Members schecterc1lh Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I know these two are quite different, but i am just wondering if any of you have had them side by side? What were the main things that stuck out to you in switching between the two? Was one obviously more clear sounding, one stronger in the low mids...that type of stuff! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DVaz Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Played both, 5150 loads, VH4 a few hours, but not side by side, if thats any good to ya? The answer to both those specific questions is the VH4, btw, easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members schecterc1lh Posted April 18, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Played both, 5150 loads, VH4 a few hours, but not side by side, if thats any good to ya? The answer to both those specific questions is the VH4, btw, easily. I was just using those questions as examples of what i am wanting to know, not those in particular (although, that is good to know!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanFTWL Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Comparing a $4k amp to a $ Wat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Holy-diver Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 The vh4 is very compressed. I prefer the 5150, I just like how it sounds more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members schecterc1lh Posted April 18, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 The vh4 is very compressed. I prefer the 5150, I just like how it sounds more. Yeah, i know the VH4 is very compressed, which i actually enjoy about it, but it isnt a huge thing that the 5150 isnt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Holy-diver Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 The vh4 feels dead it is so compressed. It is clearer than the 5150 less "bees"5150 is more aggressive,, more bees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ::fred:: Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I have two of them right now and can compare them side by side. There's no comparison really. You can make the 5150 sound good in recordings, but it doesn't stand up to a VH4 in live situations. The Diezel has an enormous amount of harmonics and overtones. It makes you feel you're playing in drop tuning when you're really in standard E. It's also much more hi-fi, clear with much more note separation. Some people are not used to that because they've played lower class amps all their lives and just can't stand a tone without fizz or farting lows. I'm serious. I do feel the VH4 is somewhat compressed, but then again, I wouldn't call 5150 an open sounding amp either. Moreover, despite the compression the VH4 is very responsive to your picking, whereas the 5150 is pretty much dead in terms of dynamics. (which is not a necessarily a bad thing). The VH4 we have was slightly modified by Diezel to have less compression though. I like it better than stock. The good thing I like about all Diezels is that due to the nature of their sound they handle extreme tunings very good. Drop tuning on an 8-string - no problem. The clarity and note separation is almost like on an AXE FX. I have yet to find a high gain amp that matches Diezel in this area. Also, more gain does not equal more aggression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Holy-diver Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I have two of them right now and can compare them side by side. There's no comparison really. You can make the 5150 sound good in recordings, but it doesn't stand up to a VH4 in live situations. The Diezel has an enormous amount of harmonics and overtones. It makes you feel you're playing in drop tuning when you're really in standard E. It's also much more hi-fi, clear with much more note separation. Some people are not used to that because they've played lower class amps all their lives and just can't stand a tone without fizz or farting lows. I'm serious. I do feel the VH4 is somewhat compressed, but then again, I wouldn't call 5150 an open sounding amp either. Moreover, despite the compression the VH4 is very responsive to your picking, whereas the 5150 is pretty much dead in terms of dynamics. (which is not a necessarily a bad thing). The VH4 we have was slightly modified by Diezel to have less compression though. I like it better than stock. The good thing I like about all Diezels is that due to the nature of their sound they handle extreme tunings very good. Drop tuning on an 8-string - no problem. The clarity and note separation is almost like on an AXE FX. I have yet to find a high gain amp that matches Diezel in this area. Also, more gain does not equal more aggression. I have played a couple vh4s and I didn't feel or hear any magic, it felt dead and sounded good. But I guess I have been playing low class amps so I wouldn't know good sound/feel when I saw it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BillyCorgan Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 The vh4 feels dead it is so compressed. It is clearer than the 5150 less "bees" 5150 is more aggressive,, more bees. Try a Herbert. Way less compressed sounding than a VH4. Especially with KT88s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ::fred:: Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I have played a couple vh4s and I didn't feel or hear any magic, it felt dead and sounded good. But I guess I have been playing low class amps so I wouldn't know good sound/feel when I saw it I wasn't implying that you were among those whom I mentioned. It's just an observation I made from daily sales of various amps. Dude, whatever floats your boat. If you make it sound good, then so be it, who the {censored} cares? Though, I do believe VH4 vs. 5150 is kinda like a Porsche vs. Pinto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Holy-diver Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I'm not worried dude I was just kidding around anyways. Also, I would love to try a herbert out, it seems to correct everything I don't like about the vh4.I played an einstein once but that didn't suit my 7 string lust that well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Edes Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Try a Herbert. Way less compressed sounding than a VH4. Especially with KT88s. THIS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BillyCorgan Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I'm not worried dude I was just kidding around anyways. Also, I would love to try a herbert out, it seems to correct everything I don't like about the vh4.I played an einstein once but that didn't suit my 7 string lust that well. The lowest i've gone on my Herbert since i got it 3 days ago is C#. It was about to peel the paint off of my walls then.. I'm itching to try B or lower now.. xD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ::fred:: Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I've gone as low as Eb (octave lower) on an 8 string on a Herbert. That thing sounded ridiculous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tech21man Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I really laugh when I read comments on comparing price on an amp or classifying them. But I guess different things hold different value for some people and I can respect that. I personally don't like the VH4 so much. I can understand why it is more expensive than a 5150 but from what I like to hear from any amp I'd take a 5150 any day. Still the same is true for somebody that enjoys the characteristics of a VH4. But from the two it is 5150 for me easily. What that {censored}er does the VH4 can't do (and vice versa of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mizati20 Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Have owned both, love both, still have the VH-4, what people don't usually take into consideration is the TONS of options that come with the VH-4, between the global serial and parallel loop, loops for each individual channel, mute switches, and everything being completely MIDI switchable, you are paying for features as well, not just the sound it makes... my rig is fairly complex but was made into childs play because of the VH-4's features. Definitely agree with the low tuning comment that Fred made, yes the amp is extremely compressed, but it is a godsend in a live situation, and because of the compression, it is literally one of the best amps to play de-tuned music with, that and it records unbelievably well, of course we all know the 5150 is tried and true in the studio as well, so that's a bit irrelevant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeid2000 Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 A mate of mine has both. Seems that he's using the 6505 a lot more just now. He loves his VH-4 as well though. Thinks they're two different beasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rushtallica Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I have two of them right now and can compare them side by side. There's no comparison really. You can make the 5150 sound good in recordings, but it doesn't stand up to a VH4 in live situations. The Diezel has an enormous amount of harmonics and overtones. It makes you feel you're playing in drop tuning when you're really in standard E. It's also much more hi-fi, clear with much more note separation. Some people are not used to that because they've played lower class amps all their lives and just can't stand a tone without fizz or farting lows. I'm serious. I do feel the VH4 is somewhat compressed, but then again, I wouldn't call 5150 an open sounding amp either. Moreover, despite the compression the VH4 is very responsive to your picking, whereas the 5150 is pretty much dead in terms of dynamics. (which is not a necessarily a bad thing). The VH4 we have was slightly modified by Diezel to have less compression though. I like it better than stock. The good thing I like about all Diezels is that due to the nature of their sound they handle extreme tunings very good. Drop tuning on an 8-string - no problem. The clarity and note separation is almost like on an AXE FX. I have yet to find a high gain amp that matches Diezel in this area. Also, more gain does not equal more aggression. I've never been a fan of VH4 tone, though I know it is its own thing and loved by many -- no hate from me. But I'd rather use my Laney VH100R or '78 Marshall JMP 2204 with a boost in front as well as my 6505+. Just a preference thing. If I was going for any more of a clear-sounding amp it'd probably be less compressed, something like a SLO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MadKeithV Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 I am a former VH4S owner, and I've often considered the 6505 series. I love the 6505 for what it does. Every time I plug into one I get this big grin on my face and the stuff that the 6505 excels at just seems effortless. I can improvise modern death metal and deathcore all day on one of those. Some might call that amp "forgiving" in a way because it is just simply so easy to play. The VH4 was a different beast. It has four channels to start with - a really clean channel, a nifty dirty channel, a downright smoking third channel, and then an over the top fourth channel. I spent most of my time in Ch1 and Ch3. The 6505 is never going to have a clean-clean like the VH4. On the other hand, the VH4's clean isn't a fender or vox or marshall clean either - it has its own voice and may not really be the clean of your dreams. Ch3 sounds fantastic. It's a thick, middy, barking channel with more than enough gain for almost any rhythm work, including intricate fast single note stuff as well as complex chords. It rings out, it stands out. It is however very dry. To me it ws almost as if I was re-amping myself - it felt like I was playing clean or even unplugged (electric guitar unplugged!) but the sound coming out of the amp was huge. I always felt disconnected with the amp - it SOUNDED great, and when I got my mic choice and placement right (which was harder than for other amps I've used, but I was also less experienced) it sounded fantastic to tape as well, but I never enjoyed playing that amp as much as say a 2204, or, indeed, a 6505. Bottom line: I like the way both amps sound. I think they could probably cover the same ground but in different ways and with different basic tones. However they feel very different. Try both and see which one you like best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nakedzen Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Try a Herbert. Way less compressed sounding than a VH4. Especially with KT88s. This. Hated the VH4, love the Herbert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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