50 watts tube heads for metal with good cleans

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chopeth

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I discarded buying a 100watter because of my back problems. I want a unit that I can take home after jamming with my band. The other guitarrist has a Powerball 100w, so I don't think anything smaller that 40-50watts will suit me. I want a metal beast with good cleans, so the most versatile head with huge and crushing metal sound. I don't want to spend more than 1200€ and I also need a cabinet, I think a 2x12 might be enough. So far, I've been considering:

- EVH 5150 50w. Most common option, great sound, but cons: I've heard there is a big jump problem from volume 1 to 2 and the clean channel is much lower than the crunch ones. I forgot, They recently experienced a big price rise of 200€ I think, otherwise, I'd go for this one

- Victory Kraken 50w. Great distorted sound, but no clean channel. Putting down the gain in the first channel might create a clean sound similar to JCM800, I've heard, but I was hoping for more clear cleans.

- Randall RD45 head. I've heard this is in a lower league compared to Engl, Orange, Peavey, etc, but I only have experience with the RG100Plus combo which I owned for a couple of months. God knows I hated that amp, but this is probably a different beast.

- Laney, I've been told the IRT series are like Randall, not first class tube heads, but someone told me I should look for the VH series, don't know much about them. Maybe I'll wait for the GH50R

- Engl Thunder/Screamer 50w. Don't know too much about them

- Others I've heard about, the DV Mark and Carvin V3 Mini, but don't know about the price of the latter neither their suitability to make metal. I've heard demos with good cleans but I mostly play heavy distorted sounds.

Opinion, options, advice?
 

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Hachetjoel

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if you can swing it the ksr Ares would be the way to go, the best clean on any channel switching amp and the best metal tone out there for the high gain stuff, very compact and very cool. Technomancer has one for sale in the exchange I'd try and grab that if you can.
 

Jaek-Chi

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The EVH 5150 III definitely has a lot of people's vote. I've not played one but have heard even the 50 watt is crushing and extremely full sounding, almost reminiscent of a higher wattage amp.

The Laney VH/GH are great. They are quite bright and may lack a little bottom end for your liking, especially in a 50w (i've only owned the 100w). They respond exceptionally to a TS though.

As for Engl's, the Fireball 60w is incredible. I love the tone of that amp so much for what it is. Just be warned that it does have a bit of trouble cutting through in the mix. When put next to some 100w amps it can get drowned out a little bit. Also shared EQ may be an issue for you.

Personally i'd look further into the 5150 III.

Best of luck either way :)
 

budda

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50W PRS archon weight "33.5 lbs (nominal)"

100W PRS Archon weight "43lbs (nominal)"

That's only one brand, but that is probably the difference in weight between a 100W and 50W head. If you want headroom, I'd still be looking at 100W models. Also, just get help loading out to your vehicle if you have serious back issues.
 

TheWarAgainstTime

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The EVH is definitely worth it. The volume jump isn't bad if you keep the gain around 4, which I find to be a nice compromise for the blue/green channels anyway. Killer heavy tones, and the best cleans I've had on a high gain anp other than my old Mark V
 

jc986

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I found the volume jump on the 50w EVH essentially turned the amp into a 2 channel amp for me and is one of the reasons I ended up selling mine. When set for a clean tone, the volume jump to to the blue channel was crazy, even with the gain set around 11 or 12 o'clock. It was better at 12 o'clock, but the cleans really weren't perfectly clean at that point either. If you don't mind some grit and breakup in your cleans you may be able to get it to work for you, but honestly I wasn't crazy about the cleans from the EVH either.

I agree with looking into the ENGL Fireball 60w or 100w. Cleans are really nice and the gain channel is killer. Voicing is similar to your other guitarist's Powerball and should blend well.
 

Veritech Zero

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If you want a lightweight amp with literally all the bells and whistles, an unbelievably good clean tone, and a crushing metal tone, you should check out the Hughes and Kettner Grandmeister. It is 36 Watts, but at band practice and live with a Vintage 30 2x12 it is more than enough (and sometimes too much) to keep up with the other guitarist and his 5150 and mesa 4x12. It may be a hair more expensive than the others you listed, but on top of 4 separate channels (all Midi controllable) you get built in boost, reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, and tremolo (also all midi controllable). It's a hard deal to beat. I either run it with a Genz Benz G-Flex 2x12 (which can be had super cheap) or my home made 2x12 with Celestion Vintage 30s.
 

USMarine75

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If you can find a 100w archon for 1200 € then sure lol...

Try a Soldano HR50+... it's the loudest 50w I've ever heard. It's a 2 channel amp with SLO lead channel and a clean. I used to use mine for Alice in Chains type stuff and my Peavey, Engl, etc for metal. But the Soldano with a boost in front sounds amazing IMO.

Otherwise, can't go wrong with an EVH.
 

technomancer

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if you can swing it the ksr Ares would be the way to go, the best clean on any channel switching amp and the best metal tone out there for the high gain stuff, very compact and very cool. Technomancer has one for sale in the exchange I'd try and grab that if you can.

The Ares doesn't have a clean channel. It's a single channel with two switchable master volumes/gains and multiple modes on the two masters. That said I haven't tried to dial in either master/gain combo clean because the gain flavors are so much fun :lol:
 

Vrollin

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Try the rd45, not sure why it's considered a lower range unit? Price doesn't always equal tone. Tbh I found the 5153 to be pretty fizzy....
 

areyna21

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I've owned the 5153 and it's a great amp but not for everyone. Sure it does the whole crushing metal tone and its cleans are pretty good but not amazing. The rest of the amps I don't have any experience with.
 

viesczy

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50 watts for metal and the Ironheart isn't a good amp? Why? Yes they're Asian made, but where was your smart phone made?

Owning the 5153 50 (and 100S), the cleans are only "clean" compared to the blue/red channels and not compared to any other clean channel on another amp!

Now the VH100R and GH50L are great amps! A little bright, but with 6L6s in them and NOT through Vin30s there is a great amount of thump to them. If you need 2 channels, then you'll want the VH100R. I love mine, she is 15 years old and while not my "main" amp any longer (she was for years), I won't be w/o her as there tones are that good.

A sleeper amp to look for is the Genz Benz El Diablo 60/30. Some folks have $hit on the gain channel as being too compressed/muddy/muffled, but that's only a concern on the 100 watt head (and only when you didn't coordinate both the master and the channel volume). Yes I have the 100/50 and 60/30. The cleans are fantastic, and you can dial in some great metal tones using the active EQ and the tube contour. If I had only 1 "small " amp to keep, it would be my El Diablo 60/30.

Derek
 

vick1000

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If tube amps were smart phones, Apple would have their 10 year old Asians hard at work on the iTube or whatever. But alas, a tube amp requires a much more robust build quality and components to be reliable.

You can't compre the two. Especially since Chinese tube amps have such a dismal quality control record.
 

budda

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Your post doesn't quite make sense. "Tube amps require more robust components and quality" "chinese tube amps have poor QC" - so which is it?

I don't think chinese amps have poor QC, I think some chinese amps have cheap parts.

Also, the OP hasn't responded since making the thread :lol:
 

RustInPeace

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I've owned the 5153 50w for a couple years now, and have owned 2 Diavlo 45's in that time as well... and sold both of them. The Diavlo can be found at a much cheaper price used than the 5153 - I got one for around $150! But the point is the 5153 outclasses the diavlo in terms of crushing metal tones. The Diavlo does win with its superior clean channel, however.

The diavlo is very tight and focused, but lacks saturation and a big bottom end. Some may like that?
 

Vrollin

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I've owned the 5153 50w for a couple years now, and have owned 2 Diavlo 45's in that time as well... and sold both of them. The Diavlo can be found at a much cheaper price used than the 5153 - I got one for around $150! But the point is the 5153 outclasses the diavlo in terms of crushing metal tones. The Diavlo does win with its superior clean channel, however.

The diavlo is very tight and focused, but lacks saturation and a big bottom end. Some may like that?

Get plenty of low end out of the RD100, had an opportunity to buy a 5153 and passed up on it after playing it, I thought I was going to be walking out of there with a second amp for sure until I played it.
 

op1e

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I've owned the 5153 50w for a couple years now, and have owned 2 Diavlo 45's in that time as well... and sold both of them. The Diavlo can be found at a much cheaper price used than the 5153 - I got one for around $150! But the point is the 5153 outclasses the diavlo in terms of crushing metal tones. The Diavlo does win with its superior clean channel, however.

The diavlo is very tight and focused, but lacks saturation and a big bottom end. Some may like that?

I 100% agree. The RD45 is very dark and round, even od808 boosted. Was not bad for drop C riffage, but not articulate enough for ERG. Other guitarist has one and got ate alive in the mix against my 5153 50w. The EVH was like a 150w head in comparison. I let him buy my rm100 off me just so he could keep up, even though I didn't really wanna sell it. As for recommendations and saving your back, snag a JCA22h. They're $280 on MF right now for some reason. Mod the crap out of it and still save money. I hear they're pretty loud.
 

rebornself27

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Laney ironheart 60 own it nice amp very light exellent cleans nice gain for any type of music.
Krank amps are pretty light amps.hit up Tony from krank he can build u a beast I hear the new bully is exellent
 

op1e

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The IRT60 probably isn't much lighter than the 120, same size. Krank Jr is a good idea. Also don't forget the Carvin V3 mini. I hear the cleans are stellar and it can be rack mounted, plus cheap new. Renegade clips I heard sounded awesome too, check that amp out. On the smaller side but not mini.
 
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