5150/6505 SUCKS?!

[dxlxntxxlxr]

After hearing everypne harp on about the 5150/6505, I knew I had to try one at some point. Guitar center had one in stock so I tried it out. It's one of the muddiest amps I've ever played. I set the treble to 10, the bass and resonance to 0, the mids and presence to about 6 or 7. Still stupidly muddy. I was playing through what I believe was a mode 4 cab. Any thoughts? Are they just bass heavy muddy amps or did I try a dud?

Side note: I tried a jvm through a LINE 6 cab and it blew the 6505 out of the water. Only high gain amp I've tried that didn't need a tube screamer.

 

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

That doesn't sound right to me. I'm not a huge fan of the 6505 sound, but I wouldn't think of it as noteably muddy. Could be a combination of the cab, the volume you were playing at, and that particular amp.

Volume? I thought increasing the volume opened up the low end

 

[muttznmongrelz]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

Not familar with the 6505 but I LOVE my 5150 and can dial in all sorts of great tones.

 

[mjsmanahan35]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

Try 6505+

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

Not familar with the 6505 but I LOVE my 5150 and can dial in all sorts of great tones.

6505 and 5150 are the same amp with different branding. Exactly the same
6505+ and 5150 mk2 are the same

 

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

Try 6505+

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

More treble?

 

[dsloan]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

While these amps are capable of significant low end, I wouldn't consider them necessarily muddy by nature.
In this case, it could be a combination of things causing it, most notably the cabinet.

Also, the right combination of fresh tubes and proper bias can make all the difference in these amps. The power tubes are biased cold from the factory and the stock tubes are not the best choice to get the most out of this amp in my opinion. These can result in some muddiness. I modified mine to adjust the bias to an optimum level and tried a variety of tubes til I found the right combination and now both it and my 6505+ sound incredible...more open and articulate, with a good balance between low end, mids, & highs.

Sent from my SM-G920R4 using Tapatalk

 

[dystrust]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I've always found those Mode 4 cabs to be muddy; I'd try a different cab first. If anything, 5150s/6505s tend to be bright bordering on harsh.

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[DeadandBuried]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I've had my 6505+ for 4 years and I love it. It sounds best through a cab with V30's and I always use a tubescreamer with it, whether its an OD808 or TS9. Also its gotta really be turned up (i.e above 2) post gain to really get the full capability of the amp. All other stuff like guitars/pickups/EQ settings play a role too.

I usually have my EQ quite flat so around the 5/6 mark for my bass/mids/trebs and the same for resonance/presence. If the venue is a bit iffy I'll tweak it slightly. Pre-gain is 3.5 for me so pretty low I know but I don't actually need that much when I also have the OD pushing it. Sounds great to me!

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

Yeah how loud did you have it? and what were your mids at?

Cab could be a factor here too but I wouldnt call a 5150 muddy by nature

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I've never liked the mids above 4 on those amps. Killer amps, IMO, just can get honky/stuffy fast, at least through V30's. Maybe that was it?

 

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I've never liked the mids above 4 on those amps. Killer amps, IMO, just can get honky/stuffy fast, at least through V30's. Maybe that was it?

I like honky mids, I had them pretty high. I guess the jvm just suits me more. But the low end was super flubby whereas the jvm doesn't even need an od pedal

 

[NjuiMusic]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

don't know how to dial? Since all 3 5150 variants I've owned have been mega tight with no effort, and every other 5150 variant that isn't mine was also mega tight, a dud would mean it doesn't work, not change the tone lol

 

[DeadandBuried]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I've never liked the mids above 4 on those amps. Killer amps, IMO, just can get honky/stuffy fast, at least through V30's. Maybe that was it?

I never have my mids below 5 esp live! Will get drowned out in the band mix!

 

[NjuiMusic]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

jfc lol 6505 is a 6505+ just with one less pre amp tube, that won't change the amp COMPLETELY, that tube is more or less for the extra eq and settings.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

That's a pretty high midrange setting for those amps.

The thing about the 5150 and its derivatives is that the bass control affects low frequencies as you'd expect, the midrange control affects the 500 Hz - 1 kHz range., but the treble control affects mostly the upper midrange (2 kHz to 6 kHz) in addition to higher "treble" frequencies. That, and the midrange control is very sensitive, and having it too high relative to the other controls can make for a really muddy sound real fast (because of the pronounced lower midrange). This is also why a bunch of people can sound great scooping the mids on those amps - they're mostly just removing a certain part of the midrange while the treble control retains plenty of upper midrange - so it's still possible to sit in a band mix. Scooping the mids on those amps can even be ideal when making room for lead vocals or playing rhythm behind another lead guitar. Also, when I say "scoop", I mean a slight to moderate notch. Having the midrange knob on "0" will still suck.

In general, don't EQ an amp with your eyes and wonder why it doesn't sound right. Listen to it. Also, the cabinet/speaker combo is equally important as the amp circuit itself. You can make a great amp sound like crap through a crap cabinet and you can make an OK amp sound good with the right cabinet.

 

[Diego]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I recorded an EP with a 6505+ too many years ago.
I recall not liking the red channel that much (fuzzy/muddy) and found myself at home at the green channel, whatever that was.
Muddy it was not. Tight and chunky as hell.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I never have my mids below 5 esp live! Will get drowned out in the band mix!

Each to his own, but I've never ever heard a 5150 having trouble cutting through unless it was dialed in towards the other extreme with the mids on 0, lol.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I have the 6505. I like to play it full throttle with the mids cut , and the resonance control engaged. Its like having a bass player play note for note with your riffage.
One thing though is that Ive never been able to control the treble at that setting, because if I dial back the treble it doest sound as good, and its not that it's too bright, it's that it will squeal liek mad even if you are careful. I mean it's doable, but it's gonna happen sometimes.
Anyway, if the resonance control was engaged and you weren't cranking the amp, that could explain why you could never get it to sound not muddy.

 

[dxlxntxxlxr]

Re: 5150/6505 SUCKS?!

I have the 6505. I like to play it full throttle with the mids cut , and the resonance control engaged. Its like having a bass player play note for note with your riffage.
One thing though is that Ive never been able to control the treble at that setting, because if I dial back the treble it doest sound as good, and its not that it's too bright, it's that it squeals liek mad.
Anyway, if the resonance control was engaged and you weren't cranking the amp, that could expalin why you could never get it to sound not muddy.

0 resonance, 0 bass, all the mids and treble, 6 presence, gain at half on the red channel maybe less