And The Best Metal Amp is.......?

[Exharvester]

hey guys, im looking to get an amp mainly for high gain. i currently own an orange rockerverb 50 and a Bogner XTC 20th Anni. thats enough gain for the more 'open sounding stuff'. but since im running a studio, im looking for a tight, heavy bottom ended sounding amp. something, 'killswitch' like... nu metal or melodic riffing kinda stuff. so far ive got these amps noted down from reviews and a few for which ive tried. dont got access to most of them though.

Framus Cobra
Hughes & Kettner Triamp MKI & MKII
Mesa Boogie Trem-O-Verb
Bogner Uberschall
Soldano Slo-100
Engl Powerball
Engl Fireball
Engl Blackmore
VHT Deliverance
Diezel Herbert
Splawn Nitro
Peavey 5150

What do ya guys advice? since i dont have the privilege to try most of the amps due to lack of a distributor where im from. again uses will mostly be for studio use and maybe certain live situations.

 

[JeffTD]

2ch Dual Recto and 5150. Start with either, end up with both. Die happy.

 

[Chris_P_Critter]

If I were to go out today and buy one, I think I'd get the 5150.

 

[Lazzari]

This is impossible to answer... Its a matter of taste.. some people like the 5150, other the mesa doble, some the mesa triple.. But since u are looking for something like killswitch i guess u should get a 5150 or a VH4... imo...

 

[lolzgreg]

You left out Engl Savage 120.

I'd go 5150.

 

[Metaltastic]

Mesa Roadster gets my vote, the two lead channels have the high gain character of the standard Dual Rectifiers but are voiced slightly darker so there's not as much annoying (IMO) fizz (and I know this from personal experience, testimonials from Roadster owners, and speaking with a Mesa rep)

 

[Norris-wf]

Like yourself I didn't have the oppotunity to test out the amps so I followed the advice from this forum and I went with Peavey, Best advice I ever got and I don't think you'd be disappointed with the 5150!

 

[Rex Rocker]

I really like the Rectifier myself, but I think the Mark IV should be in that list too.

 

[ElektricEyez]

That Splawn Nitro KILLS! I've only heard sound clips on their website, BUT you can hear more sound clips on the live cuts off the latest Killswitch Engage CD. which are mic'ed up Splawn heads/cabinets. My Triple Recto is up for sale so I can get me a nitro. Plus the customization you can do to these heads is insane!!! 5150 is probably the most popular metal head out though. But the Splawn's are hand made by 1 dude only. I've had the opportunity to record my band and another one using a Splawn Quick Rod and the tone from that thing is freaking SICK!!!

 

[Kazrog]

5150 is the most fool-proof amp for metal. It's hard to get a bad sound out of, and it's also very difficult to beat in a mix. Many of Andy's best sounds have involved one.

 

[Nitrobattery]

*Takes a DEEP breath*


I've owned a Mesa 2 channel Dual, 3 channel dual, Mark IV, TriAxis/2:90, DC-5, Roadster, Framus Cobra, ENGL Savage 120 and have had a lot of time on a Framus Dragon, Marshall JCM 800, JCM 900, JVM, Vintage Modern, Peavey 5150, XXX, Supreme, Bogner Uberschall, Shiva....etc etc.


I've found that the amps I like to track with aren't the amps I like live, and the amps I like to use live I don't like to track with. My ENGL Savage 120 and Framus Cobra tracked better than any amps I've owned. They were incredibly tight, and through my Recto Standard 4x12 sounded monstrous. Live....they got completely buried in the mix. My Mesa Roadster is my favorite amp I've ever owned and just destroys live. Recording the CD we're just wrapping up....it was a bitch to dial in the tones that I wanted and I'm still not totally satisfied with the end result. So from my experience, in a studio environment an ENGL Savage 120, Blackmore, or SE as well as a Cobra, Dragon, 5150 or Mark IV would be the way to go. Then again, that's just my 2 cents. Take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Airborne]

You left out Engl Savage 120.

I'd go 5150.

+1

 

[slayercannibalsuffohead]

XXX! If ya want the best from a 5150 and a recto.

 

[Exharvester]

i hadnt anticipated the love of the 5150. ive read everywhere how ppl dont like it. ive gotta go have my self a go at this amp already... ive tried the framus and i do like it but does it lack the bottom end in the mix? im looking to use the amp more in the studio, my live rig's taken care of with a Marshall JMP-1. ive been leaning towards the Uberschall and the Cobra but now i really should take a closer look at the 5150 and Nitro too. i have the Trem-O-Verb in that list and pretty much covers the recto bit but i feel it lacks a little something something in the mix... hmmm maybe a new set of tubes would do good...

 

[Sean in Silence]

+1 for the 5150 or Mesa Dual Rec

 

[ElektricEyez]

*Takes a DEEP breath*


I've owned a Mesa 2 channel Dual, 3 channel dual, Mark IV, TriAxis/2:90, DC-5, Roadster, Framus Cobra, ENGL Savage 120 and have had a lot of time on a Framus Dragon, Marshall JCM 800, JCM 900, JVM, Vintage Modern, Peavey 5150, XXX, Supreme, Bogner Uberschall, Shiva....etc etc.


I've found that the amps I like to track with aren't the amps I like live, and the amps I like to use live I don't like to track with. My ENGL Savage 120 and Framus Cobra tracked better than any amps I've owned. They were incredibly tight, and through my Recto Standard 4x12 sounded monstrous. Live....they got completely buried in the mix. My Mesa Roadster is my favorite amp I've ever owned and just destroys live. Recording the CD we're just wrapping up....it was a bitch to dial in the tones that I wanted and I'm still not totally satisfied with the end result. So from my experience, in a studio environment an ENGL Savage 120, Blackmore, or SE as well as a Cobra, Dragon, 5150 or Mark IV would be the way to go. Then again, that's just my 2 cents. Take it with a grain of salt.

Man I hear you on live sound vs studio sound are 2 totally different animals. I love my triple rec live, it simply has the right sound, but recording wise, the top end is is sort of strange to me, and the mids just aren't as strong as I'd like them to be.

 

[Tachy]

also for me 5150 and recto is a really good combination, probably the best for every style of metal.

 

[kaomao]

dual recto!
come on, how can you beat that amp?

 

[dani]

.. because it sounds like rectum frier!

haha, i'm not a fan of the mesa sound, to be honest. you certainly can't go wrong with a 5150/6505!

thanks,

 

[kaomao]

.. because it sounds like rectum frier!

lol

haha, i'm not a fan of the mesa sound, to be honest. you certainly can't go wrong with a 5150/6505!

thanks,

Yeah that as well... but mesa.... uhm tasty