Peavey 6505+ vs Fireball

[EnGl]

Which wins ? Oh , i mean Fireball 100 version.
I must decide to pick one. Cause shop owner can keep it one for me ( of course for extra price cut) , but i must decide.

My ideal tone ? Recently I'm very diging a Dimebag Tone from VDOP and also Marty Friedman tone from his solo record - Bad DNA ( fucking awesome lead tones... )
Fireball is newer , has noise gate and 6505+ (and also 5150) ale famous due to large noise ...

 

[HerbieBoogie]

i was hoping this was a demo. i have wanted a shoot out between these 2 for a long time. they are both pretty good amps. they only really make one sound (brutal) and they are both good at it. If i were you i would pick the peavey for the soul reason of saving money. but whatever i guess.

what ever you pick is going to rock

 

[spirit7]

Get the 6505+ and never look back. Killer amp. I own a Powerball, the other guitar player in my band has a 5150II: the Peavey eats the ENGL for breakfast (other than for cleans).

-C

 

[Moshaholic]

They are both killer amps, had both...

ENGL Fireball 100 records real well... tight smooth gain. 6505+ more aggression, a little noiser, LOUD...

See clip in my sig, it is a Fireball 100 plugged straight in with a VHT cab, an SEN MD421 with an LTD MH400 EMG 81 used in the Bridge - thats it double tracked one left and one right, I played bass direct with a plugin...

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Which wins ? Oh , i mean Fireball 100 version.
I must decide to pick one. Cause shop owner can keep it one for me ( of course for extra price cut) , but i must decide.

My ideal tone ? Recently I'm very diging a Dimebag Tone from VDOP and also Marty Friedman tone from his solo record - Bad DNA ( fucking awesome lead tones... )
Fireball is newer , has noise gate and 6505+ (and also 5150) ale famous due to large noise ...

Fireball 100. No question. I've owned several 5150s, 5150IIs, 6505s, and 6505+s... and just never totally was happy with that amp, especially un-boosted. Too dark, and mushy for my taste. The FB100 is much tighter and brighter, and cuts better than the 6505+. And the FB100 has just as much useable gain (if not more) than the 6505+.

Get the 6505+ and never look back. Killer amp. I own a Powerball, the other guitar player in my band has a 5150II: the Peavey eats the ENGL for breakfast (other than for cleans).

-C

If the OP was looking at the PB v 1.0 or 2.0 or Fireball 60W I'd agree. The FB 100W is a totally different amp than the FB 60W and sounds way better and much louder. The old Powerballs are not the ideal live band amps.

 

[D-Rock]

For the 6505 you'll need a boost pedal up front and a noise gate.
With the FB100 you just plug straight in. No boost or external gate needed.

The noise from my 6505 was more excessive than usual last night.
So I adjusted my boost settings, plugged into the low gain input and raised the Lead gain a bit to compensate. Nice little trick to beef the amp up and quiet it down.

 

[155]

I love the 5150's in any shape and form but i would go with the fb100...gets just as brutal with less noise and the clean channel is pretty good too, the built in noise gate is awesome also nice to have 2 masters..

 

[spirit7]

Which wins ? Oh , i mean Fireball 100 version.
I must decide to pick one. Cause shop owner can keep it one for me ( of course for extra price cut) , but i must decide.

My ideal tone ? Recently I'm very diging a Dimebag Tone from VDOP and also Marty Friedman tone from his solo record - Bad DNA ( fucking awesome lead tones... )
Fireball is newer , has noise gate and 6505+ (and also 5150) ale famous due to large noise ...

Fireball 100. No question. I've owned several 5150s, 5150IIs, 6505s, and 6505+s... and just never totally was happy with that amp, especially un-boosted. Too dark, and mushy for my taste. The FB100 is much tighter and brighter, and cuts better than the 6505+. And the FB100 has just as much useable gain (if not more) than the 6505+.

Get the 6505+ and never look back. Killer amp. I own a Powerball, the other guitar player in my band has a 5150II: the Peavey eats the ENGL for breakfast (other than for cleans).

-C

Maybe you're right about the Powerball / Fireball comparison, but no high gain amp I have heard cuts as well as a 5150.

-C

If the OP was looking at the PB v 1.0 or 2.0 or Fireball 60W I'd agree. The FB 100W is a totally different amp than the FB 60W and sounds way better and much louder. The old Powerballs are not the ideal live band amps.

 

[Spaceboy]

Get the Fireball and try it out. If you decide it's not your thing, 5150 series amps can be found anywhere on the cheap, and Fireball's resell price could easily snag you a 6505+ with plenty of pocket change left over. Engls are easy to move too, especially online.

I've owned a Savage and multiple 5150 series... the Savage is gone, and there's a recently purchased 5150 II sitting behind me.

 

[PrestoDone]

Get the 6505+ and never look back. Killer amp. I own a Powerball, the other guitar player in my band has a 5150II: the Peavey eats the ENGL for breakfast (other than for cleans).

-C

I your powerball a powerball I or a powerball II?? I heard with the midboost knib in the powerball II those issues of not cutting through are gone.

 

[maddnotez]

Get the Fireball and try it out. If you decide it's not your thing, 5150 series amps can be found anywhere on the cheap, and Fireball's resell price could easily snag you a 6505+ with plenty of pocket change left over. Engls are easy to move too, especially online.

I've owned a Savage and multiple 5150 series... the Savage is gone, and there's a recently purchased 5150 II sitting behind me.

Best answer^^^

Try out the ENGL, if you dont like it then resell.

You can probably find a used 6505+ With the fizz mod for less and those amps are pretty damn brutal....

 

[crankyrayhanky]

the OP name is EnGl, so...

 

[JimmyDoomsday]

i've owned a peavey 6505+ and ditched it for an engl savage. the peavey crapped on me at least 3 times right as my band was ready to go on. blown tubes, mostly, but there were other problems encountered during the two years i owned it (shorts, fuse issues, electrical burning smells, etc).

never had one problem with the engl and the tone is FAR superior to that of the 6505+ (not to mention the fact that it has so much more tone shaping abilities than the peavey). if you're dead set on going with a peavey though, pick up an original 5150 or 5150 II. AVOID the 6505+ as it does not sound nearly as vicious as the 5150's and is known to be problematic.

 

[Spaceboy]

I've had every incarnation of the 5150 except the EVH 5150 III, and can't say I've noticed enough different between them to matter. 6505 vs 5150, II vs +... I prefer the II/+ units because they're more versatile on the green channel. There's not a huge difference on the lead channel to my ears between any of them. I don't know squat about the internal circuits or anything, but I believe the lead channel is exactly the same on all four versions, from what I remember from FJA or someone writing on here awhile back.

 

[maddnotez]

I've had every incarnation of the 5150 except the EVH 5150 III, and can't say I've noticed enough different between them to matter. 6505 vs 5150, II vs +... I prefer the II/+ units because they're more versatile on the green channel. There's not a huge difference on the lead channel to my ears between any of them. I don't know squat about the internal circuits or anything, but I believe the lead channel is exactly the same on all four versions, from what I remember from FJA or someone writing on here awhile back.

I think your right, the differences are more suited on the cleans.

With all the Peavey debate why not just get the 6345+ or whatever the newer one is?

Wanted to add that I had a 6505+ for around 4 years, played 2-3 times a week for practice and shows and never had one problem with any mechanical issues whatsoever. Had to change the tubes once but no shorts, blown tubes or anything else.

Have seen 100's of bands use it live, 1000's on recordings and its overall a good standard metal amp.....Get an od or a boost if your looking to color the tone, add a compressor for a little more, fizz mod and your set.

They are powerful amps for a great price on the used.

I do intend on eventually getting another.

 

[HerbieBoogie]

the OP name is EnGl, so...

hahaha that had crossed my mind as well

 

[EnGl]

the OP name is EnGl, so...

hahaha that had crossed my mind as well

Yeah , i dig ENGL for their design and major my inspirations are in "ENGL Family" - Jeff Loomis , Gary Holt , Marty Friedman , Chris Broderick ...

I think i will get Fireball. You described sound as a tight - this sounds perfect for me.
But how about lead tones ? I can achieve liquid smooth metal leads like Dime or Marty ?

 

[HerbieBoogie]

the OP name is EnGl, so...

hahaha that had crossed my mind as well

Yeah , i dig ENGL for their design and major my inspirations are in "ENGL Family" - Jeff Loomis , Gary Holt , Marty Friedman , Chris Broderick ...

I think i will get Fireball. You described sound as a tight - this sounds perfect for me.
But how about lead tones ? I can achieve liquid smooth metal leads like Dime or Marty ?

it will definitely do that.

 

[EnGl]

the OP name is EnGl, so...

hahaha that had crossed my mind as well

Yeah , i dig ENGL for their design and major my inspirations are in "ENGL Family" - Jeff Loomis , Gary Holt , Marty Friedman , Chris Broderick ...

I think i will get Fireball. You described sound as a tight - this sounds perfect for me.
But how about lead tones ? I can achieve liquid smooth metal leads like Dime or Marty ?

it will definitely do that.

That is great !
This is bright or darker sounding amp ? I'm askink cause i would prefer a darker sound , but without muddy character.
And also i have a question about the tubes :
1. If I will ever wants to change the POWER tubes(6l6GC) i should change the bias ? I know that if you buy a 4 matched tubes - You don't have to ( correct me if I'm wrong).
2. This amp is equipped with 6l6GC - i must put exactly 6L6GC or i can put these :
https://www.thomann.de/pl/groove_tubes_6l6r_quartett.htm
This is 6L6R as you see

 

[Mailman1971]

I owned both of them and my opinion is the ENGL by far.