Torn between two 50w heads, final decisions - EVH Vs. Victory

[one]

Guys, thanks a lot for your replies in the other thread. I'm reading all of them very attentively although I haven't answered since I opened the thread. At the moment, I'm torn between two different heads, I'll list the pros and cons I find in them, please, don't hesitate to comment:

OPTION A
EVH 5150 50W White: I found a new one I can afford, the price is lowered because of small cosmetic issues.

Pros:
cheaper
supported by guitarrist community
beautiful cleans
enough gain for every metal style

Cons:
heavy
volume jumps between channels
small watted horizontal cabinet

OPTION B:
VICTORY KRAKEN 50w

Pros:
Made in Europe
Modern sound, two gain channels
Lightweight
100wat vertical cabinet

Cons:
More expensive
Almost no feedback from guitarrist community
No clean channel (but can take the gain from one and obtain jcm800 like cleans)

There are three options:
1. I can go for the Kraken (the most expensive option)
2. I can go for the EVH + different cabinet (vertical and 100w preferable)
3. I can go for the EVH + evh cabinet

Bear in mind I have to deal with a ENGl Powerball + laney 4x12 so I might probably eliminate the third option?

[PK]

I've been having some SERIOUS GAS for the Kraken ever since it came out.
Still need to sell a couple of things though.........and I really dont need another amp

I must say I have to base my judgment on youtube videos and recordings.

[one]

That's my problem, PK, I don't know anyone who really owns that amp, and I need user advice as soon as possible :)

[Dave Sloven]

I would go for the EVH and get a different cab, e.g. an Orange PPC212.  I think you can even find them in white.  They have two V30s for 120W.  Looking at the controls on an EVH 5150 III they have separate EQ and gain controls like a Peavey 5150 II; this means that you can adjust the master volume on each channel to where you want it.  What I have found with a Peavey is that if you have a 'crunch' on the rhythm channel then you do get a volume boost when you kick that in, but if you are using the rhythm and lead channels (and not the crunch switch) you can get unity volume pretty easily.

From the look of the panel below EVH are pretending that there are separate clean and crunch channels (1/2) and that the lead channel is in fact a third channel, but from what I can see it's the same situation as the 5150 II except missing the resonance control (which is mainly used to compensate for thin or bassy cabs).

[one]

A bit expensive, but nice option, I'll have in mind. I was thinking about asking about the cabinet later, I'm more interested in Kraken owners to help here, but I'm starting to think they actually don't exist

[Lord Blakers]

I've got one - it's awesome! I also have a 15W EVH.

They both sound great, but I don't have a lot of time to go into detail (sorry). 

I doubt you'd regret buying either, but I think the Kraken has more plus points. It's really thoughtfully designed and I haven't found any annoyances yet. The fact that both the power and standby switches are on the back of the EVH pisses me off! (that's where the resonance control is too).

Channel one does clean sounds very well, BTW.

Anything in particular you'd like to know?

[one]

I've got one - it's awesome! I also have a 15W EVH.

They both sound great, but I don't have a lot of time to go into detail (sorry). 

I doubt you'd regret buying either, but I think the Kraken has more plus points. It's really thoughtfully designed and I haven't found any annoyances yet. The fact that both the power and standby switches are on the back of the EVH pisses me off! (that's where the resonance control is too).

Channel one does clean sounds very well, BTW.

Anything in particular you'd like to know?

Man, you are my last hope, please spend some time to help me. I'm almost sold with the EVH, I can get it for 950€ no cab, while Kraken+cab goes for 1750€. Which one would you keep? I'm scared the Kraken can't do metal as good as the EVH (every style although I especially love death and progressive, so versatility is something important). I think the EVH cleans are great, but I don't know about the kraken. The volume channel jump from the EVH puts me a bit down, so I don't know.

[Lord Blakers]

I just spent so long writing a reply that I was logged out when I tried to post it and it deleted everything 
This is an opportunity for me to summarise my bullshiteeee!

Firstly, if I dial in a decent metal tone on both amps, I'd say they're in a similar ballpark. I really wouldn't worry about the Kraken's metal credentials.

The EVH sounds great, but channel 2 is the go to dirty channel, so I can see the fact that it shares gain & volume with the clean channel to be a potential problem (I can't relate 1st hand, as my 15W doesn't have a clean channel). Channel 3 is quite scooped sounding and has way too much gain - and I am a "you can never have enough gain" person.
If you read up about the Kraken footswitching options, you'll see that there won't be any channel volume matching issues.

The Kraken has more than enough gain on channel 2, and really responds amazingly to the guitars' volume control. I'm really not very good at describing tone, so I'd just say if you like what you've seen/heard in the videos, you will like the amp. I can get so many more sounds out of it than with the EVH. I take it you've seen the official video and the Chappers/Andertons video?

On a negative note, the Kraken doesn't look as cool as the EVH - however, it is smaller and lighter (and comes with a carry bag).

You won't have a problem competing with/slaying a Powerball with either of these.

Where do you live? Is there no opportunity to at least try an EVH?

[one]

I just spent so long writing a reply that I was logged out when I tried to post it and it deleted everything 
This is an opportunity for me to summarise my bullshiteeeeee!

Firstly, if I dial in a decent metal tone on both amps, I'd say they're in a similar ballpark. I really wouldn't worry about the Kraken's metal credentials.

The EVH sounds great, but it isn't very dynamic - I find all my guitars sound quite similar through it, plus it doesn't respond well to the guitars' volume control. Also, channel 2 is the go to dirty channel, so I can see the fact that it shares gain & volume with the clean channel to be a potential problem (I can't relate 1st hand, as my 15W doesn't have a clean channel). Channel 3 is quite scooped sounding and has way too much gain - and I am a "you can never have enough gain" person.
If you read up about the Kraken footswitching options, you'll see that there won't be any channel volume matching issues.

The Kraken has more than enough gain on channel 2, and really responds amazingly to the guitars' volume control. I'm really not very good at describing tone, so I'd just say if you like what you've seen/heard in the videos, you will like the amp. I can get so many more sounds out of it than with the EVH. I take it you've seen the official video and the Chappers/Andertons video?

On a negative note, the Kraken doesn't look as cool as the EVH - however, it is smaller and lighter (and comes with a carry bag).

You won't have a problem competing with/slaying a Powerball with either of these.

Where do you live? Is there no opportunity to at least try an EVH?

I really appreciate you bothering to answer, mate, it looks like you are the only one in most guitar and metal forums who actually has a Kraken. I was on the verge of paying for the EVH until I read you, hehe, I'm uncertain again. You exactly hint to my worries about the EVH. I've heard channel 3 is too much gainy, so you have to use 1 and 2 that share equalization (a flaw imo), channel volume matching problems (2nd flaw), weight (another one in comparison with the Kraken) I've seen the videos but I was scared the guy used so many effects, post-production tricks it doesn't represent the real sound of the amp. Plus, I suspect a lot about the reason why so few people can say a word about the Kraken.

Now, the cleans is the only thing that bothers me, and you didn't talk about this. I've heard the EVH has beautiful cleans brought by Fender. In this respect, probably EVH wins, right?

I don't care about coolness or look, if that's the biggest problem you see here.

Thanks a lot for your help, as I can't try either of the amps.

[Dave Sloven]

This video gives a pretty good idea of the sounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_hOULA7Pik

Straight away when goes to channel 2 (the old 'crunch') he turns down the volume, so your point on that is obvious.

This video also explains quite a bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo18CwzE3DE

Personally I don't find the gain on channel 3 to be outlandish.  I am pretty sure my Peavey 6534+ has more than that.

I tend to think that you could get around the volume issue when switching between channels 1 & 2 by using a Morley volume pedal with the minimum volume on it to set up a louder sound for the clean.

The cleans sound at least as good as my 6534+ and better than any 5150/6505 or 5159 II/6505+ I've heard.

[one]

Thanks mate! :)

I don't plan to buy a pedal to gap the volume difference between channel 1 and 2 if I buy it but for what I understand in your post, I probably could forget about the channel 2 and use 1 for cleans and 3 for the rest. In my band we play 75% distorted so I'll probably won't miss using channel 2. What do you think?

[Lord Blakers]

I think you probably just need to take the plunge. It's unlikely you'll regret your decision either way.

[one]

I was coming to that conclusion, monkey, thanks. Anyway, I'm still undecisive. In case I go for the EVH, what cabin do you think it would be better? Both are the same price and weight, but:

Victory 2x12 V30 100w vertical
Cream white option matching the EVH
it's cool it's vertical, better for the place where we play
V30s (I've heard they aren't the best for the EVH, as it is a trebblish amp)

JVMC212 2x12 140w horizontal
Black (not matching the EVH)
Horizontal
G12 Vintage & G12 Heritage (don't know about them)

Thanks in advance.

[Chargrilled]

I bought the Kraken and it's bloody good but it doesn't have a dedicated clean channel - you have to roll off on the guitar volume and pretty much turn gain down to 1 on OD Channel 1 to get a clean which is a bit of a shame. If you're going to have two channels you may as well have one clean but I can see their thinking. 

 OD1 is bassier/ crunchier OD2 is the higher gain one both sound very good.

I bought it to send it through a Two Notes Studio loadbox/ cab emulator and compare to the Kemper - honestly the Kemper is so good for high gain stuff there was no point keeping it so I ended up returning the Kraken. On recordings there was no difference, they both sounded great.

I've only played through EVH Profiles on the Kemper, I prefer the Kraken of the two personally.

P.s. another alternative is the Kemper Power Rack - you can stick that through real cabs, and try out a range of amps, Rectifiers, Diezel, EVH etc.

[Dave Sloven]

Thanks mate! :)

I don't plan to buy a pedal to gap the volume difference between channel 1 and 2 if I buy it but for what I understand in your post, I probably could forget about the channel 2 and use 1 for cleans and 3 for the rest. In my band we play 75% distorted so I'll probably won't miss using channel 2. What do you think?

I never use the 'crunch' thing on my 6534+ except for stuff like AC/DC or Rose Tattoo.

Actually I went for two years just using the lead channel because I was playing d-beat punk, and clean was never needed.  I left my footswitch at home!

On speakers to go with the EVH, V30s all the way, no question.  They might sound a bit nasal at first, but when broken in they are excellent for that type of amp.