EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

M

MUguy

New member
My main local music store just got the spec sheets for the new 5150 18 watt lunchbox head that they showed me on Thursday. Looks pretty cool. I don't need it, but may loose all self control and get it with justification that it has the 1/4 power function; so, that I can get the cranked sound at a low volume.

Anyone else seen it?
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

supposedly its a 25 watt head without a clean channel. I just looked it up. mentioned something about using EL84's...? I wonder how thats going to effect its overall sound/tone...$699 for the thing?!?!?
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Power switch in the back. Strike one.
Shared EQ. Strike two.
No clean channel. Strike three.
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

misterwhizzy said:
Power switch in the back. Strike one.
Shared EQ. Strike two.
No clean channel. Strike three.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call those strikes...

I have the EVH 5150 III 50 watt head. The power switch on the back is a pain, but the tone makes up for it.

I rarely use the clean channel as Channel 2 cleans up quite nicely on its own, and I tend to leave channels 2 and 3 EQ's the same so the "burn" channel is just Channel 2 with more gain and sustain.

The strike against the 50 watt is it's too darn heavy to transport. It's small but weighs a ton. I like this 18 watt as it's ultra portable compared to the 50 watt.

Price wise? I think the 18 watt should be less- around $499, not $699 as you're getting an amp that's essentially half of the 50 watt
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

The true benefit of this head is portability. As far as sound goes, the EVH 5150 III 50 watt sounds great at any volume. There's no reason, in my mind, to get anything lower wattage than that other than weight and ability to transport. The 50 watt head is not exactly small or light, and the combo is even heavier.
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Jeff5 said:
The true benefit of this head is portability. As far as sound goes, the EVH 5150 III 50 watt sounds great at any volume. There's no reason, in my mind, to get anything lower wattage than that other than weight and ability to transport. The 50 watt head is not exactly small or light, and the combo is even heavier.
Click to expand...

I also have an Orange Tiny Terror. That amp you can throw in a gig bag over your shoulder. When I was lugging my gear through a few feet of snow this winter, it would've been nice if the 5150 III was as light as the Tiny Terror.

The 50 Watt is great at any level. I tried the combo with the power scaling, and didn't notice any difference in tone.
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Total agree with you. I have the combo with power scaling and honestly don't need the power scaling at all.
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Ive seen it online. I think a coming soon blurb on the EVH site. Im really curious to hear how it sounds. They are doing wonders with el84s tubes these days, but cant believe that they can make an amp with el84s sound like one that runs el34s, 6l6s or otherwise..

The clips arent bad. alittle brittle compared to the big kahuna
 
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Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Jeff5 said:
The true benefit of this head is portability. As far as sound goes, the EVH 5150 III 50 watt sounds great at any volume. There's no reason, in my mind, to get anything lower wattage than that other than weight and ability to transport. The 50 watt head is not exactly small or light, and the combo is even heavier.
Click to expand...

Not having the ability to play the 50 watt and the 100 watter back to back, does the 50 give up much in the way of tone? Im aware of the difference in controls, but I was wondering if the tone is much different. Thinner? I have a couple amps with half power switches and the only difference I can really hear tonally is they lose alittle beef.
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Yes, the 50 watt sounds different from the 100 watt head, but not just because the poweramp is different, the preamp design is different too. The 50-watt head is brighter and more upper-mid-focused than the 100 watt head in the highest gain channel, and the mid-gain channel is gainier on the 50-watt, I think.

The Stealth would be closer to the 100-watt version of the 50-watt 5150III.
 
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Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Like Rex said, they are actually different amps from a design perspective. I actually had a 100 watt too and I sold it. The red channel was close to the 50 watt, but still not as aggressive. The blue channel wasn't even in the same ball park. The cleans I guess were close, I don't play clean that much with my 50 watt. My recollection was that they were just okay. The blue channel is where the real difference was and it is a very big difference. I heard the 100 watt Stealth is close, but they are pricey. The 50 watt is just voiced differently and has a whole different mojo going on. Great amp.
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Jeff5 said:
Like Rex said, they are actually different amps from a design perspective. I actually had a 100 watt too and I sold it. The red channel was close to the 50 watt, but still not as aggressive. The blue channel wasn't even in the same ball park. The cleans I guess were close, I don't play clean that much with my 50 watt. My recollection was that they were just okay. The blue channel is where the real difference was and it is a very big difference. I heard the 100 watt Stealth is close, but they are pricey. The 50 watt is just voiced differently and has a whole different mojo going on. Great amp.
Click to expand...

so Im reading this that the 50 has more gain? You prefer the 50? Sounds like from Rex's info, the 50 may have more of a Marshall hot rod thing going with the upper mid boost.? As far as the stealth, I wasnt paying much attention as I thought it was just a visual difference..
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

So, the lunchbox version - is it 15 watts like the original announcement and the link to specs for pre-order I posted or is it 18 or 25 watts?
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

The 50 definitely has more gain on the blue channel and probably on the red too. It does sound more boosted, and also seems to have a bit more natural compression. I've never played a hot rod Marshall before so I can't comment on that. Yes, the stealth is a different animal than the regular 5150 III 100 watt. In my mind, the only real reason to get the 100 is if you need the head room and/or need a dedicated clean channel. Otherwise the 50 is a clear winner. (And you can get it modded for a dedicated clean too)
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

Jeff5 said:
The 50 definitely has more gain on the blue channel and probably on the red too. It does sound more boosted, and also seems to have a bit more natural compression. I've never played a hot rod Marshall before so I can't comment on that. Yes, the stealth is a different animal than the regular 5150 III 100 watt. In my mind, the only real reason to get the 100 is if you need the head room and/or need a dedicated clean channel. Otherwise the 50 is a clear winner. (And you can get it modded for a dedicated clean too)
Click to expand...

I have the 50 watt. From what I read, the regular 100 watt blur channel needs to be boosted a little to get a true EVH tone, whereas the 50 watt doesn't need a boost, it nails it.

Funny thing is they never advertised the 50 watt as having more gain or being voiced a little different, though players noticed it. With the stealth they're advertising it
 
Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

You could mod this with stackable knobs for gain, presence, and what not and have
flexibility between channels. It's no big deal. I wonder how good it could sound. It might be really cool. Waiting on the sidelines I guess to play one.
 
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Re: EVH 5150 18 watt lunchbox head

jmh151 said:
I have the 50 watt. From what I read, the regular 100 watt blur channel needs to be boosted a little to get a true EVH tone, whereas the 50 watt doesn't need a boost, it nails it.

Funny thing is they never advertised the 50 watt as having more gain or being voiced a little different, though players noticed it. With the stealth they're advertising it
Click to expand...

sounds like the fiddy is the way to go..
 
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