All user reviews for the Peavey 5150 Head

All Lamps amp 120 watts into 4, 8, 16 Ohms.
One entry found Normal and High gain.
9 by facades knobs (Gain clean and lead, bass, middle, treble, volume and lead clean, resonance and presence.
Effects loop.
2 HP.
No effect.

UTILIZATION

Using ultra simple, or even too much! Is lit, allowed to warm, the branch, and it sounds live!
I did not have a manual (purchased used).
Please note that head is heavy and quite bulky ...

SOUNDS

It is perfect for my style (Black, death, heavy), I play an Ibanez with EMG Active mounted.

Its clean: The problem is that you can not really have a nice, if you put in a presence and trebles thoroughly. It did not really heat, it is really to help out. As against the Crunch switch direct AC sends most is Kazys the same sound as the lead channel and it is exploitable.

in the final clean is usable when you love the clean crunch that has some kind of Arch Enemy.

Lead her: it's more kidding Trendy in normal gain, the gain to 7, resonance and presence of 5, bass and treble to 6, has 3 middle, ca sends severe, the grain is, it's all lights, great! attention this amp is very heavy in medium, for lovers of big sound dug I suggest you add an equalizer in the effects loop.

High gain came in, it's too much gain! y'en everywhere, ca feedback, it's really for passive guitars!

I put 8 for the lead sound, shame about the clean does not follow!

Warning: Equalization passive! ca not really change the sound even if you turn it up! mesa is not!

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for about 1 month. I really like the lead channel, but I use it with an equalizer in the effects loop. I try the dual rectification, that's about the same sound, a little dirty, but dirty in a good way.
is very suitable for metals!
The value for money is good I got it for € 770!
With experience, I probably would do this choice, although I regret that the clean is not up to the lead ...

Tube amp head 100 watts
Two speaker outputs, an effects loop series and not parallel
The settings are really childish, like a Marshall head base.

UTILIZATION

Setup is simple. you do not spend hours finding the sound, like a Boogie, for example.

SOUNDS

The 515O is not necessarily dedicated to pure metal guitarists. On channel 1, by adjusting the gain, we can easily give in the Marshall-type AC / DC or RATM. By switching the small button "crunch", the sound gets thick. Then, several options are possible: either there are a little sauce with the type overdrive OD-1 or TS-9 (with the gain of 4 / 5, we obient the famous sound "Machine Head". Or you up the gain to the amp, but its push too hard, otherwise you lose the momentum, and it blows a little (big default 5150).
On channel 2 is direct compressed metal sound that vibrates the chest on the palm-mute. With the gain 2 is already clipped. Personally, it's the one I use, with a TS-9 which is the drive to zero, and the volume turned up.
The two settings that make the difference on this head, "resonance", which sends the big gum in the grave, and "presence", which sends much of the bite fever worship (not abuse).

on the other hand, do not expect to play in the 5150's clean (the exit to casseroles Franky Vincent). At best, we get a clear a little crunchy.

Note: Someone said earlier that the new 6505 sounds exactly like the 5150, and it is false. Even the 5150 II sounds more cheap.

Time to major defects:
- The blast, which can disrupt recording. By changing the capacitors in the audio, the problem can be solved (it is cheap).

- The effects loop can not be modified. The sound subsides a little active when the pedals are in insert. Again, you can ask a technician to put the loop in parallel with an input volume knob, and one output.

OVERALL OPINION

I have mine ... ten years from now. I like that it sounds good, and without taking the lead. I had a Marshall JCM800 before, that was cool too, which was cool for blues rock, but had little in the bag. The 5150 is more versatile.
The value for money is excellent.
If I had to change, it would be for a Marshall JCM80O amended by VHM (outright killing) or a Bogner.

120 Watts (not 100 as the two reviews), all-tube short .. just been said.

Where I want to add a clarification that its build quality ... I had several problems with it. Do not worry mine is almost 20 and perfectly normal. In fact, the problems I may have never came from the amp! What I mean is that it is TIP-IN-THE-TI-BLE!
To have dismantled several times I know what I mean! The first problem I had: two lamps burn and it was actually the speaker who was court-circuit. The second problem: most of his! Hey, after disassembly (12 screws), it was just a fuse and I think it was my fault more ... pfff

Yep, this amp is protected overprotective see! And I doubt that we find the same thing now on the market ...
I mean a fuse for power, so far so good ... But within: 5 fuses that protect EVERYTHING! You really have to screw up a grudge! You can plug any old way, I doubt you burn out a single component except a fuse ... I did not dare take the test. But mine in 20 years, more .. I oula not count the number of concerts and trips he had to. In short, it is reinforced concrete and was designed for long!

Rating: 9 / 10 is not perfect.

UTILIZATION

Ultra simple ... The manual can be useful for a beginner, I have not had personal need.

Rating: 9 / 10 is not perfect.

SOUNDS

Start with good: it captures the dynamics of the stratum and respects its sound. With a good Ibanez: the sound is always respected. Yamaha? Ditto!

Sound good? It all depends what you're looking.

No sound clear? You can always play with the knobs of the guitar and not too challenging or even with the return of the loop as some do.

Sound metal? Hahaha: of course! It is for that! He might be 20 years old, it's just a massacre. "Ugh me is that i want mesa boogie! Jveux sound MODERN" Well my friends brought you just change the first lamp for a preamp that hard with a little more sound mesa (20 and 40 euros), and it is almost equivalent. At worst you place a equalo in the loop to sculpt the sound to your taste and go.
I give to several groups: death, hardcore, rock, 90's metal: it's simple: IT WORKS! At worst the scenes with sound engineer, well all is said: There's a sound engineer to put it all square.
In addition it is 120 watts: jpense not turn up your post to gain more than 4 ...

Of breath? A lil noise gate effectively or ptite modif (I have not done).

All the effects go well ... you just know the rules ...

Last but we must know: the baffle. With it, a rotting cabinet is not suitable (whatever). However to take advantage of all its dynamic speaker with a good HP quality and you have the METAL amp of your dreams.

Rating: 8 / 10 just for clear sound.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 6 years now. I do not regret absolutely not! With him I save over 500 euros repair: just take his mimine, a screwdriver and open it to watch the beast. A voltmeter in the putty and everything is arranged.

Value for money: IN-FI-NI! You are against over-consumption. Are you against the electronic "programmed" to die. Haha for 800 euros he is away! Okay there is no separate equalization 50. Okay the clear sound is warm to have (much). But if you want a powerful sound, aggressive rock and roll or grunge, hardcore short .. if you know what you want and what did not get a good distortion without putting 4,000 euros: it is he that 'you need.

Rating: 9 / 10 is not perfect.

With the experience I redo the election. Okay at worst a LS2 and a fender amp for clear sound if I really want but then really be bourgeois. But in terms of distortion: no there's no it's him and nobody else!

* 120 Watts RMS
* Five 12AX7 preamp tubes
* Four 6L6GC power tubes
* HI and LO Gain Inputs
* 2 channel preamp
* PRE and POST gain Controls on both channels
* Bright & Crunch Switches
* 3-band EQ
* Presence and Resonance Controls
* Post-EQ effects loop
* Preamp output
* Footswitch included

This is the original 5150, block letter version with I believe RUBY tubes.
It's your typical 2 channel amp with rhythm and lead, best known for high gain distortion sounds and not so much clean.


UTILIZATION

Pretty simple to use if one is used to playing peavey amps, they almost always have the same set of controls. It's like a universal set of knobs to include onto every amp they've ever made. Especially the pre and post gain features, with the bright and crunch switches too.

No manual is generally needed, it's pretty easy to get a decent tone and tweak further for specific changes.



SOUNDS

I first have to say that this amp sounds great generally only at high volumes and not bedroom practice volumes. Yes it's obvious but there are some players out there who don't know. Even though my review of this head is nearly 10 years + too late, I'm sure nearly 99% of the guitarist population knows about this amp, has at least heard of it and most likely plugged this in, or maybe a variation of it.

So what does it sound like? Like the past 10 years+ of all metal albums out there. I can't imagine how many players have played through this model amp, it has become so widely known and so many variations and modifications have been made for it, to it. There's even been clones of these amps made by other companies etc, the list goes on.

This has been the go to amp for anything high gain related. Especially with some sort of boost put out in front. Super tight, raunchy distortion. Perfect in this respect.

As for cleans, no this amp is not known for cleans, although depending on how you tweak it, has potential to be very usable. It is no fender mind you but it does have a clean channel. Though it is rather sterile sounding compared to the jangly fenders and what have you, it's definitely still usable in a live situation.

OVERALL OPINION

The 5150 is so famed it's hard to completely tell you every detail about it because you most likely already know. It's a metal amp, a great one with an overdrive, and has become the industry standard high gain amp for metal players.

Is it versatile? I wouldn't say so. The cleans are nothing to write home about and I don't see any blues/jazz or just non high-gain players plugging into this. But what it does, it's very good at. VERY good at.

It's heavy though. All of them are, so be prepared to be lifting something like a ton of bricks every time you transport the damn thing!

The Peavey 5150 is a 120 watt high gain tube amp. It runs off four 6l6 power tubes and has five 12ax7 preamp tubes. There are 1/4' inputs for high gain and low gain, two speaker outputs, 4/8/16 ohm selector, pre-amp out, and post EQ effects loop.. This is a two channel amp with a shared EQ of bass, middle, and treble. Each channel has it's own pre-gain and post-gain knobs and the clean channel has a crunch and bright switch. The channels can be selected on the front panel or with an external footswitch which can also turn the effects loop on and off. There are also controls for power amp resonance and presence.





UTILIZATION

There are not too many frill with this amp and it laid out very straight forward. Setting it up is easy and getting it to sound good is just as simple. I love amps that can sound good with the EQ controls at noon and this is one of those amps. A basic understanding of amp heads will get you through this no problem. I did not receive a manual nor did I need one to know what to do.

SOUNDS

When playing this amp I am more than likely in metal mode. The clean channel is there but it does not sound very good. It is flat and uninspiring but can be livened up with some delay or reverb. I usually run this amp with the controls set around noon with the bass being slightly lower and the mids up a bit. The amp has so much gain that I usually leave that dial below 4. Even with the gain up higher it it surprisingly detailed sounding. Of course you can get into buzz saw territory by running the gain high and cutting the mids but I have never been a fan of that sound. This amp is also loud very loud. The post gain dial is so sensitive that little adjustments make it go from bedroom level to ear splitting very quickly. That added headroom is great to have as the amp sounds better when you turn it up. At stage volumes this thing just hits you in the gut. Palm mutes sound ridiculously heavy and power chords cut with authority.

OVERALL OPINION

These amps can be found cheap and are great to have around even for a backup. They are also built tough to withstand constant abuse and volume.This amp has fallen from the top of a full stack and still works. I have had the same tubes in this amp for probably close to five years and it still sounds good. My other amps sound better overall but I find myself re-tubbing them about once a year.

If you need a no frills metal amp it is tough to beat the 5150 at any price range. There are other high gain amps with more features and a more refined sound but the raw tone of this amp is great for that style. This amp is on tons of records and criminally underrated by gear snobs.

Specs include:

120w of pure American voiced power
5 - 12AX7s in the preamp
4 - 6L6s in the power amp
Footswitchable Lead and Rhythm (clean) channels
Effects loop
3-band EQ (lows, mids, highs)
Resonance and Presence controls
Bright and Crunch switch on Rhythm channel
4, 8, or 16 ohms
Made in the USA

This amp is the same model as Peavey's current production 6505.

UTILIZATION

The 5150 has a simple and minimalistic layout, which is very easy to get used to. Super easy to get a great tone out of it, though the Rhythm channel can be a bit finicky with getting a good clean tone out of it.

SOUNDS

I have owned many, many 5150s over the years (probably somewhere close to 10). Having playing it through everything from a Strat to a Les Paul, a Tele to a Jackson, they have never let me down. Currently, I'm using it through a Soldano 2x12 with Eminence V12 Legends and a Parker Fly Stealth, mainly in Drop C.

Mostly, I play metal, and while this amp isn't necessarily the most versatile amp on the market, it is certainly the best I've heard in its price range for the genre (and trust me, I have owned pretty much EVERY high gain amp there is to own in the sub-$2000 range). This amp has a very strong mid-range presence, and it is almost impossible to achieve a "scooped" sound with it, unless you're using an external EQ in the loop. This amp will cut through a live mix like a knife, with your mids at 3, and is quite possibly the best sounding amp I've used for recording (maybe tied with a 2 Channel Mesa Dual Rectifier).

A lot of people complain about this amp not truly having a "clean" tone on it, and personally, I think they're nuts. While I can see not being able to achieve a shimmering clean tone out of the 5150 with super high output pickups, pickups similar in output to the Duncan JB are more than capable of getting an entirely passable clean tone out of this amp, you just need to spend some time learning how the EQ controls and Bright/Crunch switches work on the channel.

The Lead channel is capable of the heaviest of heavy, with a tight, super-cutting tone. The secret to the clearest distorted tone out of this amp, however, is using an overdrive pedal (I use a Maxon OD-808) over the Rhythm channel with the Crunch setting engaged, the pre-gain set a bit low on the channel and the overdrive pedal with the drive set at 0 and the volume all the way up. While it might not pack quite the saturated punch that the Lead channel does, it's one of the clearest high gain tones you will find on ANY amp (even more so than my Diezel Herbert).

However, perhaps the biggest increase in tone that can be made with the 5150, is the addition of the "bias mod" circuit. This adds an adjustable bias pot, which allows you to run the tubes at the correct voltage (they come biased very cold from the factory), and get rid of nasty cross-over distortion. Not only does this mod open the amp up quite a bit and reduces the sterileness of it, but in some cases also gives it more saturation and gain (like it needs extra gain as it is! :P )

OVERALL OPINION

I have been recommending these amps to people for years, and for good reason. You can get them dirt cheap on the used market and they sound GREAT! I keep buying more expensive amps to try them out, and keep coming back to the 5150. With this amp and a 2 Channel Mesa Dual Recto, you're able to nail just about every high gain tone ever recorded. While the more expensive amps sound great, having tried nearly all of them, I've yet to find one that is really worth the extra cash over these two amps. While I own a Diezel Herbert, and it sounds AMAZING, would I pay that much money for one again? Definitely not. Am I going to sell it anytime soon? Definitely not.

I honestly can't say enough good things about the 5150... While this may not be the perfect practice amp (it's a bit buzzy at super low volumes, but has a great Master Volume once you get it past 1.5 or so), it's an awesome head that I would recommend to anyone playing heavier music, whether their budget is $500 or $5000.

Unless some revolutionary new amp comes out that really blows me away, this amp won't be going anywhere, or be traded for anything.

The Peavey 5150 made its debut in 1991 with the collaborative effort of EVH to get his own signature amp. It's a 120 watt, two channel amplifier with a shared EQ. However, as many people in Europe discovered, this thing is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Sure, EVH may have designed it, but it does not sound similar to his Marshalls of the past. This thing has a ridiculous amount of gain on tap, and it's been successfully utilized by the melodic death metal scene in Scandinavia.

UTILIZATION

Layout wise, the amp is very simple. In fact, it's somewhat limiting due to the shared EQ. You only have a clean/crunch button for one channel, along with its own volume knob. The effects loop can be finicky and is prone to dust issues causing the amp to sound like it's shorting out. If this happens, spray some contact cleaner in there and cycle the jacks a bit. The amp also has a preamp out feature, along with a ground select switch to help cancel any hum that you may get due to bad power at gigs.

SOUNDS

While the amp is lacking in terms of overall versatility, the sound is where this thing excels. First of all, the clean channel is dismal. If you're looking for an amp with a clean channel, I'd look elsewhere. With the crunch switch engaged, you can get a great EVH sound, and boosting the crunch channel can get you a good metal sound. However, the lead channel is where this thing really excels. This high gain, low midrange grunting amplifier has been famously recorded by bands such as Arch Enemy, Carcass, Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Machine Head, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Haunted and the list still goes on to this day. For those into more extreme metal, I recommend boosting the lead channel as it gives a tight, percussive sound that sounds absolutely massive.

OVERALL OPINION

Even to this day, the 5150 is one of the most utilized amps in heavy metal. This isn't just for the EVH fanboys, and it can actually do more than just metal. Pair it up with some Greenback speakers, put it on the crunch channel, and you can get a great blues/rock sound. While it lacks overall versatility in terms of functions, it is one of those amps that delivers the goods every time. On top of that, they're extremely reliable and have proven themselves on tour for decades. Just be warned -- if you're looking for a good clean channel, look elsewhere.

The Peavey 5150 Head is a tube based guitar amplifier head designed by Eddie Van Halen.  The amp delivers 120 watts of power and has both rhythm and lead channels.  The head has 1/4 inch connections in the front for your instrument inputs, with both high and normal gain options.  It also has a 1/4 inch speaker output to send this to a speaker cabinet.

UTILIZATION

The Peavey 5150 Head definitely has a lot to work with in terms of parameters.  The rhythm channels is very simple, consisting of both pre and post gain knobs as well as buttons for bright and crunch.  The lead channel has the same pre and post gain knobs, and in general it has a three band EQ including knobs for low, mid, and high.  There is also a 'power amp' section with parameters for resonance and presence.  Getting a great sound from both the lead and rhythm channels isn't too difficult, and if you don't get it right off the bat there are a lot of options to work with here.


SOUNDS

The Peavey 5150 Head can really rip in terms of its tone quality.  I do like the lead sound over the rhythm, but both channels sound pretty great overall.  I've only used the head a few times for a recording session, in tandem with a Peavey cabinet and a Fender Stratocaster guitar.  I found that I was able to get most of the sounds that I wanted inside of this amp, so I didn't use it in tandem with an external effects.  The rhythm tone is crunchy and thick, while the lead sound really cuts through and has a good deal of sustain.  The 5150 Head gives you a lot of raw power in general, as this amp can get incredibly loud.


OVERALL OPINION

For an amp head of this caliber, the Peavey 5150 Head has been set a pretty reasonable price.  Of course you need a speaker cabinet to go along with it, but Peavey speaker cabinets aren't too expensive either depending on which one that you choose.  I'd recommend this head for lead guitarists over rhythm ones, as this amp really seems to cater to lead sounds over rhythm.  The rhythm channel will definitely get the job done most of the time, but it isn't like the lead channel.  If you're looking for a great sounding amp head without a huge price tag, I'd encourage you to try out the Peavey 5150 Head.