Most High Gain Apartment-Friendly Amp: EVH or ???

[Junk Yard Dog]

Looking for a new super high gain amp for a friend, and it has to have a good to great master volume.

I was thinking the EVH 5153 50w, which I owned back in 2012, but he would also consider something like the Driftwood Purple Nightmare Mini. He boosts everything.

We looked at the Tremonti, but the master volume on that isn't great.

What suggestions do you guys have?

 

[misterspockyall]

Profiler or Load box I would think for an apartment. I personally cant stand them, but you won't be able to get much volume at all without bugging the neighbors on a traditional amp.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

Profiler or Load box I would think for an apartment. I personally cant stand them, but you won't be able to get much volume at all without bugging the neighbors on a traditional amp.

Yeah, we are actually getting away from a profiler. May look into a load box. What's a good load box?

We're also looking at a Kruse modded EVH 5153 with the variac to get down the wattage.

 

[Meeotch]

FYI I had a Kruse modded 5153 50w with the variac, and I got the best tones on the 50w setting and just turning down the volume. Honestly, I don't think you can do better than the 5153 50w for high gain/apartment friendly. You can literally get whisper volumes that sound really good (better than something like a Yamaha THR10X), TV volumes that sound killer, and above that it just gets better.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

FYI I had a Kruse modded 5153 50w with the variac, and I got the best tones on the 50w setting and just turning down the volume. Honestly, I don't think you can do better than the 5153 50w for high gain/apartment friendly. You can literally get whisper volumes that sound really good (better than something like a Yamaha THR10X), TV volumes that sound killer, and above that it just gets better.

Hmmm...So maybe forgo the variac? What didn't you like about the variac option?

I do like the idea of having all the other mods done just for options sake: http://www.krusekontrol.com/evh_iii_mod ... 0w_6l6_mod

Did you have any of the other mods?

But I agree, the master volumes on the 5153 50w's are really good.

 

[Meeotch]

Kruse does good work for sure. My opinion is that the variac just doesn't sound as good compared to using the volume knob. It was a subtle difference, but everything just sounded thicker at 50w. There was maybe a touch more power tube distortion when you set the variac to 3W and turned up the volume, but for me it didn't make enough difference to justify the extra cost of that mod.

I also wasn't thrilled with his Stealth mod. It gave channels 2 and 3 a kerrang type of sound that I was constantly trying to dial out. It added a bit of gain to channel 2 though, which was cool.

The best mod was the Supersonic mod that adjusts compression. That was fun to play with!

I dunno, overall it's pricey to ship round-trip and get mods with tone that you may or may not be thrilled about. I think that with EVH solving the volume jump with version 2, that's all the amp needed, but if your friend has the money then modding could be worth it.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Although i’m not in an apartment, I do have your children in the next room. Save some money and get he EVH 2x12 or 1x12 combo. The power scaling on them is incredible. I have the 2x12. Although it’s heavey, but not as heavy as a 4x12. I love it and can get so many great tones. You don’t need a load box with it

 

[Mikeyboyeee]

FYI I had a Kruse modded 5153 50w with the variac, and I got the best tones on the 50w setting and just turning down the volume. Honestly, I don't think you can do better than the 5153 50w for high gain/apartment friendly. You can literally get whisper volumes that sound really good (better than something like a Yamaha THR10X), TV volumes that sound killer, and above that it just gets better.

^^^^^^ This!!!

My Jp2c is pretty good at lower volumes, Chupacabra with JHS volume box in loop sounds great, but the 50w EVH 5150ii is insanely good at TV volumes and under.

 

[Metlupass2]

My JP-2C was the best tube amp I've owned at low volume and I played it on 100 watt.

Ive got a 5150 EL34 50 head for sale if he's looking for one let me know. I would not recommend the Diezel for apartment playing.....

 

[D-Rock]

I'm a new apartment renter after splitting with the wife last April and leaving her the house.

I brought my amp heads and cabs with me, and thankfully they all have good MV's and sound great at low volumes. (JVM, 5150 III 50w, JSX, XXX) I have a MT15 too, and can actually get it sounding good at low volume despite the touchy MV.

But................I work 10hr graveyard/overnight shifts. So even on my days off, I'm wide eyed and awake playing my guitar at 2, 3, 4am. Which is a lot different than playing during the day or evening in an apartment.

So..................I've recently explored some micro 5w SS amps to play through my 4x12s.

This is a Plexi inspired amp, first no boost then boosted.

 

[Beandust]

I'd be more interested in posting a thread searching for apartments that allow metal amps. Apartments 2ithout headphones is probably a pipe dream. Walls are thin and someone is on top of you

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

I'd be more interested in posting a thread searching for apartments that allow metal amps. Apartments 2ithout headphones is probably a pipe dream. Walls are thin and someone is on top of you

Well, he's in a house, but sometimes he needs to keep it low, but other times wants to crank it up a bit. More importantly, it has to have a LOT of gain, so that's why I suggested the EVH.

We also looked at the Driftwood Mini Nightmare; great features!

 

[ClintN667]

FYI I had a Kruse modded 5153 50w with the variac, and I got the best tones on the 50w setting and just turning down the volume. Honestly, I don't think you can do better than the 5153 50w for high gain/apartment friendly. You can literally get whisper volumes that sound really good (better than something like a Yamaha THR10X), TV volumes that sound killer, and above that it just gets better.

Hmmm...So maybe forgo the variac? What didn't you like about the variac option?

I do like the idea of having all the other mods done just for options sake: http://www.krusekontrol.com/evh_iii_mod ... 0w_6l6_mod

Did you have any of the other mods?

But I agree, the master volumes on the 5153 50w's are really good.

I just had my Splawn Quick Rod done by Kruse and he really stepped up it's game. I liked it before I sent it but I got it back and I'm really enjoying it. I just dodged a bullet where I thought I was going to have to sell it. Jens will give you a shipper that's at a discounted rate round trip. Shipping from N.C. only cost me about $55 each way to L.A. But with any mods YMMV but I defintely recommend him. I'm hoping to send my Nitro to him this year to see what he can do. Although FJA is now local to me so I may go that route once he gets going again.

 

[Steinmetzify]

If you can, have him check out the Orange Dual Dark, the attenuator on that thing is amazing. Full on gained out tones at whisper volumes.

 

[jrh_67]

You should also check out the PRS MT15. I own both the 5153 50 watt and the MT-15 and both would do what you want. Don't underestimate the little 15 watt that thing's a BEAST!

 

[napalmdeath]

FYI I had a Kruse modded 5153 50w with the variac, and I got the best tones on the 50w setting and just turning down the volume. Honestly, I don't think you can do better than the 5153 50w for high gain/apartment friendly. You can literally get whisper volumes that sound really good (better than something like a Yamaha THR10X), TV volumes that sound killer, and above that it just gets better.

Yeah, fuck all this modded shit, and added gadgets. The 50 watt EVH in stock form gets it done better than anything out there. I've had a number of 1, 5, 15, 20, 25 watt amps, as well as Power Stations, (twice), Weber Mass, (twice), Rock Crusher, and a Hot Plate, all with 50, 100, and 120 watt heads. There's no comparison. The EVH beats them all for low volume, (though my Peavey Triple XXX did well too).

 

[Mailman1971]

https://youtu.be/V8poIikYaWA

This.

Yamaha thr10x.

 

[errrrrl]

It's too bad about the MT15's master volume being so sensitive for low volumes. You could use a volume pedal in the loop. Sometimes I use the input/output volume on my MXR eq in the loop to fine tune for lower volumes with the MT15, works pretty good for me.

 

[Chupa.Cabra]

Just fire up GOOGLAY and do a search for friendly Rock 'n' Roll apartment accommodations.

I would not recommend the Diezel for apartment playing.....

Why not? Works for me.

 

[Metlupass2]

Just fire up GOOGLAY and do a search for friendly Rock 'n' Roll apartment accommodations.

I would not recommend the Diezel for apartment playing.....

Why not? Works for me.

You really live in apartment with that pro touring rig you've got there?