Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: Transcend on October 20, 2008, 09:35:55 AM
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Well thanks to me finally getting a decent full time job (nhs) im starting my search for an awesome metal amp.
I have tried the 5150 but it wasn't tight enough for me at all so im looking elsewhere so far my list is.
Mesa Mark IV
Engl Fireball/Powerball
H&K Switchblade/Triamp*
My research so far has only shown me fuzzy.muddy fireball clips but im 100% certain they can sound good. The powerball i've already tried and loved same with the mesa but i would rather have something less fiddly.
and the * means ive never seen one in a store so if anyone has i would like to know where i have to travel to try one.
My limit is about £2k but it can be pushed up if i find the right amp.
BTW i wont be buying just yet itll be a few months after xmas so ive had time to regain from the onslaught of spending.
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if the 5150 wasn't tight enough (wtf), I would look at a Diezel VH4.
btw, did you try the 5150 or the 5150 mkII ??? - the mkII heads with the seperate EQ on the clean channel DO sound different in both the clean AND distortion tones. The clean is cleaner and the distortion is MUCH tighter in the low end (I've had both and really noticed this alot).
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I'm in the same boat as you mate.
Something tight, that isn't so fiddly, an aggressive bark and loud.
I'd suggest an Engl Savage or Blackmore. I've heard clips of these amps and both sounded pretty awesome. It's the two I'm considering myself.
For clips go to www.rocksolidamps.com
I'd also suggest a VHT. Maybe the Delieverence or Pitbull Ultra Lead. They're very tight, clear, aggressive and very well made.
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if the 5150 wasn't tight enough (wtf), I would look at a Diezel VH4.
btw, did you try the 5150 or the 5150 mkII ??? - the mkII heads with the seperate EQ on the clean channel DO sound different in both the clean AND distortion tones. The clean is cleaner and the distortion is MUCH tighter in the low end (I've had both and really noticed this alot).
Well it isn't exactly that it wasn't tight enough it was actually pretty good (it was the MKII btw) its just i heard the same amp in a live situation with an engl powerball and the powerball was loads tighter but again that could have been the fact that the lead player was using a nailbomb set & the rhythm player was using emgs.
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I'm in the same boat as you mate.
Something tight, that isn't so fiddly, an aggressive bark and loud.
I'd suggest an Engl Savage or Blackmore. I've heard clips of these amps and both sounded pretty awesome. It's the two I'm considering myself.
For clips go to www.rocksolidamps.com
I'd also suggest a VHT. Maybe the Delieverence or Pitbull Ultra Lead. They're very tight, clear, aggressive and very well made.
I haven't every looked into VHT i shall take a look at those and thanks for the link im gonna go check it out now.
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As has already been suggested, something from Diezel or VHT instantly comes to mind.
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triaxis
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Just been looking at the hughes and kettner site and found this
http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/flash/products/switchblade/en/switchblade.html
wish more amp manufacturers did things like this.
It would be a lot better if you could mess with more knobs though....
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I made a list of amps that would be good for metal, I thought the 5150 was good. From what I heard that is. There's the powerball and higher range h&k amps. I'm at uni right now so I don't have my list but one thing I can say is not to dismiss the 5150 so quickly.
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I made a list of amps that would be good for metal, I thought the 5150 was good. From what I heard that is. There's the powerball and higher range h&k amps. I'm at uni right now so I don't have my list but one thing I can say is not to dismiss the 5150 so quickly.
Dismiss the 5150!! its such a boring amp... its too powerfull aswell.. maybe the 60w combo, which also isnt ment to be biased as cold stock
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I made a list of amps that would be good for metal, I thought the 5150 was good. From what I heard that is. There's the powerball and higher range h&k amps. I'm at uni right now so I don't have my list but one thing I can say is not to dismiss the 5150 so quickly.
Lol..
Other ones I have are the Mesa Single Rect. and the VH100R which Crazy Joe is currently selling by the way. Of course that isn't shameless advertising.
Dismiss the 5150!! its such a boring amp... its too powerfull aswell.. maybe the 60w combo, which also isnt ment to be biased as cold stock
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I'd say:
Engl Invader
Diezel VH4
VHT Ultralead
are the 3 main contenders around £2000, I mean, the invader is the best Engl imo, if you can afford it, go for it, the Diezel is in its own league imo, and the VHT I haven't played but have heard great things.
Personally I wouldn't want anything from Mesa or Peavy cept maybe a MkIV.
Framus are also good, but don't really compete with above amps imo.
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My research so far has only shown me fuzzy.muddy fireball clips but im 100% certain they can sound good
I'm also 100% certain they can sound good. I am completely satisfied with my Fireball and don't think I'll ever replace it.
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i'd say it's just really a matter of trying everything you can, when you get up to that price it's more or less preference...
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OK, of the amps I've played through:
If the ONLY thing you want is a face-melting overdrive channel for mega-metal:
Peavey 5150+, or 6505+ as it's now known. Yes, you express reservations about it, but then acknowledge that you're making an apples v oranges comparison. Seriously, get one & a decent cab, stick a BBE in the FX loop & never look at another amp again.
Engl Fireball the other posters are right, it can & does sound very very good.
Hughes & Kettner Warp-X far, far better metal sound than either of the H&K models you listed. In fact, it's a very bloody good sound. More gain than you realistically need, very tight & detailed with tons of low end. Plus the red backlit front panel looks evil :twisted:
Marshall JCM900 SL-X No longer made, but they do turn up on ebay reasonably often. Effectively a single mega-filth channel with dual switchable volumes (i.e. two of the same sound at different volumes rather than 2 channels). Have often regretted not snapping up one of these when I had the chance...
The above amps are good but have either no clean channel worthy of the name or at least a very limited one. If you want multiple channels, then:
VHT Ultralead I rate the hour+ I spent with one of these things in the basement of Chandlers as one of the most pleasurable experiences of my life :) Absolutely wonderful, wonderful lead channel. Blisteringly hot, tight yet open, absolutely HUGE sound.
Engl Savage
Engl Powerball
Engl Invader Got to disagree with noodle here. The Savage may be one of the older Engl models, but IMO it eats just about everything else for breakfast. It is unbelievable fierce - absolutely monstrous, brutal metal tone. I like the Powerball a lot - really good useable amp with tons of vicious mean overdrive on tap. The Invader is the most versatile of the lot & has some really good gain sounds, but IMO the Savage's Ch4 trumps all in the Engl stakes :)
Mesa Rectifier It's a very popular amp for a reason. The modern high gain channel has a slightly loose "sludgy" feel to it (esp through a Mesa cab) which won't suit everyone, but it's very brutal, very intense & VERY heavy.
Hughes & Kettner Triamp MKII So good are the clean & crunch channels on this amp that CH6 is almost a letdown, but it's still pretty damn good & probably the best EL34-powered mega-filth channel I've heard (as I've posted before, I have a slight anti-EL34 bias for mega metal tones). The closest clip to the sound I heard when I played one is this (http://www.hughes-and-kettner.com/lib/soundplayer.php?soundFile=Track09.mp3&soundName=Channel 3B) so make up your own mind whether that's what you want...
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Could also try out a Laney GH50L with a boost:
http://www.netmusicians.org/files/2-final%20mix%20ff%20ts7%20test.mp3
Sounds awesome for metal to me :) He used a Palmer DI thing for that so I dont know what speaker would work best for metal, V30 or eminence Swamp thangs I'd guess.
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I'd say:
Engl Invader
Diezel VH4
VHT Ultralead
are the 3 main contenders around £2000, I mean, the invader is the best Engl imo, if you can afford it, go for it, the Diezel is in its own league imo, and the VHT I haven't played but have heard great things.
Personally I wouldn't want anything from Mesa or Peavy cept maybe a MkIV.
Framus are also good, but don't really compete with above amps imo.
I agree with all of the above, except for the bit about Framus - in my experience they are fantastic amps, definitely up there with the Bogners and Diezels, and in comparion are criminally cheap second hand.
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Thanks for all your input guys i now have a lot more options to look into now and thankyou to antag for the more in depth post.
These next few months are gonna be a lot of fun trying out as many amps as i can find.
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Mesa Mark IV is epic. I've never heard a bad sounding one.
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if the 5150 wasn't tight enough (wtf), I would look at a Diezel VH4.
btw, did you try the 5150 or the 5150 mkII ??? - the mkII heads with the seperate EQ on the clean channel DO sound different in both the clean AND distortion tones. The clean is cleaner and the distortion is MUCH tighter in the low end (I've had both and really noticed this alot).
Oh man, back in the 90s I bought one of the first 5150 heads that came to Germany. It was such a great amp, I still miss it a lot *dream, sigh ...*
But the clean channel was really worth nothing ...
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Sounds Great have a Krankenstein head for a bargain £850 and you can compare it on the day to most of the others listed here. It's only about an hour away
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Where is sounds great?
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Heald Green, South Manchester. Near the airport.
I think they have directions on their website: soundsgreatmusic.com
Heald Green station is 15 mins walk but driving from Dewsbury can be done in an hour. I live on the doorstep of Sounds Great and I can make Huddersfield in 45 mins.
If you do go, make sure you ring them first, as they change stock all the time. The staff will let you try anything even if you are not going to buy, hence, I'm in there a lot :D
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For a tight metal amp i would have thought a randall would fit the bill. A closed ported cab will aid the bottom end tightness.
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There is a used 2 chan dual recto near me for 900.
I owned a H&K Triamp and VHT Pitbull that both did what you describe well.
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Sounds great is a great shop!
I recommend it highly! Loads of high end great amps
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S P L A W N !! PDT_008
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S P L A W N !! PDT_008
Indeed. They have them as well