WET/DRY/WET Rig with a 5O-watt and x4 15-watt Amplifier Heads?

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515O_GUY

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I'm building a WET/DRY/WET Master/Slave rig.

Main Amp Head is an EVH 515OIII 5OS Tube Amp Head.

I'm not sure which way to go with for the WET amps.
I can either go x2 EVH 515OIII 5OS Tube Amp Heads... OR I could go with x4 EVH 5150III LBX-S 15-watt Tube Heads (x2 Slaved Left, x2 Slaved Right). 5O-watt DRY and a combined 6O-watt WET.

The advantage of going with x3 amps is there are 2 less components in the Rig chain that can fail and all of the amps are the same wattage so balancing will probably be easier and less prone to ground looping. BUT, it will require a custom designed double-wide road case since I also have at least 12-spaces worth of rack effects. Having the case designed completely vertically will probably be too tall with x3 amp heads and a 12-18U rack.

The advantage with the x5 amp setup is I'll be able to have a single wide custom road case designed and it will be smaller footprint for travel and on stage.

What would you suggest going with?
 
Couple questions:

1. Why would you need x4 wet amps if you go with the 15-watt LBX heads? Why not just x2 LBX heads?

2. Are you going to use more than one preamp at a time for your rig? Or are you just going to use the wet amps only as poweramps? If the latter, why not just get something like a Fryette 2/50/2 poweramp? It's a single rack unit only takes up 2 spaces, and it houses two independent 50-watt power sections. And you can get them cheaper than two EVH LBX amps.

OR, if you want to go even smaller you could get a Fryette LX poweramp that's 50 watts a side and it only needs 1U in the rack.
 
TheGreatGreen said:
Couple questions:

1. Why would you need x4 wet amps if you go with the 15-watt LBX heads? Why not just x2 LBX heads?

2. Are you going to use more than one preamp at a time for your rig? Or are you just going to use the wet amps only as poweramps? If the latter, why not just get something like a Fryette 2/50/2 poweramp? It's a single rack unit only takes up 2 spaces, and it houses two independent 50-watt power sections. And you can get them cheaper than two EVH LBX amps.

OR, if you want to go even smaller you could get a Fryette LX poweramp that's 50 watts a side and it only needs 1U in the rack.
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Well...
1. Why would you need x4 wet amps if you go with the 15-watt LBX heads? Why not just x2 LBX heads?
Click to expand...
15w vs 25w will limit the headroom of the WET signal if I have 2 DRY cabs on stage right and stage left and 2 WET cabs stage right/left that would mean the DRY signal will always have more power. It will limit the mixing headroom of the WET and DRY signals.



2. Are you going to use more than one preamp at a time for your rig? Or are you just going to use the wet amps only as poweramps? If the latter, why not just get something like a Fryette 2/50/2 poweramp? It's a single rack unit only takes up 2 spaces, and it houses two independent 50-watt power sections. And you can get them cheaper than two EVH LBX amps.
Click to expand...
Power-amps only.

And I prefer to keep it "all in the family"... the EVH family that is.
 
515O_GUY said:
Well...

15w vs 25w will limit the headroom of the WET signal if I have 2 DRY cabs on stage right and stage left and 2 WET cabs stage right/left that would mean the DRY signal will always have more power. It will limit the mixing headroom of the WET and DRY signals.


Power-amps only.

And I prefer to keep it "all in the family"... the EVH family that is.
Click to expand...

@515O_GUY are you going to be touring with this setup, or will the rig be stationary?
 
@515O_GUY

1. Considering you're only going to be running wet signal through the outer cabs, I'd bet 15 watts a side (30 watts total) would be more than sufficient with a 50 watt dry center amp. If it were me and I had to choose between 2x50w heads vs 2x15w heads for W/D/W cabs when using a 50w dry tone, I'd have no problems with choosing the 15 watt side amps. Think about the relative volume you'll need. Your effects won't need to be anywhere near as loud as your core tone.

But, if you're going to mix in dry tone in your wet cabs and so plan on having 3 cabs with equal level dry tone in them, along with wet signal in the outer cabs, then I'd recommend 50 watts on each outer cab as well.

HOWEVER...

2. If you're only going to be running the poweramps of those outer amps, I think you're throwing away money by getting the other EVH amps, because you'll be paying for preamps you won't use. Also, those amps, are going to take A LOT more space than necessary. I get that you dig 5150's, I do too (I have 4: Peavey OG, EVH 50w, EVH 100w Stealth and 100w EL34) but yeah man if you're touring, that's a whole lot of wasted cost, space, and weight when you could have a cheaper, lighter, much smaller, and actually higher wattage poweramp that would sound every bit as good.

Also, if it were me, I'd stay away from the Synergy poweramp. I don't think they sound very good. Kinda small sounding, constricted lows and highs.

Personally if I was in your shoes I'd get a Fryette LX poweramp (50 watts a side, 6L6) that's 1U or get a used Fryette 2/50/2 (50 watts a side, EL34) that's 2U, and still end up spending less than I would on 2 EHV LBX amps.

Just something to think about.
 
Personally if I was in your shoes I'd get a Fryette LX poweramp (50 watts a side, 6L6) that's 1U or get a used Fryette 2/50/2 (50 watts a side, EL34) that's 2U
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I will look into that!

You make great points. I can't guarantee I won't go with x2 Lunchboxes... but I qill give the Fryette a FAiR $HAKE! Honest I will.
 
I agree with @TheGreatGreen

Seems like a waste to use 4 (!) lbx's for slaves - that's a whole lot more to go wrong, too.

Honestly, there are a million good sounding rack power amps you could use, that would do exactly what you want for a fraction of the money and space. If your heart is dead set on 4 wet cabs, get two stereo power amps.

Honestly, if it was me? I would get a peavey classic 50/50 and call it good. Since EVH doesn't make a stereo rack power amp, that wouldn't keep it all in the family, but it would be close.
 
Since EVH doesn't make a stereo rack power amp, that wouldn't keep it all in the family, but it would be close.
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I KNOW!

We have NO CHOiCE but to brigade Fender and EVH with emails to put out a 5O/5O Rack Mount Power Amp!

WHO'$ WiTH ME FELLA$?!?!?
 
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