Great job Ryan! There have been a lot of changes over the year to the various 5150’s so making an amp that tries to cover them all is a big task. For instance, the Presence control on the Iconic uses a Reverse Audio taper (which comes up faster), like the popular EVH 50w 5150 III, while the Block and 100w 5150 III have a slower Audio taper that doesn’t really change till above 5….so as you found you’d have to reduce the Iconic presence to match those. We also made some choices on the Iconic to make it more flexible, and instead of Burn just being More Gain, we also reduced the gain a little on the non-Burn, so it’s more like an in-between Blue and Red 5153 channel tone, and then the Burn gets the thicker attack of the block letter, and even a bit more gain. So at non-Burn Gain setting of 4 the Iconic IS tighter and has a bit less gain/low mids and would match closer at about 5. Thanks for showing the comparison!!
One of the great things about the Internet is that it gives us the opportunity to thank all those who have been inspirational to so many of us. I'm not even into VH, but I still remember all my favourite Metal bands using 5150s during the 90's. Many still do. You, Sir, already have your name carved in the Great Annals of Music History. Thank you.
James Brown - You are definitely in my top 5 guitar gods for creating the greatest amplifier of all time! I would love to have your signature on my 5150.
All the people who talked crap on the Iconic would probably feel pretty stupid watching this video, hearing how close they really are when you compare them. There’s a little more high presence, but that doesn’t matter in the long run. I think the amp sounds great and has lots of great features packed in for under $1000. Good work EVH
Absolutely .... The problem as we all know is guitarists are inclined to listen with their "eyes" .... and not with their "ears". If it had a Diezel or Dumble logo on the front they'd be raving about how incredible it is. Blind tests are the only way to weed out the "snobs". Great comparo by the way ... so many people were mocking this thing and as a Dual Rec. owner it sounds pretty awesome to me !!
The Iconic sounds the most mix-ready of the three. There you go. So many people bashing the fucking amp and in the end it sounds great. Different (which justifies its creation) but still great.
They're fucking stupid, dude. It's a bunch of privileged snobs that don't understand how dry the market is right now. I'll buy one of these up no problem, it slams.
I think the Iconic sounds great. A blind test with these amps would probably make a fool out of a lot of the tube snobs. Especially adding drums and bass tracks
A lot of people are picking the Iconic, because it's got a more modern/bright sound kind of built in. But to me, if feels a lot more sterile than the Block or the III. Much more richness with those heads. I'd definitely pick either of them over the iconic for studio work, because I can EQ the signal going into the amp, EQ in the effects loop, and EQ the mics as needed. Shaping those into the more "modern bright" tone the Iconic gives out, will end up a richer/fuller yet still crisp product. The iconic sounds better than I expected though! Looks like a great amp for a modern metal band, especially for live. And especially for tighter budgets. A worthy edition to the lineup! But I definitely don't like it more than the other two.
My first thought when you switched to the Iconic: That one sounds the best. That brightness is welcome next to that typical medal tone for me. But it seriously sounds amazing!
I actually think I prefer the Iconic for this kind of music. Dare I say the hybrid circuit gives it a focus and clarity the other two don't have. Might get one now.
I just picked up an Iconic Combo new with free shipping for like $700 with full warranty, because it was blemished. Someone pried the speaker access off and left some marks. Big deal. Best purchase I've made. I've been eyeballing the 5150 iii since before they shot up a few hundred. And now you've proven me right in my choice! Thanks!
I know it wasn’t your purpose for making the shoot out, bit I think this video highlights how the Iconic has the “bang for your buck” factor. It sounds terrific, especially for the price.
The iconic has a specific lack of 400-500hz that the other two do have. I think it sounds the most "finished" of the 3. The block letter and III sound super similar but there is something about the block letter, maybe psychologically, that feels instantly the most classic on the top end. The boosts made the III and block letter sound way better whereas the boost didn't help the Iconic that much.
Totally agree, the iconic has that high end sizzle, almost rectifier-ish. It doesn't sound bad at all, maybe not as thick as the other two, but i'd imagine it cuts through a mix very niceley with it's high end.
"Finished" is absolutely spot on. The Iconic sounds like an amp already sitting in the mix that won't fight the kick and bass, not hairy, not flubby. The other two sound dialed in for, "in the room" with the mids and bass guitarists playing alone crave, especially the 5153. I'd bet the Iconic would sound amazing with a Recto in a dual amp set up. I love it on it's own as well. It is certainly an intriguing entry to the high-gain market. I think the only draw back would be re-sell if you're a flipper. If you can eat the $900, it's perhaps something that would remain in ones stable for a while. Not an egregious price point that you'd have to contemplate for weeks/months on end.
Gotta say, I'm surprised that I like the Iconic best. It's brighter, tighter, and more articulate with its distortion. Definitely a more modern amp. The only detraction for me is it might be a little too 'clean.' I can imagine it might not sound 'rude' enough at times. Still prefer it to the others, though.
its a very polished, or as another commentor stated it sounds finished. Something about it being to nice is something a lot of guitars players dont appeal too.
SIIIIIIIIICK!!!!!! I am really liking this Iconic... thing sounds massive for the price. In fact, in order... 5153, Iconic & Bloc. Once again, killer tone and demo! Might actually get the Iconic to replace the Stealth I sold like an idiot!!
I have been a JCM 800 Marshall guy for over 30 years, with A-B to a 1977 Roland Jazz chorus 120 for clean. A lot to lug around to the gig. I had the original Block letter combo years ago, but ended up selling it to purchase another JCM 800 head. I recently purchase 2 heads, a 5150 Iconic with the 6L6 tubes and a 5150 Iconic with the EL34's. I was able to dial in the EL34 head with the help of a Boss EQ-200 to sound remarkebly close to a JCM 800 on the clean channel with overdrive button engaged and a TS9 in front of it to give it a little push. After 5 days of playing with both heads, I returned the 6L6 and settled on the EL34 head as it is far less harsh and thrash metal sounding. The clean channel is amazing with a dedicated EQ setting on the Boss EQ 200. It sounds heavingly. Now I use it as my gigging amp so I don;t have to lug around two amps for clean and dirty. In my personal opinion, it will never sound exactly like my JCM 800, but pretty close if you run an EQ in front of it. And having the versatility of having a dedicated clean channel versuses carrying 2 amps, the Iconic is a winner all day. The haters can hate, that is their right I guess. Being a vintage Marshall snob, I originally turned up my nose at it as well. But after spending some time with it and EQ experimentation, it has a killer sound. My bandmates barley notice the difference between my original tone with my JCM 800 and this when EQ 200 is engaged. Affordable, killer tone, clean channel, throw a good EQ in front, and you have endless possibilities. I actually prefer the Iconic over my old Block Letter. As far as cutting through the mix, it will hang no problem.
With headphones on, I preferred the Iconic. Even though the other two amps delivered, my ears gravitate towards the brightness and clarity of the Iconic. Great comparison and thanks as always for sharing.
My favorite is the Iconic without the pedal. It has a very tight and modern tone while also being really close to how a guitar would sound in a final mix. The OG Peavey is my 2nd fav, while the III comes in 3rd. I do like all of them though. The only thing that I didn't care for was the III with the pedal turned on, that option didn't sound right to me. But overall each of the 3 are solid amps, can't go wrong with any. But factoring price, the Iconic has the advantage.
To be 100% honest, the iconic sounded by far the best, but in fairness, and likewise honesty, I can't ignore that I know that the other two can sound better than that. It kinda sounded like only the iconic was optimised, and then the others were not really made to sound like what I'm pretty sure they can. And then they were compared to each other's non-optimized sounds. Not sure what to think, except that the iconic does indeed sound good. I'll probably be buying one.
Killer shootout. I actually like the EVH 6L6 best. The Iconic sounds great with nice top end but the 6L6 seems right in the middle of the 5150 OG “dark” vibe and Iconic “bright” qualities
Agreed you can grab a used EQ pedal off Reverb for under 100 bucks. I'm impressed with the ICONIC. Now James Brown put the EVH Amp sound in the reach of so many other player's now with that price point. Thank you James Brown. You belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in my book.. 😊 Your Amps created so many new genres of Metal music. 🤘
Wow. How lucky are we to have such tonal choices! I like the original Peavey 5150, followed by the 5150 Iconic, and in third place.... The EVH/Fender 5150.... I love my 5150II i bought brand new!
What I learned from this is that the EVH 5150 III sounds almost exactly like the Peavey 5150. The Iconic almost sounds more like a boosted Marshall DSL in the way that it is much brighter than a normal 5150/6505 (I am referencing comparison videos I have previously seen for the marshall comparison).
For under $1000, the Iconic sounds like a beast. For the money, defiantly worth it. Of course the Block Letter and the 5150 III sound great but we are talking about the little brother here. The Iconic has more of a scooped sound but to be honest, I like that sound. It's a Win-win-win in my opinion.
Iconic sounds good here, like a more trim and tight 5150, maybe a more "modern take" on what a 5150 would be like if it were released for the first time in 2021
It’s a real testament to the bones of this design how versatile its in all its forms. I have both a block letter and a III, and I use them a ton in my studio. The fact that we have another version that once again delivers pro level all tube tone for an entry level price - $900, are you kidding?? - continues a tradition that all metalheads should celebrate.
Block letter 5150 sounds the most "open" and the iconic seemed to come to life with the boost and when the EQ went to 12 o clock...Gain structure is there though!!! 🤘🤘
I love my EVH 5150 III 50 watt head! Everyone who hears/plays it says it's the Best Amp they've ever heard! I'm running a ISP Deci-Mate into the front of the amp, into two 8ohm V30 Randall 112 cabs. Every guitar I plug into it sounds delicious 🤤 My favorite thing about the tone is that it lacks any uncomfortable/cringe frequencies no matter how loud or distorted you go. Great Video as Always
LOL awesome way of patting yourself on the back, either the block letter of the 100w 5153 blow that 50w head out of the water and anything less than a 4x12 sucks for recording metal, I guess the ones who told you it was the best tone, were either lying to you, or just didn't want to upset you. Go look fo validation on your amp head elsewhere.
Man great work….. The iconic was sounding more bright and thinner than the other 2 but when you brought the Presence up on the 5150 Iconic 11:25 that made it sound identical…. Wow
Hi. Thanks for making this review, excellent format. And to have James Brown chime in on the comments thread and actually reply to people is amazing, in this industry where most technical people seem to hide from the public. Says a lot of great things about the man behind great musical instruments (amps)!. Regards.
I like how all of the evh amps do a fantastic job of capturing all the tones Eddie himself would of used. They all sound like each other but with a minor twist. That twist could be recovered/achieved with a 6/10 band EQ. I don't gig anymore. Just play for my own entertainment and I can make my lbx stealth sound like all of these with my ten band mxr. Of course not as loud. What I can't do is make it sound like a marshall/mesa amp. EVH amps share a component that captures the essence of all the tones that Eddie would of used.
On its own, I think the Iconic sounds best, but there's something about a boosted block-letter that just sounds so evil and menacing that I can't help but love it. It must be a result of the amp's woofiness battling with the pedal's bite.
Thanks for doing this shoot out . This was the most comparative example of the iconic versus the others that have seen so far picked up a lot from it thanks
This is what ive been waiting for. Edit: To me the Iconic almost sounds like if you were to take a 5150 and pair it with a diesel. i bet for some people that would be perfect, but for me I just want to get some good Prog/djent tones. It does sound like it would be the perfect amp for some killswitch engage tones. The III and Peavey sound a lot better to me, but it all comes down to personal preference.
Great shootout. I like how you clicked around so we could really hear them up against each other. I had a Peavey 6505+ 120 watt head. "They say" it's identical to the 5150 III? All I know is it was a weapon of mass destruction coming out of a Marshall 1960 4/12. I downgraded to an ENGL Ironball with a single V30. Sometimes I actually play on the 1 watt setting. I like the white one (Iconic) the best. Thanks again, great channel.
As for just listening to you play, I feel like the 5150 iconic sounds best in almost every situation. This leads me to believe that it unfortunately wouldn't cut through the mix as well as the others. One thing I have noticed in my long, uneventful rock and roll career is that, if it sounds great in the bedroom, it's not going to cut worth a s#!+ I just purchased the iconic after my Bugera T50 infinium crapped the bed at practice last week. Haven't used it at practice yet. I know the Bugera gets a ton of hate for its dirty channel, but it actually is amazing (AND LOUD!) in a live setting. Hopefully the iconic can do it for me. Thank you for the awesome video
Awesome comparison! Hopefully people will consider the Iconic as a viable option now. Had the other 2, moved on to the Kartakou Colossus preamp for that grind and for recording, and the Engl Savage for live- kills them all with no boost and more tones.
Great demo. Kind of surprised at how close the Peavey 5150 and EVH 5150 III sound to each other and helps reinforce my purchase decision. The Iconic is noticeably brighter, which is a bit more pleasing to my ears. For me, it would be difficult to choose between the 5150/6505 and the Iconic. At the price of the 5150 III, I would go with an Invective 120, which I did.
The 5150 III and Iconic sounded the most similar to me; the block letter sounded more middy than the others. They all sounded great and I think you could dial them in to sound pretty much identical.
It’s blows me away that the EVH 5150iii resonance knob isn’t on the back like the 50watts do. Correct me if I’m wrong but the 34 and stealth variants have the resonance knob is on the back right ?
The iconic sounds great! All these do of course but I was surprised. I'd love a comparison with the invective too. That is in a way another successor to the block letter.
the topic many people ignore for the Iconic is that it is not only about the sound but the price ratio for that sound even much more so. And in that regard the Iconic is insanely good for that price
Man, these were all so similar. And so good. Amazing crazy gaine tones. I know you can change the voice in the Iconic with the Burn switch. But yeah, they all sound on the same ballpark. Close enough to just be different shades of awesome. Honestly can't tell which I like more. Or even if i like any one of them more... and not just... they're all good. Crushing, honestly.
For the most part to my ear they sound similar enough that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference once the tone had been seasoned to preference - granted the iconic seems to naturally have a little more fizz baked in
Been shopping and likely going to get the el34 5150iii and the matching 2x12. But for this, to me the Peavy was boxy and the Iconic was fizzy. Also literally FB dm’ing with Elroy about some AIRSTEP content I’m doing when coincidentally watching this vid at the same time. Will have to learn this wiring setup. Great video and great timing! 🤘🏻🎸
Awesome job per usual. I would have to say that with the iconic being $899 and the 6505 being $999 (and essentially the same thing as that block letter 5150) I would pay the extra $100 and go with the 6505. The iconic definitely has the 5150 voicing, but it sounds more compressed and fizzy. Almost more like an amp modeler version of the 5150 lol. Just my opinion though
Best review. I play mostly 80’s but seeing the tone between the OG and the iconic really helps with making a future decision. Especially for half the cost
It seems to me the "Iconic" lives up to its name, as the brighter tone is probably closest to a classic Ed tone. If you want to play anything close to the riffs in this demo (modern metal, 7-string etc), the other two are clearly the way to go. But if you're in a classic rock cover band, i would go Iconic for sure. I think your style of play would dictate which of these is best- but they're all an absolute treat!
I disagree, the iconic is perfectly suited for low tunings/baritones/7 strings etc. it’s not just a classic rock cover band amp. They’re all perfectly suited for many style.
I think you've saved many young (and old) brighteyed lads some serious coin. the price of 5150 is crazy at the moment, but that iconic sounds very similar. You dialed them in very well to sound as close as possible. I feel you are right about the iconic being between the 5153 and the OG. good vid
Great job Ryan! There have been a lot of changes over the year to the various 5150’s so making an amp that tries to cover them all is a big task. For instance, the Presence control on the Iconic uses a Reverse Audio taper (which comes up faster), like the popular EVH 50w 5150 III, while the Block and 100w 5150 III have a slower Audio taper that doesn’t really change till above 5….so as you found you’d have to reduce the Iconic presence to match those. We also made some choices on the Iconic to make it more flexible, and instead of Burn just being More Gain, we also reduced the gain a little on the non-Burn, so it’s more like an in-between Blue and Red 5153 channel tone, and then the Burn gets the thicker attack of the block letter, and even a bit more gain. So at non-Burn Gain setting of 4 the Iconic IS tighter and has a bit less gain/low mids and would match closer at about 5. Thanks for showing the comparison!!
This is the only comment here that means anything! Thanks for designing great amps, Mr. Brown.
One of the great things about the Internet is that it gives us the opportunity to thank all those who have been inspirational to so many of us. I'm not even into VH, but I still remember all my favourite Metal bands using 5150s during the 90's. Many still do. You, Sir, already have your name carved in the Great Annals of Music History. Thank you.
James Brown - You are definitely in my top 5 guitar gods for creating the greatest amplifier of all time! I would love to have your signature on my 5150.
@@natashanyxx9486 YW
@@JaimeNoro thank you sir!
All the people who talked crap on the Iconic would probably feel pretty stupid watching this video, hearing how close they really are when you compare them. There’s a little more high presence, but that doesn’t matter in the long run. I think the amp sounds great and has lots of great features packed in for under $1000. Good work EVH
💯
this^
Absolutely .... The problem as we all know is guitarists are inclined to listen with their "eyes" .... and not with their "ears".
If it had a Diezel or Dumble logo on the front they'd be raving about how incredible it is.
Blind tests are the only way to weed out the "snobs".
Great comparo by the way ... so many people were mocking this thing and as a Dual Rec. owner it sounds pretty awesome to me !!
This is the comment I came here to make
I actually prefer the iconic's eq foot print
The Iconic sounds the most mix-ready of the three. There you go. So many people bashing the fucking amp and in the end it sounds great. Different (which justifies its creation) but still great.
with how much high end it has, it'll cut through a mix in a fucking hurry ( i mean this in a good way)
They're fucking stupid, dude. It's a bunch of privileged snobs that don't understand how dry the market is right now. I'll buy one of these up no problem, it slams.
I agree...to my ears it sounded the best of the 3.
That is exactly what I was saying to my buddy when we shot out the 6505, iconic and stealth. the iconic sounded post eqd and the best to my ears
I think the Iconic sounds great.
A blind test with these amps would probably make a fool out of a lot of the tube snobs. Especially adding drums and bass tracks
A lot of people are picking the Iconic, because it's got a more modern/bright sound kind of built in. But to me, if feels a lot more sterile than the Block or the III. Much more richness with those heads. I'd definitely pick either of them over the iconic for studio work, because I can EQ the signal going into the amp, EQ in the effects loop, and EQ the mics as needed. Shaping those into the more "modern bright" tone the Iconic gives out, will end up a richer/fuller yet still crisp product.
The iconic sounds better than I expected though! Looks like a great amp for a modern metal band, especially for live. And especially for tighter budgets. A worthy edition to the lineup! But I definitely don't like it more than the other two.
call me crazy but I like the Iconic without the boost the most of them. The brightness, the more controlled lower mids. it's my jam.
To my ears, the block letter and the 5150III sound nearly identical but the Iconic sounds a little more scooped.
My first thought when you switched to the Iconic:
That one sounds the best. That brightness is welcome next to that typical medal tone for me.
But it seriously sounds amazing!
I actually feel it sounded a bit tighter as well.. Even without headphones.
@@continuum288 I'm listening on in ear monitors. It sounds fantastic. 2021 is the year of insanely good solid state amps.
@@alexcrouse Cool. I'll check it again with hp's when i'm not so lazy lol..
@@alexcrouse The Iconic is a solid state amp?
@@mattb4rd No..it's not.
Being a Marshall fan, I like the high end of the Iconic. I love my signature 5150.
I actually think I prefer the Iconic for this kind of music. Dare I say the hybrid circuit gives it a focus and clarity the other two don't have. Might get one now.
I just picked up an Iconic Combo new with free shipping for like $700 with full warranty, because it was blemished. Someone pried the speaker access off and left some marks. Big deal. Best purchase I've made. I've been eyeballing the 5150 iii since before they shot up a few hundred. And now you've proven me right in my choice! Thanks!
Man I'm trying so hard to not spend the money on one, but it's not turning out too good. Lol.
I'm debating between one of those or a MT15.
All three are GOOD and i cannot understand how many say that the Iconic cannot do modern metal, i must be deaf, OG still wins thought
I know it wasn’t your purpose for making the shoot out, bit I think this video highlights how the Iconic has the “bang for your buck” factor. It sounds terrific, especially for the price.
The iconic has a specific lack of 400-500hz that the other two do have. I think it sounds the most "finished" of the 3. The block letter and III sound super similar but there is something about the block letter, maybe psychologically, that feels instantly the most classic on the top end. The boosts made the III and block letter sound way better whereas the boost didn't help the Iconic that much.
Totally agree, the iconic has that high end sizzle, almost rectifier-ish. It doesn't sound bad at all, maybe not as thick as the other two, but i'd imagine it cuts through a mix very niceley with it's high end.
"Finished" is absolutely spot on. The Iconic sounds like an amp already sitting in the mix that won't fight the kick and bass, not hairy, not flubby. The other two sound dialed in for, "in the room" with the mids and bass guitarists playing alone crave, especially the 5153. I'd bet the Iconic would sound amazing with a Recto in a dual amp set up. I love it on it's own as well.
It is certainly an intriguing entry to the high-gain market. I think the only draw back would be re-sell if you're a flipper. If you can eat the $900, it's perhaps something that would remain in ones stable for a while. Not an egregious price point that you'd have to contemplate for weeks/months on end.
just add a 31band eq in ur loop, and its a wrap... :P
I feel like it can be easily eq'd to thicken it up plenty
Gotta say, I'm surprised that I like the Iconic best. It's brighter, tighter, and more articulate with its distortion. Definitely a more modern amp. The only detraction for me is it might be a little too 'clean.' I can imagine it might not sound 'rude' enough at times. Still prefer it to the others, though.
its a very polished, or as another commentor stated it sounds finished. Something about it being to nice is something a lot of guitars players dont appeal too.
The Iconic rolls off the boxiness and mud that you were going to EQ out of the other two anyway.
Well, I actually prefer the Iconic. It had more clarity and attack. I'd like to hear them all in a mix.
They all sound killer, I feel like you couldn’t go wrong with any of the three!
I now hear why the Block letter is the Holy Grail of metal amps..the III is really close, and the Iconic is definitely in 3rd place...IMHO!
SIIIIIIIIICK!!!!!! I am really liking this Iconic... thing sounds massive for the price. In fact, in order... 5153, Iconic & Bloc. Once again, killer tone and demo! Might actually get the Iconic to replace the Stealth I sold like an idiot!!
I have been a JCM 800 Marshall guy for over 30 years, with A-B to a 1977 Roland Jazz chorus 120 for clean. A lot to lug around to the gig. I had the original Block letter combo years ago, but ended up selling it to purchase another JCM 800 head. I recently purchase 2 heads, a 5150 Iconic with the 6L6 tubes and a 5150 Iconic with the EL34's. I was able to dial in the EL34 head with the help of a Boss EQ-200 to sound remarkebly close to a JCM 800 on the clean channel with overdrive button engaged and a TS9 in front of it to give it a little push. After 5 days of playing with both heads, I returned the 6L6 and settled on the EL34 head as it is far less harsh and thrash metal sounding. The clean channel is amazing with a dedicated EQ setting on the Boss EQ 200. It sounds heavingly. Now I use it as my gigging amp so I don;t have to lug around two amps for clean and dirty. In my personal opinion, it will never sound exactly like my JCM 800, but pretty close if you run an EQ in front of it. And having the versatility of having a dedicated clean channel versuses carrying 2 amps, the Iconic is a winner all day. The haters can hate, that is their right I guess. Being a vintage Marshall snob, I originally turned up my nose at it as well. But after spending some time with it and EQ experimentation, it has a killer sound. My bandmates barley notice the difference between my original tone with my JCM 800 and this when EQ 200 is engaged. Affordable, killer tone, clean channel, throw a good EQ in front, and you have endless possibilities. I actually prefer the Iconic over my old Block Letter. As far as cutting through the mix, it will hang no problem.
With headphones on, I preferred the Iconic. Even though the other two amps delivered, my ears gravitate towards the brightness and clarity of the Iconic. Great comparison and thanks as always for sharing.
The iconic sounds more scooped and therefore modern, but I like mids because they cut thru in a mix.
Since when is a scooped tone modern? That's what every thrash band in the 80s did. Modern tones are much more mid heavy.
@@cdsmetalhead99 Amp makers tend to call scooped sounds modern and midrange heavy vintage.
The iconic is brighter yet more mid scooped than the others which is something we often do for metal with 5150s
My favorite is the Iconic without the pedal. It has a very tight and modern tone while also being really close to how a guitar would sound in a final mix. The OG Peavey is my 2nd fav, while the III comes in 3rd. I do like all of them though. The only thing that I didn't care for was the III with the pedal turned on, that option didn't sound right to me. But overall each of the 3 are solid amps, can't go wrong with any. But factoring price, the Iconic has the advantage.
To be 100% honest, the iconic sounded by far the best, but in fairness, and likewise honesty, I can't ignore that I know that the other two can sound better than that. It kinda sounded like only the iconic was optimised, and then the others were not really made to sound like what I'm pretty sure they can. And then they were compared to each other's non-optimized sounds. Not sure what to think, except that the iconic does indeed sound good. I'll probably be buying one.
Killer shootout. I actually like the EVH 6L6 best. The Iconic sounds great with nice top end but the 6L6 seems right in the middle of the 5150 OG “dark” vibe and Iconic “bright” qualities
I agree, the EVH seems like a more polished block letter
The Iconic sounds more scooped than the other two. I think with an EQ in the loop you can get them all to sound pretty much identical.
And the Iconic wouldn't have that noise floor.
Agreed you can grab a used EQ pedal off Reverb for under 100 bucks. I'm impressed with the ICONIC. Now James Brown put the EVH Amp sound in the reach of so many other player's now with that price point. Thank you James Brown. You belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in my book.. 😊 Your Amps created so many new genres of Metal music. 🤘
Scooped?
It's amazing just how close they sound. They all definitely share the same DNA. Thanks Fluff!
but definitely depends on cab used
As an owner of a 5153 6L6, I never realized how close to the OG amp it sounded (and don’t have access to one to compare). Cool!
Wow. How lucky are we to have such tonal choices! I like the original Peavey 5150, followed by the 5150 Iconic, and in third place.... The EVH/Fender 5150.... I love my 5150II i bought brand new!
What I learned from this is that the EVH 5150 III sounds almost exactly like the Peavey 5150. The Iconic almost sounds more like a boosted Marshall DSL in the way that it is much brighter than a normal 5150/6505 (I am referencing comparison videos I have previously seen for the marshall comparison).
This may be your best video to date. REALLY good stuff here. I can't believe this but I like the Iconic the most!!
For under $1000, the Iconic sounds like a beast. For the money, defiantly worth it. Of course the Block Letter and the 5150 III sound great but we are talking about the little brother here. The Iconic has more of a scooped sound but to be honest, I like that sound. It's a Win-win-win in my opinion.
I've had an original 5150 since the mid-90s I think is when I bought it brand spanking new way more amp than I ever need but I love it!
The 5150 EVH block Letters is way better then the rest.
I’d go for the iconic. Nice demo.
In my humble opinion, the OG is still the best. The OG is the OG, the real thing.
The resonance knob is on the back of the EVH 5150iii, and the blue channel boosted is magic on the 5150iii.
Not on the 100 watt. The 50 watt has a resonance knob on the back, but the 100 watt does not.
I really like the modern tightness of the iconic. 🤘
Iconic sounds good here, like a more trim and tight 5150, maybe a more "modern take" on what a 5150 would be like if it were released for the first time in 2021
It’s a real testament to the bones of this design how versatile its in all its forms. I have both a block letter and a III, and I use them a ton in my studio.
The fact that we have another version that once again delivers pro level all tube tone for an entry level price - $900, are you kidding?? - continues a tradition that all metalheads should celebrate.
Block letter 5150 sounds the most "open" and the iconic seemed to come to life with the boost and when the EQ went to 12 o clock...Gain structure is there though!!! 🤘🤘
I love the high mid range of the block letter and that’s what I like better about it in comparison
Didn't expect this, the Iconic sounds best. Much more pleasing mids that will cut through the mix better. Also tighter low end. Amazing.
I love my EVH 5150 III 50 watt head! Everyone who hears/plays it says it's the Best Amp they've ever heard! I'm running a ISP Deci-Mate into the front of the amp, into two 8ohm V30 Randall 112 cabs. Every guitar I plug into it sounds delicious 🤤 My favorite thing about the tone is that it lacks any uncomfortable/cringe frequencies no matter how loud or distorted you go.
Great Video as Always
LOL awesome way of patting yourself on the back, either the block letter of the 100w 5153 blow that 50w head out of the water and anything less than a 4x12 sucks for recording metal, I guess the ones who told you it was the best tone, were either lying to you, or just didn't want to upset you. Go look fo validation on your amp head elsewhere.
Idk man my EVH 5150iii 50 watt Stealth plugged into my Mesa Oversized 4x12 has something to say about that lol.
@@GreatBurningNullifier you must play a spider iii. If youre broke just say it
Great demo! 5150 Iconic is definitely brighter, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just a slightly different 5150 flavor! I dig all 3 amps!
Really love the iconic sound. It's got a brighter more open sound that would pair really well with a precision drive pedal.
Man great work….. The iconic was sounding more bright and thinner than the other 2 but when you brought the Presence up on the 5150 Iconic 11:25 that made it sound identical…. Wow
Hi. Thanks for making this review, excellent format. And to have James Brown chime in on the comments thread and actually reply to people is amazing, in this industry where most technical people seem to hide from the public. Says a lot of great things about the man behind great musical instruments (amps)!. Regards.
I like how all of the evh amps do a fantastic job of capturing all the tones Eddie himself would of used. They all sound like each other but with a minor twist. That twist could be recovered/achieved with a 6/10 band EQ.
I don't gig anymore. Just play for my own entertainment and I can make my lbx stealth sound like all of these with my ten band mxr. Of course not as loud. What I can't do is make it sound like a marshall/mesa amp.
EVH amps share a component that captures the essence of all the tones that Eddie would of used.
On its own, I think the Iconic sounds best, but there's something about a boosted block-letter that just sounds so evil and menacing that I can't help but love it. It must be a result of the amp's woofiness battling with the pedal's bite.
Thanks for doing this shoot out . This was the most comparative example of the iconic versus the others that have seen so far picked up a lot from it thanks
I honestly like all 3. I miss my old Peavey 5150, but currently own a Evh 5150 III and love it.
This is what ive been waiting for.
Edit: To me the Iconic almost sounds like if you were to take a 5150 and pair it with a diesel. i bet for some people that would be perfect, but for me I just want to get some good Prog/djent tones. It does sound like it would be the perfect amp for some killswitch engage tones. The III and Peavey sound a lot better to me, but it all comes down to personal preference.
Great shootout. I like how you clicked around so we could really hear them up against each other. I had a Peavey 6505+ 120 watt head. "They say" it's identical to the 5150 III? All I know is it was a weapon of mass destruction coming out of a Marshall 1960 4/12. I downgraded to an ENGL Ironball with a single V30. Sometimes I actually play on the 1 watt setting. I like the white one (Iconic) the best. Thanks again, great channel.
I'd be interested to see the same done again but with the other channels. One of my favourite things of the evh is how versatile it is.
Surprise!! They all sound awesome I’d be happy with any of these Eddie put his stamp on them all
As for just listening to you play, I feel like the 5150 iconic sounds best in almost every situation. This leads me to believe that it unfortunately wouldn't cut through the mix as well as the others. One thing I have noticed in my long, uneventful rock and roll career is that, if it sounds great in the bedroom, it's not going to cut worth a s#!+ I just purchased the iconic after my Bugera T50 infinium crapped the bed at practice last week. Haven't used it at practice yet. I know the Bugera gets a ton of hate for its dirty channel, but it actually is amazing (AND LOUD!) in a live setting. Hopefully the iconic can do it for me. Thank you for the awesome video
Peavey - muffled. 5153 - barks. Iconic - tears your face off.
Not really
Great work Ryan. Very professional very thorough video. 👍🏻
The Iconic sounds so clean
I love the brightness of the iconic.
That iconic will be a bargain used when these eventually flood the market.
Awesome comparison! Hopefully people will consider the Iconic as a viable option now. Had the other 2, moved on to the Kartakou Colossus preamp for that grind and for recording, and the Engl Savage for live- kills them all with no boost and more tones.
Ive wanted the colossus for a long while now! How would you describe it? Ive got kartakous beast box which is awesome.
The kartakou colossus is close to which 5150 (5150og, 5150 iii, 5150 ii)? How do you describe the colossus in comparison of a 5150?
Which ENGL Savage? MK1 or MK2?
Great demo. Kind of surprised at how close the Peavey 5150 and EVH 5150 III sound to each other and helps reinforce my purchase decision. The Iconic is noticeably brighter, which is a bit more pleasing to my ears.
For me, it would be difficult to choose between the 5150/6505 and the Iconic. At the price of the 5150 III, I would go with an Invective 120, which I did.
I went Invective a while back. Love it..any of these amps are killer though. 😎
I can't decide my favourite between the 5150iii and the block letter, but the Iconic still holds up well, given the price!
The 5150 III and Iconic sounded the most similar to me; the block letter sounded more middy than the others. They all sounded great and I think you could dial them in to sound pretty much identical.
Comparison is pretty close …with the right boost and eq what one lacks the other can pick up in tone pretty great comparison fluff as always nice work
This is a great comparison. I’m hearing a little more on the upper mids with the iconic while the other amps have a little more thicker resonance.
I liked the iconic the best honestly, sounds the most clear but still super gnarly
It’s blows me away that the EVH 5150iii resonance knob isn’t on the back like the 50watts do. Correct me if I’m wrong but the 34 and stealth variants have the resonance knob is on the back right ?
The iconic sounds great! All these do of course but I was surprised. I'd love a comparison with the invective too. That is in a way another successor to the block letter.
The Iconic has more clarity than the others. It sounds better in a recording scenario to me.
I really love the 5150 series and for a low budget amp, the 5150 ICONIC is the go to amp for most people
I think the 5150 III and the block letter sound the best to my ears but that’s just my opinion.
The 5050III is clearly my fav. Its a perfect blend of the good sides of both of the other amps
the topic many people ignore for the Iconic is that it is not only about the sound but the price ratio for that sound even much more so. And in that regard the Iconic is insanely good for that price
Man, these were all so similar. And so good. Amazing crazy gaine tones.
I know you can change the voice in the Iconic with the Burn switch. But yeah, they all sound on the same ballpark. Close enough to just be different shades of awesome.
Honestly can't tell which I like more. Or even if i like any one of them more... and not just... they're all good. Crushing, honestly.
Iconic is the best in my opinion, it's definitely tighter sounding and more modern sounding.
For the most part to my ear they sound similar enough that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference once the tone had been seasoned to preference - granted the iconic seems to naturally have a little more fizz baked in
Block Letter has the mid "roar" that I love. Still my fav
The Iconic definitely has that "Scooped Recto" kind of tone compared to the upper midrange of the other two. I thought they all sounded great!
Resonance on the 5150iii is on the back :)
The 100w head hasn´t resonance control, the 50w version has it
Nope. Only the Stealth and the EL34...and all the 50W versions...but not the Original which..i don't understand why?
Yeah I caught that too lol
Been shopping and likely going to get the el34 5150iii and the matching 2x12. But for this, to me the Peavy was boxy and the Iconic was fizzy. Also literally FB dm’ing with Elroy about some AIRSTEP content I’m doing when coincidentally watching this vid at the same time. Will have to learn this wiring setup. Great video and great timing! 🤘🏻🎸
I had a 92 block letter 5150 in '92 and it's one of my regrets. I regret selling it. I have a combo Iconic coming as soon as they ship.
i liked the iconic best and honestly i had no idea there was so much hate being thrown at this
For me:
1. PEAVEY 5150
2. EVH 5150 III (I have it)
3. 5150 ICONIC
But, anyone of them are a real beast!!!!
5150iii have this weirdness in the high end that I didn't jell with.
Awesome job per usual. I would have to say that with the iconic being $899 and the 6505 being $999 (and essentially the same thing as that block letter 5150) I would pay the extra $100 and go with the 6505. The iconic definitely has the 5150 voicing, but it sounds more compressed and fizzy. Almost more like an amp modeler version of the 5150 lol. Just my opinion though
The Peavy sounds angry, the EVH5153 sounds refined, the Iconic sounds somewhere in between. But the "tone" is basically the same.
Spoiler , they all sound great. Another great demo from Fluff 🤘🏼
The iconic is taking the pedal better and it sounds mix ready .. I kinda like it
Best review. I play mostly 80’s but seeing the tone between the OG and the iconic really helps with making a future decision. Especially for half the cost
Love this shootout. I actually liked the Iconic best...go figure
It seems to me the "Iconic" lives up to its name, as the brighter tone is probably closest to a classic Ed tone. If you want to play anything close to the riffs in this demo (modern metal, 7-string etc), the other two are clearly the way to go. But if you're in a classic rock cover band, i would go Iconic for sure. I think your style of play would dictate which of these is best- but they're all an absolute treat!
I think otherwise, the iconic was much brighter and more articulate, which would probably help a lot for the low 7 string tunings
I disagree, the iconic is perfectly suited for low tunings/baritones/7 strings etc. it’s not just a classic rock cover band amp. They’re all perfectly suited for many style.
Old one sounds the best!
I have the 5150 50W EL34 and it's fantastic.
Great job on the reviews bro. My wife gets so Pissed at me for buying these heads but I love the EVH tones.
EVH 5150 III has resonance control 👍. Awesome comparison!
I think you've saved many young (and old) brighteyed lads some serious coin. the price of 5150 is crazy at the moment, but that iconic sounds very similar. You dialed them in very well to sound as close as possible. I feel you are right about the iconic being between the 5153 and the OG. good vid