trading my 5150 for...which amp?

[Fragle]

after having owned my 5150 for about 6 years, i think it's time to let it go....it's a great amp for sure, but i'm getting really really tired of that 5150 sound.
right now i'm only keeping it for studio use, and tbh i found that running x50 into the poweramp of my engl and micing it up gets me really really close to that sound....there is a difference but not enough to justify keeping the 5150 around, as i mainly play my amps LIVE.

unfortunately, i don't have any specific amp in mind that i'd love to get my hands on....i want an amp that sounds good straight out of the box (no ts needed etc....yes the 5150 sounds better with a ts but live i never cared for that, too much hassle when switching channels), has a decent clean channel and a solo boost of some sort. fx loop is mandatory too. other than that...i have no idea.
i'm really digging the recent exodus tones right now, so peavey triple XXX is pretty high up in my list. the engl blackmore is also pretty tempting, but i also have an engl fireball 100 and i don't want two engls, just for varieties sake. i even thought about the marshall 2203 re-issue and a boss gt6 or similar to run it in 4 cable method...should make the marshall quite versatile and will be great in a live situation.

so, what i'm basically asking for is, please recommend me some amps that will get me as far away from that 5150 signature sound as possible, but will still compliment the engl fireball (=they shouldn't be too similar)....other than that, it has to have an fx loop. that's it. and as i already said, i'm looking for a live workhorse, so it needs to cut through a live mix with ease (something my engl doesn't really do *that* well). i'm playing thrash, tech death, and melodic death btw.
any ideas?

 

[crillemannen]

The Triple X sounds almost identically the same as the 5150. A bit more controll of the mids (you can scope them a bit more) but almost the same sound wise.

The Engl Savage is a different tone beast. Got that awesome scoped sound which i like. Mesa is also an option for you.
I like the the JSX to, awesome for lead tones.

And Blackstar HT-100 sounded awesome when i recorded it, got a really nice Maxon Od808 sound to it. Very good for tight metal rythm tones

 

[Fragle]

really? i briefly tried one a few years ago so my memory might be a bit shady, but from what i can recall the XXX doesn't have that low midrange grind and sounds more modern overall....on the ultra channel at least.
if the crunch channel sounds close to a 5150 that would actually be really fucking cool....as long as the ultra channel goes into "mesa-ish" territory (using that term loosely).
mesa rectifier would definitely be an option and would suit my main band really well, but then again i'm back in ts is mandatory land, plus i can only afford a straight up trade, no extra cash on top....so i guess i'm limited to around 8-900 euro used.

 

[crillemannen]

The ultra channel sounds different from the crunch channel, but they still have similar characteristics. If you can try a Blackstar in a store, then do it. You will be pleasantly surprised The blackstar don't "need" a TS boost, it sounds really chugga chugga on palm mutes without the TS.
And it is around 700euro, new.

 

[Fragle]

...just got a trade offer for a triple xxx....
how much is the XXX going for usually? i think the 5150 frequently sells for 800 euro, the xxx is a bit cheaper iirc, right? talking ebay prices here.

 

[lolzgreg]

Trade it for a JVM 2 channel.

 

[kvoid]

I second the JVM, but if you could get a 4 channel, that'd be full of win.

Although the 2203 is hard to argue against.

 

[Scott Horner]

I agree that trading it for a Triple XXX might be a pointless trade as they do sound pretty similar. Other than that, I really don't have any suggestions.

 

[Vinny]

The other guitarist in my band has a 5150ii that we used to record a demo for this past weekend. We also recorded another demo a couple weeks ago using my Blackstar HT-100, and quite honestly I prefer my Blackstar HT-100 over his 5150. Dunno, but the Blackstar just seems to have a bit more character to it. Clean channel is amazing too. All 3 of the channels also have separate voicings, which basically just adds a slight gain boost (even on the clean channel). I'd honestly recommend a Blackstar over a 5150/6505 any day. I LOVE it (Cool thing is I got it for free from Sam Ash because I was having so many troubles with my Bugera they decided to replace with this amp haha [And I only paid $400 for the Bugera!])
If you have the cash though, go for one of the Series One Blackstars (As heard on the new Ozzy album).

 

[Fragle]

the jvm idea is actually pretty tempting....i only played one briefly at a store and what i remember first and foremost is NOISE, though.
i'm sure it will handle my thrash needs just fine, and will probably sound pretty good for leads too. how about heavy downtuned rhythm? i mean, with my death metal band i could always fall back on my engl fireball, but what about modern swedish kinda stuff? think dark tranquillity or similar.

i'll wait for details on the XXX offer though....i sorta like the idea of having a decent clean channel, a 5150-esque crunch channel, and a more modern edgier sound (ultra) all in one head....should blend pretty well with my fireball too (i'm running a stereo setup with my main band, right now 5150 and fireball).

 

[Jevil]

I opened a similar thread some days ago, if that helps.

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/equipment/695243-help-me-choosing-amp.html

I finally ended up buying an Engl Savage. It was the best (for me) out of the ones I tried: Dual recto, 6505, Randall (the modular one), Blackstar 100, Invader

 

[allplaydead]

Check out some splawn nitro videos on youtube, sounds like a hotrodded marshall.

 

[Fragle]

played a jvm today, gonna grab one asap
still unsure between the 2 and 4 channel version...2ch will be sufficient but the 4ch is even more versatile, and the 2 OD modes are distinctly different imho.
absolute gain monster btw. i tried it with a schecter loomis and on the 210h orange overdrive i had the gain around 3-4/10. the red mode is soooooo fluid too....very liquid leads, pretty much unusable for rhythm but fuck that, that's what the orange ch is for.
PLUS the green mode has great dynamics and definitely sounds jcm800-ish....sorta flubby in the lows, but i'm sure with a TS it would be great for old school thrash sounds. wicked amp
kinda nasty on its own, not smooth at all, but that's marshall for you, and i know that it will sit in a band mix very very well.

 

[Fragle]

...just scored a 210h

 

[rispsira]

congrats!

 

[Fragle]

jeeesus....best fucking amp ever. clips will follow.
this amp sounds so good i'm seriously considering reamping my upcoming EP (that's already pretty much fully mixed) through it, yes it's that good.
OD orange sounds insane....instant boner. OD red is great for leads, sooo smooth and fluid.

 

[lolzgreg]

Told ya

 

[xFkx]

*scratch this, i was too lazy to read every post ;/

 

[elmoe]

Are you selling your 5150? Congrats on the new amp btw.

 

[Fragle]

Told ya

so true thanks for the heads up man! i'd have totally overlooked the jvm otherwise.
i even put it up against a jcm800KK when i tried it in the store, and while the KK sounds great the jvm shits all over it as far as i'm concerned. with the KK you seem to have either not enough gain, but nice dynamics (just like a regular 800), or with the beast on you have insane amounts of gain but it's totally compressed and doesn't react to dynamics at all. the jvm has a pretty dynamic distortion, unless you're on the red mode, which on the other hand is nice for leads.

btw, yes the 5150 is @ ebay right now.....i can shoot you the auction link if you want?