EVH 5150 Stealth vs Soldano SLO

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.
 
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.
🤟 Agree 100%
 
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.
Agreed, pretty different sounding and feeling amps. As always, the bottom line is - have both.

thanks guys - I actually have an SLO (that I love)...i have been thinking about getting something a little closer to modded marshall sounding.

I know to some the SLO is sort of modded M-style but for me its best at getting a fatter, warmer tone than that.

the Stealth has me intrigued because, even though it is still 6L6 based, it seems a little more Marshall like in its eq and a bit tigther around the note, while the SLO has a little halo/bloom to the notes at least the way I have it dialed in.

i don’t know if my word choice makes any sense in what I am trying to explain! Lol
 
Ceriatone offers options closer to modded Marshall moreso than a stealth. I find the stealth a wash of unusable gain that sounds thin, lifeless, and uninspiring regardless of volume level. The mids of a stealth when jacked don’t open the amp up like a Marshall. Honestly I think it’s a horrible comparison to associate a Marshall with a stealth, the stealth is closer to a line 6 than a Marshall.
 
Ceriatone offers options closer to modded Marshall moreso than a stealth. I find the stealth a wash of unusable gain that sounds thin, lifeless, and uninspiring regardless of volume level. The mids of a stealth when jacked don’t open the amp up like a Marshall. Honestly I think it’s a horrible comparison to associate a Marshall with a stealth, the stealth is closer to a line 6 than a Marshall.

wow, that sounds pretty bad for the Stealth / it’s really that generic, sterile, etc?
 
Couldn’t sell my SLO fast enough... for modern metal or heavy riffing/tracking, it got stomped by every other amp I own. Absolutely no low end, bloated, slow, the saturation on it was just all wrong...

On that note, I absolutely love the amp for what it is: great lead tones, great clean and in between etc... but I didn’t 4000 dollars love it. I’ll be happy show clips of it compared to my others amps as well.
 
Couldn’t sell my SLO fast enough... for modern metal or heavy riffing/tracking, it got stomped by every other amp I own. Absolutely no low end, bloated, slow, the saturation on it was just all wrong...

On that note, I absolutely love the amp for what it is: great lead tones, great clean and in between etc... but I didn’t 4000 dollars love it. I’ll be happy show clips of it compared to my others amps as well.
Bloated is a good description of it. The SLO is a very front forward voiced amp that cuts in a band - sometimes too much. Sounds to me like yours may have been due for a retube? They don’t have a massive low end - they are voiced high mids and HIFI
 
Bloated is a good description of it. The SLO is a very front forward voiced amp that cuts in a band - sometimes too much. Sounds to me like yours may have been due for a retube? They don’t have a massive low end - they are voiced high mids and HIFI

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.
 
Couldn’t sell my SLO fast enough... for modern metal or heavy riffing/tracking, it got stomped by every other amp I own. Absolutely no low end, bloated, slow, the saturation on it was just all wrong...

On that note, I absolutely love the amp for what it is: great lead tones, great clean and in between etc... but I didn’t 4000 dollars love it. I’ll be happy show clips of it compared to my others amps as well.

Please post clips !
 
Please post clips !
Slo with 808, Mesa cab, unidyne 57.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/G4bZnpkPkzbbnCjKA
SLO with fortin grind, Mesa cab:

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/G4bZnpkPkzbbnCjKA
Compared to...

morin modded Marshall

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/9A75x1oVmdiqKAUY7

5153, vintage unidyne 57

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/X3c7xnBGJSa2kCGF6

Diezel herbert, Marshall 1960BV, unidyne 57

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/HUm8WBDzJsfpXv3g9
Heavy insane morin modded Marshall clip: Marshall 1960BV, unidyne 57.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/phG73BtnzWnsqgsd6
 
I’ve got a 50 watt 5153 that I almost never play anymore. It sounds pretty washy, not the most hi-fi amp in the world, but it has more gain than anyone ever needs. Channel 2, the blue channel is the best channel on the amp.

I also use the Synergy system and the SLO is my favourite preamp. Its got plenty of gain, but to push it over the top, I use an EHX Soul Food. I find it great for everything I play and has nice crunch on low gain. But the SLO just sounds like thunder. Its big and brash and loud and responds well to playing dynamics.

I don’t find that either the 5150 or SLO feel or sound similar. If I wanted 5150 meets marshall, I’d get a Splawn Nitro.
 
Slo with 808, Mesa cab, unidyne 57.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/G4bZnpkPkzbbnCjKA
SLO with fortin grind, Mesa cab:

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/G4bZnpkPkzbbnCjKA
Compared to...

morin modded Marshall

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/9A75x1oVmdiqKAUY7

5153, vintage unidyne 57

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/X3c7xnBGJSa2kCGF6

Diezel herbert, Marshall 1960BV, unidyne 57

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/HUm8WBDzJsfpXv3g9
Heavy insane morin modded Marshall clip: Marshall 1960BV, unidyne 57.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/phG73BtnzWnsqgsd6

Thanks for posting those, that was interesting ! Here's what I hear :

SLO : too compressed for my taste, probably due to settings used, much lower volume than the other clips. My own SLO doesn't sound like that.

Morin Marshall : too dry/tight for my taste.

5153 : too grainy. Great for Carcass/Heartwork style

Diezel Herbert : comical low-end

Second Morin : better than the first. Best sounding of the lot !
 
Thanks for posting those, that was interesting ! Here's what I hear :

SLO : too compressed for my taste, probably due to settings used, much lower volume than the other clips. My own SLO doesn't sound like that.

Morin Marshall : too dry/tight for my taste.

5153 : too grainy. Great for Carcass/Heartwork style

Diezel Herbert : comical low-end

Second Morin : better than the first. Best sounding of the lot !

Your SLO DOES sound like that through certain cabs etc. gain was at 5 or so for the unboosted clip, boosted was at 3 or so. It’s just a bloat fest :)

the Herbert was part of a test I did where I was testing out low end response on cabs, and the Marshall won by ALOT To me compared to the Mesa OS cab: it wasn’t meant to be a real tone used, but either way, to me it sounds great, some low end removed and it would be perfect.

You have a strange definition of dry: the morin is one of the most saturated amps I own!

but, you are obviously an 80s hair/rock guy judging by your opinion of the clips and what you liked the best: nothing wrong with that at all, I’m just sayin, we have different needs and tastes :) the SLO is just overpriced for what it is, I love it, but it’s severely lacking in the aggression compartment to my other amps, and my other amps can arguably do what it does, albeit nothing sounds like the SLO don’t get me wrong ( as far as it’s signature voicing), it’s a lot of money for just that. IMHO
 
I agree the thing is damn expensive, especially in Europe where it's outrageous. But it's the tone I like the most from everything I tried over the years so I shelled out the cash anyway... But it was 15/20 years ago so it was less than today. BTW I'm more a 90s guy (grunge/detah-metal etc) than 80s TBH.
 
If the SLO can’t do modern metal, what can? Didn’t Alex skolnic use them on many albums? If he used it on first strike still deadly, that album rips. The tone for the riffage is insane.

that may not be modern metal but it’s good enough for me to own one
 
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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