EVH 5150 iii LBX or Fender Bassbreaker 15 head as power amp platform ?

[IMENATOR]

I want to buy me a small tube amp head, not just to enjoy its own sound but also to be used as a power amp platform for my new Tonex One. Both are advertised as 15 watt, both have a pair of EL84 in power section, both have an FX loop, both are small and easy to carry being the 5150 more like a lunch box. I really liked the Bassbreaker for cleans and crunch, the 5150 of course excels at high gain. Both are priced very close at the store. I could easily throw a coin and buy any of those.

Which one would you choose and why? Which one is less prone to failure as far as you know?

Edit: Of course, I will plug this into a guitar cab of mine, a 1x12 with a celestion Lynchback.

Edit 2: How about the Boss NextTone? They claim they accurately emulate power amp section.

 

[misterwhizzy]

I can't argue for or against either of these, but I would suggest you consider a Marshall Origin 20. Very good cleans and excels as a pedal platform.

 

[IMENATOR]

I think I did skiped an important point: My intention is to use the ToneX One with its CAB emulation disabled so I can use it like a Preamp, then connect it into the FX return of the tube amp which is meant to provide the tube power amp.

 

[ehdwuld]

Power speaker just ain't doing it for ya?

With the modeler
You only need a speaker with Power

You want to carry three things in instead ot two?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I used to have an LBX 1 and 2.

Both sounded great on their own, but really struggled in a full-band. YMMV depending how loud your drummer is and what genre of music you're playing. For heavier music, they were loud, but they really struggled. They got shrill and farty past a certain point, and honestly, past like 3 or 4-ish (out 10) on the volume dial, they didn't really get any louder, just fartier.

I posted a thread about upgrading from my 20W EL84 poweramp (it's a Mooer Tube Engine), and people were telling me that it's the whole rest of the band that should turn down, LOL. I don't always think that's possible, especially with drummers playing aggressive music aggresively (the way it's supposed to be played, right?). Plus I'd much rather be told to turn down than to to be told to turn up and not be able to, especially at a gig.

That... and really, what's great about the LBX's is the preamp sound, not the poweramp. They sound REALLY good recorded through a good 4x12 at a studio setting where you get to crank them up, but don't have to crank them up past where their sweet spot is. Better than the Bassbreaker, IMO. At least for the style of music that I play.

I have brief experience with the Bassbreaker 15, and I while I never A/B'd the LBX's with the Bassbreaker, I'd almost bet the LBX's were louder.

 

[IMENATOR]

Power speaker just ain't doing it for ya?

With the modeler
You only need a speaker with Power

You want to carry three things in instead ot two?

I dont have a FRFR powered speaker, buying a good one is close to buying a small 15 tube head, lunch box is easy to carry.

 

[ehdwuld]

But carry a lunch box , a speaker cab,and you modeler

The powered speaker ther are good ones for about $200

12 inch 400 watts

Enough to cover any drummer
Way more than a 15 waat head

And doesn't need to be frfr
A PA speaker is frfr

Marketing just wants to charge more for the same thing

 

[IMENATOR]

Yep but I already have a guitar cab I like, anyways the comments about 15 watts not being loud enough for a band is making me doubt about going this route. The drummer plays loud and there is another guitar too.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Yep but I already have a guitar cab I like, anyways the comments about 15 watts not being loud enough for a band is making me doubt about going this route. The drummer plays loud and there is another guitar too.

When I had my LBX's, I managed to get them barely loud enough to get through band practice... but they had a tendency to get buried on the busier parts, they started to sound like shit at those levels, and forget having any headroom left if you want a solo boost.

I heard the PRS MT15's are louder though, if you wanna get a lunchbox head that's not too expensive.

I did have a few of those lunchbox heads because a lot of them record beautifully, and the LBX's were some of the better/louder ones. I think it's because they are fixed bias rather than cathode biased like the Tiny Terror, Dark Terror, and Krank Rev Jr. that I also had. But I still think they're more like studio heads that can sometimes get you by if you just wanna grab something light and you're certain you're going mic'd and will have decent monitors to hear yourself.

Then again, it also depends on what kind of tone you're after. For a big, broad, tight, punchy Metal sound, forget it. Especially since you want it for some power to amplify your modeler. But some people like that amp about to explode sound. I don't think a 5150 is the right amp if you're looking for that sound, though.

Also, keep in mind speaker efficiendy plays a role. I ran mine through Creamback H's and V30's at that time which are 100dB. Run them through Greenbacks (or a Lynchback like you mentioned you will be), and all of a sudden, you migh as well be using a 7.5W head, rather.

 

[Mincer]

I don't think I'd buy a whole amp just to use the power amp. I'd use something like a PowerStage instead.

 

[ErikH]

The Boss NexTone is a really good amp. I have the Stage. 40 watts and it is stupid loud. Last few gigs with it had to have it set to the .5watt setting but since I updated the firmware and checked out settings, I dropped that even further to .2watt. And it's still really loud. I've not used it for the power amp alone. The Katana has a dedicated power amp in for use with modeling floorboards and the like so it would be used as a FRFR at that point. If that is what you're looking for, check out the Katana. Bonus is you have a whole other modeling pre-amp at your disposal too if you want.

But, if you just need a power amp solution, the PowerStage would be the better choice.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I'm looking into the Blackstar Amped 1 myself. It's 100W regardless of load impedance, and it's cheaper than the Powerstage 170 which I've read is not super loud running at 16 ohms.

 

[misterwhizzy]

I'm looking into the Blackstar Amped 1 myself. It's 100W regardless of load impedance, and it's cheaper than the Powerstage 170 which I've read is not super loud running at 16 ohms.

I'd love to hear your impressions if and when you do play/buy one. Those things look pretty great, but I think the initial internet fanfare has died off. They might have also saturated their own market with the 2 and 3.

 

[donaldr]

Fender FR12 has very good reviews on Fractal forum. It's an FRFR but with more of the "amp in the room" feel. Would be a better solution for matching a Tonex One IMHO.

 

[Ascension]

I want to buy me a small tube amp head, not just to enjoy its own sound but also to be used as a power amp platform for my new Tonex One. Both are advertised as 15 watt, both have a pair of EL84 in power section, both have an FX loop, both are small and easy to carry being the 5150 more like a lunch box. I really liked the Bassbreaker for cleans and crunch, the 5150 of course excels at high gain. Both are priced very close at the store. I could easily throw a coin and buy any of those.

Which one would you choose and why? Which one is less prone to failure as far as you know?

Edit: Of course, I will plug this into a guitar cab of mine, a 1x12 with a celestion Lynchback.

Edit 2: How about the Boss NextTone? They claim they accurately emulate power amp section.

PRS MT 15 or the 20 watt HRDX need to both be considered. Both are small, compact light and a great bang for the $. They also run 6L6's so have a ton of usable headroom and will murder any EL 84 amp on headroom. Both are fantastic sounding, reliable amps on their own.
I had an MT 15 for some time and loved the little amp. Only sold it because I also have a first gen US built PRS Archon 50 head, and it was redundant. On the volume side, I had problems with the MT 15 being too loud and very hard to control at low volume, not the other way. They are LOUD on the right cab and have no issues getting over drums and bass on stage. The cleans on the MT 15 are fantastic with a ton of headroom and the high gain is very modern and touch sensitive.

 

[Ascension]

I can't argue for or against either of these, but I would suggest you consider a Marshall Origin 20. Very good cleans and excels as a pedal platform.

Good choice with the big bottle EL 34 tubes. I personally prefer the PRS HDRX 20 watt over the Origin 20, but the Origin is a solid choice here. I feel the PRS is just a better sounding and better built amp. I have played both side by side BTW.

 

[Ascension]

When I had my LBX's, I managed to get them barely loud enough to get through band practice... but they had a tendency to get buried on the busier parts, they started to sound like **** at those levels, and forget having any headroom left if you want a solo boost.

I heard the PRS MT15's are louder though, if you wanna get a lunchbox head that's not too expensive.

I did have a few of those lunchbox heads because a lot of them record beautifully, and the LBX's were some of the better/louder ones. I think it's because they are fixed bias rather than cathode biased like the Tiny Terror, Dark Terror, and Krank Rev Jr. that I also had. But I still think they're more like studio heads that can sometimes get you by if you just wanna grab something light and you're certain you're going mic'd and will have decent monitors to hear yourself.

Then again, it also depends on what kind of tone you're after. For a big, broad, tight, punchy Metal sound, forget it. Especially since you want it for some power to amplify your modeler. But some people like that amp about to explode sound. I don't think a 5150 is the right amp if you're looking for that sound, though.

Also, keep in mind speaker efficiendy plays a role. I ran mine through Creamback H's and V30's at that time which are 100dB. Run them through Greenbacks (or a Lynchback like you mentioned you will be), and all of a sudden, you migh as well be using a 7.5W head, rather.

First off a PRS MT 15 isn't a 15 watt amp it's closer to 30. They are LOUD on the right cab and also have a lot of clean headroom with 6L6's like the head I had run. Would easily keep up with my 50 watt Carvin X50B and a few other 50 watt heads I have had. Not much overall volume difference between the MT 15 and my first gen US built 50 watt Archon head. The Archon did open up more at higher volumes, where the MT 15 got more compressed, but in no way did my MT 15 ever lack punch at any gig.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

First off a PRS MT 15 isn't a 15 watt amp it's closer to 30. They are LOUD on the right cab and also have a lot of clean headroom with 6L6's like the head I had run. Would easily keep up with my 50 watt Carvin X50B and a few other 50 watt heads I have had. Not much overall volume difference between the MT 15 and my first gen US built 50 watt Archon head. The Archon did open up more at higher volumes, where the MT 15 got more compressed, but in no way did my MT 15 ever lack punch at any gig.

I haven't played an MT15, but I was saying I've read they're one of the better (and louder) ones.