Peavey Valveking vs 6505+ vs ???

[zipline7020]

So earlier this month i was asking about the peavey windsor/VTM because I was on a budget. but i realized recently that neither of those have a second channel, and 2 channel amps are more expensive.

So i was looking at either the Valveking ii or the 6505+

While I like to dabble in several genres like metal, alternative, oldies, etc; my favorite are modern rock bands like breaking benjamin(Dear agony and before tone), halestorm, nothing more, RED, etc. nice cleans, and the distorted tones are clear and tight, but still punch you in the face without being metalcore chuggy. My issue is I dont know if the Valeking ii or the 6505 have the right gain structure to do either of those styles, since those bands have soldanos, marshalls, and mesas. I know peaveys are lightly based on several classic amps, but this far down the road, they sound much different. However, with student loans kicking in, I cant justify anything over the price of a used 6505+or Valveking, so that rules out used mesas and high gain marshalls.

Just from playing some at a local store, I also dont think the mini versions of all these amps works either. It seems like EL84s dont support this kind of music well, as opposed to EL34s and 6l6s. And I have just come out of a 7 year experiment with modeling, and now that I have a little hybrid amp again, I am enjoying guitar more than I ever did with the software solution.

So what advise can you give me? are there any other amp options in that price range that I could look at as well?

I have tried a lot of the music stores in a large radius, and most of them only sell vintage amps, and lunchbox amps. so trying a mesa, high gain marshall, or even the full size peaveys I listed will be very difficult.

Thanks again

 

[KailM]

I would go with a 6505+ over a Valveking II any day of the week. Yes, it is a gain monster, but you can use the green channel w/ crunch and do light to hard rock with great tones for that. Even the lead channel (especially with an EQ pedal in the loop) can do tones for music other than metal, you just have to dial the gain way down and EQ for it. It's a pretty aggressive channel though, I'm not gonna lie.

The Valveking, on the other hand, seriously disappointed me with its gain sounds. Though you can get decent crunch and medium distortion out of it if you're willing to do a lot of upgrades and maybe some mods. The cleans, however, are great on the Valveking. But the 6505 eats it for dinner in the overdrive department.

 

[zipline7020]

Ah ok, i thought the 6505 would be way too saturated and spikey/chuggy for it.
even without a boost. Are there any recordings of it being used like that?

and if I had to choose, I would choose the clean channel to be the weak point, because I can add an eq and some verb.

Do any other similarly priced 2(+) channel amps come to mind?

 

[zipline7020]

What about XXX

or JSX/XXXII?

would those have a similar gain structure/sound to the bands I listed?

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

The 6505+ would be the better fit if those two IMO, but I think you'd also be good with a JSX or Egnater Tweaker 88, both of which can be found for the same or lower price used than the 6505+

 

[zipline7020]

really? most of the JSX im seeing are about 100 dollars more than a 6505

Maybe im just not deal searching enough. Ive heard with a JSX you have to use a boost to get more than a crunch. Is that true?


and eggnater, thats a brand I've never played. Any comments on it?

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

The Tweaker isn't as aggressive or raw as the 6505, but it's far more flexible with its switchable voicings and gain structures. Better cleans than the Peavey IMO, plus the different high gain character would fit into the Breaking Benjamin sound just fine with a boost.

 

[budda]

I would take a 6505/6534 over the JSX or VK, and I owned the JSX for a few years. The clean channel may not be as "pretty" but is totally useable, and the crunch mode is where it's at. If you want over the top, head over to the lead channel and let 'er rip.

 

[FILTHnFEAR]

really? most of the JSX im seeing are about 100 dollars more than a 6505

Maybe im just not deal searching enough. Ive heard with a JSX you have to use a boost to get more than a crunch. Is that true?

Not true. JSX will do more way more than a crunch on its own. Great with a boost too though. Guitar Center online has 2 right now, under $500.

I have a JSX and it's a great amp, really versatile, great cleans. But I wish I had taken Budda's advice when I was asking for help choosing an amp and gone with a 6505+. I say that because I really want something more aggressive than what the JSX has to offer.

That said though, if you're not really after aggressive tones and want a really good clean channel also, a JSX might suit your needs better.

Another option I highly recommend is an H&K Tube100. I've owned mine for almost 20 years with no reliability issues. Super versatile amp, amazing cleans that are even better than the JSX's(imo) if you like pristine clean tones. Midi capable, Red Box out. She'll do Breaking Benjamin and modern rock tones easily. If I had to compare the gain structure to anything else, I'd say it's pretty Dual Recto-ish but a little smoother. Nice sag or really tight with a boost.

Used Hughes & Kettner Tube 100 Head Tube Guitar Amp Head | Guitar Center

 

[jsmalleus]

+1 on FilthNFear's recommendation for the H&K tube 100, or the Triamp. There is a mk1 that a guy just relisted on Ebay cauz of no bids at $800:
Hughes Kettner Triamp MK I 100 Watt Guitar Amp w Footswitch | eBay

Those will nail the BB tones. Another recommendation would be the Bad Cat Cougar 50. I use it live and every time my bassist mentions it to his buddies he calls it the Breaking Benjamin amp haha. It would get ya where you want to be too.

 

[zipline7020]

Bad cat is another amp ive never tried. I know my friends that own them are all oldies cover band players.

And I believe once upon a time Breaking Benjamin used a HK Triamp. And I figure that a boosted crunch tone would be halestorm ish too.

I'll look into those

Can't see anywhere where I could try one though

 

[jsmalleus]

I actually got a 6l6 mk1 a couple weeks ago, I still have to take it down from the bedroom rig and try it in the jam room, but I really dig it so far. I think Breaking Benjamin used the mkII though, I haven't actually tried the mkII yet, but I'd imagine the el34's in that and the slight voicing change would sweeten it up a bit and be better suited for those tones. The mk1 seems like it could nail it pretty well too though.

 

[zipline7020]

What's with the mark 3 ?

And is the only difference between mark 1 and 2 the tube type?

And what about the tube 100 vs these?

 

[Edika]

I recently acquired a 5150 II (the 6505+ previous name) and the green channel can do crunch with the gain down. If the crunch is not engaged it can do it with the clean plus a boost. A lower gain valve in the V1 doe clean up the sound but more low gain valves in the other positions of the green channel clean it even further but reduce the distorted gain structure. Like so though you can even tame the red channel somewhat. I put some lower gain valves on the red channel positions and it really reduced the distortion and saturation.
The clean is usable but it's quite harsh even with the lower gain valve. But I assume with an eq pedal and some delay it will be quite good.

 

[USMarine75]

What is your price range? You can get an EVH 5153 50w used for $600-700 right now. 3 channel amp, with much better (Fender) cleans and less hiss/fizz on the other 2 channels.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

What is your price range? You can get an EVH 5153 50w used for $600-700 right now. 3 channel amp, with much better (Fender) cleans and less hiss/fizz on the other 2 channels.

More like a 2 1/2 channel amp like the 6505+. Channel 1 and 2 share all the EQ and volume controls, and there's a noticeable volume jump between 1 and 2.

 

[USMarine75]

More like a 2 1/2 channel amp like the 6505+. Channel 1 and 2 share all the EQ and volume controls, and there's a noticeable volume jump between 1 and 2.

Haha true, but then a 5150 block letter is a 1.5 channel amp?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Nah, a 1 channel amp, because who the .... changes channels on a 5150? It's either green with a boost or just straight-up red channel.

But yeah, as people said, get either a 6505+, JSX/XXX, or a 5153. Avoid the Valveking at all costs. People will say "Well, it's not THAT bad with a boost..." True, but the 6505, JSX, XXX, and 5153 are MUCH better, and you'll be happier in the long run.

 

[jsmalleus]

I only know what I looked up when I was researching the triamp before I got it, but I think the Tube 100 was the predecessor to the duotone & maybe the mk1? It has less channels than the mk1 though. The main differences between the mk1 and mkII are that mk1's came in both el34 and 6l6 models, mkII's were only el34 and they modified the voicings a little bit. They also addressed some reliability issues with the mk1 and added the light-up display and the ability to switch it to 50w mode.

The mkIII's are supposed to be beasts. You can swap out a bunch of different tubes in that one and switch between em, each channel has it's own eq rather than shared a/b on each channel, it has a boost, noise gate, and a bunch of other stuff. I'd love to try one of those too, but at $4k it's way out of my price range.

 

[RuiNs777]

The 6505+ will handle ANY type of rock/metal without a problem. BUT BE WARNED, if you're using it for room playing it is VERY LOUD. Nonetheless, having owned both, if I had to choose between Valveking and 6505+ I would 10/10 times pick the 6505+ in a heartbeat. It is superior to the Valveking in every possible way except the clean but if you can manage it you'll be fine.