# Peavey 6505 vs Peavey XXX for metal?



## Stratocaster

Lets say on a budget of $2000, I need a metal amp loud enough for gigging. Which would be better?
And I am talking about head and cab.


----------



## Deadwrong

I tried both. I found XXX more more nu-metal-ish stuff.....not bad.

But I bought the 5150 (now 6505). If you buy, you MUST get a bias mod. It sounds very cold out of the box, but an amp tech can crank it up and now mone is a raging beast from hell.......

I have a Bogner Uberkab and that is loaded with V30s and 75s in a X pattern......just killer!


BTW - the 5150 is far louder that the XXX.

evilGuitar:


----------



## Welladjusted

the 6505 is very nice, as is the cab. FJA mods specializes in 5150/6505 mods, and from what I understand, they're quite good and pretty cheap.


----------



## bucky

I would say that the XXX is more versatile, but the 5150/6505 beats it out for metal. Definitely recommend the bias mod as well.


----------



## Stratocaster

ok, and does the peavey 6505 head and cab have the same sound as the normal 6505?

is it just wattage difference?

also

would any guitar store be able to give the bias mod? like LA music/long n mquade/ guitar shop?


----------



## bucky

Stratocaster said:


> would any guitar store be able to give the bias mod? like LA music/long n mquade/ guitar shop?


Depends on the tech. You'd have to phone and ask.

On the other hand, FJA mods only charges $70 US for the mod, and offers a bunch of other mods as well. I'd look into buying a used 5150 off of ebay from the states, sending it to Jerry, and having him ship it to you. Probably end up cheaper than buying one new in Canada and having a local tech do the work.

http://www.fjamods.com/5150.html


----------



## Deadwrong

bucky said:


> Depends on the tech. You'd have to phone and ask.
> 
> On the other hand, FJA mods only charges $70 US for the mod, and offers a bunch of other mods as well. I'd look into buying a used 5150 off of ebay from the states, sending it to Jerry, and having him ship it to you. Probably end up cheaper than buying one new in Canada and having a local tech do the work.
> 
> http://www.fjamods.com/5150.html



YOUR KIDDING ME! I got mine done in Vancouver by a professional tech for 60$ CANADIAN (3 weeks ago, by Mr Ho). Although they are good (FJA Jerry), dont go that extreme.

The cost of shipping to the US and possible damage eTC ETC etc would make that extemely unworthwhile.

I am sure there is someone in Toronto that can do the mod. I have the FJA bias mod plans on how to do yourself (off the website). Thats all you really need anyway....



Check this guy out http://www.storm.ca/~rheslip/ampmods.htm


----------



## Stratocaster

So who bumped a thread that was over two years old :sport-smiley-002:


----------



## Budda

i was about to chime in lol.


----------



## Diablo

Weird.
Anyways in case anyone comes across this doing a search...I'm happy with my 6505+ (without bias mod, although I'm sure it wouldnt hurt). I would say an OD pedal (808 based) is essential however.
I wouldnt recommend the Peavey cabs though. Can get a better (tighter, warmer) sound with a used Mesa recto cab. Thats my preference at least. I'm sure some Marshalls eg 1960 would sound great as well.

If someone has a reference for someone to do the bias mod within or around the GTA, I'd be interested. I'm sure FJA is great, but the shipping aspect kills it for me.


----------



## SinCron

It should be noted that Enslaved use the 5150/6505 and they have an amazing sound.


----------



## Diablo

SinCron said:


> It should be noted that Enslaved use the 5150/6505 and they have an amazing sound.


Ya, lots of groups use them (from new metal like you mentioned, to old metal like Skid row, trixter), which always surprises me. Not b/c they arent great amps, but I would've thought it was a no-no as a professional musician to use another musicians signature models. Signature models always suggest a bit of a fanboy/wanna be thing to me.
Kinda like seeing Eddie VH playing a Zakk Wyde or Yngwie edition guitar would seem weird.


----------



## SinCron

It's Black Metal .


----------



## Diablo

SinCron said:


> It's Black Metal .


New metal, black metal, death metal, metal core, deth core, thrash metal, power metal, speed metal, etc, etc. Its all the same to me.:rockon2:


----------



## SinCron

Black metal's origins are mostly anti-religion but a lot of bands that are considered "black metal" are not really anti-religion. However, it has the same sort of sound with the raunchy vocals instead of low growls and also has melodic bits to it with clean vocals or just a different type of guitar sound. 

Death metal is more like a heavy chugga with low growly vocals and sometimes very weird vocals including inhaling.

New or "nu" metal ............... I dunno. You can understand it more though. Bands like KoRn, Slipknot and Disturbed.

Thrash metal is stuff like Kreator.

The other stuff, I dunno. That "core" stuff sounds kinda stupid.


----------



## Diablo

SinCron said:


> Black metal's origins are mostly anti-religion but a lot of bands that are considered "black metal" are not really anti-religion. However, it has the same sort of sound with the raunchy vocals instead of low growls and also has melodic bits to it with clean vocals or just a different type of guitar sound.
> 
> Death metal is more like a heavy chugga with low growly vocals and sometimes very weird vocals including inhaling.
> 
> New or "nu" metal ............... I dunno. You can understand it more though. Bands like KoRn, Slipknot and Disturbed.
> 
> Thrash metal is stuff like Kreator.
> 
> The other stuff, I dunno. That "core" stuff sounds kinda stupid.


I'm not sure I completely understand the definition of the "core" stuff but on Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metalcore) they list eaxamples like Killswitch Engage and Bullet for my Valentine, which I think are pretty good groups. Not sure how they differ from thrash though. Back to the original topic: Both these groups at one point used 5150/6505's.  http://www.peavey.com/news/article.cfm/action/view/id/288


----------



## JSX/6505

Diablo said:


> New metal, black metal, death metal, metal core, deth core, thrash metal, power metal, speed metal, etc, etc. Its all the same to me.:rockon2:


Are you serious?? Wow, you need to listen to some more metal if you can't tell the difference between those genres.


----------



## Budda

i'll say lol.

the thing about the two amps in question is that they are voiced very differently. i can get the crunch channel of my JSX to sound close to a 5150, but its not the same tone. its based off a different amp, for starters lol.

5150's are moddable, and a staple in metal music for the last 20? years. XXX, great amps but not so much. i have the feeling that some people who use the XXX dont quite get the active EQ part of it, or realize that if you want that wicked crunch distortion for metal.. you have to run the gain around 1 or 2.

and for the record, peavey cabs are fine. i own 2. one's got new speakers, and i prefer the sound of it over my stock XXX cab (both XXX cabs, stack). the Sheffields are actually the peavey variant of the classic Celestion Vintage 30 .


----------



## Bevo

Dissecting metal again eh:sport-smiley-002:

Can't we all just raise the horns and smell the tubes burning?

Go with the 6505 or 5150, more mod's available and more in use than the XXX.

Bev


----------



## Stratocaster

Oh hai guyz, 

like arguing over a TWO YEAR OLD THREAD?!?!


----------



## SinCron

The issue still exists!


----------



## Diablo

JSX/6505 said:


> Are you serious?? Wow, you need to listen to some more metal if you can't tell the difference between those genres.


I used to think so too...but that was before I turned 30. After that, the differences seemed pretty minor  Hard to tell if the differences are between genres, or just the personality and styles of the bands individually.
Plus theres so much crossover. For example, I would say Slayer could be death metal, satanic metal and speed metal.
Anyways, this topic deserves a thread in The Pub, not an Amps thread.


----------



## Budda

i want to be in a pub


----------



## Stratocaster

Leave it to the Canadians to argue over metal


----------



## Archer

6505/5150 for sure.


----------



## KujaSE

Look for a used block letter 5150. The XXX's are garbage. A wide range of "just okay" tones. The models of 5150's aren't terribly different either. Any of them would make you very happy with metal.


----------



## Esoterik

Whoa bumping old thread just to include an opinionated blanket statement, batman!

EDIT: Bahaha, I fail also... oh well. I still don't agree with the above comment, though.


----------



## KujaSE

The best bet would be getting a used 5150 head ($600-700), a used nicer cab (Marshall 1960, $400-500, Mesa $600-700) and spending the extra cash on a nice noise suppressor/gate and a tuner pedal etc.

Add a guitar and you're 100% ready to roll.


----------



## JimiGuy7

I am currently using the Peavey JSX 120 head, and it is awesome. I don't play in a metal band but this can do exactly what you are talking about and more. Food for thought.


----------



## Budda

With $2K, I don't know that I'd go Peavey - all of their high gain heads will get brutal, just in different ways.


----------



## Crunchie

Any one of those amps is beyond loud enough, Especially for playing small clubs. I would say that they are even too much!


----------



## Bevo

I don't think so, Peavey is known for being able to play at bedroom levels and I have had a few to prove it.

120 watt and 4-12 with your mom upstairs!


----------



## Schectertastic

Loves me my Peavey 6505+ combo, best $600 ever spent on gear. That gets my vote.


----------



## RAZRBAKK

I would recommend the 3120. It's a combination of the 6505 and the XXX. If you need a dedicated clean channel and you're deciding between the 6505 and the XXX, get the XXX. If you want the 6505 sound, but still want a clean channel, get the 3120.

Also, don't go with the matching cab. I would recommend picking up a Marshall 1960, A or B, depending one whether you're into slanted cabs or not.


----------



## Wardo1974

I have a 5150 currently. It's the loudest, most powerful amp I ever had. I guess this isn't a comparo since I never played an XXX, but I can't imagine a better metal amp than it (or 6505)


----------



## adamshayme

The 3120 is awesome


----------



## JimiGuy7

The JSX I had was pretty bad ass for metal tones, to my ears anyways.


----------



## Budda

I had a JSX and the 6505 trumps it IMHO. 3120/XXX didn't impress me.


----------



## orangegoblin

I used to have a peavey xxx, really good ultra channel, but crunch and clean were pretty terrible... it's a one trick pony


----------



## Fane

Since voting I saw Maylene & The Sons of Disaster live, the one guitarist was using a modded XXX and a Standard Tele - his tone was outta this world. Felt a lot more ballsy than the cold crunch of a lot of bands you see out there, he even played slide with it. 
Mind you, the amount of 6505s and 5150s you see out there is minimal - people like what they bought.


----------



## ryandignam

6505 hands down


----------



## JSX/6505

XXX hands up


----------

