Please help me pick my first "real" amp

[smck96]

Hey guys,

Looking to buy my first real amp, currently have a yamaha thr10ii and mostly use it as an interface with dsp gojira and nolly. I live in a townhouse and will pretty much strictly be playing at home, so I need something that can do not piss off neighbours volume very well and allows me to play somewhere other than my computer without having to unplug and move everything.
My music interests are pretty broad but main aim is like Trivium, Periphery, ERRA, KSE/ABR/early 2000s metalcore type stuff.
I'm thinking I'll just buy a 112 cab, orange ppc112 is looking like a good option, also considering one of the mesa offerings.
Strongly believe in buy once cry once so I'm not too worried about budget, but as I said I will pretty much only be playing at home so I don't need to go too crazy.
Currently thinking that the evh 5153 stealth is my best option as I've heard it does quiet very well, and I'm pretty sure that's what trivium is using now, but I'm not sure how good it will be for prog-djenty stuff. Also considering the normal 6l6 but leaning to stealth.
Another amp I'm considering is the invective mh. Designed with Misha so hopefully it can cover periphery well, built in gate and boost is nice as I don't have pedals yet. I'm not sure if I'm so interested in this that I would be willing to pay up for the 120w version but from what I've heard it sounds pretty good.

What do you guys think? Anything I maybe haven't thought of? Thanks!

 

[gunch]

BIG CABS BIG GLASS EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN A BROOM CLOSET

 

[Adieu]

Buy a used Peavey 6505 112 combo

 

[MetalDestroyer]

My first tube amp setup was a 5150 III 50W on a PPC112. Nowadays you can do the LBX as well, which I have also had and is also very fantastic.

Buy a used Peavey 6505 112 combo

But this has been a tried and true setup for over a decade. You used to be able to GC ship to store these for 350 every day of the week.

 

[gunch]

Buy a used Peavey 6505 112 combo

With a speaker upgrade

 

[Bearitone]

If you really want to buy-once-cry-once, do not get a 112. Go with a 412. 212 minimum.

The number of speakers you have and the size of the enclosure has next to nothing to do with you being able to play the amp at reasonable volumes and everything to do with “feel”. Pushing more air just feels and sounds better.

Also, I agree with your choice in a Stealth 5150III. If all your favorite artists are using that amp, or something similar, no need to fuck around and waste your time/money.

 

[FILTHnFEAR]

BIG CABS BIG GLASS EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN A BROOM CLOSET

 

[FILTHnFEAR]

If you really want to buy-once-cry-once, do not get a 112. Go with a 412. 212 minimum.

The number of speakers you have and the size of the enclosure has next to nothing to do with you being able to play the amp at reasonable volumes and everything to do with “feel”. Pushing more air just feels and sounds better.

Also, I agree with your choice in a Stealth 5150III. If all your favorite artists are using that amp, or something similar, no need to fuck around and waste your time/money.

Yessir!

 

[Gtan7]

Ya had a PPC112 returned it, got a mesa 212 w/made in UK v30's. I would've like tot try the PPC112 as an openback cab or thicker grill cloth and 10 band EQ, but i wasn't going to cut into a cab that I was sure I was going to return.

ppc112 was well built, the back was TIGHT. Needed to unscrew jack plate and pull the back hard to get it off.

 

[Gmork]

Hey guys,

Looking to buy my first real amp, currently have a yamaha thr10ii and mostly use it as an interface with dsp gojira and nolly. I live in a townhouse and will pretty much strictly be playing at home, so I need something that can do not piss off neighbours volume very well and allows me to play somewhere other than my computer without having to unplug and move everything.
My music interests are pretty broad but main aim is like Trivium, Periphery, ERRA, KSE/ABR/early 2000s metalcore type stuff.
I'm thinking I'll just buy a 112 cab, orange ppc112 is looking like a good option, also considering one of the mesa offerings.
Strongly believe in buy once cry once so I'm not too worried about budget, but as I said I will pretty much only be playing at home so I don't need to go too crazy.
Currently thinking that the evh 5153 stealth is my best option as I've heard it does quiet very well, and I'm pretty sure that's what trivium is using now, but I'm not sure how good it will be for prog-djenty stuff. Also considering the normal 6l6 but leaning to stealth.
Another amp I'm considering is the invective mh. Designed with Misha so hopefully it can cover periphery well, built in gate and boost is nice as I don't have pedals yet. I'm not sure if I'm so interested in this that I would be willing to pay up for the 120w version but from what I've heard it sounds pretty good.

What do you guys think? Anything I maybe haven't thought of? Thanks!

So did you get anything yet?!

 

[USMarine75]

Kemper or Axe FX.

For Periphery type stuff you should buy the Invective, so you can use the exact same gear Misha doesn’t use.

 

[CanserDYI]

I second the 5153 LBX. Blue channel gets devilishly close to 50watter if you ask me, I'm no golden ears though.

 

[smck96]

So did you get anything yet?!

Not yet, in the middle of switching jobs and should get a pretty decent vacation payout end of the month or so. Also going back and forth on if the amp should be first priority right now. Also interested in getting a bass and not sure if I want to wait until June to get a new Matt Heafy 7 string or I could get an ibanez axion label now... too many options

 

[Gmork]

Ooooo the axxxiiooonnn!! I want one so bad!

 

[Emperoff]

Kemper or Axe FX.

For Periphery type stuff you should buy the Invective, so you can use the exact same gear Misha doesn’t use.

 

[laxu]

For home playing I'd rather put my money in a Fractal FM3/FM9/Axe-Fx 3 or Line6 Helix Rack/Floor/LT/HX Stomp and a good pair of studio monitors. It's easier to get great tones at lower volume and it would be the only rig you need rather than having to get effects and whatnot as well.

Saying this as someone who has a very expensive real amp and cab rig. It's fun but it's not cost effective or practical at home.

 

[cardinal]

I would not over think this. You can't really go wrong with any of the 5153s. They may not be everyone's perfect amp but if a person is truly unhappy with one then I suspect they just don't like the sound of electric guitar.

Bigger cabs do tend to sound better to me (warmer, more thump, even at lower volumes), but plenty of 112s sound fine.

The digital rigs now sound unbelievably good if you're willing to use them and resist endlessly fussing with it. The 5153/cab would be immediate gratification.

 

[TedEH]

There's very few "small" cabs I'd trust to sound good enough to be worth an upgrade. 99% of the time, I play through a 4x12 at home, and the key is using gear that doesn't have twitchy volume controls. My "big amp" sounds great at apartment volume (it's a Mark IV), while it's harder to get my "small rig" to sound as good without pushing it (Mark V:25 + 1x12). The small rig, unintuitively, is the one that needs more volume to really reach its potential. Good low volume tone isn't about using "small gear" or "low wattage", it's just a question of how well the gear in question was designed - whether or not the volume taper is reasonable and usable throughout the whole range, etc. That's part of why I like tweaker-y amps like the Marks, since you can very easily compensate for the room, your volume level, etc., as opposed to just hoping your tone translates to another context.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

My 5153 50 6l6 watt does low volume very well, I run it through two 2x12’s. Get a good 4x12 and you’ll be very pleased with the tones (or 2x12).

 

[Deadpool_25]

You already have a solid plan. 50w Stealth is a great amp and can cover all you listed and more. If that’s on your radar, go with it.

I agree that the cab is a big deal so I’d try to go with at least a 2x12 which I think is the best mix of tone, value, and portability. 4x12 is great too of course. My default suggestion on a cab is a custom oversized 2x12 from BFG Cabs (ask me if interested). Otherwise I’d probably do a used vertical or horizontal Mesa 2x12 recto cab as they can sometimes be found on local CLs. Plenty of other good used cabs out there as well.

Edit: Also, the 6L6 (V2) is just as good an option as the Stealth. And FWIW: My friend has an Invective MH, and likes it but played through my 6L6 and Stealth (loved both) and is now shopping for one, probably the Stealth.