NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

[Rex_Rocker]

So a couple of months ago, I posted about getting an EVH 5150 III LBX II. It was a nice amp, and I loved it, but I always wished it had the red channel instead of the blue. The blue was nice, but I always felt it had more of a rock voicing that could pull metal off instead of a dedicated scorching over-the-top channel. Well, so yesterday, I found this for sale locally, and I offered a trade. Apparently, the guy needed a clean channel, so he agreed.

Well, the red channel is K I L L E R. Now, THIS is what a 5150 sounds like! It doesn't have a lot more gain than the blue channel on the LBX II, but the voicing is just so much more metal. It's more modern: slightly less mid-forward, chunkier, and overall more aggressive. It does have a hair more gain, but it's more about the overall EQ shape and character of the distortion that I like. I love it.

The blue channel on this is got, overall, a very similar feel and EQ as the one on the LBX II, but it's got noticeably less gain, so the attack jumps out more, I feel. Still enough to pull metal off with a boost, though, so it's nice to have two options as far as metal tones go. I rarely ever switched to the clean channel on the LBX II, TBH. I will kinda miss it, but honestly, no biggie. Both channels on this have got very uneven volume levels, though, so I don't think it's going to be a very useable channel switcher live, but, again, no biggie. I will probably dial in a scorching metal tone on either channel, and use the volume knob on my guitar.

I dropped Chinese 12AX7's in the first positions, and a Sovtek LPS in the PI. I would've gone for a Tung Sol or Mullard in V1, but I had none lying around. It sounded great with the stock JJ's, but this made it even slightly more aggressive. I don't have any spare EL84's lying around, unfortunately, and from what I tried in my former LBX II, the stock JJ's aren't my preference, so I might be ordering some new EL84's to try out. Anything you guys recommend?

So overall, I'm pretty happy. I got that red channel that I longed for!

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

Gotta say, it also sounds better at lower volumes, for some reason. The LBX II was REALLY fizzy until you turned it up to about 1 on the dial, which wasn't LOUD, but it was a bit unconfortable to practice with at night. This is a lot smoother and more bedroom-friendly turned down.

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

I'm rather smitten with lunchbox amps now. I know, late to the party, but I love that everybody is crapping out tons of these.

[Ascension]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

[ATTACH=CONFIG]101438[/ATTACH]

So a couple of months ago, I posted about getting an EVH 5150 III LBX II. It was a nice amp, and I loved it, but I always wished it had the red channel instead of the blue. The blue was nice, but I always felt it had more of a rock voicing that could pull metal off instead of a dedicated scorching over-the-top channel. Well, so yesterday, I found this for sale locally, and I offered a trade. Apparently, the guy needed a clean channel, so he agreed.

Well, the red channel is K I L L E R. Now, THIS is what a 5150 sounds like! It doesn't have a lot more gain than the blue channel on the LBX II, but the voicing is just so much more metal. It's more modern: slightly less mid-forward, chunkier, and overall more aggressive. It does have a hair more gain, but it's more about the overall EQ shape and character of the distortion that I like. I love it.

the stock JJ's aren't my preference, so I might be ordering some new EL84's to try out. Anything you guys recommend?

So overall, I'm pretty happy. I got that red channel that I longed for!

Those are cool amps congrats.
On the EL84's for what you are doing with that one I like the Mullards. When you push them these will get smooth and break up nicely. My Jet City JCA22 heads I had in particular loved them that one should react the same with these I should think. The TAD STR's I have found to last the longest out of all the EL 84's I have tried so far and are also nice. The TAD's will be cleaner and tighter with more headroom plus will have a longer life the Mullards be more softer and bigger sounding but will not live as long.

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

Thank you, dudes!

Yeah, mini amps are awesome! Some are better than others at different things, though. The Krank has a massive low-end, and while it's not got quite as much clarity and headroom like a big-iron amp, it sounds much bigger than the EVH at full-band volumes.

The EVH, on the other hand, sounds MUCH better at bedroom volumes, where the Krank sounds like pure fizzz.

[DankStar]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

Man that looks tempting.

I pretty much have any metal tone covered I need but to have a 5150 metal tone in such a conveniently tiny package would be awesome and could replace some amps I have.

Thank you for the review.

[ibanezrocks]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

That review makes it sound so good I just bought one. Should get it in a couple weeks.

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

Yo won't be disappointed. I've had a few mini (Randall RD1 and RD5, Marshall DSL1HR) amps searching for the perfect bedroom tone, and this is by far the best I've had. I love the Krank, but at bedroom volumes, it honestly sounds like frying bacon, LOL.

[ibanezrocks]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

I just got it and played for an hour this morning. For an impulse buy based on your review, I'm really pleased. I'll likely sell my Dark Terror as a result - it does the stoner metal thing really well but not a lot else. The voicing of the LBX is more versatile. The blue channel definitely does the hotrodded Marshall thing I was looking for and the red is the standard modern metal tone.

Have you found it's really noisy though?

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

Glad you like it, man. It's a great moderate-volume amp for sure!

Have you found it's really noisy though?

Oh, yes. For sure. A lot more noisy than my Krank. I figured it is noisy because it has a lot of preamp tubes.

[PoorMan]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

Agreed, the 5150 LBX 1 is the best high gain/low volume head I've played by far. I originally went shopping for the 6505MH (which has stellar reviews and sounds great on youtube). I played the 6505MH at 1W low volume and it was a total turd. Sounded so bad I thought it was broken. I wanted something for bedroom practice so I didn't explore further.

[chillytouch]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

Those lunchbox amps pack a punch. I use an attenuator and the lunchbox amp actually seems to be louder than the 50w 5150.

I'm psyched to hear you say that though. I'm about to get the lbx1 myself this week. I'm wondering how the red channel will differ vs the 50w.

Also the lbx2's green channel sounds cleaner/more sparkly then my 50w. It's incredibly on point.

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: NAD - I traded my EVH LBX 2 for an LBX 1

I personally think the LBX shines a moderate volumes. It does get loud enough to play with a drummer, no doubt, but at those levels, the EL84's start sounding a bit too much like EL84's, haha. I prefer the 5881's in my Krank. I'd love to try an MT15.