5150(6505)/5150 II(6505+) and Rectifier Comparison Thread

[lolzgreg]

I will soon be posting a comparison of a 5150 blockletter that I just purchased (for $700 shipped in mint condition, I had to do it ) to a 5150II modded to 5150 lead channel specs and Mercury Magnetics Transformers. I wonder how different they will sound...

 

[::XeS::]

It would be cool that comparison.
I'm very undecided to do the 5150 II mod

 

[Eduardo Apolonia]

I have opened both amps and made a quick check to find diferences between both to end with the myth if there are differences or not.

Some say that it is the transformers, some say that there are no differences apart from the tubes and my amp tech was right about it, he had told me before that from his experience the main difference was that the big capacitors from the Block Letter had some higher values.

There are other small differences on the circuit board paths, some different small parts (capacitors, resistors, etc) but it looks that they're just the same but from different manufactures or appearance. After all These 2 amps have +/- 10 years difference.

The transformers have the same reference number part. So although they're slightly different in appearance they're the same.

Tubes are different but I wasn't expecting them to be the same.
None of the tubes on both amps are the original ones.

The amps in question
5150 Block Letter (Top)
5150 Signature (Bottom)

Here are the pics I took from the inside.

5150 Signature (I have a Bias mod and a bridge made because of voltage loss on the circuit)

5150 Block Letter

5150 Signature Capacitors (you can see that they are 350V)

5150 Block Letter Capacitors (Instead of 350V of the Signature, these are rated 400V)

5150 Signature Power transformer (part 705-19327)

5150 Block Letter Power transformer (part 705-19327) the same as the signature one

5150 Signature Output Transformer (part 705-00045)
You can see the number 0342, means that it is from week 42 of 2003

5150 Block Letter Output Transformer (part 70500045) the same as the signature one.
You can see the number 9341, means that it is from week 41 of 1993

So from what I saw (this wasn't a profound check) apart from the big capacitors rating, small differences on the circuit board paths and some small differences in parts (that can be only aesthetic differences ) they are equal.

When I get the studio functional again I'll make some comparative recordings, keeping in mind that the tubes are not the same, although if I'm not mistaken they're all JJs

Hope this was informative.

 

[Metaltastic]

Very informative, thanks dude! Can't wait for clips (but why not just pull the set of tubes from the one with the bias mod and drop it into the other for the test?)

 

[::XeS::]

Great pics Eddie.
Which tubes do you have in the signature?

 

[Nebulous]

STICKY!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Eddy.

 

[MetalJonesy]

Eddy, nice work in taking the time to open them both up, its great for us who don't have the luxury of owning THAT many of them!

 

[lolzgreg]

You should post this in the thread that I made: http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...5150-ii-6505-rectifier-comparison-thread.html

It's all about 5150/6505 differences and such.

Regardless, my blockletter will be here tomorrow YEAH!!!!!!!!!

 

[poidaobi]

So there is a difference?

$$$ FOR SALE $$$$

5150 Block Letter 'EVH' Head $6500

Original 400WV 'Big' Capacitors.

 

[lolzgreg]

A blockletter in good condition is worth more. There are far less out there!

 

[Andy Sneap]

its a myth, I had the original Carcass block letter and sold it as it was nothing great and my signature one sounded better. I have a 6505 that sounds better than that also so its really down to wear and tear.

 

[::XeS::]

The Output transformer of my 6505+ is marked 305 - 00045 instead of 705, but it's a different amp.

 

[Andy Sneap]

I should add the 6505 + is different obviously and I swapped mine for a standard

 

[greyskull]

indeed.
I recall having a long argument with someone from a band about this.
He reckoned that the 5150 block was the best and the 5150 sig was worse and the 6505 was worse still....... backwards to what Andy says...... chump

When i disagreed, he gave me a load of "well i worked in a guitar shop"
and said... "well i've got one" compared to a signature and the only difference i could tell was more to do with age, easy to exactly match the sound.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

I'm putting the difference in caps to availability of the product. The only actual difference is the amount of stored voltages inside the cap, the actual input & output of each cap remains the same.

this...
so essentially this proves that the amps are exactly the same....
the capacity of the Cs is the same, the max volt might be a bit different, but that doesn't have anything to do with the tone and the difference is probably, as master has already said, due to whatever parts were lying around...I'd bet that the same differences could be found between 2 different blockletter or two signature heads.

 

[Eduardo Apolonia]

I thought that my topic had been deleted
I had to make a search to get here

I think that there should be 2 different topics:
One for the Peavey 5150 Block, Signature and 6505.
And the other for the rectifiers, otherwise these discussions are gonna get confusing.
Just my opinion...

this...
so essentially this proves that the amps are exactly the same....
the capacity of the Cs is the same, the max volt might be a bit different, but that doesn't have anything to do with the tone

Agree with the sound difference, these different Caps are not going to influence the tone, should just possibly last longer because of the higher capacity.

the difference is probably, as master has already said, due to whatever parts were lying around...I'd bet that the same differences could be found between 2 different blockletter or two signature heads.

From what my amp tech told me, it wasn't a case of what was available but more a question of cutting costs.
All Block letters had the 400V and all the signature ones had the 350V.
I can't remember what he told me when we opened both amps, but he showed me something else that was a clear sign of cutting costs.

 

[::XeS::]

Eddie, wich tubes do you have in the signature?

 

[Eduardo Apolonia]

If I'm not mistaken, I have JJs.

 

[Eduardo Apolonia]

Very informative, thanks dude! Can't wait for clips (but why not just pull the set of tubes from the one with the bias mod and drop it into the other for the test?)

That's a good idea, it will be more work but I'll do it.
It will be a better comparison, I'll regulate bias to the same value too.

 

[Metaltastic]

Cool, thanks man! (I wasn't sure if they were both bias modded, if they are I can see how that'd be a hassle - maybe just swap the preamp tubes?)