NAD: EVH 5150IIIS LIMITED EDITION STEALTH

[eddyrox]

Nice man!!
I really want to check one of these out in the worst way...

i know I'm in the honeymoon phase, but i've been rocking the 5150 series since the 90's.
Block logo 5150, 5150ii, 6534+, 5150iii, 5150iii mini (50W) and now the 100S - either own or owned them all. (BTW, the 6534+ is BALLZ deep tone)

IMHO, the 100S hangs with my other boo-tiki heads, better than any of the other 5150's. (flexibility, functionality and tone)
I'm gonna mic here up and hear what she's like with the band and with different 412's.

Channel 2 - alone - is worth the price as has been stated in this thread.
for my $$$, it's been totally worth chasing down this 100S.

 

[Mailman1971]

Yeah man....thats the vibe I am getting. Owned alot of bouteek amps myself...
think if a stealth rolls along in a few months when I got all the $$$......gonna snag it. Just to kill the curiousness.

 

[eddyrox]

Yeah man....thats the vibe I am getting. Owned alot of bouteek amps myself...
think if a stealth rolls along in a few months when I got all the $$$......gonna snag it. Just to kill the curiousness.

haha, that's what I'm talkin' about!
another great aspect of these 5150iii's is i can drag 'em to the bars we play, and the lower volume still gives me the "tone bone" without killin' the vocalist or the patrons (PA turned up too loud).
My Camerons, Bogners, Diezels, Boogies, Egnaters, Randalls, et.al. had nothing on the 100S.

 

[the4thlast1]

Wow some great feedback here ..... We all seem to like channel 2 on the stealth more than channel 2 on the original. At least I know I do... Now how about channel 3 ?

Channel 3 on my stealth is a bit more aggressive and clearer it seems. I still like channel 3 on the original as well. The original channel 3 has a bit more squish and juice for a lack of better words.

Channel 3 on both amps have more "thump", a bit ballsier than channel 2. Thats the case with both amps, even though the stealth has more gain on channel 2 , channel 3 is still more modern sounding, the mids are a touch scooped in comparison where channel 2 has a bit more of a classic vibe. With both amps I keep the gain very low on ch 3. With the stealth I have the gain set even lower.

 

[eddyrox]

Wow some great feedback here ..... We all seem to like channel 2 on the stealth more than channel 2 on the original. At least I know I do... Now how about channel 3 ?

Channel 3 on my stealth is a bit more aggressive and clearer it seems. I still like channel 3 on the original as well. The original channel 3 has a bit more squish and juice for a lack of better words.

Channel 3 on both amps have more "thump", a bit ballsier than channel 2. Thats the case with both amps, even though the stealth has more gain on channel 2 , channel 3 is still more modern sounding, the mids are a touch scooped in comparison where channel 2 has a bit more of a classic vibe. With both amps I keep the gain very low on ch 3. With the stealth I have the gain set even lower.

...the (100S) feedback - and sustain - is really good
Seriously, I'm dialing the knobs back and forth, and noted the setting of all of the other posters here, and thinking, I can't get a bad tone outta this head.
I just finished playing the 100S for the last 6 hours...
No matter the cab (Boogie212 with V30's, EVH5150 with Sheffields, EVH 5150iii with EVH Celestions (20W), 1960B with T75's, or my FL VHT with Eminence Tonkers), the 100S sings.

Regarding Channel 3...too much gain? mmm...not IMHO. It's compressed, and scooped, relatively speaking...but for that live "Crazy Train" intro, or "One Day Remains" by AlterBridge, and ESPECIALLY "Wrath of God" from Halford ...Channel 3 is perfect! AND when you raise that Resonance control past 12 o'clock, you'd better stand back - especially with a modern cab like the front-loaded VHT or Boogie 212 - sack rumbling!

I too back off of the EQ controls under 5/12 o'clock - especially the treble and presence - talk about cut.

I'm gonna also experiment with preamp tubes in V2, V3, V4 as far as Ch3 is concerned.

 

[nwright]

So the Stealth has MORE gain on the clean channel? Mine breaks up with the gain on 2 or 3 on the clean now...I don't think I'd like it to be even higher in gain.

the 50 watt has a lot more clean headroom before breakup, which I prefer.

But the comments about the red channel really make me want to play one!

 

[JeffHenneman]

I know the evh is coming it with a combo, they put a press release out in December about it.

Old news. The combo has been out for many months.

I know, I was responding to someone's comment about them coming with something for NAMM 14.

 

[JeffHenneman]

Wow some great feedback here ..... We all seem to like channel 2 on the stealth more than channel 2 on the original. At least I know I do... Now how about channel 3 ?

Channel 3 on my stealth is a bit more aggressive and clearer it seems. I still like channel 3 on the original as well. The original channel 3 has a bit more squish and juice for a lack of better words.

Channel 3 on both amps have more "thump", a bit ballsier than channel 2. Thats the case with both amps, even though the stealth has more gain on channel 2 , channel 3 is still more modern sounding, the mids are a touch scooped in comparison where channel 2 has a bit more of a classic vibe. With both amps I keep the gain very low on ch 3. With the stealth I have the gain set even lower.

I love the red channel, I liked it on the original but only with an eq in the loop. But now it is perfect.

 

[eddyrox]

So the Stealth has MORE gain on the clean channel? Mine breaks up with the gain on 2 or 3 on the clean now...I don't think I'd like it to be even higher in gain.

the 50 watt has a lot more clean headroom before breakup, which I prefer.

But the comments about the red channel really make me want to play one!

mmm....let clarify. the green also "seems" to have more gain - to my ear - and with my Andersons and Gibsons, and even the EVH Wolfgangs - but all of these axes have fairly high output p/ups (H1/H2+, 490R/496T, etc.).

others may have a difference of opinion. in rockinchippy's Ch1 youtube video, the cleans seem really nice and chimey - ala BF fender.
even with the same EQ and gain setting, I'm hearing more breakup in my 100S.

IMHO, I'd say that the green channel seems more responsive. I'm gonna compare the clean channel of the 50W mini against the 100S.

 

[nevusofota]

I know the evh is coming it with a combo, they put a press release out in December about it.

Old news. The combo has been out for many months.

I know, I was responding to someone's comment about them coming with something for NAMM 14.

Umm, the combo was already introduced last year, at NAMM 2013.

 

[JeffHenneman]

I know the evh is coming it with a combo, they put a press release out in December about it.

Old news. The combo has been out for many months.

I know, I was responding to someone's comment about them coming with something for NAMM 14.

Umm, the combo was already introduced last year, at NAMM 2013.

Well damn, I guess I am a little late to the party

 

[Bishop5150]

I gigged mine for the first time last night. I agree with everything already stated before. Amp just seems a little more aggressive. More gain and thump on blue and a little meaner and chunkier on red. On my original 100 watters I used the green for clean, blue for some grit and red for rhythm and lead and I did the same last night on the Stealth but I will probably start using the blue for my rhythm and red for lead and use the green for clean and use a OD pedal on the green for some more grit. To me the amp seemed to cut extremely well in the mix. My original 100 waters do too but the stealth just seemed to cut like a razor. The pinch harmonics just squealed effortlessly. I usually run the gain on the red channel on my original at about 11 o'clock. I ran it at about 10 o'clock on the stealth last night. Didn't get to really open the amp up volume wise though. Had to keep it just barely above 9 o'clock. I play in an Ozzy/ Sabbath tribute and it covered Iommi, Rhoads, Lee and Wylde nicely. Here's a pic of it in action and a family photo minus my 50 watt and 2x12 which I keep at rehearsal.

 

[Mailman1971]

Dammit your not making my GAS pains any easier for this amp!!

 

[nevusofota]

I gigged mine for the first time last night. I agree with everything already stated before. Amp just seems a little more aggressive. More gain and thump on blue and a little meaner and chunkier on red. On my original 100 watters I used the green for clean, blue for some grit and red for rhythm and lead and I did the same last night on the Stealth but I will probably start using the blue for my rhythm and red for lead and use the green for clean and use a OD pedal on the green for some more grit. To me the amp seemed to cut extremely well in the mix. My original 100 waters do too but the stealth just seemed to cut like a razor. The pinch harmonics just squealed effortlessly. I usually run the gain on the red channel on my original at about 11 o'clock. I ran it at about 10 o'clock on the stealth last night. Didn't get to really open the amp up volume wise though. Had to keep it just barely above 9 o'clock. I play in an Ozzy/ Sabbath tribute and it covered Iommi, Rhoads, Lee and Wylde nicely. Here's a pic of it in action and a family photo minus my 50 watt and 2x12 which I keep at rehearsal.

Do you think there is any difference between channel 2 of the stealth and channel 2 of the standard with an OD?

 

[Bishop5150]

Just a difference in the mid voicing and low end is tighter. You definitely don't need an OD on channel 2 anymore. The mids are voiced a little different on channel 2 and 3. Hard to describe. Seemed to cut even more in the live mix with the same settings I use on my regular. 100 watt. Low mids and highs pretty much at 12 o'clock. To me it does not sound like the blue channel of the 50 watt. It sounds likethe100 watt blue channel with added gain and revoiced to sound even better IMO.

 

[XSSIVE]

I see a really cool snake skin guitar hanging out in the background there.

 

[Bishop5150]

Lmao! Yes, it has found a forever home.

 

[yankeebulldog]

I think EVH has something new coming out at namm

Has anyone seen more info on what's coming out?

 

[the4thlast1]

I have to retract something I said a few posts back. I am starting to like channel 3 on the stealth for metal riffing. Ch 2 is great and can pull off a lot. Channel 3 just sounds and feels a little more beastly , haha....

I def still like channel 2 on the stealth more than channel 2 on the original . Channel 3 has my attention now though. I set the gain real low and boost it with a 808 .

 

[bmf5150]

My complaint on the original amp channel 2 was that it didn't have enough gain , was little dark and I wanted a tad more upper mids.. Does the stealth channel two kind of address these issues in your opinion?