers are a matter of preference. Try them out before you decide on swapping them.

For me, all the Sheffields have some high end fizz that I just don't like. I've owned 1200, 1230, 1290, XXX, JSX, and even Blue Marvel speakers. They all bring something different to the party. I still have a few kicking around for time when I want to change it up.

FWIW:

 

[Valtyr]

I have a Peavey 5150 2x12 combo and 4x12 cab with the stock Sheffield speakers. I run a Mesa Mark III or Marshall JVM1H through the 4x12. I'm happy with the sound and haven't considered changing them out.

 

[RJF]

Remember Eddie was trying to get those speakers close to his old cab so withat being said, the sheffields in the 5150 cabs are more of a high powered green back sounding speaker, if you are using it for a more modern metal then yes change them to V30's, if you like more of a classic metal, hair metal or rock tone then I would leave them in.

Normally I'd totally agree, but there are exceptions.

Take the Framus Cobra and it's matching cab that has greenbacks. One of the heaviest metal tones I've ever heard comes out of that halfstack.

 

[CP5150]

Remember Eddie was trying to get those speakers close to his old cab so withat being said, the sheffields in the 5150 cabs are more of a high powered green back sounding speaker, if you are using it for a more modern metal then yes change them to V30's, if you like more of a classic metal, hair metal or rock tone then I would leave them in.

Totally underrated speakers and cab. When my pants leg started moving and I felt the concrete basement floor rumble I was hooked on the PV 5150 head and cab.

I recently re read Hartley Peavy's comments about the cabinet design. He said Ed brought his favorite cab to him. It looked like it would fall over if he pushed the side. But they copied it tone wise to please Ed. The speakers are also designed to sound like broken in speakers even when brand new. I was worried that would kill the life of them. Not so. I've got two cabs. One went around the country several times and bounced around Europe. The other I bought used an abused it with loud volumes and excessive bass for years. Ask a sound man. They'll tell ya. Other than the tolex taking a beating they are still are rock solid and sound like brand new. And no road cases were used. Boxed up for the plane ride to Europe and bounced around in a trailer across the country.

Obviously not the speaker for everyone. I like them!