RD45 vs. 5153 50w vs. Splawn Competition: Best for $$

[Junk Yard Dog]

I'm looking at a backup amp. I've got a Splawn Pro Stock I'm going to sell, and plan to keep my BFG Egnater Seminar Head.

Gonna sell the Pro Stock. It's been my #1 amp for 3 years, but I'm playing smaller gigs and don't need the firepower. Even with the loop volume, I can't get to the sweet spot on some stages. I'm favoring my BFG Marshall a bit more these days, but still love the Splawn, hence, I'm thinking of looking at a Splawn Competition in the as a primary or backup to the BFG, but....I can't decide what to do.

I have an RD1 at home that's pretty awesome. I've had the 5153 50w before the Splawn and BFG amps, and at times it sounded a bit hifi to me. The Splawn and BFG had something more 'organic' to me. I play in a hard rock cover band. I need a good FX loop for simple delay...

Overall, has anyone played all three amps? Or at least, played the RD45? I've read pretty good reviews on it. My main needs are good at stage volumes, solo boost is ideal (Comp), organic and articulate, CUT in a band mix, good FX loop, takes boosts well. The RD45 seems like it it could be great bang for the buck.

Ugh...That's a lot of info!

 

[hammered]

I’ve had the Competition and the 5150 50 watt . Sounding a bit hifi is good way of describing the 5150 , a good sounding amp but I much prefer the Competition for those juicy hotrodded Marshall tones . Both amps were pretty darn loud. I really miss the Competition . I used a delay in the loop of both amps and it worked great

 

[napalmdeath]

I've owned the 5150 50 watt twice, the RD45 3 times, and a Competition.

The Competition is a killer amp, very raw, aggressive Marshall flavor. Can't go wrong.

Between the EVH and Randall, I'd take the Randall every time, (and have sold the EVH in favor of it at one point).

Tha Randall is terribly underrated, ditch the stock Rubys with some JJ 6L6's, proper bias, and good mix of upgraded preamp tubes, it simply kills. It's much more touch sensitive and responsive than the EVH. More musical. With the right boost, every bit as aggressive.

I'd take the RD45 over the 5150 50 watt every time. Great for hard rock tones as well, very versatile, and the Master volume lets you achieve more.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

I've owned the 5150 50 watt twice, the RD45 3 times, and a Competition.

The Competition is a killer amp, very raw, aggressive Marshall flavor. Can't go wrong.

Between the EVH and Randall, I'd take the Randall every time, (and have sold the EVH in favor of it at one point).

Tha Randall is terribly underrated, ditch the stock Rubys with some JJ 6L6's, proper bias, and good mix of upgraded preamp tubes, it simply kills. It's much more touch sensitive and responsive than the EVH. More musical. With the right boost, every bit as aggressive.

I'd take the RD45 over the 5150 50 watt every time. Great for hard rock tones as well, very versatile, and the Master volume lets you achieve more.

Sweet. I'm looking at the Randall RD45 because I like my RD1 and loved the 5153, but it just didn't have that organic tone on the Blue Channel and I only used the red for a solo boost.

Is the FX loop on the RD45 line or instrument/pedal level?

 

[napalmdeath]

I've owned the 5150 50 watt twice, the RD45 3 times, and a Competition.

The Competition is a killer amp, very raw, aggressive Marshall flavor. Can't go wrong.

Between the EVH and Randall, I'd take the Randall every time, (and have sold the EVH in favor of it at one point).

Tha Randall is terribly underrated, ditch the stock Rubys with some JJ 6L6's, proper bias, and good mix of upgraded preamp tubes, it simply kills. It's much more touch sensitive and responsive than the EVH. More musical. With the right boost, every bit as aggressive.

I'd take the RD45 over the 5150 50 watt every time. Great for hard rock tones as well, very versatile, and the Master volume lets you achieve more.

Sweet. I'm looking at the Randall RD45 because I like my RD1 and loved the 5153, but it just didn't have that organic tone on the Blue Channel and I only used the red for a solo boost.

Is the FX loop on the RD45 line or instrument/pedal level?

FX loop is excellent with pedals. Personally, I find the EVH bland, by comparison. The Randall has that Fortin grind, and searing lead tone the EVH doesn't.

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

I've owned both the 5153 50 and the RD45.

Used both amps with my cover band and from the experience I had with them is that the 5153 50 cut through alot better and was more.defined than the RD45.

Both amps had good volume, both loud.
Both amps had a ton of available gain.

Crunch on the RD45 as well as clean was below average imo.
To me, the amp did much better for Hugh gain tones.
But again, cut through just ok. Got a bit buried time to time and that was quite annoying.

When I started using the 5153 50, I cut through with ease.

Yes agree as well.. the 5153 50 tone was on the sterile side, but a much much better jamming amp.

Just to add, the 5153 50 also sounded better at home volumes..not as dark as the RD45.

 

[napalmdeath]

I've owned both the 5153 50 and the RD45.

Used both amps with my cover band and from the experience I had with them is that the 5153 50 cut through alot better and was more.defined than the RD45.

Both amps had good volume, both loud.
Both amps had a ton of available gain.

Crunch on the RD45 as well as clean was below average imo.
To me, the amp did much better for Hugh gain tones.
But again, cut through just ok. Got a bit buried time to time and that was quite annoying.

When I started using the 5153 50, I cut through with ease.

Yes agree as well.. the 5153 50 tone was on the sterile side, but a much much better jamming amp.

Just to add, the 5153 50 also sounded better at home volumes..not as dark as the RD45.

I disagree with cutting through, but I use an Eq in the loop. I also found the cleans of the RD better than the EVH. I suppose it all comes down to what we all hear. I don't think the RD would disappoint you in the slightest.

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

I never used an eq in the loop when we were playing so that could be a difference in the cut.

 

[Gadzz]

Scott built me a Competition with all the mods in a mini head box for under 1400 ... Love the amp and at an unbelievable price for a quality build!

 

[Racerxrated]

Now that the 5153 50w EL34 is coming, you might want to consider that also. Although, I've sold off every evh amp including the stealth because of the more plastic sterile tone they tend to have. The RD 45 I played was cool but darker than the evh. Splawns have a much better build quality to them, all things considered that's your best bet.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

Scott built me a Competition with all the mods in a mini head box for under 1400 ... Love the amp and at an unbelievable price for a quality build!

What mods??

Thanks!

 

[JerEvil]

Scott built me a Competition with all the mods in a mini head box for under 1400 ... Love the amp and at an unbelievable price for a quality build!

What mods??

Thanks!

I am guessing Low B+ switch, Old/New switch and Mid Shift switch?

 

[Gadzz]

Scott built me a Competition with all the mods in a mini head box for under 1400 ... Love the amp and at an unbelievable price for a quality build!

What mods??

Thanks!

X
There's a mid cut mini toggle and a new/old mini toggle... The old is more aggressive like the early Splawn circuit ... He also offers a saturation switch I opted out of ... The New/Old is fantastic the mid cut I never use

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

Scott built me a Competition with all the mods in a mini head box for under 1400 ... Love the amp and at an unbelievable price for a quality build!

What mods??

Thanks!

X
There's a mid cut mini toggle and a new/old mini toggle... The old is more aggressive like the early Splawn circuit ... He also offers a saturation switch I opted out of ... The New/Old is fantastic the mid cut I never use

Right. And the Comps are already B+.

Have you ever played a Nitro? I'm wondering if the Comp can get into more modern territory with the mid cut switch?

Why did yo opt out of the Sat switch?

 

[Gadzz]

Scott built me a Competition with all the mods in a mini head box for under 1400 ... Love the amp and at an unbelievable price for a quality build!

What mods??

Thanks!

X
There's a mid cut mini toggle and a new/old mini toggle... The old is more aggressive like the early Splawn circuit ... He also offers a saturation switch I opted out of ... The New/Old is fantastic the mid cut I never use

Right. And the Comps are already B+.

Have you ever played a Nitro? I'm wondering if the Comp can get into more modern territory with the mid cut switch?

Why did yo opt out of the Sat switch?

To me I would never use the sat switch btw I never use the mid cut either... I play in a dual guitar band and need to cut through the mix! The new/old mod set to old is fantastic for that!

 

[ElectricVoodoo]

I just emailed Scott 2 days ago about the B+ option on the comp.

It doesn't come up as an option on the site, so I asked him about it.

He told me that the B+ was only available on the 100 watt heads.

The Comp is a 50.

I'm just about to pull the trigger on either a comp, an yngwie strat, and now this new evh 50 EL34 has me interested.

 

[napalmdeath]

I just emailed Scott 2 days ago about the B+ option on the comp.

It doesn't come up as an option on the site, so I asked him about it.

He told me that the B+ was only available on the 100 watt heads.

The Comp is a 50.

I'm just about to pull the trigger on either a comp, an yngwie strat, and now this new evh 50 EL34 has me interested.

Get the Comp!