Mesa Boogie Vs Peavey 5150

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chris Fallen
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Chris Fallen

Chris Fallen

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This is between say, the Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier and the Peavey 5150 II. Now, I just start off thinking that the MB is much much better, cause hey, it's contender is a peavey. But I've heard a lot of good things about the Peavey 5150s. I've asked about them in a few different forums and was told that they were much much much better then any other peavey amps, etc etc.

I've only had the chance to play around with some mesa boogie amps, I can't find peavey 5150s anywhere around here to try out and listen to. Has anyone had the chance to play them? What are they like? How do they compare?

The reason that I'm asking this is probably obvious: Mesa Boogies = 1500, Peavey 5150s = 800.

So comparisons and comments are welcome.

Christopher
 
In my (not so) humble opinion, the Boogie will routinely kill anything with Peavey written on it, then it will look at you inquisitively and ask:

"Any questions?"

Buy Boogie and live happily ever after.

foo
 
I've owned the original 5150, currently own a Boogie Quad preamp, and have done some limited jamming through a Recto. Here's my analysis:

5150:

One excellent tone.
A bit noisey.
The clean channel left something to be desired.
Plenty of gain for sustan and feedback.
I can't comment on the 5150 II.


Mesa/Boogie:

Again excellent tone.
Wider variety of tones.
Plenty of gain.
Shimmering clean.
Expensive (except the Quad).


In summary the Mesa/Boogie has more variety in tones, is quieter, and has a better clean channel. The 5150 is less expensive.

Your call. If I had the cash, I'd get the Mesa/Boogie.
 
5150/dual

You asked about a comparison between a 5150 and Dual, right? I would have to go with the 5150. I don't see how someone can say a dual is more versatile. The Dual-Rectums are famous for one reason, that modern metal crunch - not a variety in sound. I didn't like the clean tone on the dual, personally. I know a couple of guys who run a dual for distortion and use Fenders for clean (with an A/B switch) for that reason. The Duals have great crunch. But they leave a lot to be desired in the way of customizing your sound. The EQ almost does nothing. Mesa make the Duals and Triples to be idiot proof. They don't let you change (or ruin) the sound.

But, if it was between a Triple I'd go with the Triple, but only the new Triples. I owned an older Triple. It was great, but again I didn't hear that variety of tones mentioned. If you want variety consider a Mesa Tri-Axis. I used one in a pro studio once. DAMN! That thing is amazing!
 
I'm not too sure how anyone can recommend a 5150 over another amp because the other amp supposedly doesn't have a wide variety of tones. The 5150 has NO variety of tones. The 5150 has one good tone, that's it. Not only that, but the clean channel is terrible. The only benefit of the 5150 is the price.

Regarding the Dual Recto, it has three independent channels with eight modes: clean, pushed, raw1, vintage high gain1, modern high gain1, raw2, vintage high gain2, and modern high gain2. It also allows switching between 6L6 and EL34 power tubes, tube vs. solid state rectifiers, and a bold/spongey variac switch. If that's not more versatile than even the 5150 II, which has only two channels and three modes, some people must be using funny arithmatic.

Granted, the Dual is not a chameleon like a SanAmp, POD, what have you. It will give you tonal variations based on its set circuitry. If you truly want tonal variety, get the Quad (which does not do Mark IV or Recto) or, like recommended below, the TriAxis (which does) along with a good power amp like the 2:Ninety.
 
...and the runner-up Miss Communication

Flame much? I didn't mean to make it sound like the 5150 is versatile godsend. It's not and neither is the Dual. That's why I offered up some other suggestions. But, for me, if it came between a 5150 and Dual, I'd go 5150. I'd take the money I saved from buying the 5150 over the Dual and buy a nice effects unit. It's just what i'd do. Either way, neither amp is anything to sneeze at. But it all comes down to preference and playing style.

Chris, I still think you should consider VHT.
 
Why not compare the Mesa to the Peavey XXX (http://www.peavey.com/guitaramps/triple_xxx.html)? I think that amp is pretty much designed to copy the Boogie Recto series, right down to the chrome faceplate. The 5150 is designed to sound like Eddi Van Halen, and it's pretty hard for me to imagine him using a Rectifier sound.
 
Has anyone played or heard one of the Peavey XXXs?

Christopher
 
I bought a 5150(head) a couple of yrs back- i returned it 2 days later, it had lots of dist, very loud, but hissy/noisy.( the noise turned me off.) I think this the best thing peavy ever made!

I in turn got a Boogie single recto. I dont like it much better, i only use this amp for recording, because it sounds good at low volumes. But turn it up and it sounds like its gonna blow speakers, my friend has a triple and his sounds like that to-you got to use celestans because they sound better than the mesa cabs, i also got my friend to a get a marshall 4x12 insted of useing the recto cabs.

So 6 months later i got a Crate black Voodo, i like this. BUT, i wish it had the some of the girth that the rectifier has--now,I have my heart set on a real amp-VHT pitbull, best sounding metal amp i have ever played.
 
Re: ...and the runner-up Miss Communication

apush said:
Flame much?
Click to expand...

Heh. Just emulating the tone of your previous post. :rolleyes:

Yeah. The 5150 will save you major buckaroos, which we agreed on. Along those lines, keep in mind that the Mesas usually hold their resale value rather well.

And yeah. The final choice definitely comes down to preference and playing style.

Cheers. :)
 
Re: Re: ...and the runner-up Miss Communication

Lopp said:


Heh. Just emulating the tone of your previous post. :rolleyes:

Click to expand...

That's the problem with messageboards or email...you can't hear the tone of someone's voice or see them smile as they make a comment. depending on the mood of the reader, someone can come off funny or sarcastic. My intention wasn't/isn't to be rude.
 
Re: Re: Re: ...and the runner-up Miss Communication

apush said:


That's the problem with messageboards or email...you can't hear the tone of someone's voice or see them smile as they make a comment. depending on the mood of the reader, someone can come off funny or sarcastic. My intention wasn't/isn't to be rude.
Click to expand...

No doubt. No prob. Beers on me. ;)


Matt
 
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