Fairly lightweight multi-channel valve amps?

[Orvillain]

For metal.

Is the only option really the EVH5153-50watter?? Brilliant amp, but I hated the volume jump between the green and blue modes (please!! No ranting about how it's not a problem, just accept that it is for some people!!)

Is there anything else? Something you could carry on the train to a gig??

Are the mini Mesa Boogie ones any good?

 

[Spaceboy]

Whatever happened to those DV Marsk amps everyone was talking about?

 

[Sierra Voodoo]

Maybe this is just a bit outside the norm but what about the Carvin V3M? I have no personal experience with one but many of the clips I've seen sound really good. The price point is very good as well.

 

[mniel8195]

carvin legacy III would be cool, mesa boogie mark v 25 or 35 depending on the volume or headroom.

 

[gtr31]

How much power

For Metal small heads the Ironball sounds awesome
Diezel is also working on 25 watter not sure ETA but sounds cool

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

Mini Mark man- absolutely. Pricey but worth it IMO

 

[dooredge]

KSR Ares. Baddest mini mofo on the planet. It's light, it's loud and has tons of tones.

 

[squank]

For metal.

Is the only option really the EVH5153-50watter?? Brilliant amp, but I hated the volume jump between the green and blue modes (please!! No ranting about how it's not a problem, just accept that it is for some people!!)

I've tried most of the amps mentioned so far in this thread, and none of them sound as good as the 5153 50w. I loved mine, but I know the volume jump is a pain in the ass. There are some fixes for it out there, if you wanted to look into that.

 

[8len8]

Whatever happened to those DV Marsk amps everyone was talking about?

They aren't good metal amps. They have way too many mids IMO.

 

[mixn4him]

The EVH5150III volume jump "easy" fix is just one resistor change out...its easy to get to and life is better now, cost me about 15mins and $0.40 ...

 

[Orvillain]

The EVH5150III volume jump "easy" fix is just one resistor change out...its easy to get to and life is better now, cost me about 15mins and $0.40 ...

I've heard of this fix before, but never seen it demonstrated. Any examples lurking? Which resistor is it?

 

[Spaceboy]

Whatever happened to those DV Marsk amps everyone was talking about?

They aren't good metal amps. They have way too many mids IMO.

I've never heard it in person but remember their Triple 6 mini-head getting some attention with modern metal dudes. But it seemed to be forgotten quickly, so maybe you're right.

 

[Speeddemon]

Maybe this is just a bit outside the norm but what about the Carvin V3M? I have no personal experience with one but many of the clips I've seen sound really good. The price point is very good as well.

I've owned the V3M. I still own the 50W EVH, an Engl Ironball and the Mesa Mark V:25.

Once I heard the Ironball, the V3M was sold in two weeks or so. The V3M has its strengths for sure, but depending on what metal tone you're aiming for, it may fall short.
Pros:
-Very nice clean channel (the Mark V:25's is better though!)
-Adjustable, footswitchable volume (solo) boost (Ironball has a fixed solo boost)
-Versatile, tone-wise, although the range of that versatility left me wanting more and I found it in the other amps.
-Master volume (only the Ironball has this, compared to the EVH and Mesa)
-Footswitchable reverb (also available on the Ironball)
-Pricepoint
-Size+weight vs. Features

Cons:
-Can get fizzy or wooly/sludgy fairly easily (even after I did the big re-tubing, all JJ, 5751's, re-biased etc.)
-Reverb is too ambient, bright & long
-powersoak isn't really doing much. Also the claimed 50W from 4x EL84 seems a tad high. People reported measuring 36-40W at most.

If you're looking to get a tight, yet full high gain tone (whether it's Iced Earth, Kreator, Accept, Hell), the V3M IMNSHO won't cut it.

I recently heard a clip of the Legacy 3 and that seemed to be much more promising (also it's 100W in the small head, 3 channels still).

Oh, and the Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier, IMO, didn't hold a candle high-gain wise to the Ironball. Had some similar issues as the V3M.
The Mesa Mark V:25 is much, much, MUCH better in that regard, and rivals the V3M feature wise.
If the Mini Mark had a 3rd channel, with just the Crunch mode and a footswitchable fx-loop, it would be 'the one to bind them all'.

 

[Orvillain]

What's the Ironball like??

 

[Speeddemon]

What's the Ironball like??

Like...

On a more elaborate note:
- 2 channels with individual gain control
- shared 3 band EQ + presence
- individual lead volume, to compensate when clean channel's gain is run high
- footswitchable gain boost that works on BOTH channels.
- on-board digital reverb (control on back of amp), footswitchable and sounds really good! Much better than the reverb of the V3M.

Soundwise: clean is nice, but not as Fendery as the Mark V:25 can get. Clean channel with gain high will get you in AC/DC, Bad Company territory gainwise.
A lot of Marshally tones to be had. High gain is super phat+tight, but slightly liquidy thick and saturated too. Less dry than the Mesa or a Fryette. Yet it's opener sounding than the V3M.

Gainboost on the clean channel adds a more vocal mid-range + some saturation. On the Lead channel the Gain boost adds low-end beef with nice saturation. When I want to go from hardrock to metal, I keep the Lead gain around 9-10 'o clock and kick in the Gain boost when I need more thump and snarl.


Also the Ironball is not really a bright amp; I can run the treble and presence quite high (both around 2 o' clock) on mine, using a 2x12. It's pretty much impossible to get it to sound muddy or sludgy; keeps things tight, even with low tunings. This tightness does not mean that it lacks bass by the way! I actually got a way bigger low-end from the Ironball than the V3M was capable of (unless you wanted ultra-mud of that).

Here are some vids that I find reasonably representative, as an Ironball user since Dec. '13.

Note his in-between tones especially:

 

[petejt]

Whatever happened to those DV Marsk amps everyone was talking about?

They aren't good metal amps. They have way too many mids IMO.

Since when is mids "too many" for metal?

 

[gkinsingapore]

Not sure of their availability in the US but they should be on everyones radar:

http://www.victoryamps.com

Been a game changer for me.......

 

[Orvillain]

I tried the Kraken out at Andertons. I didn't really dig it... can't do a decent clean, and I thought gain 1 was better for high-gain rhythms than gain 2.

 

[dooredge]

If you're able to go to The Guitar Show (New Bingley Hall, Birmingham), FEB 27th-28th you can check out KSR Amplification at the London Guitars booth.

See Facebook Post Here

 

[Speeddemon]

Whatever happened to those DV Marsk amps everyone was talking about?

They aren't good metal amps. They have way too many mids IMO.

Since when is mids "too many" for metal?

OMG, brings back some memories!

"Circle" and "Into the crypts of rays" were my favs back then.