mesa rectifier vs peavey 6505

[silverwulf]

I guess I'm not understanding the whole "American" sound that you say a Mesa has. Please describe for me the difference between an "American " and "European" sound, because I honestly don't see how you wouldn't acheive the tone you're going for with either amp (Recto or 5150). The only difference I've heard a lot of is the difference between amps voiced like a Recto vs. amps like a Marshall, which is usually a difference in output tubes a lot of the times (6L6 vs. EL34).

 

[djairouks]

i'm still searching for some H&K soundclips does anyone have some

 

[~BURNY~]

H&K website. They have a clip for almost every models.

 

[cobhc]

I guess I'm not understanding the whole "American" sound that you say a Mesa has. Please describe for me the difference between an "American " and "European" sound, because I honestly don't see how you wouldn't acheive the tone you're going for with either amp (Recto or 5150). The only difference I've heard a lot of is the difference between amps voiced like a Recto vs. amps like a Marshall, which is usually a difference in output tubes a lot of the times (6L6 vs. EL34).

going with this idea, can't he rebias his recto to use el34 output tubes?

 

[djairouks]

well for me the american sound thing i mean by that that it's too much trebly or middly really straight even with the disto and has lots of grain that is a bit too much
where instead for me eauropean sound is more full but still straight and precise and the bass is more expressive

 

[silverwulf]

going with this idea, can't he rebias his recto to use el34 output tubes?

He wouldn't even need to rebias. He could just stick in some EL34's that are within the range of what's acceptable in the Recto, flip his bias switch on the back to EL34, and viola!

 

[cobhc]

well maybe that's something to try before thinking of another amp?

 

[silverwulf]

well for me the american sound thing i mean by that that it's too much trebly or middly really straight even with the disto and has lots of grain that is a bit too much
where instead for me eauropean sound is more full but still straight and precise and the bass is more expressive

Well, most "American" voiced amps run on 6L6's, which will give you a better bottom end, but not necessarily a tighter one. Perhaps EL34's in your Recto are something you should try.

 

[djairouks]

wait a minute i found a group which sounds pretty like i mean but a bit more of warmness could do

http://www.daylightdies.com/audio/alifelesslived_sample.mp3

 

[JeffTD]

I personally prefer my Single Rectifier with EL34's to my old bias/clarity modded 5150. Won't be going back to the 5150 ever, methinks...

 

[Splat88]

Hey djairouks, I totally understand what you mean. I had a mid-90s triple recitifer. It sounded great, but wasn't the right sound for me. I later got a 5150 II which I love. The definition is great and the gain is so easy to play on. What I love is that you can hear individual notes of chords in the distortion. I couldn't get that with my triiple rec at all. I can't say I like the original 5150 much though. It has a much thicker overdrive that is not as definable. My friend has one and it sounds nothing like my 5150II. His kind of sounds bad, actually. I recommend the 5150 II all the way.

 

[djairouks]

yes it's exactelly what i meant the rectifier is a really good amp but it's not well suited for my playing style and with the money i'll make selling it i can buy a brand new 6505 which has the same circuitry as the 5150 II but as some people say it is more silent and the clean is better than on the old ones

 

[djairouks]

i'm searching for some 6505+ or 5150 sound clip and also krank sound clip because i'd like to compare those to which till now i haven't been able to

 

[djairouks]

in mesa the dito is created in the preamp and then fed to the power section in a 6505+ or 5150 where is the disto made in the preamp or power section ?

 

[kev]

I personally prefer my Single Rectifier with EL34's to my old bias/clarity modded 5150. Won't be going back to the 5150 ever, methinks...

Did you have a 5150 or 5150II Jeff? There are so many people trading mectifier for 5150 and v/versa that i cant wait to test the pair out to see what i think of them!

 

[Fragle]

"in mesa the dito is created in the preamp and then fed to the power section in a 6505+ or 5150 where is the disto made in the preamp or power section ?"
pretty much all of today's modern high gain amps create all their gain as well as their characteristic sound in the preamp section. basically the only time power amp distortion comes into play is with old marshalls who essentially didn't have any or hardly any preamp gain - e.g. marshall plexi or jtm45. same goes for that driven fender sound that's so popular with blues players.
for metal, poweramp distortion might even be undesired, as it adds a certain sponge or flub to the sound, esp. the low notes.

 

[djairouks]

thanks for the info and is it true that the 6505 is quieter and has a better clean than the 5150

 

[silverwulf]

thanks for the info and is it true that the 6505 is quieter and has a better clean than the 5150

Well, I had a 5150 (original run with EVH block letter) and a 5150 II before. I can say that the 5150 II did have a more improved clean channel on it. However, I really liked the overdrive a lot better on the 5150. It just had a more aggressive, raw character to it that I enjoyed...and more gain than could ever be used practically. Of course, the 5150 II also had stock tubes in it that I never changed, where as my 5150 had EH's in the preamp and JJ's in the power amp at that time. So, take it for what it's worth.

 

[djairouks]

yeah i too have chaged the mesa tubes and put jj and it's sure it has a better sound and more gain

what tubes do peavey put in their amps by the way

 

[006]

I'm sorry, but I really can't understand djairouks half the time when he's posting. I still don't really understand him when he says "American" sound...if the amp has too much treble or whatever...maybe you should try eq'ing it differently? Maybe thats a stupid question...hopefully you've already done that...At the studio I get bands to layer my Dual Recto 3ch with my 5150 all the time, these two amps were MADE for each other. The 5150 gives the mids and smooth top end for all the definition in the sound, the Recto gives it the balls and that little raw sound that gives the tracks attitude. I love the blend. So owning both, I understand kind of what you mean. However, you said in one post "too middy" or something to that effect...the 5150 is KNOWN for it's midrange. Even if you scoop it on the amp, it's still really middy. That combined with it's smooth ass top end, thats the signature 5150 tone. Also, adding some mids to a guitar amp makes it sound more full, which is a characteristic you described as being the "European" sound that you are trying to achieve.

Maybe you should try turning the treble and/or presence down on your Single Recto and turn up some mids? Change the power amp tubes to EL34's, that will give you a more "European" sound for sure. If I'm understanding you correctly anyway. Thats my suggestion. I own an Engl PowerBall as well, and it's got a very scooped tone no matter what you do to the amp, which is cool for certain types of music, but usually realllllly heavy stuff. Like Meshuggah style stuff, where you have 7 and 8 string guitars doing simple riffs. I've made it work for a couple of punk bands that came in before, but it's difficult to use on everything. Which is completely opposite of the 5150 and the Recto. You can use them on literally anything.

I think if you're going to try for another good metal amp, go for the 5150, you can get a used 5150 signature head for like $400 on eBay all the time. You can sell your Recto for the same amount that you paid for it, well a little less but not by much. Take that money and get a 5150 signature for +/- $400. And then you can always sell that back on eBay too if you don't like it. Good luck.

~006