EVH 5150 Stealth vs Soldano SLO

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BatmansRigTalk said:
The EVH sounds overdriven and if you go with the 6L6 version you will basically not have an EL34 toned amp. If you have Marshall or something with EL34 then EVH5150 with 6L6 is a solid choice of an alternative high gain amp. The EVH excels at low volume big distortion. The gain staging is extreme for CH2 and CH3. You don't need a tube screamer for CH3. CH2 can be boosted but is extremely high gain also. It is not really a pedal-taking amp. It has the FXLOOP for maybe lead delay pedals but it's not uncommon for the FX to be simply unused. The thing about the EVH is that so many people were scooping mids for metal tones that this amp is basically wanting to retain its mid-range at any cost. You will hear that midrange when you palm mute. That is the amp's signature sound. So mids on 0 is like mids at noon for many other high gain amps. Some people don't like that midrange but's that heavy Gojira tone heard on some of their albums. Very loud band playing live. Watching youtube videos on tone settings paying attention to the amps EQ homes in on some solid high gain tones but don't expect it to be like a Marshall at any point or even a Peavey 5150 for that matter. I don't know about the SLO but I think an EVH5150 50W is a very nice different high-gain amp that can do alternative and progressive types of metal.
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Hey man, I'm not trying to dog you, but I disagree with a lot of your statement here.

First, what do you mean the EVH sounds overdriven? Not really sure what that statement entails.

Second, The power tubes don't make the tone of an amp. It's a sum of all parts. The el34 watt 5150 still sounds like a 5150 and nothing like most other marshalls.

Third, the Evh stuff does low volumes well, absolutely, but that's not the reason they're popular. They retain their tone at all volume levels and are very easy to eq for whatever situation you're using them for. The eq is more responsive than it was on the old Peavey models.

The loop on the evh stuff is just fine. It's not terrible and it's not amazing, but serves it's purpose well. Eddie helped designed these amps for his personal use, he didn't have modern metal guys in mind. He used multiple pedals, including delay and phaser with the amp just fine. The blue channel also takes an overdrive extremely well, so to say this isn't a pedal taking amp makes no sense.

As far as the midrange thing, I actually find the Peavey had MORE of the cocked wah midrange thing going on than the evh does. The evh, while still being a fairly mid forward amp, definitely dials the extreme peavey upper mid wah sound back and the amp sounds more refined and balanced because of it. And the mids at 0 is like the mids at noon on any other high gain amp is just a weird over generalization and not true at all.

I know you're just trying to help the guy but I also wonder where some of your assessment comes from with these statements.
 
The guy who built my custom 26" scale Pacer (Eric Bauer) has the EL34 50 watt EVH and he's posted some clips that to me are very much in the modded Marshall vein (and they sound amazing)

Never played one myself but I know for sure the amp can get in that ballpark
 
Ben is also one of those players that can plug into a trashcan and make it sound good.
 
blue channel 50w 6l6 takes pedals like a champ and makes it come alive
 
Racerxrated said:
No. Not even close, IMO. The EVH will be super compressed, HUGE gain (if you want it) and have this pedal-like feel; not sure how to describe it. They are nice amps, just not my thing. I will say that I liked the regular 6L6 version better than the Stealth 100 I had; the clarity was better with the Stealth but the individual notes suffered a bit when doing leads. The SLO will be quieter, way more open/uncompressed and way better clarity; and the EVH Stealth has good clarity. But the SLO is on another level IMO; in the same league as a Wizard or C+. You will work harder with the SLO as it doesn't have that 'pedal' thing I mention in the feel..the EVH is much easier to play, or hide mistakes with. You will need a pedal in front of the SLO to get the modded Marshall thing; the EVH doesn't need one. The power sections are different in that the SLO has a monster lurking, great bloom at high volume. The EVH doesn't have that..gets super loud of course but doesn't have that bloom.
Both are different enough to justify having both in the arsenal.
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I own both and this description is pretty spot on
 
SLO is much more dynamic and has articulation/clarity that is beyond the EVH/5150 amps.
The EVH amps have much more gain and are more wild, less refined. Cool amps, but there is a reason they are $2000 apart.
 
VESmedic said:
Mine was brand new. It’s just the voicing of the amp, period. It’s just all wrong for modern metal. Again, for everything else yes sure it’s a great tone, but this guy is talking about comparing it to the stealth in a way, so I’m assuming modern metal. I’ve got tons of clips of it compared to all my other amps, it’s just weak and bloated sounding to my other amps for that style of music. Again, it’s a great tone for what it is, but I wouldn’t use it for any music that the stealth is presumably going to be used for.
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Brand new as in the new versions? They have much more bass than the originals. My new one is really messy sounding compared to the original.
 
Bad.Seed said:
Hey man, I'm not trying to dog you, but I disagree with a lot of your statement here.

First, what do you mean the EVH sounds overdriven? Not really sure what that statement entails.

Second, The power tubes don't make the tone of an amp. It's a sum of all parts. The el34 watt 5150 still sounds like a 5150 and nothing like most other marshalls.

Third, the Evh stuff does low volumes well, absolutely, but that's not the reason they're popular. They retain their tone at all volume levels and are very easy to eq for whatever situation you're using them for. The eq is more responsive than it was on the old Peavey models.

The loop on the evh stuff is just fine. It's not terrible and it's not amazing, but serves it's purpose well. Eddie helped designed these amps for his personal use, he didn't have modern metal guys in mind. He used multiple pedals, including delay and phaser with the amp just fine. The blue channel also takes an overdrive extremely well, so to say this isn't a pedal taking amp makes no sense.

As far as the midrange thing, I actually find the Peavey had MORE of the cocked wah midrange thing going on than the evh does. The evh, while still being a fairly mid forward amp, definitely dials the extreme peavey upper mid wah sound back and the amp sounds more refined and balanced because of it. And the mids at 0 is like the mids at noon on any other high gain amp is just a weird over generalization and not true at all.

I know you're just trying to help the guy but I also wonder where some of your assessment comes from with these statements.
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I'm still waiting for some to post an example of what this "cocked wah" thing sounds like. :geek:
 
Metalhex said:
I'm still waiting for some to post an example of what this "cocked wah" thing sounds like. :geek:
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Take a wah pedal and rock the pedal to make it sound as similar to the bypassed tone as possible. It has a distinct mid shift and shelving attitude to the original sound. At least that’s my interpretation.
 
L
Metalhex said:
I'm still waiting for some to post an example of what this "cocked wah" thing sounds like. :geek:
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Go listen to just about any Michael Schenker song. When he solos, he turns the wah on but leaves it somewhere in the middle of the sweep. Sounds very nasally, but it’s unmistakable once you hear it and know what it is.
 
glpg80 said:
Take a wah pedal and rock the pedal to make it sound as similar to the bypassed tone as possible. It has a distinct mid shift and shelving attitude to the original sound. At least that’s my interpretation.
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I'm lazy, so I was hoping somebody can point to a specific song, or section of a song...in a youtube video...that they have posted here. Lmao
 
VanMalmsteen said:
Brand new as in the new versions? They have much more bass than the originals. My new one is really messy sounding compared to the original.
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I mean, they do if you turn up the depth knob that of course didn’t come stock on the original ones? But same settings, no depth engaged, they sound exactly the same under a mic, to the T. The low end is just terrible on them period though, just wasn’t a fan.
 
Bad.Seed said:
Hey man, I'm not trying to dog you, but I disagree with a lot of your statement here.

First, what do you mean the EVH sounds overdriven? Not really sure what that statement entails.

Second, The power tubes don't make the tone of an amp. It's a sum of all parts. The el34 watt 5150 still sounds like a 5150 and nothing like most other marshalls.

Third, the Evh stuff does low volumes well, absolutely, but that's not the reason they're popular. They retain their tone at all volume levels and are very easy to eq for whatever situation you're using them for. The eq is more responsive than it was on the old Peavey models.

The loop on the evh stuff is just fine. It's not terrible and it's not amazing, but serves it's purpose well. Eddie helped designed these amps for his personal use, he didn't have modern metal guys in mind. He used multiple pedals, including delay and phaser with the amp just fine. The blue channel also takes an overdrive extremely well, so to say this isn't a pedal taking amp makes no sense.

As far as the midrange thing, I actually find the Peavey had MORE of the cocked wah midrange thing going on than the evh does. The evh, while still being a fairly mid forward amp, definitely dials the extreme peavey upper mid wah sound back and the amp sounds more refined and balanced because of it. And the mids at 0 is like the mids at noon on any other high gain amp is just a weird over generalization and not true at all.

I know you're just trying to help the guy but I also wonder where some of your assessment comes from with these statements.
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I don't mind your take on it. However I would say that maybe you did try to unfairly insinuate I was taking up some hard line positions or ruling anything out. My blue channel OD is a Maxon 808 for example.

I respect the EvH for how I use it even if the designer plays other genres with it. Sounds great for his style. However I think high gain overdriven front ending with Maxon on blue for boost and off for CH3 isn't such a bad idea. I never suggested this was a high volume needy amp for distortion. It distorts well at very low levels.

Your input has time for the green channel I presume and there the fx loop can work well with more complexity on your fx loop pedalboard.

This is what I do with mine. Notice the sound at the end from CH3 but watch it all. I subscribe to using the amp these ways. This isn't me I just learned a lot from this video. I agree with this. I use my head with a Two Notes IR load box.


 
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VESmedic said:
I mean, they do if you turn up the depth knob that of course didn’t come stock on the original ones? But same settings, no depth engaged, they sound exactly the same under a mic, to the T. The low end is just terrible on them period though, just wasn’t a fan.
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Interesting, I found the newer one to sound/feel more modern than the original. Not arguing your point, we all have different ears and approaches. The newer model is Not a bad thing, just not quite the same. Not better/worse, just...a little ‘less Soldano’. I found the newer ones a little more balanced, not as much midrange and a little more bass. It seems to mesh a bit better with v30s than the older one as well, not so much clamoring for that high mid peak.
 
@Bad.Seed good points! So here's the thing, ALL the EVH amps sound a little different. The term '6L6' assumes everyone is using the newer ones.
Owned em have zero interest in them or the EL34 versions. Way too much gain that cannot be dialed out

Had the 50 1st gen 50w and it is more compressed and less prominent in the live mix than the 100w 1st gen Blue ch tones. Good though. The 1st gen lunch box was killer too. I may get another one for band practice.
The 100 El34 get fizzy fast, the 6L6 stealth is a bit bland to my ears, still a monster.

HOWEVER, the 1st generation 5150 III 100w Blue ch with a boost is EVH tone. That's what I want. Sold my Slo 100 and 30 this past summer
Gigged and liked the 30 a lot with it and ultimately felt like it was too thin and as Ed says 'chucking razor blades at me'. He did not say that about the Slo exactly but he said that was what he did not want with his line of amps.



Best tone ever,...yes I know he is using an Atomic modeler on the road, but all early stuff which is the best guitar tones ever (to me) was recorded with a 1st gen 5150 III



My 100w 1st gen 6L6 arrives tomorrow if UPS does not poop the bed and I will be making a good vid with my thoughts.
Yes 80's genre, just as it was made for!!

My Slo30 live last July at a casino.



6L6 50w version with EVH 4x12 cab

 
glpg80 said:
I’ve never played a less inspiring amplifier.
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I've owned and played a lot of different amplifiers. I would have to disagree with you on this one. I think the blue channel boosted sounds excellent!
 
Lots of great amps out there since the design of the SLO. No doubt its an iconic amp from the 80's and it was used by some of the best guitarists in the business back then, and still today. In my experience, and I have only had my SLO for a short while, very articulate, and very loud. On stage its just barely above 1 and I'm swamping out the other guys. We do lots of newer rock, that is heavier, and the SLO does really well, a few adjustments with depth and gain and away you go.
 
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