EVH 5150III 100S EL34 vs Marshall JCM800 2203 [Update]

[Simon Dorn]

Both sound good.

I like the marshall better, but that's because I like music that the marshall fits better.

If you were into downtuned or chugga chugga the 5150 is probably better.

Yeah. Thanks. Not necessarily better. Just different. The 5150 is a bit uninspiring.

 

[Simon Dorn]

Stealth 100 watt 1200 bucks from guitar center.

Sounds like a good Deal!

 

[Simon Dorn]

Owned the 50 el34 and 50 stealth. Both punch way above their price imo. Liked the 6l6 of that better because of the blue channel being better out of the box, I’m sure with that mod out there for the el34 or a boost pretty unnoticeable. Excited for the 100!

I liked the Standard 50 Watter.

 

[Simon Dorn]

wow both sound killer!!

Thank you!

 

[Bram576]

But you keep the Dynamics with the 800. Even when you boost it like crazy.
The EVH is a bit flat and compressed.

Yeah, there’s definitely a bit more dynamics with an 800. Evh, 5150s all that are definitely designed to be compressed and real easy to play. But fuck do they sound good, and for leads the compression works out real good in a band setting.

Always find it interesting we talk about compression and openness and it’s totally cool. I like raw open amps, and own several. But if something is too uncompressed it makes it a problem in a band setting or a mix. I say that even though we use high gain, distortion that already compresses lol.

 

[Simon Dorn]

I don’t know. Seems like if you equalized the 2203 low end to the 5153 I’d prefer the voicing. Resonance mod is really helpful for that amp.

Yeah, a bit more gain. Slight changes to the Tone-Stack a Depth-Pot plus a bias mod to KT88 or 6550. But i keep it stock for now.

 

[Simon Dorn]

Yeah, there’s definitely a bit more dynamics with an 800. Evh, 5150s all that are definitely designed to be compressed and real easy to play. But fuck do they sound good, and for leads the compression works out real good in a band setting.

Always find it interesting we talk about compression and openness and it’s totally cool. I like raw open amps, and own several. But if something is too uncompressed it makes it a problem in a band setting or a mix. I say that even though we use high gain, distortion that already compresses lol.

Compared to the Marshall the EVH is slower and squishy. It doesn't react to my playing very well.

 

[RaceU4her]

Compared to the Marshall the EVH is slower and squishy. It doesn't react to my playing very well.

My 6505+ is like this, I just feel totally disconnected from the thing no matter what I do, my 50w EL34 certainly isn’t the most dynamic amp, but I can kind of relax and lighten up my grip a little and let the amp do the work which I find kind of nice sometimes

 

[acceptance]

Compared to the Marshall the EVH is slower and squishy. It doesn't react to my playing very well.

Can you identify what it is? Is it the gain/compression? Do you feel more connected in the blue/crunch?

 

[Simon Dorn]

Can you identify what it is? Is it the gain/compression? Do you feel more connected in the blue/crunch?

The 2203 is just pretty fast. Very short and simple Signal-Chain compared to a "modern" Multi-Channel amp, with lots of Gain Stages and compression. In short: Yes.
Blue was a bit better, but i would need a boost. The Red Channel boosted i did not like much.

 

[Simon Dorn]

That 5153 was straight in. Nuff said

I would need a Noise-Gate. One Pedal still.

 

[glpg80]

My 6505+ is like this, I just feel totally disconnected from the thing no matter what I do, my 50w EL34 certainly isn’t the most dynamic amp, but I can kind of relax and lighten up my grip a little and let the amp do the work which I find kind of nice sometimes

I put a choke in mine and it’s a bear to wrestle. Highly recommend it if you want immediate response and no squish. Also the bias mod since they’re too cold at even max to get to 32mA stock.

 

[Simon Dorn]

I put a choke in mine and it’s a bear to wrestle. Highly recommend it if you want immediate response and no squish. Also the bias mod since they’re too cold at even max to get to 32mA stock.

I had a choke and a Depth-Pot installed in my 2203KK. the Mod included an increase in Gain and some Modification to the the Tone-Stack. I should have kept it.

 

[RaceU4her]

I put a choke in mine and it’s a bear to wrestle. Highly recommend it if you want immediate response and no squish. Also the bias mod since they’re too cold at even max to get to 32mA stock.

i havent played the thing in probably years, i gotta pull it out again and see if anything has changed now that im digging this 5153. i was debating trading it in for a new 1992, but maybe ill try these mods first

 

[glpg80]

i havent played the thing in probably years, i gotta pull it out again and see if anything has changed now that im digging this 5153. i was debating trading it in for a new 1992, but maybe ill try these mods first

I’ll admit 5150’s don’t sound good at bedroom or even above bedroom volume but at 4.5-6.5 on the volume they’re one of the best amps period. I did a choke, bias mod, Mercury OT, and fully recapped it along with some personal mods and it’s a total monster.

 

[Simon Dorn]

i havent played the thing in probably years, i gotta pull it out again and see if anything has changed now that im digging this 5153. i was debating trading it in for a new 1992, but maybe ill try these mods first

Get it out boost it an turn it up. Master Volume on 3.

 

[Simon Dorn]

I’ll admit 5150’s don’t sound good at bedroom or even above bedroom volume but at 4.5-6.5 on the volume they’re one of the best amps period. I did a choke, bias mod, Mercury OT, and fully recapped it along with some personal mods and it’s a total monster.

I read your answer after i typed my reply. Master Volume at 4.5-6.5 is, dare i say it, INSANE. Ok, i did say it.

 

[glpg80]

I read your answer after i typed my reply. Master Volume at 4.5-6.5 is, dare i say it, INSANE. Ok, i did say it.

My amp doesn’t start getting cooking until 4. Most I could ever crank it was 2 when I was gigging because the drummer for the band I was hired for wasn’t a hard hitter. I had a friend who was a drummer in another band and he could keep up at 6.5 on the volume. Dude could also break 2 ply drumheads on command in one hit lol

Also I totally fucked my hearing doing this when I was young. Please if you play that loud wear ear plugs or ear protection.

 

[RaceU4her]

I’ll admit 5150’s don’t sound good at bedroom or even above bedroom volume but at 4.5-6.5 on the volume they’re one of the best amps period. I did a choke, bias mod, Mercury OT, and fully recapped it along with some personal mods and it’s a total monster.

I have no doubt it rips. We had an amp fest years ago with all sorts of stuff and riffraff’s 6505+ with a Mexican tele was the best sounding rig there. I’m gonna bust it out and try it again, it did take longer than most other amps to really bond with this 5153 so maybe I just gotta play it for a while

 

[Techdeth]

excited to hear your thoughts, im really digging this 50w and most say the 100s are that much better

Dude I use my stealth when live or at practice . And my 8 string notes just cut through the drums and mix and can heard clearly . Not all amps can do this