Laney IRT15 head Vs Laney IRT15 Studio Vs Peavey ValveKing.. Suggestions please.

[NeuroTrem]

Hi..

I am looking to get myself an amp. As you can guess, I don't have much of a budget but I intend to make best of what I have. I have been going through amps on the web in and around this price range and this is what I have reached.

Laney IrohHeart 15 watt head
Laney IronHeart IRT15 Studio
Peavey ValveKing 100 watt head

As for me, I play everything from rock to metal and even the occasional extreme metal stuff when I am filling in for someone at a gig. Otherwise, I mainly write and record instrumental stuff at home.

I am on the lookout for something that I can use in my home setup(mostly) as well as in live situations(not that frequently). Personally, I am really interested in the IRT15 Studio but would like some views from a different frame of reference.

Thanks

 

[JD27]

I have an IRT-Studio, like it quite a lot. I play through an Orange 2x12 closed back and a POD HD PRO in 4 cable setup. The IRT is pretty high gain but has a good amount of range for all types of music. My only complaint is that it is very tight, almost too tight at times. It handles low tuning, heavy distorted stuff well, but sometimes I would like it to be a little more loose. I think I am going to get an OR-15 as well to fix that and keep the IRT for the high gain stuff. As far as the IRT-15H head, it is just a single channel, the IRT-Studio has 3, Clean, Rhythm, Lead. I don't play live, but I would take a look at the IRT-60H in your case. It has the ability to change the watts from 60 down to 1 with a dial. Makes it suited a little better for Live and Home use.

 

[NeuroTrem]

Hey.. Thanks for the reply.. The 60 head is a bit out of my reach right now.
Would you say the IRT studio is?? I like certain things like no need to use cabs and I can monitor using the speakers connected to my computer, I can use it to record and mostly is live situations, I can directly plug my amp into the PA. That is really a great plus point for me. I don't gig much.. As I said, I fill out positions when I am free (otherwise I'm too busy with college). I mainly record at home. So, if it does away with the hassles of mic-ing up, I think it will be great. Then gain, my knowledge is based on videos available on youtube and the things that I have read on various websites. Would like to get some unbiased views on the amp from someone who uses it, specially about it's recording capabilities.

Thanks again

 

[ctgblue]

I have an IRT15 studio and had an IRT60 and 100VK.

The 100VK has tons of gain, but needs and EQ through the loop to do that "nu metal" sound. This is one I shouldn't have sold. just a good solid amp to have hanging around. But LOUD for home.

The IRT is very high gain, but as stated before, very 'tight' and articulate, not a ton of saturation to hide behind. But, as far as versatility, the IRT has it all over the VK. It has a great clean channel, the second and third channels can be almost identical or you can back way off the gain on the second channel and use it as a 'crunch' channel. The built in boost is essentially a tube screamer in the front end. So there's much more you can do with the 15 studio. I have not tried the direct recording yet because: 1 - I'm too lazy to set it up with my software and, 2 - I'm too lazy to get the long 'printer cable' to hook it up

I didn't find that I liked my IRT 60 I had any more than the 15, just a little more bottom end if I ran the attenuator more open. But I run the 15 on the 1 watt input almost all the time and there is more bottom end from the 15 watt input side.

I have an Engl combo now so I'm not using the IRT as much, it may go up on eBay as I am too new to sell it here, but like 388 on eBay. Not sure it's going, but I need to trim the room down.

 

[NeuroTrem]

A question keeps popping up in my mind whenever I read people say that the IRT is 'tight'. Well, isn't that a good thing? Like, wouldn't I want my sound to be tight over loose and muddy? Specially when I am recording??

I checked the prices out.. the IronHeart 15 watt head is the cheapest being around 35k INR followed by the IRT studio being 40K INR and the ValveKing being around 50K if someone is willing to bring it in.

The best part I have liked about the IRT studio is that, I won't need to invest in a cabinet right now to get the most out of the amp.. would I??

 

[ctgblue]

Do you NEED a cab, no, but I have run mine through 2x12, 4x12 and now just a jet City 112.
The nice thing is that you can get an inexpensive cab for now and if you want something fancy later, you can do that. A cab for a 1-15W amp doesn't have to be expensive almost any cab can handle that power without loss of tone.

 

[NeuroTrem]

Thanks for that info.. Coz, only high end cabinets are available here and at this moment, I can't afford any cabinet.

I think I'll go with the IRT Studio. The 60 watt head is way out of my reach too.

Thanks guys

 

[JD27]

A question keeps popping up in my mind whenever I read people say that the IRT is 'tight'. Well, isn't that a good thing? Like, wouldn't I want my sound to be tight over loose and muddy? Specially when I am recording??

Depends on what kind of sound you are looking for. Like I said Metal/Downtuned stuff sounds really good through it. Bluesy or classic rock stuff is passable, but doesn't sound that great through it. Sometimes I would like it to break up a little more. That's why I was thinking about getting an Orange OR-15 for that need.

 

[papa_moz]

I have the 60w IRT - you can get it to break up nicely on the clean channel for a bluesy sound:
1- Crank the clean volume to around 7 and adjust the watts as needed.
2- Back the bass off to 9 oclock.
3- Treble at 12 and mids depending on your guitar and pups.
4- Finally, turn the dynamics up to 3 oclock or so.

I use a spark booster in front for leads.

 

[NeuroTrem]

Okay.. IRT studio then
Waiting for the shipment to arrive. Should be getting in a couple of weeks

 

[NeuroTrem]

Finally received the shipment. Plugged it in for a trial run. Sounded awesome and tight. I'll post a full review when I have a bit of time on my hands

 

[tscoolberth]

Yep, I was in nearly the same predicament. Was looking at the Diamond Assassin but a local boutique dealer suggested the IRT-15 Studio.

My previous amp was a Line 6 Spider Valve which had a pretty cool Strymon designed tube pre-amp built in. No your average crap Line 6 but it still felt and sounded "digitally" to me.

Anyway .. on day 2 I tried the direct out to my DAW .. HOLY CRAP that is good tone for a DI!

My next quest is for just the right cabinet/speaker.

 

[Stephen]

Good choice! Been using my 2 IRT Studios since I got them last Feb for gigging (also own the 60 watt and 2 VH100R's). Definitely keep up with Drummers, it's all I've been using recently for gigging.

 

[JD27]

Good choice! Been using my 2 IRT Studios since I got them last Feb for gigging (also own the 60 watt and 2 VH100R's). Definitely keep up with Drummers, it's all I've been using recently for gigging.

Using 1 of the IRTs just for backup?

 

[Stephen]

Generally I do that, not that I've ever needed a backup though as they are pretty solid amps. Sometimes I run them in stereo with 2 cabs but that all depends on what sort of gig I'm playing and with which band.

 

[NeuroTrem]

There are three negative points that I have come across..

1. There is an irreplaceable hum in both the drive channels when the GAIN knob is set to 8 and beyond.

2. The BOOST kinda compresses the Rhythm Chanel although it works great with the Lead Channel.

3. When the volume knob of the Clean Channel crosses 7, there is a bit of dirt. No complaints though 'coz it takes the amp close to the blues territory and either way I run a compressor before the amp which cleans the dirt out.


The thing that shocked me is the DI with cab emulation on sounds awesome.. I had never expected that an amp can sound so awesome running through DI.

@Stephen.. I have come across your videos on Youtube.. You are an awesome guitar player and your demo of the IRT got me really interested in the amp