Let's Talk 5050 III 50 Watt Amps

[SFW]

So I'm looking at the 5153 50 and the 50 Stealth. Is there a huge difference in the gain available on the Blue channel between these amps. I know between the 100 watters it was a big difference. I already have the EL34 tones covered with my Splawn. I mainly want to use the Blue channel for my main rhythm tone. (Something I though the original 100 watter did not have enough gain/ compression for.) I also see that on the Stealth version that there is an external bias adjustment. Why they didn't revise the regular 50 is beyond me. Anyway... I would love to hear you r thoughts. Thanks!

 

[napalmdeath]

More gain on the Stealth Blue channel, and the voicing is a little more aggressive. Red channels are much the same, though the Stealth has a bit more low mids and a touch warmer. I did enjoy the Stealth more, for sure. But, both amps have a ridiculous amount of gain on the red channels, which is why they don't stick around long for me. I've tried to like them 4 times.

However, the Stealth blue channel certainly delivers the goods.

 

[SFW]

I used to run my original 100 watter at noon to 1:00 on the gain knob on the red channel. I cranked the blue channel all the way up and still wanted more. I actually think it is a lack of compression on the blue channel that I didn't care for.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

So I'm looking at the 5153 50 and the 50 Stealth. Is there a huge difference in the gain available on the Blue channel between these amps. I know between the 100 watters it was a big difference. I already have the EL34 tones covered with my Splawn. I mainly want to use the Blue channel for my main rhythm tone. (Something I though the original 100 watter did not have enough gain/ compression for.) I also see that on the Stealth version that there is an external bias adjustment. Why they didn't revise the regular 50 is beyond me. Anyway... I would love to hear you r thoughts. Thanks!

I own the 50w 6L6 (concentric pots) and I've had two 50w Stealth amps in my studio at the same time as the 50w 6L6's, and I directly compared them all pretty extensively.

There is minimal difference between them. Seriously, the biggest difference I found was the color. When I was A/Bing them back and fourth through a head switcher into both 4x12 cabs and Reactive Load + IR's through monitors, I found the Stealth 50w's Blue channel was a tiiiiiiny bit more compressed with the Gain on like 1 out of 10. Like if the 50w 6L6 had a built-in compressor with the ratio knob set to 1 out of 10, the Stealth would have that same compressor ratio knob set at like 1.5 out of 10. Again, this was only with the Gain knob set very, very low. At "regular" gain settings I couldn't really tell a difference. Also, same Green channel, same Red channel.

Both amps have identical amounts of gain on all channels.

If at any point you would blind test ask me which amp was which, on any channel, I honestly don't think I could tell you.

 

[napalmdeath]

I own the 50w 6L6 (concentric pots) and I've had two 50w Stealth amps in my studio at the same time as the 50ws, and I directly compared them all pretty extensively.

There is minimal difference between them. Seriously, the biggest difference I found was the color. When I was A/Bing them back and fourth through a head switcher into both 4x12 cabs and IR's, I found the Stealth 50w's Blue channel was a tiiiiiiny bit more compressed with the Gain on like 1 out of 10. Like if the 50w 6L6 had a built-in compressor with the ratio knob set to 1 out of 10, the Stealth would have that same compressor ratio knob set at like 1.5 out of 10. Again, this was only with the Gain knob set very, very low. At "regular" gain settings I couldn't really tell a difference. Also, same Green channel, same Red channel.

Both amps have identical amounts of gain and on all channels.

If at any point you would blind test ask me which amp was which, on any channel, I honestly don't think I could tell you.

I've owned both, and disagree. The Stealth blue's gain at noon is like the regular 6L6's gain at 2 o'clock, and it's more aggressive. Identical, no. There's noticeable voicing differences. Are they drastic? No. Noticeable, yes. I've owned the regular 6L6 3 times, and as soon as I got the Stealth, I immediately noticed the change in the blue channel. I still boosted it, but it was angrier, and more aggressive than the somewhat bland blue channel on the regular model.

I'd be interested to know what's going in the power section of the new Stealths. They voiced them around the Shuguangs, but can't get them, currently.

 

[romanianreaper]

I have an EL34 50 combo stealth and a 6l6 50 watt head. I'm actually trying to sell my EL34 50 because I can't get it to not sound brutal. Lol. The blue channels are NOT the same gain-wise and not even close imo. I can crank gain to 10 on my 6l6 non stealth and on the EL34 50 stealth it starts getting brutal at noon

 

[TheGreatGreen]

I have an EL34 50 combo stealth and a 6l6 50 watt head. I'm actually trying to sell my EL34 50 because I can't get it to not sound brutal. Lol. The blue channels are NOT the same gain-wise and not even close imo. I can crank gain to 10 on my 6l6 non stealth and on the EL34 50 stealth it starts getting brutal at noon

The Blue channel on the 50w EL34 is different than the 50w 6L6 and 50w Stealth amps. The EL34 50w Blue has much less bass filtered from the preamp gain stages so it's going to get more gainy (and more mushy) than the other amps.