NAD! Peavey 5150

[fretout]

The Mark IV has a bit less gain and is a smoother, less in your face sounding amp. It also has much, much better cleans than the 5150... but the 5150 is hard to beat for all out aggression. Add a noise gate, a tubescreamer, and a good oversized cab with v30s and you're in brootalz heaven.

I have the Recto if I ever want teh Brootz, but I never understood how people say that the Mark IV has less gain than other amps. My Mark IV seems to have ALOT more gain than my Recto, but the one thing my Recto has that the Mark doesn't is the huge bottom-end.

The Mark has a more vocal quality to the lead channel, but I can also get some really aggressive sounds out of it. I actually prefer the Mark for "Thrash Metal" and the Recto is great for modern down-tuned riffage. If I could compare both of the amps, the Mark is a sword (cut, articulate) and the Recto is a hammer (Hi-Fi, punchy).

IIRC, the 5150 is Peavey's take on the SLO-100, just lke the Recto was Mesa's take on the SLO-100.

Thanks for the input and opinions!

[GregLast]

MAny of the best metal guitar tones ever recorded have been with plain stock 5150s. The bias mod isn't that big of a deal.

 

 

Yes, and recorded tones are usually {censored}ed with after they are recorded.

 

Bias mod makes a world of difference.

 

For what it's worth, I don't use a 5150 cab either. I use a Marshall 1960a with an x pattern of V30's and G12T-75's. Fantastic. Combination just growls.

[OldSouls]

nice grab - nice price at GC for a block letter. don't be shy, the normal input on those amps rules - lil less noise and killer tones baby. enjoy that {censored}!!!

[JoshuaLogan]

 

Yes, and recorded tones are usually {censored}ed with after they are recorded.

 

 

{censored}ed with how? Do you really know? Or is that just what you've heard?

 

Because the truth is there is very little "magic" going on. Guys like Andy Sneap and Jason Suecof use very little post EQ on guitars.

 

There is no studio magic warming up a stock 5150 so that on a recording it sounds like a bias modded 5150 to you in the room.

 

Tubescreamer + 5150 + mesa oversized cab + sm57 + decent mic pre + decent A/D converters (and D/A if you're reamping) + good ears and mic placement = great modern metal tone. It's been proven many times over.

 

If the bias mod makes such a drastic difference, don't you think you'd hear about it from the big name producers and players? Of course, a modded 5150 doesn't necessarily sound any worse, but it definitely doesn't necessarily sound any better either. There's a reason why it's been a go-to amp for metal for over a decade.

[OldSouls]

{censored}ed with how? Do you really know? Or is that just what you've heard? Because the truth is there is very little "magic" going on. Guys like Andy Sneap and Jason Suecof use very little post EQ on guitars. There is no studio magic warming up a stock 5150 so that on a recording it sounds like a bias modded 5150 to you in the room. Tubescreamer + 5150 + mesa oversized cab + sm57 + decent mic pre + decent A/D converters (and D/A if you're reamping) + good ears and mic placement = great modern metal tone. It's been proven many times over. If the bias mod makes such a drastic difference, don't you think you'd hear about it from the big name producers and players? Of course, a modded 5150 doesn't necessarily sound any worse, but it definitely doesn't necessarily sound any better either. There's a reason why it's been a go-to amp for metal for over a decade.

 

 

This for sure! totally agree you don't have to add any magic to these amps to get great sounds. also alot metal engineers also pair that up with emg's. i don't prefer them but they sound great for some things.

[GregLast]

{censored}ed with how? Do you really know? Or is that just what you've heard? Because the truth is there is very little "magic" going on. Guys like Andy Sneap and Jason Suecof use very little post EQ on guitars. There is no studio magic warming up a stock 5150 so that on a recording it sounds like a bias modded 5150 to you in the room. Tubescreamer + 5150 + mesa oversized cab + sm57 + decent mic pre + decent A/D converters (and D/A if you're reamping) + good ears and mic placement = great modern metal tone. It's been proven many times over. If the bias mod makes such a drastic difference, don't you think you'd hear about it from the big name producers and players? Of course, a modded 5150 doesn't necessarily sound any worse, but it definitely doesn't necessarily sound any better either. There's a reason why it's been a go-to amp for metal for over a decade.

 

 

I'm not new to a studio, and I'm not saying that a stock 5150 isn't a good amp for great metal tones. What I am saying is, play a bias modded amp next to an unmodded amp and the difference is night and day. Get your e-thumb out of your ass.

[greg apocalypse]

welcome to the family!

[Symmetry2170]

Congrats, dude.

It looks like the one I used to have. Mine didn't have the piece behind of the grille either.

[diavolo1]

+1 on the cab suggestions. while i used to run mine through a marshall cab with v-75s, my mesa standard cab with v-30s is a perfect match with this head.
and, try it with a boost and without. there are positives and negatives to both. i used my maxon for a couple years, and recently quit using it on this head. while it tightened it up and was a blast to play using the boost, it also made it more focused/squeezed, and kind of boxy in the mids. it sounds bigger, more open to my ears without the boost.
if you have real hot pickups and use some volume you don't need the boost. that, and with the gain on 3 i don't need a noise gate. im going to try and make a video sometime next week, because it really is crushing with the gain set that low, and the high end is smoother without the boost. i actually run the highs a couple settings higher now, and the amp sounds less congested.....imo....

[shane159]

Here's an update: Swapped out the stock 6L6 tubes from my XXX, and DAYUM. Definite improvement in sound, so I'm almost positive the tubes it came with are pretty much toast. The tubes that came with my 5150 said nothing but "6L6 GC" in faint white letters, so who knows what cheapo brand they are. Anyway, even the Ruby 6L6 tubes that were in my XXX make the 5150 a fire breathing monster! Can't wait for some X-Mas scratch so I can give it a complete tune-up with new JJ tubes all around. Chaos - didn't you just get that XXX combo? Sorry to see it go, but at least you replaced it with a damn good Marshall! It took me MONTHS to figure out some settings that I liked. I was so frustrated in the beginning I had it up for sale just about every week here lol. I'm at the point where I'm contemplating selling one of my other Peavey amps, either the Triple XXX or the XXL. Now I'd like to get my hands on a MkII . . .

 

 

Dude put TAD 6L6's and you will love them. JJ's sound OK but Ruby's and TAD's are the way to go on the 5150. Also try boosting the rhythm channel and thank me later:thu:

[shane159]

{censored}ed with how? Do you really know? Or is that just what you've heard? Because the truth is there is very little "magic" going on. Guys like Andy Sneap and Jason Suecof use very little post EQ on guitars. There is no studio magic warming up a stock 5150 so that on a recording it sounds like a bias modded 5150 to you in the room. Tubescreamer + 5150 + mesa oversized cab + sm57 + decent mic pre + decent A/D converters (and D/A if you're reamping) + good ears and mic placement = great modern metal tone. It's been proven many times over. If the bias mod makes such a drastic difference, don't you think you'd hear about it from the big name producers and players? Of course, a modded 5150 doesn't necessarily sound any worse, but it definitely doesn't necessarily sound any better either. There's a reason why it's been a go-to amp for metal for over a decade.

 

 

I have a bias modded and non bias modded and the bias mod will eat the stock one alive!!

[diavolo1]

I have a bias modded and non bias modded and the bias mod will eat the stock one alive!!

 

 

goddamn i gotta find someone here that can bias mod mine!

[nakedzen]

 

I have a bias modded and non bias modded and the bias mod will eat the stock one alive!!

 

 

What does the bias mod actually do to the tone? Make it bolder/bigger sounding?

[shane159]

What does the bias mod actually do to the tone? Make it bolder/bigger sounding?

 

 

It is bigger and less fizzy.The lows also are improved alot. Single notes just stand out better also.

[GregLast]

For some reason one guy in this thread seems to think that it's not going to make a difference but every guy that's played a bias modded 5150 in this thread says it's the tits.

 

It's a night and day difference. It's warmer and more organic feeling. It's got a huge improvement in the low mids and Gets rid of the can of bees for the most part. Sounds fuller. Makes a stock 5150 feel like a wuss. I love a stock 5150 but every stock 5150 I ever come in contact with is getting a bias mod.

[OverDriven]

Overdriven, do you prefer the 5150 over the Mark IV you had? I remember your Mark IV clips and they are part of the reason I ended up picking up a Mark IV. I couldn't be happier, the Mark IV is a great amp. Sorry to hijack OP, HNAD!!! The 5150/6505 seems to be the go-to amp for Brootz.

No...I actually think that overall the Mark IV is a better sounding amp. It sounds much more 3D and responsive than a 5150 IMO. Of course it has much better cleans as well. That said, I have always had a thing for that 5150 tone, and every so often I want one again just to mess around with. It's a really fun amp...like trying to control a run away freight train...in a good way

[Shask]

I have the Recto if I ever want teh Brootz, but I never understood how people say that the Mark IV has less gain than other amps. My Mark IV seems to have ALOT more gain than my Recto, but the one thing my Recto has that the Mark doesn't is the huge bottom-end. The Mark has a more vocal quality to the lead channel, but I can also get some really aggressive sounds out of it. I actually prefer the Mark for "Thrash Metal" and the Recto is great for modern down-tuned riffage. If I could compare both of the amps, the Mark is a sword (cut, articulate) and the Recto is a hammer (Hi-Fi, punchy). Thanks for the input and opinions!

Its just because the Mark IV doesn't have the saturation the Recto/5150 has. Lack of saturation (Cleaner, clearer, more open distortions, etc...) causes an "apparent lack of gain" the way people hear it. It doesn't sound as gained out as it really is.

I have the same problem with the Mark III, and it drove me nuts how I couldn't get a Recto-like tone out of it. Even using boosts, I couldn't get the saturation I wanted to hear out of it.

But, now I have a Mark III and a Recto, so I'm good

[GibsonVMan]

What does the bias mod actually do to the tone? Make it bolder/bigger sounding?

Holy {censored}....does it ever. People that say it does not make that big of a difference have never played one. Once you have one thats bias modded, you realize that a stock one just sounds bad...

I was really starting to hate the first one I had, then I bias modded it

It's bigger and warming sounding. It takes away some of the buzz and the low end gets to be more refined.

[sahlomonic]

For some reason one guy in this thread seems to think that it's not going to make a difference but every guy that's played a bias modded 5150 in this thread says it's the tits. It's a night and day difference. It's warmer and more organic feeling .

 

 

Exactly what I want to achieve eventually. Right now my stock 5150 sounds warmer and more organic compared to my XXX that I've been used to for the past year. Once the honeymoon period is over I'm sure I'll want to have the bias mod done.

[sahlomonic]

Another question, how do 5150's sound when paired up with a Gflex cab? I used to have one right before I got my XXX, but I hated my XXX at first and thought the Gflex was to blame. Oh how wrong I was. I sold it to my singer and have used it a couple times since then, and I sure do miss it . . .

[OverDriven]

Holy {censored}....does it ever. People that say it does not make that big of a difference have never played one. Once you have one thats bias modded, you realize that a stock one just sounds bad... I was really starting to hate the first one I had, then I bias modded it It's bigger and warming sounding. It takes away some of the buzz and the low end gets to be more refined.

 

It makes a difference, but I think you are blowing it a bit out of proportion (no offense of course). I bias modded my last 5150. It mostly improves it, but in some ways it actually hurts the tone IMO. The change is there, but it's not like a whole new amp or anything. The tone gets thicker and warmer. That's good for leads, but I actually feel that it's bad for high gain metal rhythms. It certainly loses a tiny bit of bottom end clarity when you bias mod it, and it gets a bit more congested in the mids. That's not to say that it isn't worth it, but I just want to point out that it's not a mod that everyone is going to like. The best of both worlds is to mod it with two pots so you can set one hot and one cold like stock. Then you install a switch to go back and forth between the two.

[JoshuaLogan]

It makes a difference, but I think you are blowing it a bit out of proportion (no offense of course). I bias modded my last 5150. It mostly improves it, but in some ways it actually hurts the tone IMO. The change is there, but it's not like a whole new amp or anything. The tone gets thicker and warmer. That's good for leads, but I actually feel that it's bad for high gain metal rhythms. It certainly loses a tiny bit of bottom end clarity when you bias mod it, and it gets a bit more congested in the mids. That's not to say that it isn't worth it, but I just want to point out that it's not a mod that everyone is going to like. The best of both worlds is to mod it with two pots so you can set one hot and one cold like stock. Then you install a switch to go back and forth between the two.

 

 

Thank you for being rational and intelligent.

[Holy-diver]

I thought the bias clarity nodded 5150 I played raped all the stock 6505s and 6505+s....

[rockstrongo]

It makes a difference, but I think you are blowing it a bit out of proportion (no offense of course). I bias modded my last 5150. It mostly improves it, but in some ways it actually hurts the tone IMO. The change is there, but it's not like a whole new amp or anything. The tone gets thicker and warmer. That's good for leads, but I actually feel that it's bad for high gain metal rhythms. It certainly loses a tiny bit of bottom end clarity when you bias mod it, and it gets a bit more congested in the mids. That's not to say that it isn't worth it, but I just want to point out that it's not a mod that everyone is going to like. The best of both worlds is to mod it with two pots so you can set one hot and one cold like stock. Then you install a switch to go back and forth between the two.

 

 

 

 

 

I agree. I've done the mod on several heads, and while it does make a difference, its not night and day like a lot of people seem to believe. The clean sounds warmer, notes bloom more, and it takes some of the buzziness out, but its more of a subtle refinement IMO.

[kmanick]

No...I actually think that overall the Mark IV is a better sounding amp. It sounds much more 3D and responsive than a 5150 IMO. Of course it has much better cleans as well. That said, I have always had a thing for that 5150 tone, and every so often I want one again just to mess around with. It's a really fun amp...like trying to control a run away freight train...in a good way

I felt the same way, I love my Mark IV but I am always jonesing for a 5150 when I don't have one.
Now I've got a 5150 II and the mark IV and I go back and forth between the 2 all the time.
anyone here bias mod the II(+)? will it help as much on the II as the original version?
If I could swing a Tremoverb or a Roadster to go along with these 2 amps I'd be all set.