Another 5153 50w vs 100w thread

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maddnotez

maddnotez

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Ive heard the clips on here, you tube and sneap forum.

I have heard clips where they sound identical and clips where the 50w is brighter/more present.

Most posts on anywhere I can find favors the 50w.

Anyone else compare these side by side?

Thoughts?
 
I own both and the 50 is most definitely brighter than the 100 at the same settings.

Both amps have their merits. I find the 50 sounds better with vintage 30s than the 100, but both amps kill through the matching evh 412.

I also find the 50s miked tones naturally fit into my mixes better with less post work...this is all high gain metal.

For mid gain stuff I prefer the blue channel on the 100...its a bit cleaner than the 50s blue channel which has more gain on tap.

The 100 has a bit more to it in the low mids but imo the 50 has more "low" lows with the resonance cranked but its still plenty tight for modern metal. If only the red channel is your bread and butter, I say the 50 will satisfy. If mid gain tones and true 3 channel flexibility is what you want/need, go for the 100. I love them both!
 
Nice clips, I heard those earlier. I do prefer the 50w clips. On your soundcloud. Just seems better to me. No blanket on the amp if you will.

With the price points I would have to go with the 50w. Been considering this alot lately.

I love my amp but I am a Rig Talker after all.

All high gain for me, do not need 3 channels, would favor more brutal. I would use the clean channel perhaps from time to time but looking for high gain brutality mostly.
 
I liked the blue channel boosted more for metal than the res when I had the 50w.
 
I have both and have flipped my opinion on this. They are both great amps but I prefer the 100 watt ( last month I preferred the 50!). Im playing in an 80's hair metal/hard rock cover band and the blue channel on the 100 watt (which has less gain than the 50 watt) just works for me. I still boost with a Maxon OD 9 ( 0 gain/ volume at noon) for versatility and actually rarely use the red channel anymore for leads.

It depends on what you are playing too. If I was doing metal the 50 watt would probably be my choice. I need a clean for my cover project so the 100 watt wins. I do bring both heads to every gig...the compact size of the 50 makes it a perfect back up amp.
 
If you want the brutality then yeah I think the 50 watt is a proper choice. As the dude above posted, the blue channel boosted on the 50 gets pretty mean too. IMO the more subdued blue channel on the 100 watt doesnt have the same aggression as the 50.
 
stompboxfreak72":3uf90gjd said:
I have both and have flipped my opinion on this. They are both great amps but I prefer the 100 watt ( last month I preferred the 50!). Im playing in an 80's hair metal/hard rock cover band and the blue channel on the 100 watt (which has less gain than the 50 watt) just works for me. I still boost with a Maxon OD 9 ( 0 gain/ volume at noon) for versatility and actually rarely use the red channel anymore for leads.

It depends on what you are playing too. If I was doing metal the 50 watt would probably be my choice. I need a clean for my cover project so the 100 watt wins. I do bring both heads to every gig...the compact size of the 50 makes it a perfect back up amp.
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I could totally see this. The 100 watt is just different enough in the voicings and gain structures that one doesnt necessarily work better than the other in all applications... and I think the blue channel differences play a major role in which one I flip on to play certain styles.
 
I own the 100 and have played the 50. I would buy the 100 again if I had to make the decision again. For context, I play hard rock. I love the way this amp sits in a mix. I have not had a single issue with being heard in the band since I bought it. Even at lesser volumes. It just screams through the mix of bass and drums. I like the fact that I have the ability to dial in the blue channel exactly where I want it without having to sacrifice the tone of any other channel. I run my amp through a Recto 412 cab, and think it works just fine with V30s. TX6String has been to some of my bands shows, so maybe he will comment on how it sounded out front- but I have had nothing buy compliments on my tone. I wish the 100 had built in MIDI, but the Amp Gizmo took care of that issue. The 50 to me just seems like a compromise. I run all three channel on my amp- so the ability to dial each one in as needed is definitely a plus.
 
Guess I just need to try both.

I sold my 6505+ a while back for my pitbull, but im digging the tones im hearing from the evh 5153
 
I own both, 100w has been my main amp since 2007 until I began playing a smaller weekly gig about a year ago in which I started using the 50w.

If had to sell one it would be the 50w. Just like the tone more of the 100w. However, it's from very early in 100w production and I don't think the later models sound as good. Could be the tubes. (not trying to start internet folklore). Also, the 100w sounds GREAT at low volumes so the 50w isn't needed for that reason.

Channel 2 is where the amp shines (both versions), ESPECIALLY in a band setting. I rarely use channel 3 now on either version. If you need more gain out of channel 2, increase the level of your boost or add another boost all together. Channel 2 is less saturated, more organic, and is tighter than channel 3. Increasing gain by boosting sounds better than increasing the amp's gain IMO.

The best sound with these amps IMO comes with the 100w, channel 2, through a Mesa 4x12 w/ V30's. Yes, I like it more than the EVH 4x12.

The ONLY reason I've been using the 50w over the 100w recently is due to the smaller size and I really like the tilt back system of the 2x12 with the head on top. Great for monitoring on stage. I use it as a side fill and never have to put myself in the monitor anymore.

For me, the resonance knob on the 50w has been useless. I set it to noon and haven't touched it since.

BTW, I've NEVER had ANY problems with EVH amps in the past 6 years of using them (besides one preamp tube that went bad in the 100w from bad outdoor power and a bad 100w footswitch cable).
 
so what is the difference in tube brand when comparing the earlier 100w models vs the newer ones?
 
K-mark5":3bzda1my said:
so what is the difference in tube brand when comparing the earlier 100w models vs the newer ones?
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Early 100watters (around the first 1000) had a mix of EHX and Sovtek preamp tubes. Power tubes were all Sovtek. JJ's were used throughout the amp after that.
 
Has anything changed on the 50w since production was moved to Mexico?
 
Spaceboy":2litldl6 said:
Has anything changed on the 50w since production was moved to Mexico?
Click to expand...
No, per Howard Kaplan. Except for how the front control plate is attached. Nothing mechanically.
 
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