Mesa Single Rec vs Peavey 6505+

[KevinTJH]

The other guitarist from my band just bought a Peavey 6505+, which cost him half of what I paid for my Single Rectifier, and the Peavey is pretty damn awesome amp from what I've heard.

 

Just curious how Mesa Boogie can justify charging such high prices for their amps? I haven't heard the Peavey personally, but my amp cost me twice as much.

 

Both amps are half stacks and used for Hardcore/Metal music.

 

 

What are your opinions on both amps? (pros and cons)

[Razsan]

Kevin, in regards to tone, you probably now have more at your disposal than we do. Both amps are available to A/B. In regards to craftsmanship, I would think, and this is stricltly a non-informed opinion about Peavey.....the Mesa is a better built amp with a greater attention to detail. It may only sound 10-20% better but with anything else, typically you pay a premium for the extra 20%. 

[KevinTJH]

This may be a rather silly question to ask, but how does the number of tubes affect the tone of the amp?

 

My Mesa only has 5x 12AX7 and 2x 6L6, whereas the Peavey haas 6x 12AX7 and 4x 6L6.

 

Any particular reason why Mesa chose to use less tubes than the Peavey?

[Billy-6voD0]

I own both. Here is how i compare them. FIrst off I place the mesa in first. Better engineering, and more versatility. Peavey 6505 can really do on two things well, CRUNCH and HIGH gain where as the mesa can tackle cleans crunch and high gain, especially the single rec which has probably the best clean of any recto. The 50 watter will be much more favorable at local gigs too. If all you use your amp for is high gain then they are equal, it is a matter of taste at that point, BUT still the mesa is engineered better. SO yes i believe it is justifiable that mesa charges more, they pay more attention to detail, if you drop both heads from a 2 story home, it's Bye Bye peavey and the same old recto. Love both heads but My multiwatt dual rec and single rec are my main heads, the peavey is a backup and used to blend with my mesa dual rec in recordings. Whatever ou do even if you like the peavey better keep the mesa, because a 6505 and a mesa is better two of the same whether it is two mesas or two peaveys. You'll get a much cooler sound. 

[greatmutah]

 

Kevin here's what's going on here.  Your Single Rec is a great amp.  Your friend's 6505+ is also a great amp.  Both are based off the SLO circuit but have their differences.  The Mesa has a greater emphasis on low end, low mids and highs.  Upper mids aren't its strong suit.  The 6505 is more centered in its signal distribution and more upper mid and high focused (this is especially true of the standard 6505.  Remember these were designed for Ed and he was going deaf when they designed them).  It can get a pretty deep low end, but nothing like the Mesa.  A high gain power chord through a Recto is like getting hit by a tidal wave.  In a mix both amps will fill out the spaces the other can't meet and compliment each other.  If you want a little more tightness to your Mesa, throw a boost in front of it.  Those amps LOVE boosts on their gain channels.  You hit a Recto of any sorts with a TS style boost and the crunch/gain sounds you can achieve are in a class of their own.  Need proof?  Check some of Ola Englund's Recto clips.  He always has a boost in front of his and I've never heard his Rectos sound less than amazing.  In my own experience my Rectos have always benefited from a boost when playing metal.  Other things:  your Mesa can run differing power tubes as well which can vary your tones.  6L6s too boomy?  Try a good set of EL34s.   One negative point about the Single Rec is that it won't have the headroom the 6505 does, and honestly this is just due to the number of power tubes.  The extra preamp tube the 6505+ has doesn't affect the gain.  In fact that 6505+ has LESS gain than the 6505 (which IMO is a better amp than the + anyway, at least soundwise).

 

As for the justification in pricing, well it's a more featured amp.  It's more versatile and has a lot more functions.  The cabinets too.  A Peavey cab is a solid built cab that comes with their OEM speakers.  Mesa cabs are solidly built cabs that come with English made Celestion Vintage 30s (or MC90s) and, depending on the cab you bought, are built and tuned to enhance different tonally frequencies better than a standard size cab.  Not to mention the extra wood involved in a Recto OS Cab vs a Traditional Cab.  I'm not trying to tear down Peavey here at all either.  I've had 2 5150s and a 6505+.  They're great amps and they do what they do very, very well.  But they're not a Recto and don't have half the features nor craftsmanship put into them that a Recto does.  They're both great products made in the USA though.  I'd be happy to have either in my back line and have had both at the same time even.  As far as dropping both from a 2 story home?  I don't think either one will survive very well.  Does one sound better?  Your call.  I prefer the Recto grind myself.  But I won't knock the 5150/6505 for being damn good at what it does.  They're both fine amps.