Easiest Amp to record? Need Advice.

[gorath23]

Ok, well for better or worse I have truly got pissed off with my Fireball and my total inability to get anywhere near a decent recorded tone out of it. I know that I've been on about it for a while now, but it has got to the point where I have no idea where to go to with it............. Anyway, so I'm looking at buying a new head that is more mic friendly and doesn't require Michael Wagener's ears to find the sweet spot.

My requirements aside from being mic friendly (I'm sure there will be some wtf's at this statement) are:

- Thick and beefy (#1 priority) as the sound I want is more Modern Doom, think Swallow the Sun, Daylight Dies, Saturnus etc.
-Lots of Low Mids
-Tight low end, but not to the point of being uber-djenty, at least potential for a thick but tight low end...if you see what I mean .
- Being able to turn the gain down to a reasonable level enabling quad-tracking (Fireball= failz in this department, the low/low-mids seem to go away from you when the preamp is at 7'oclock ).
-Doesn't need to be cranked hard to get a decent tone out of.

Ok, so I'm 99% sure which amp 99% of you will recommend but throw some ideas out anyway.

Budget, probably what I paid for the Fireball, so around £500, buying used is fine by me.

 

[Torniojaws]

Well, cranking an amp is the only way to get a powerful tone. Another way which results in a close approximation is to take the preamp signal from the Fireball FX loop send and then add an impulse to that.

 

[JoeJackson]

Ok, so I'm 99% sure which amp 99% of you will recommend but throw some ideas out anyway.

And that's exactly, what I would recommend

 

[gorath23]

Well, cranking an amp is the only way to get a powerful tone. Another way which results in a close approximation is to take the preamp signal from the Fireball FX loop send and then add an impulse to that.

Well, I know that cranked amps generally perform better but two things I'd say are, my Fireball is usually loud enough that I have to wear earplugs to avoid ear damage. Secondly the Fireball thins out and actually sounds worse at higher volumes.

 

[beyond dead]

sounds like you need yourself a dual recto. throw a couple jj`s in there and only use two power tubes and one rec tube. use tube rectification and the spongy variac. this should get you where you want to be!!

 

[LSD-Studio]

definitely 5150

it's really a plug'n'play amp

 

[Chryst Krispies]

It rhymes with ShIfty Un Shifty

 

[gorath23]

sounds like you need yourself a dual recto. throw a couple jj`s in there and only use two power tubes and one rec tube. use tube rectification and the spongy variac. this should get you where you want to be!!

Yeah, I like the idea of playing around with a Recto, but it isn't exactly plug and play AFAIK, not to the extent a 5150/6505 is anyway. Plus they are stupidly expensive in Europe. I'd be lucky to get a Single Recto for £500.

I'm thinking 5150. Now I know that the Block letter EVH versions are desirable in 5150 form, but how does the newer 6505 stack up against it?

 

[Machinated]

5150, cant go wrong with it. The settings are so simple to use on it that you just cant go wrong.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

I agree w/ 5150, plus it sounds better at lower levels than others

 

[JoeJackson]

I'm thinking 5150. Now I know that the Block letter EVH versions are desirable in 5150 form, but how does the newer 6505 stack up against it?

Blockletter = Non-Blockletter = 6505

Exactly the same amp. Only the stock-tubes differed over time. And you wouldn't want to own a blockletter 5150 with stock-tubes
My 6505 came with JJ's stock, btw.

Buy a used 6505, cheapest way to own a 5150

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

6505/5150 sig/ 5150 block no difference except stock tubes.

6505+/ 5150II same shizzle.

 

[Jaymz]

Is it just me or is a DR really NOT the easiest amp to record? lol

 

[Ermz]

5150, for sure.

 

[Torniojaws]

Buy a used 6505, cheapest way to own a 5150

I wish At least in Finland everyone seems to be trying to sell their 5150/6505 for almost the price of new ones. I wish someone would tell them what is the difference of a NEW and USED amp :Smug: Here's a rough average for prices:

5150 = 900 euros USED (really fucked up uke: )
5150 II = 1000 euros USED (read above )
6505 = 1100 euros new, 1000 euros USED (wtf... including the NEW price)
6505+ = 1200 euros new, 1100 euros USED

Hell, the amp costs around the same even in Sweden and Germany (well, Thomann). It must be some conspiracy.

 

[greyskull]

5150!

 

[cobhc]

Here's two anagrams for you "1550" and "TrXipXleX. Solve them, and you'll have my answers.

 

[462studio]

5150 and 6505 have been the easiest for me to record by far. My Dual Rectifier sounds great recorded as well, but it is a giant pain in the ass to get to sit right in a mix.

I was able to get a great sound out of the 5150 I brought home just by guessing where the mic belonged on the Mesa 4x12 and hitting record.

 

[egan.]

5150

 

[Seizure.]

5150 and Brunetti 059.

For doomy.. check my setup out hehe