6505 MH love! (should I upgrade to it's big brother?)

[Guitarjon]

Maybe not super on topic, but have you tried mixing and matching preamps/poweramps? Like the MH preamp into the 5150iii poweramp. I imagine it’s at least a bit different from the 5150/6505 power amp, but I guess you could get a general idea how the bigger glass and iron would affect the 6505 preamp sound.

I haven't tried that but it would be cool.
The main problem is that I usually use my loadbox and since I only have on of those I don't think I could make that work without blowing up an amp.

Th 6505+ is closer in eq to the 6505mh in my experience. There's some high mids in there and the tight bass is present. The original 6505 has more of looser lows, aggressive highs, and a bit hollowed mids. It will sound scooped but bigger (and fizzy) next to a 6505+.

the 6505+ has a tighter and cleaner bass profile. Less gain. EQ is shifted to the high mids. The crunch channel is awesome. Has that nice Marshall flavor going on.

Very interesting!
This video sort of described the sonic differences differently:



It seems like the 6505 has more forward mids in this video and the 6505 has a bigger and slightly more scooped sound.

 

[KailM]

I haven't tried that but it would be cool.
The main problem is that I usually use my loadbox and since I only have on of those I don't think I could make that work without blowing up an amp.



Very interesting!
This video sort of described the sonic differences differently:



It seems like the 6505 has more forward mids in this video and the 6505 has a bigger and slightly more scooped sound.

In my experience, having owned both a 6505+ and a regular 6505, no video really captures the difference, including this one. I started out with a 6505+, and eventually modded the lead channel to original 5150/6505 specs. The amount of available low-end I suddenly had on-tap was jaw-dropping. The first time I cranked it up, it was an intensely amazing experience, and exactly what I was looking for in tone and feel. Some would definitely prefer the 6505+ circuit, as it is definitely tighter and more clinical. I like an amp to feel on the verge of "loose" and rely on my picking and muting to make it sound tight.

I eventually bought a real 120-watt 6505 head and had it alongside the 6505+ for a couple years. The real-deal had even a tad MORE low-end on tap, but that could have been due to my 6505+ being made from the 112 combo, converted into a head, which was only 60 watts.

I will say that the 6505+ circuit and 5150 III sound quite a bit better at lower volumes. But the original 5150/6505, when turned up a bit is the most brutal of them all.

 

[Descent]

I'd say go for something else, Mesa Mini Rectifier, then you can blend both.

Maybe I am in the minority but for recording purposes I think 6505mh is quite good for getting that tone.

So go for something different.

 

[Guitarjon]

I'd say go for something else, Mesa Mini Rectifier, then you can blend both.

Maybe I am in the minority but for recording purposes I think 6505mh is quite good for getting that tone.

So go for something different.

Man, I'd love a mini recto but I already own a Dual Rectifier (3 ch version).
I agree with you though, the MH sounds freakin' stellar!!

 

[budda]

Did he buy a 5150 yet?

 

[oneblackened]

Yes, because let's be honest - the SLO preamp (which a 5150 is, essentially) - likes gobs of power amp headroom

 

[KailM]

Did he buy a 5150 yet?

Everyone comes around eventually.

 

[Guitarjon]

Everyone comes around eventually.

Lol, well I already own that 6505MH and a 5150 III EL34 so I'm not in a rush.
But I'm definitely planning on getting a big 6505 as soon as I can.

 

[op1e]

I tried band volume with my MH last night against a Diavlo 45 and drummer and it COULD NOT HANG thru my Mesa OS 4x12 lol. So I hit the speaker defeat and plugged it back into my loop switcher and rm100. It's great as an extra channel into that or my Peavey Ultra.

 

[budda]

Lol, well I already own that 6505MH and a 5150 III EL34 so I'm not in a rush.
But I'm definitely planning on getting a big 6505 as soon as I can.

Sell MH, buy 5150, enjoy life.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Try the TSE X50 plugin. It's a 5150 sim that lets you choose between the 5150 and 5150II. See which one you prefer.

 

[Guitarjon]

Sell MH, buy 5150, enjoy life.

I don't want to sell the MH tbh, it's really good.

Try the TSE X50 plugin. It's a 5150 sim that lets you choose between the 5150 and 5150II. See which one you prefer.

I have that plugin but I don't recall being able to choose between the I and II.
Has that option been added in a recent update?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I don't want to sell the MH tbh, it's really good.



I have that plugin but I don't recall being able to choose between the I and II.
Has that option been added in a recent update?

It was on every version IIRC. On the pre-release free version, it was a switch that was labelled Red Ch Mode that switches between the Peavey 5150 and 5150II (MK1 and MKII) that you get by going to the back of the "amp" by pressing the View button.

On the actual retail release, it's a button on the front of the amp that says "Red Ch. Mark II Mod"

 

[Descent]

Wow, looks like TSE have gone paid version only. That 6505 TSE plugin was quite good but not $70 good

 

[WarMachine]

I don't want to sell the MH tbh, it's really good.



I have that plugin but I don't recall being able to choose between the I and II.
Has that option been added in a recent update?

Between the Post Gain and Low End knobs. I've had and used TSE X50 for a few years now and still come back to it from time to time. I can honestly say its VERY close to the 5150 Sig i still have. I had a recording about 2 years ago where i ran just the preamp section through my interface then with an IR inside of reaper vs vst's. Wish i could find it the margin was VERY small. I've been on an Overloud TH-U kick lately. I think it sounds very authentic for the 5150 and bass tones at the very least. I'd say i dig the TSE a bit more if it came loaded with all the bells and whistles that TH-U comes with. But yeah, like budda has said, 5150 and call it a day.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Wow, looks like TSE have gone paid version only. That 6505 TSE plugin was quite good but not $70 good

You can probably snoop around and find an old free version

 

[Descent]

You can probably snoop around and find an old free version

I think I have it installed, but I prefer to go with Nick Crow's take on the 5150/6505, although in general I am not that crazy about these sounds, I prefer boosted Marshall or Mesa sims or live rigs.

 

[Guitarjon]

It has been a while!
I just ordered a new 6505 from Musik Produktiv!
I've been looking for a used one for a couple months now but I just couldn't find the right one for me.
I even tried a local original 5150 but it turned out to be broken....
So I just figured I would get a new one, with warranty of course
It's just one of the newer Chinese made ones but I'm not too worried.
I own a bunch of amps that were made in China and those are all great amps!

One video that I'm planning is the 'Peavey 6505 vs X amount amp modelers'.
It's going to be pretty epic!
Here are the amp modelers that I own that come to mind, did I forget any that model a 5150/6505?

Axe Fx III
Helix
TH-U
X50
Thermionik
Amplitube
Guitar Rig
Studio devil (I think it has a 5150)
Nick Crowe's free vst
Pod farm 2
Revalver
Bias FX2

I don't own a Kemper so that won't be in the video.

 

[A.JohnHayes]

If I'm not entirely incorrect, I think one of the amps in Neural DSP's Plini is based on a 5150, so that might be worth adding to the list.

 

[Guitarjon]

If I'm not entirely incorrect, I think one of the amps in Neural DSP's Plini is based on a 5150, so that might be worth adding to the list.

I looked it up and it's supposed to be a blend between a Friedman BE and 5150.
It won't really be suitable for the comparison because of that unfortunately.
I also saw that the STL plugin features a 5150 but I don't currently own that one.