Eddie really loved the Soldano, but in his words, he wanted to be able to “walk into any guitar shop in the world and buy his amp off the shelf.” Soldano was a small boutique manufacturer and prohibitively expensive. Peavey was one of the biggest manufacturers of affordable amps at the time, so that’s who Eddie went with to make his signature amp.
Thats perhaps a reason, I heard it a bit different, Eddie wanted a few SLOs for free to use and Mike said his company cant do that, so he went to Peavey and they copied the SLO for him...same Mesa did with the rectifier, but even more brazen
People tend to say nice things about those who pay them well. Soldano was never able to pay the money Eddie’s promotional value was. I surely would like to know how times he went in a guitar store and bought a new 5150😂 I bet he was delivered a new amp for free anytime he asked. At least during that era Peaveys were made pretty poorly. Probably Eddie consumed quite a few of them.
@@demokraatti that's a really cynical and unsubstantiated take if ever I've heard, but you do you brotha. Peace PS I've always known Peaveys (at least in the 70s and 80s) to be tanks. I've never owned a 90's one though. Can't say I'm surprised it went downhill from there to now though. Sad
@@demokraattiyeah you don’t know what you’re talking about. Peavey 5150/6505s and 5150 II/6505+ have always been built like tanks. Very reliable amps. Even the made in china 6505+ I’ve had since 2015 has never given me an issue.
Love both amps. The midrange is pretty distinct between the two - the SLO is a bit more crunchy, the 5150 more aggressive and clear. I like both but IMO for higher gain/metal the 5150 just sounds clearer and less bloated. The SLO has a cool character and can sometimes be just the ticket, but it can also be a bit more stuffy and bloated.
The 5150, just like the dual rectifier, started as a complete copy of the slo. Peavey, however, added two more gain stages (so there are 6 instead of 4) and got rid of the dumb SLO loop (it is pre eq..weird). Peavey also made a useful amp - channel switching, seperate eq etc.
Analysing the schematic shows some similarities of 5150 with the SLO ( the cold clipper stage with 39k cathode resistor as for the Dual Rect too) but also some significant differences, mostly additionnal gain stages and a plate driven tone stack on 5150 (tighter feel) than the cathode follower fed tone stack of the SLO. Overall it shares sone DNA obviously but all those circuit also inherit from modded Marshalls and other cascading gain tube amps..
I live in a place i can't make too much noise, so I got a Peavey 6505MH after watching your video about it. Small 20/5/1 watt amp with a great sound, especially for home. So for those who seek that kind fo sound I can recommend it.
haahah well peavey ripped off the SLO as did the dual rec. soldanos circuit is easy to recognize and was well before peavey and the dual rectifers so its pretty obvious what happened.
@@nerbuhc mikes first amps were cloned bassmans but the SLO circuit is in no way a bassman. yes they both use RC circuits and voltage dividers, but that is basic circuits. jtm45 from bassman is obvious. slo100 form bassman, no way
I really want to get an SLO 100 one day. You can hear how much clearer and crisper it is. The 5150s sound great and cost way less and are easier to get (I have an older 5150 combo myself). SLO for sure will be easier to fix if it ever breaks. The 5150s can be a little bit of a pain to fix for some things since they buried things under the PCBs.
A great video as always, Euge. Informative, to say the least. Have you seen the UAFX Anti pedal? It would be really cool and useful to watch a video of your take on it. People at the UA marketing team slept on that one!
I'm waiting for a video from you on a Mezzabarba! According to popular belief, those amps produce heavily SLO-flavoured tone with Marshall bite. Would love to hear your take on it.
Great video! I’d love to see a comparison between the SLO-30 and the 50 watt 5153. I’m partially biased because I use the SLO-30, but I’m also a big fan of the 50 watt EVH stuff! Either way, another cool video sir!
Fantastic, they sound very close. James Brown has stated that the 5150 was based on a Soldano as a reference, in other words, for inspiration, but it's not identical. Also, early Soldano's did not have Resonance. I love my 6505!
James Brown never stated that they based the 5150 on the SLO100, that would be publicly admitting design theft. Instead, he did state that the 5150 is an evolution of the VTM. The schematics do prove that, HOWEVER, there are suspicious values in the preamp that ARE the same as the SLO100, and in the same location in the circuit. The famous 39k cold clipper resistor is the most blatant ripoff, the 39k in the negative feedback is also a telltale sign 😂😂😂 Now if you examine things in detail, all the SLO100 gain stages have a match in the 5150 schematic, however, they put a plate fed tone stack, instead of Marshall style cathode follower, and an extra gain stage before the tone stack, and none of the nonsense about the FX loop location. Can the 5150 be considered a SLO100 ripoff? Yes 😂😂😂
When you compared the block letter EVH to the SLO, it sounded like the block letter had a tad bit more sag and that made it a little easier to play and groove with..
I'm surprised by how different the blockletter was. Not an insane difference, but the kind of difference that contributes to say, the Clayman sound. Just feels like it's a tad more dynamic + hifi, compared to the II--the BL has that cocked wah thing scooped out and has more claw on it imo, and slightly ballsier. After rewatching many times that's one of my favourite tones I've ever heard, which surprises me. Great vid - Ignore just time stamps for me 6:51 , 20:30
The signal chain is really the best for an apartment recording studio; as much real hardware as possible everywhere except the cabinet which, if you have a good impulse sounds just as good as a recorded cabinet. When I use to have a house I did a reamp comparison (one performance )with my setup (Gibson LP Studio [BKP Juggernaut-Neck & Nailbomb-Bridge] -> Maxon 808 -> Fryette D120 => Torpedo Reload Amp DI & Diamond V30 4x12 [SM57 2" cap edge]) and the impulse response track was essentially identical to my mic'd track. Also, Soldano FTW. :P
Yeah I have an isolated room where I have two Marshall 4x12s with several different speakers mic’d with several different mics but since I tried out the Neural stuff first time a few weeks ago I’ve pretty much used the Soldano cab for everything. It’s as good as my real mic’d cabs and a hell of a lot quieter 😁.
Of some of the amps that I own, I have a Soldano Hot Rod 50+ and an original Peavey Block Letter 5150. They are in the same ballpark, no doubt. The Soldano has less 'hair' than the Peavey and is also much more articulate with more definition.
Let's not forget the IR from the SLO plugin, it makes these great amps sound just right. Neural did a great job. Edit: The guitar. Yes, the EMGs also fit with these amps so nice.
I have been in deep thinking mode for a 5150 type amp for a while. Hits a plexi node in my brain stem hard. Excellent information and killer chops as always.
When you played the low chugs ~7:20 I tend to think the 5150 II had a better attack. So similar though not sure in a mix with the typical tricks it would be much of anything..
Foundational vibrations, what are you playing in a home studio basement, because those sounds got to ring out loud. I like how you try to mimic the sounds with your voice, to get us to understand, I get it, I dig your wavelength dude.(JCM 800 2x12 w/ Boss SD1/Charvel San Dimas)
I have both, I use the SLO for solo’s on the lead channel, and the clean channel for clean, and sometimes the crunch channel. I dont use it for rhythm parts, I prefer the 5150’s or Plexi for rhythm…options…
Briefly owned a brand new SLO 100 and I ended up returning it. I found myself enjoying my 6505+ more and it wasn’t different enough to even slightly warrant the price imo. Good amp, but very disappointing for that price point. Too be fair, I’ve owned several Friedman’s and get the same way. I prefer my Splawn Quickrod that I got for less than half the cost of a Friedman.
This is because there is too much hype due to the stupid prices... The expectancy is too high, they make you believe it's something else you've never heard of but in reality it's just a normal amp that costs too much for what it does in reality.
@@lovecraftmusic8717 yeah, I agree. I don’t get hyped over amps any more. I have a Splawn Quickrod, and peavey 6505, and a custom modded JCM800 circuit that my brother in law built me. Have yet to find anything that beats those, at any price point.
Great comparison, as always! To me 5150 sounds better, however both sound quite similar. I think clean and crunch seem a little bit less "harsh" in 5150. But on the other hand, the lead in Soldano just left everything far behind. ;-)
The SLO just has more complex of a gain character. You can hear it on pinch harmonics and in held chords. Also the lead high picked notes are more compressed/juici in the SLO. Or rather, they both have a similar distortion character but the SLO is more complex. More chewy or crunchy or whatever. All these words we use to describe sound are frustratingly limited.
I got a 5150 40W amp. I run it with an EVH Overdrive pedal and a Tech 21 Ritchie Kotzen Fly Rig for delay and reverb. Small simple compression pedal. It's off the hook. It sounds good with just the amp really. It has a gain boost on the amp😅
I bought my peavey 5150 mk 1 used, modified it a little to get the most out of it (managed to get a better clean on its rhythm channel). & while i am currently in the works of rebuilding it (fried preamp board, & i'm in semi redesign of its circuit, just updating key sections to make it sing, & also update some hardware like adding a 5h choke ala marshall jcm 800). I vastly prefer the tone of the 5150 original over the 5150 II (which i had played the 6505 + prior to finding my 5150, & i just found it sounded boxy/nasal. & not enough grunt low end), & while many have told me i should just rebuild my 5150 as an SLO, i infinite times over prefer the grunt punch to the gut madness of the 5150 over the SLO's sound. An SLO doesn't sound bad by any means, its just not my preference when it comes to guitar tone. & i'm far from being a metal guitarist, i'm rooted in hard rock, & punk. This video finally gave a good direct comparison between both SLO & its offsprings xD. As always, great info, & playing!
Very similar indeed,the soldano has a few more tricks up its sleeve tho,not a one trick pony! Ive owned both of these original 5150 and a hot rod 50(not a slo) but the thing that im sure we've all encountered is i never could nail that elusive eddie warmth wit clarity with either 🤷♂️ Yep its all in the hands i know😅
What doesn’t make it through the TH-cam compression is how much more openness and clarity the Soldano has IRL. It’s like the tone is more 3D sounding. The 5150’s sound a bit congested in comparison, imho.
Morjens Euge! I have the possibility to get an ESP „The Junior“ from the early 90s. Do you know that model and if so, how would it compare to your mirage? Killer sounds as always! Rock on🤘🏻🔥
the soldano sounded a bit more well rounded and 'even', where as the 5150 had a bit too much bass and cause a slight dip in the mids when the lower chords hit. both sounded amazing though
Excellent video. Liked, subscribed, commented as always. Euge, would you say that with your NeuralDSP Fortin Nameless presets and with my ESP-LTD EC-1000 with EMG-81 (bridge) and EMG-60 (neck) I could get John Sykes sound?
The Soldano seems a little more mid forward ( in your face ). A bit more old school I guess. I really like that. The 5150 is really close but sounds more modern to me.
I've owned and still own own several 5150's and the SLO100. The SLO is in a league by itself. Not nearly as aggressive as the 5150's III's and doesn't really sound much like the II's. All the 5150's are great but the SLO100 is just a different thing. Plug all these amps through the same cab/ speakers and ALL high gain amps start to sound the same.
100% dude. I have gone through so many amps.. 5150, SLO, high gain Orange Rockerverb, Marshall JVM, modded Marshall plexis, Peters Amplification, Friedman JJ100, JEL100, etc etc. You get to a point where after decades of playing you have your sounds in your head and just end up building the same house on different amps.
The control layout is probably the biggest similarity. The voicing is similar, because Ed was using the SLO while the 5150 was being designed, but the circuit isn’t exactly a carbon copy. There’s DNA from other Peavey amps like the VTM and Triumph, and it has more preamp gain on both channels than the SLO. Interestingly, the 5150 II is probably more similar to the SLO than the standard 5150. It’s a little more tame, not as aggressive. The regular 5150 is way over the top aggressive and brutal. So much that it had an impact on metal music itself. The SLO was smoother, more refined. Better for soaring leads than chugging. Now, the Dual Rectifier is basically the SLO preamp with a vastly inferior power section. Or at least the original Recto circuit is. Mike Soldano said so himself. It really disappointed him, because he’d always admired Randall Smith. And the weak power section just added insult to injury.
Soldano is just a touch-bit looser on the super high-gain settings. All things considered, I'd say you get to the same place with a 7-band EQ in the loop.
They sound very similar. The Soldano has some more balls 😊. Both are really great amps Btw buddy you had 666 likes but i made it 667 😂😂. Take care 😎✌️🎸💯👊
Their transposer is so good I use one of their plugins in front of other plugins with just the transposer so I don't have to retune to D standard or something when playing along with stuff. I've tried so many different pitch shifter / chromatic transposer plugins with and their transposer is just better than or at minimum just as good as everything else and I already own it lol. Just have to own at least one of their newer plugins that has the feature. Perhaps just getting a good pedal might be better but living in an apt building I use nothing but plugins these days. so.
Something like 2400 bucks less. Peavey wins this round. Now what about Peavey 5150ii vs. EVH 5150. Those look like my two options. Well and maybe the Laney IRT studio. My new 4-12 cab is on layaway so I have a couple months to contemplate/research
I’ve said it about Euge for going on 5yrs, as a very loyal follower…. Euge your tone sounds better when you dial in your “Super Crunch” settings (as you said, it’s what we called high-gain in ‘87). I remember when you were on vacation, and tested an SLO in a store somewhere, and for that 2min you had it dialed in perfectly. I know you’re devoted to the “Bad Boy”,but through my speakers, you sound your best through a SLO (as long as you’re not using too much gain). That said, you RARELY see people dialing in that tone, in-spite of the Tens of millions of albums were sold, because of it. That perpetually-pursued “Super-crunch” tone that put the SLO on the map in ‘87. But, I digress…. *Sorry to go into a toxic direction here, Euge, but at some point we all have an obligation to waive our collective middle-fingers at the “better, cheaper, faster, and just as good” fairy, when she shows up on our doorstep with her big bag of knock-offs, that were either made in China, or assembled in America, by Mexicans. As fun as that can be in the interim, at some point that bag will have guitar riffs, tones, leads that are copies of Euge Valovirta best compositions. 5150, 5150 II, and the Boogie Rectifier are all either blatant copies of Mike’s SLO preamp, or at BEST, copies of a few crucial key capacitors that define that SLO sound. And, I blame EVH EVERY BIT as much as James Brown, Peavey, and Randall Smith. That is NOT “OK”. None of these guys (including Jim Marshall) invented the wheel…but, none of them are blatant copies of other peoples amps either. Blackstar just pulled that same stunt with Thomas Blug’s bluGuitar Amp design, recently. I heard an AI recording on TH-cam the other day (that I had NO idea was AI). It reminded me of some of your music Euge, so I came over to the laptop to see what band it was, and it was an AI channel, of some kid just testing the waters with **2:00** versions of uncompleted songs with 80’s vibes (and otherwise). He was using some AI software (udig, or uidig…something like that). Doesn’t play a single musical instrument or sing.* That’s what “I saved a few bucks” gets you eventually. If people don’t start calling it out, and stop supporting it altogether, it’s going to land at all of our doorsteps, assuming it’s not already FAR too late.* Sorry for the extended soap box speech, but, that needs to be stated in this context. Because, that monster is coming for all of us. With that said, a well-dialed in SLO speaks for itself. But, as far as Peavey goes, most people would’ve considered the 5150 II Peavey’s best amp in history, at least for that hard-rock, tone, if it’s clean channel were more like the Classic line. As far as the comparison goes, there seems to be a LOT going on here for an A/B demo (Interfaces, pedals, IR’s., speakers, including our own, etc, etc…). *At the end of the day, both tones were spectacular, IMO. As interesting as this comparison was, If a player wants to save money and get the SLO tone (especially, if using IR’s, etc…), I’d probably steer them towards a Soldano Astro, over a blatant copy, at this point. 👍
hmmmm.... for me, after I'd sit and play with them a while, their subtle differences will start jumping out you....I'd stick on the SLO ...and not want the 5150 anymore. My fingers just do not sound good on a 5150.
Apples to Oranges.......I had a 5150 II that I miss. Great workhorse it was. My SLO, although modded, is a trip! I run straight through......no OD required........
My first "real" amp was a 5150 II. Almost twenty years later I still have it, still love it.
it's a keeper
I have a 6505+ and love it as well.
my first "real" amp was a Marshall Lead12 ...37 years later I bought my first EVH 5150 iii and a Wolfgang
@@okidoke-xe8gj Gainzilla
Eddie really loved the Soldano, but in his words, he wanted to be able to “walk into any guitar shop in the world and buy his amp off the shelf.” Soldano was a small boutique manufacturer and prohibitively expensive. Peavey was one of the biggest manufacturers of affordable amps at the time, so that’s who Eddie went with to make his signature amp.
Thats perhaps a reason, I heard it a bit different, Eddie wanted a few SLOs for free to use and Mike said his company cant do that, so he went to Peavey and they copied the SLO for him...same Mesa did with the rectifier, but even more brazen
People tend to say nice things about those who pay them well. Soldano was never able to pay the money Eddie’s promotional value was. I surely would like to know how times he went in a guitar store and bought a new 5150😂 I bet he was delivered a new amp for free anytime he asked. At least during that era Peaveys were made pretty poorly. Probably Eddie consumed quite a few of them.
@@demokraatti that's a really cynical and unsubstantiated take if ever I've heard, but you do you brotha. Peace PS I've always known Peaveys (at least in the 70s and 80s) to be tanks. I've never owned a 90's one though. Can't say I'm surprised it went downhill from there to now though. Sad
Being everyone has a difference version of how it happened tells me none of you know shit
@@demokraattiyeah you don’t know what you’re talking about. Peavey 5150/6505s and 5150 II/6505+ have always been built like tanks. Very reliable amps. Even the made in china 6505+ I’ve had since 2015 has never given me an issue.
Thankfully we have the Peavey 5150 series - cause $4K for an amp is beyond a lot of us, especially today.
Love both amps. The midrange is pretty distinct between the two - the SLO is a bit more crunchy, the 5150 more aggressive and clear. I like both but IMO for higher gain/metal the 5150 just sounds clearer and less bloated. The SLO has a cool character and can sometimes be just the ticket, but it can also be a bit more stuffy and bloated.
100% agree!!!!
The 5150, just like the dual rectifier, started as a complete copy of the slo. Peavey, however, added two more gain stages (so there are 6 instead of 4) and got rid of the dumb SLO loop (it is pre eq..weird). Peavey also made a useful amp - channel switching, seperate eq etc.
Your reviews are spectacular, I watched all your videos, you are the best at explaining the tone! A big greeting from Cordoba Argentina!
12AX7 = ECC83 🤟 (5:46)
Analysing the schematic shows some similarities of 5150 with the SLO ( the cold clipper stage with 39k cathode resistor as for the Dual Rect too) but also some significant differences, mostly additionnal gain stages and a plate driven tone stack on 5150 (tighter feel) than the cathode follower fed tone stack of the SLO. Overall it shares sone DNA obviously but all those circuit also inherit from modded Marshalls and other cascading gain tube amps..
I live in a place i can't make too much noise, so I got a Peavey 6505MH after watching your video about it. Small 20/5/1 watt amp with a great sound, especially for home. So for those who seek that kind fo sound I can recommend it.
I'm a Soldano player - I didn't realize the 5150 was so similar. If anything, the Soldano is a hair more polite. Really cool.
haahah well peavey ripped off the SLO as did the dual rec. soldanos circuit is easy to recognize and was well before peavey and the dual rectifers so its pretty obvious what happened.
@@univalve1 and the slo100 was a fender bassman clone :)
@@nerbuhc mikes first amps were cloned bassmans but the SLO circuit is in no way a bassman. yes they both use RC circuits and voltage dividers, but that is basic circuits. jtm45 from bassman is obvious. slo100 form bassman, no way
Would love to see how a RedSeven Duality compares to a Marshall or 5150, if you ever get a chance to review them.
I really want to get an SLO 100 one day. You can hear how much clearer and crisper it is. The 5150s sound great and cost way less and are easier to get (I have an older 5150 combo myself). SLO for sure will be easier to fix if it ever breaks. The 5150s can be a little bit of a pain to fix for some things since they buried things under the PCBs.
Loved the Unskinny Bop riff! \m/
I thought the Soldano sounded a bit sweeter in the upper mids/treble. Thanks for sharing.
Yea, the Soldano is the winner here in my opinion. Mid range sounded warm and tight without sacrificing clarity.
A great video as always, Euge. Informative, to say the least. Have you seen the UAFX Anti pedal? It would be really cool and useful to watch a video of your take on it. People at the UA marketing team slept on that one!
I'm waiting for a video from you on a Mezzabarba! According to popular belief, those amps produce heavily SLO-flavoured tone with Marshall bite. Would love to hear your take on it.
Great video! I’d love to see a comparison between the SLO-30 and the 50 watt 5153. I’m partially biased because I use the SLO-30, but I’m also a big fan of the 50 watt EVH stuff! Either way, another cool video sir!
Fantastic, they sound very close. James Brown has stated that the 5150 was based on a Soldano as a reference, in other words, for inspiration, but it's not identical. Also, early Soldano's did not have Resonance. I love my 6505!
James Brown never stated that they based the 5150 on the SLO100, that would be publicly admitting design theft.
Instead, he did state that the 5150 is an evolution of the VTM. The schematics do prove that, HOWEVER, there are suspicious values in the preamp that ARE the same as the SLO100, and in the same location in the circuit. The famous 39k cold clipper resistor is the most blatant ripoff, the 39k in the negative feedback is also a telltale sign 😂😂😂
Now if you examine things in detail, all the SLO100 gain stages have a match in the 5150 schematic, however, they put a plate fed tone stack, instead of Marshall style cathode follower, and an extra gain stage before the tone stack, and none of the nonsense about the FX loop location.
Can the 5150 be considered a SLO100 ripoff? Yes 😂😂😂
@@JohnWiku Yes he did in a 3 hour interview. Influence is not design theft. Eddie was using the SLO when they were designing the 5150.
When you compared the block letter EVH to the SLO, it sounded like the block letter had a tad bit more sag and that made it a little easier to play and groove with..
5150 for the win for me, just a but less muddy and more clarity in the bottom end.
I'm surprised by how different the blockletter was. Not an insane difference, but the kind of difference that contributes to say, the Clayman sound. Just feels like it's a tad more dynamic + hifi, compared to the II--the BL has that cocked wah thing scooped out and has more claw on it imo, and slightly ballsier. After rewatching many times that's one of my favourite tones I've ever heard, which surprises me. Great vid - Ignore just time stamps for me 6:51 , 20:30
The signal chain is really the best for an apartment recording studio; as much real hardware as possible everywhere except the cabinet which, if you have a good impulse sounds just as good as a recorded cabinet. When I use to have a house I did a reamp comparison (one performance )with my setup (Gibson LP Studio [BKP Juggernaut-Neck & Nailbomb-Bridge] -> Maxon 808 -> Fryette D120 => Torpedo Reload Amp DI & Diamond V30 4x12 [SM57 2" cap edge]) and the impulse response track was essentially identical to my mic'd track. Also, Soldano FTW. :P
Yeah I have an isolated room where I have two Marshall 4x12s with several different speakers mic’d with several different mics but since I tried out the Neural stuff first time a few weeks ago I’ve pretty much used the Soldano cab for everything. It’s as good as my real mic’d cabs and a hell of a lot quieter 😁.
Dude that Ritchie Kotzen riff on the clean soldano was awesome!!
I always liked the 5150 II better the block letter v1 . It was my main amp in the late 90's and early 2000's still have it and its still going strong.
Of some of the amps that I own, I have a Soldano Hot Rod 50+ and an original Peavey Block Letter 5150. They are in the same ballpark, no doubt. The Soldano has less 'hair' than the Peavey and is also much more articulate with more definition.
Two of my favorites. It sounds good going thru your systems. I would like to hear them both though a series of different cabinets 😮😊
I see the radial twin ABY. It does not compromise signal. Awesome
Let's not forget the IR from the SLO plugin, it makes these great amps sound just right. Neural did a great job. Edit: The guitar. Yes, the EMGs also fit with these amps so nice.
Have the SLO, have had the PV a couple of times. Love the SLO, didn't get a long with the 5150.
I have been in deep thinking mode for a 5150 type amp for a while. Hits a plexi node in my brain stem hard. Excellent information and killer chops as always.
When you played the low chugs ~7:20 I tend to think the 5150 II had a better attack. So similar though not sure in a mix with the typical tricks it would be much of anything..
Foundational vibrations, what are you playing in a home studio basement, because those sounds got to ring out loud. I like how you try to mimic the sounds with your voice, to get us to understand, I get it, I dig your wavelength dude.(JCM 800 2x12 w/ Boss SD1/Charvel San Dimas)
I have both, I use the SLO for solo’s on the lead channel, and the clean channel for clean, and sometimes the crunch channel. I dont use it for rhythm parts, I prefer the 5150’s or Plexi for rhythm…options…
Briefly owned a brand new SLO 100 and I ended up returning it. I found myself enjoying my 6505+ more and it wasn’t different enough to even slightly warrant the price imo. Good amp, but very disappointing for that price point. Too be fair, I’ve owned several Friedman’s and get the same way. I prefer my Splawn Quickrod that I got for less than half the cost of a Friedman.
This is because there is too much hype due to the stupid prices... The expectancy is too high, they make you believe it's something else you've never heard of but in reality it's just a normal amp that costs too much for what it does in reality.
@@lovecraftmusic8717 yeah, I agree. I don’t get hyped over amps any more. I have a Splawn Quickrod, and peavey 6505, and a custom modded JCM800 circuit that my brother in law built me. Have yet to find anything that beats those, at any price point.
Great comparison, as always! To me 5150 sounds better, however both sound quite similar. I think clean and crunch seem a little bit less "harsh" in 5150. But on the other hand, the lead in Soldano just left everything far behind. ;-)
The SLO just has more complex of a gain character. You can hear it on pinch harmonics and in held chords. Also the lead high picked notes are more compressed/juici in the SLO.
Or rather, they both have a similar distortion character but the SLO is more complex. More chewy or crunchy or whatever. All these words we use to describe sound are frustratingly limited.
I got a 5150 40W amp. I run it with an EVH Overdrive pedal and a Tech 21 Ritchie Kotzen Fly Rig for delay and reverb. Small simple compression pedal. It's off the hook. It sounds good with just the amp really. It has a gain boost on the amp😅
Both sound great. The 5150 sounds slightly more bassy or heavy. Both have that similar thing going.
And now I have Unskinny Bop in my head Lol. Great vid as always
I bought my peavey 5150 mk 1 used, modified it a little to get the most out of it (managed to get a better clean on its rhythm channel). & while i am currently in the works of rebuilding it (fried preamp board, & i'm in semi redesign of its circuit, just updating key sections to make it sing, & also update some hardware like adding a 5h choke ala marshall jcm 800). I vastly prefer the tone of the 5150 original over the 5150 II (which i had played the 6505 + prior to finding my 5150, & i just found it sounded boxy/nasal. & not enough grunt low end), & while many have told me i should just rebuild my 5150 as an SLO, i infinite times over prefer the grunt punch to the gut madness of the 5150 over the SLO's sound.
An SLO doesn't sound bad by any means, its just not my preference when it comes to guitar tone. & i'm far from being a metal guitarist, i'm rooted in hard rock, & punk. This video finally gave a good direct comparison between both SLO & its offsprings xD. As always, great info, & playing!
Very similar indeed,the soldano has a few more tricks up its sleeve tho,not a one trick pony!
Ive owned both of these original 5150 and a hot rod 50(not a slo) but the thing that im sure we've all encountered is i never could nail that elusive eddie warmth wit clarity with either 🤷♂️
Yep its all in the hands i know😅
What doesn’t make it through the TH-cam compression is how much more openness and clarity the Soldano has IRL. It’s like the tone is more 3D sounding. The 5150’s sound a bit congested in comparison, imho.
So in a live / jam setting you might be able to pick up the difference... when recorded and streamed, not too much?
@ correct
Morjens Euge!
I have the possibility to get an ESP „The Junior“ from the early 90s. Do you know that model and if so, how would it compare to your mirage?
Killer sounds as always!
Rock on🤘🏻🔥
Peavey 5150 is the people's champ
Strange - Love the Soldano!
the soldano sounded a bit more well rounded and 'even', where as the 5150 had a bit too much bass and cause a slight dip in the mids when the lower chords hit. both sounded amazing though
Hey Euge, would love to see a video of wah pedals because I saw a mc404 on your board.
thanks
@Euge Would love to see Amp 1 Iridium Modern channel vs 5150 II
Excellent video. Liked, subscribed, commented as always.
Euge, would you say that with your NeuralDSP Fortin Nameless presets and with my ESP-LTD EC-1000 with EMG-81 (bridge) and EMG-60 (neck) I could get John Sykes sound?
The Soldano seems a little more mid forward ( in your face ). A bit more old school I guess. I really like that. The 5150 is really close but sounds more modern to me.
I've owned and still own own several 5150's and the SLO100. The SLO is in a league by itself. Not nearly as aggressive as the 5150's III's and doesn't really sound much like the II's. All the 5150's are great but the SLO100 is just a different thing. Plug all these amps through the same cab/ speakers and ALL high gain amps start to sound the same.
100% dude. I have gone through so many amps.. 5150, SLO, high gain Orange Rockerverb, Marshall JVM, modded Marshall plexis, Peters Amplification, Friedman JJ100, JEL100, etc etc. You get to a point where after decades of playing you have your sounds in your head and just end up building the same house on different amps.
The control layout is probably the biggest similarity. The voicing is similar, because Ed was using the SLO while the 5150 was being designed, but the circuit isn’t exactly a carbon copy. There’s DNA from other Peavey amps like the VTM and Triumph, and it has more preamp gain on both channels than the SLO. Interestingly, the 5150 II is probably more similar to the SLO than the standard 5150. It’s a little more tame, not as aggressive. The regular 5150 is way over the top aggressive and brutal. So much that it had an impact on metal music itself. The SLO was smoother, more refined. Better for soaring leads than chugging.
Now, the Dual Rectifier is basically the SLO preamp with a vastly inferior power section. Or at least the original Recto circuit is. Mike Soldano said so himself. It really disappointed him, because he’d always admired Randall Smith. And the weak power section just added insult to injury.
It gets the job done 😅
The main thing I hear is the speaker. Hard to tell much difference between the amps after they go through a cab.
Hard to hear anything if an amp isn’t connected to a cabinet with (miked) loudspeakers 😁.
@@EugeValovirta230V right. I guess he was using an active load/IR thing. Whatever it is, that’s the main thing I hear.
Just curious do you still have the Mesa Boogie Mark V?
Do you keep your switches on the Fryette reactive load in the middle positions?
Peavey 🤘
I have them both. The soldano is punchier. Sometimes you want that, sometimes you don't. They both are great sounding amps.
Soldano is just a touch-bit looser on the super high-gain settings. All things considered, I'd say you get to the same place with a 7-band EQ in the loop.
Does the 5150 have a nice crunch channel like the Soldano?
Does the Soldano with its settings sound like the plugin using same settings?
Words I live by - Keep the Diezel Vh4, toss everything else.
The soldano and the Peavy sound similar because Peavy stole the exact circuit from the slo100 to make the 5150, with some slight additions
Who makes thats 808 screamer?
5150 all day.
To me the Soldano has a smoother, yet grainy breakup and the Peavey is a bit rougher and brighter.
Pls, need video with mesa bougie rectifier 🥵
rare esp with jackson style headstock.
They sound very similar. The Soldano has some more balls 😊. Both are really great amps Btw buddy you had 666 likes but i made it 667 😂😂. Take care 😎✌️🎸💯👊
TOP
At 6:15 I totally thought you were just switching on and off the 808?!!! 😂 Nope, amps. Lol
the Soldano is based on Eddie's killer guitar tone from 1984 (panama,drop dead legs etc)...
Not sure I get that.. 1984 was Ed's Plexi and his cleanest tone on any VH record. Soldano is ground zero for hi gain
Using the plugin just for the cab and effects is genius
Their transposer is so good I use one of their plugins in front of other plugins with just the transposer so I don't have to retune to D standard or something when playing along with stuff. I've tried so many different pitch shifter / chromatic transposer plugins with and their transposer is just better than or at minimum just as good as everything else and I already own it lol. Just have to own at least one of their newer plugins that has the feature. Perhaps just getting a good pedal might be better but living in an apt building I use nothing but plugins these days. so.
Something like 2400 bucks less. Peavey wins this round. Now what about Peavey 5150ii vs. EVH 5150. Those look like my two options. Well and maybe the Laney IRT studio. My new 4-12 cab is on layaway so I have a couple months to contemplate/research
Hi I'm El
I'd rather spent less on Peavey haha... sounds awesome to me
5150/6505 all day
I’ve said it about Euge for going on 5yrs, as a very loyal follower…. Euge your tone sounds better when you dial in your “Super Crunch” settings (as you said, it’s what we called high-gain in ‘87). I remember when you were on vacation, and tested an SLO in a store somewhere, and for that 2min you had it dialed in perfectly. I know you’re devoted to the “Bad Boy”,but through my speakers, you sound your best through a SLO (as long as you’re not using too much gain). That said, you RARELY see people dialing in that tone, in-spite of the Tens of millions of albums were sold, because of it. That perpetually-pursued “Super-crunch” tone that put the SLO on the map in ‘87. But, I digress….
*Sorry to go into a toxic direction here, Euge, but at some point we all have an obligation to waive our collective middle-fingers at the “better, cheaper, faster, and just as good” fairy, when she shows up on our doorstep with her big bag of knock-offs, that were either made in China, or assembled in America, by Mexicans. As fun as that can be in the interim, at some point that bag will have guitar riffs, tones, leads that are copies of Euge Valovirta best compositions. 5150, 5150 II, and the Boogie Rectifier are all either blatant copies of Mike’s SLO preamp, or at BEST, copies of a few crucial key capacitors that define that SLO sound. And, I blame EVH EVERY BIT as much as James Brown, Peavey, and Randall Smith. That is NOT “OK”. None of these guys (including Jim Marshall) invented the wheel…but, none of them are blatant copies of other peoples amps either. Blackstar just pulled that same stunt with Thomas Blug’s bluGuitar Amp design, recently. I heard an AI recording on TH-cam the other day (that I had NO idea was AI). It reminded me of some of your music Euge, so I came over to the laptop to see what band it was, and it was an AI channel, of some kid just testing the waters with **2:00** versions of uncompleted songs with 80’s vibes (and otherwise). He was using some AI software (udig, or uidig…something like that). Doesn’t play a single musical instrument or sing.* That’s what “I saved a few bucks” gets you eventually. If people don’t start calling it out, and stop supporting it altogether, it’s going to land at all of our doorsteps, assuming it’s not already FAR too late.* Sorry for the extended soap box speech, but, that needs to be stated in this context. Because, that monster is coming for all of us.
With that said, a well-dialed in SLO speaks for itself. But, as far as Peavey goes, most people would’ve considered the 5150 II Peavey’s best amp in history, at least for that hard-rock, tone, if it’s clean channel were more like the Classic line. As far as the comparison goes, there seems to be a LOT going on here for an A/B demo (Interfaces, pedals, IR’s., speakers, including our own, etc, etc…). *At the end of the day, both tones were spectacular, IMO. As interesting as this comparison was, If a player wants to save money and get the SLO tone (especially, if using IR’s, etc…), I’d probably steer them towards a Soldano Astro, over a blatant copy, at this point. 👍
Widely known that essentially it's loosely reverse engineered FROM the Soldano...
To me, 5150 is more grainy and doesn’t have the same punch and compression as Soldano. Otherwise they are close, as they should be.
Soldano sounds a bit smoother and more loose. I like the 5150 better
To me a 5150 has got much more rice, felt-like.
Rice?
@@darrenc8776 yes, the sound when you let down rice grains.
Yes, the 5150 is more fizzy.
hmmmm.... for me, after I'd sit and play with them a while, their subtle differences will start jumping out you....I'd stick on the SLO ...and not want the 5150 anymore. My fingers just do not sound good on a 5150.
But I have close neighbors and it's loud as hwll😂
Apples to Oranges.......I had a 5150 II that I miss. Great workhorse it was. My SLO, although modded, is a trip! I run straight through......no OD required........
Not apples to oranges because of how similar some of the schematics and tones are. Not to mention the 5150 was heavily inspired by the SLO
I'll be damned.......
Soldano had annoying upper mid gnarliness
The real question everyone should ask is how the hell can you afford all this countless shit?😂
Euge
💯 x 👍👍👍👍👍.....
💯 x 🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟.....
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