Combo Amp Advice

Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 2611 Location: Dublin, Ireland

I'm looking to buy a new combo amp for around the house, jamming with friends etc. but I have no access to trying these amps out before I buy as no shops where I live deal with these companies.

I was hoping someone could give me some advice or steer me in the direction of a good combo for me. (Bear in mind, I do not only play metal).

I've been looking at these and am hoping to stay in or around this price range:

Peavey 6505 Plus 112 Combo:
http://www.thomann.de/ie/peavey_6505_plus_112_combo.htm

Peavey Valve King 212 Combo:
http://www.thomann.de/ie/peavey_valve_king_212.htm

Bugera 333XL-212 Infinium:
http://www.thomann.de/ie/bugera_333xl212_infinium.htm

Bugera 6262-212 Infinium:
http://www.thomann.de/ie/bugera_6262_212_infinium.htm

Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 795 Location: D.C. Metro

6505+ 112. /thread

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 1:22 pm

Das Brutalheimmer wrote:

6505+ 112. /thread

What he said ^

Joined: 21 Sep 2010 Posts: 437

Das Brutalheimmer wrote:

6505+ 112. /thread

+2!!

Bugera does sound good in the beginning but the cheap electronics will fail in due time. All the Peavey stuff I've ever had were built like tanks. I own several amps, but I always drift back to the 6505 from time to time. They are fantastic metal amps.

Joined: 21 Sep 2010 Posts: 437

Also if you look around you can find a 5150 2x12 combo for about the same price as a new 6505 1x12 and you'll get twice the wattage out of it. Then, in the future if you want to run your combo and a 4x12 you will have the ability to.

Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 2611 Location: Dublin, Ireland

koury73 wrote:

Das Brutalheimmer wrote:

6505+ 112. /thread

+2!!

Bugera does sound good in the beginning but the cheap electronics will fail in due time. All the Peavey stuff I've ever had were built like tanks. I own several amps, but I always drift back to the 6505 from time to time. They are fantastic metal amps.

As I said, I'm looking for a versatile amp. As far I have read the 6505+ is good for all things metal but I haven't seen anyone say anything else on it?

Joined: 15 Dec 2008 Posts: 4248 Location: Derry, N Ireland

koury73 wrote:

Das Brutalheimmer wrote:

6505+ 112. /thread

+2!!

Bugera does sound good in the beginning but the cheap electronics will fail in due time. All the Peavey stuff I've ever had were built like tanks. I own several amps, but I always drift back to the 6505 from time to time. They are fantastic metal amps.

Although I dont doubt that they are made of cheaper components. I have had mines coming 4 years now and it hasnt put a foot wrong. Very good amp for all genre's, I havnt wanted any other amp since.

- Happy 333XL user

Joined: 03 May 2008 Posts: 6624 Location: Minnesota

What kind of music do you prefer to play? That will help the discussion.

The 6505 is great for the brootalz, but is lacking in the classic rock/blues arena from what I understand.

I've spent some time with a valveking, and was happy with it. Lots of clean headroom, and w/ an OD infront of it, can get as NASTY as the rest of them.

And they typically can be had for much cheaper.

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 10589 Location: Canada

I have a 6505 combo beside the TV, it's killer... and I never do the brootalz...

Joined: 03 May 2008 Posts: 6624 Location: Minnesota

Armitage wrote:

I have a 6505 combo beside the TV, it's killer... and I never do the brootalz...

It's probably the temperature difference way up there in Canadia. Affects the tubes or something.

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

As a Peavey nut I will say that's a great amp but I have found a new amp that has stolen my heart. I have the 36 watt head version but they make an 18 watt combo and I would recommend this over all those amps you're looking at.

http://www.thomann.de/ie/hugheskettner_tubemeister_18_combo.htm

It's a little more money but not much more. I would take this over the 6505 every day of the week. I have owned both the 112 and 212 6505 combos.

The Hughes and Kettner has a 4 stage power soak so you can crank it at full power 5 watts, 1 watt or full which just leaves the DI active. Also the TSC tube protection system is amazing. It has as much gain ast the 6505 but has more of an ENGL type of voicing than anything. The first thing I thought when I plugged my Tubemeister head into my cab was that it sounded like my old Fireball but without being too fizzy like the ENGL was.

Other advantages I'll note is it uses EL84s which are cheaper to replace than 6L6 and EL34 and it's auto biasing with the TSC system. It comes with a cover as well which is nice for transport.

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:13 pm

Just to throw a couple more options your way:

Take a look at the Vox Valvtronixs (I have one and love the versatility)
or look at the Jet City's

Good Luck!

Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:21 pm

Armitage wrote:

I have a 6505 combo beside the TV, it's killer... and I never do the brootalz...

I have to agree, I have the 6505 2x12 combo and it does whatever I need it to do. The low gain channel can clean up pretty well for classic rock and blues

I don't dig the 6505+ though

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 10589 Location: Canada

Yeah, everyone forgets about channel one. Bigger and beefier, just less, but still tons of gain.

Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Posts: 1268 Location: Easton Ma

I love my Peavy Bandit 112 red stripe, it does it all. It's built like a tank and has never let me down.

Joined: 04 Jun 2012 Posts: 347 Location: South-West Ohio

Lanning's suggestion is a fantastic one, and I would also recomend the Blackstar HR-20 or HT-40 to you. I prefer the blackstar personally, but the HK was 30 seconds away from becoming mine as well. I wouldn't consider either a bad choie, and depending on your personal taste may prefer one or the other, but both are fantastric.

Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 2044 Location: Wallingford, CT

I love my Tubemeister 18 (I have the head, not the combo).

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

koury73 wrote:

Also if you look around you can find a 5150 2x12 combo for about the same price as a new 6505 1x12 and you'll get twice the wattage out of it. Then, in the future if you want to run your combo and a 4x12 you will have the ability to.

Both the 112 and 2X12 are 60 watts. The differences are is one is made in the US and the other in China.

The 212 is based on the original 6505 which is a bit more aggressive and has a little more gain. The 112 is based on the 6505+ and has those feature sets including the footswitchable Clean/Crunch, which the 212 doesn't have. On the clean channel you have to select which mode you are using and it's not footswtichable. Also the 212 has a 30 watt extension speaker out which the 112 doesn't have. You can unplug the speaker of the 212 and run it to the ext. speaker out and cut the wattage from 60 down to 30 if you want.

The 112 has a speaker compensated DI out and the 212 doesn't. The build quality of the 212 is "pro level" and tank-like whereas the 112 is lower end build. It's not bad, it just doesn't compare to the 212 which could probably be pushed out of a plane without a parachute and survive the landing.

I have owned and gigged both amps and will say they are great sounding but they are one trick ponies. They do the metalzzzz really well. It's a flat out hard rock and metal amp. They do have channel switching but it's just different grades of dirty. You can get the clean to sound good depending on your pickups but that's not why people buy those amps.

The H&K is much more versatile and can go from Dimmu Borgir to Molly Hatchet and then Pat Metheny in one session with the push of a button.

As far as Jet city, just know this. The 20 watters are NOT based on the SLO100 like people seem to think. They are designed after the Soldano Astroverb 16. They can get high gain-ish but it's not a modern metal tone if that is one sound you would like to do. They can do more of the classic Priest, Dio kinda tone.

All of the amps mentioned are great though so just go with your gut.

Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 2611 Location: Dublin, Ireland

I set out to buy a combo, and now I want a head. I have an old cab lying around the house soI think I'm sold on the H&K Tubemeister 36. Seems like a great all rounder.

Thanks Lanning and everyone else for your help.

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

ForeverDown wrote:

I set out to buy a combo, and now I want a head. I have an old cab lying around the house soI think I'm sold on the H&K Tubemeister 36. Seems like a great all rounder.

Thanks Lanning and everyone else for your help.

That's the head I use and I swear by it bro. I don't think there is a better low wattage head out there at the moment. If you need any help with it just PM me after you get it.

Here are 2 short tone tests I did with mine when I got it. Of course this is with a video camera, not mic'd but you can kinda get the idea of how it is in the room.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHRWnvjj89E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig4Eghyn370

The gain on the lead channel is at about 12:30 (just above half) and it's on 1 watt on the power soak into my 4X12.

Here is Tommy Thayer from Kiss demo'ing one as well... Note that the gain on his lead channel is just at half on this demo... This amp has gain in spades.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI1ik8D-ycY

Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 1413 Location: Dallas, TX

Check out the 5150 III too....supposidly they are getting ready to release a 2X12 combo version of it at NAMM this year.

Here is a thread on it from SS.org...

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/gear-equipment/222998-new-evh-5150-iii-combos.html

Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Posts: 71

Bugera 333XL fan here! Turn it up and you will rattle your dog's bones!

...wisdom

Joined: 11 Oct 2006 Posts: 2703 Location: Marietta, Ga

I love the 6505 112. Throw an od in front and it can do anything except Fender cleans. The two channels are so different it feels like having two amps. Having a closed back definitely gives it an advantage over most other combos. Definitely a step or three above a Valveking. I think the 6505/5150 2x12 is probably too loud if you're just messing around the house.

If you can swing it, I'd go for the 50w 5150III. Too expensive for me, though.

My buddy's Jet City sounds excellent, too. Better than comparable Blackstars or Kranks.

Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 2611 Location: Dublin, Ireland

I finally got around to this and ordered the Tubemeister 36 Head. Very excited, thanks to all for your help!

Joined: 29 Mar 2011 Posts: 357 Location: Calgary Alberta

bazzabalboa wrote:

koury73 wrote:

Das Brutalheimmer wrote:

6505+ 112. /thread

+2!!

Bugera does sound good in the beginning but the cheap electronics will fail in due time. All the Peavey stuff I've ever had were built like tanks. I own several amps, but I always drift back to the 6505 from time to time. They are fantastic metal amps.

Although I dont doubt that they are made of cheaper components. I have had mines coming 4 years now and it hasnt put a foot wrong. Very good amp for all genre's, I havnt wanted any other amp since.

- Happy 333XL user

Both mine have been gigged for the last 4 years, my BVP5500 and my V55 H, not a lick of trouble

Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Posts: 71

I'm not currently a gigging players, but I've had my Bugera 333XL combo for 3 years, no problems. I know that's not a long time yet, but I'm confident it will last!

...wisdom

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 3:51 am

Northwinds wrote:

Armitage wrote:

I have a 6505 combo beside the TV, it's killer... and I never do the brootalz...

I have to agree, I have the 6505 2x12 combo and it does whatever I need it to do. The low gain channel can clean up pretty well for classic rock and blues

I don't dig the 6505+ though

Late to the game on this thread but while we are tossing Peavey (which I like mucho) around I agree with the plus model. For whatever reason it never sat well with me.
-As far ass butt kickin goes the 5150 combo was one I really liked-even more so than the stock head version. Real real loud.
-Valve king is what it is to me. Nothing jumped out about it. It fits a niche.
-I'm waiting to borrow Northwinds 6505 any day now...cough cough Ron and will get back to you all about it when I have had time
-The XXL line I did not enjoy although it looked interesting.
Haven't tried the H&K or Jetcity ones either although I am curious. yet either

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 3:52 am

Northwinds wrote:

Armitage wrote:

I have a 6505 combo beside the TV, it's killer... and I never do the brootalz...

I have to agree, I have the 6505 2x12 combo and it does whatever I need it to do. The low gain channel can clean up pretty well for classic rock and blues

I don't dig the 6505+ though

Late to the game on this thread but while we are tossing Peavey (which I like mucho) around I agree with the plus model. For whatever reason it never sat well with me.
-As far ass butt kickin goes the 5150 combo was one I really liked-even more so than the stock head version. Real real loud.
-Valve king is what it is to me. Nothing jumped out about it. It fits a niche.
-I'm waiting to borrow Northwinds 6505 any day now...cough cough Ron and will get back to you all about it when I have had time
-The XXL line I did not enjoy although it looked interesting.
Haven't tried the H&K or Jetcity ones either although I am curious. yet either