@Bigovsky of course. the oversized mesa is a go to. I have a heavy ass Crate cab that came with a Blue Voodoo my roommate and I bought, but the speakers are complete ass. Trying to decide on what to throw into it once I have money. I really liked Kristian Kohle's video over the Celestion Blue for metal. And i think WHG makes a blue clone at a higher wattage rating
When I joined my first hand, my bassist friend said get a ts9 And EQ. First thing he did was slide lowest and highest fader all the way down to get tighten up low end and pull out fizzy unwanted high end. then on my amp I used my resonance and presence knobs to move my high and low mids around after I EQ the channel I played on. I use a 6505+
Agree on that 100%. In front of my 5150 and Peavey JSX I only use a TS-9, a ISP Decimator Noise Gate and an MXR M108S EQ pedal and that's it. Great tone for days. If you want even further tonal options, put the EQ through the effects loop.
EQ in loop is super powerful. The EQ pedal affects everything behind it. So in front depending on where it is in the chain it's certain pedals and guitar going into the amp. In the loop it shapes the channel you're using as a post EQ before your power amp. Love versatility if in the loop I put after reverb before delay
Do you like how the Decimator rounds out sustained notes? I have a nice noise gate, but I think because cutoff is so dramatic, I can’t get a balance between sustain and gating. So I’ve had the decimator on my radar because I’ve seen some great videos on it. What are your thoughts?
@@thisguy2973 I love the Decimator noise gate. It's easy to use (only one knob that controls the gate threshold) and it really is good for playing lead. I had a Boss Noise Supressor for a while but it just doesn't compare to the Decimator in terms of smooth decay and sustain. I'd recommend one in a heartbeat.
@@a.wagner6225 Definitely mate. I love my JSX and can't believe how cheap I got it for. Very versatile amp with a clean channel that just does not break up and it excellent for putting pedals through.
Thanks for highlighting the GE-7, Ola. Lots of folks overlook pre-EQ as a means to shape their tone, especially when tightening up their amp's response. IMO pre-EQ is the most underrated tool for tone shaping.
Right? Considering how absurdly high gain the 5150 is, you could easily turn the gain way up and use the eq only to cut the low end rumble and high end harshness and still crush anything that comes your way LOL
@@joeylizotte7537 Why boost? Just read my original comment again to see where you missed my point. The amp needs no boosting, what I suggested is underdriving some frequencies, taking advantage of the high gain in the amp. If you eq it in the loop it's not so effective, as you need to cut a lot more and a lot more precisely, where a parametric eq or a bigger, studio/rack quality graphic make a lot more sense. It is like changing pickups, yes, it's like a fluence you can voice the pull settings as you like.
Things I do with my iconic combo that makes me like it more : Switched to a creamback(stock speaker isn't that great), don't use too much gain(red channel on 1 for some Led Zep, 2 for some scorpions, 3 for Van Halen and like 3.5 if you just need something extra), the boost function is all you need for solos(Ed really nailed the right amount of gain you need for solos),Don't go past 4 on the presence(way too fizzy after that), don't use any resonance(makes it muddy, i keep the bass on 2-3 at most, it might sound thin by yourself but it cuts great in a mix).
Yep. These are all things that people overlook when hearing reviews or thinking about the amp tone. What sounds awesome by itself, needs to be a little bit thinned out for a band setting. Also, yes the presence and resonance are VERY useful tools... this depends on your guitar as well. Can do higher resonance with a Strat vs a Les Paul. And pretty much noon with a Ibanez, Jackson, etc.
In my experience with the iconic, I feel no need to make it sound better. I was very nervous about how good it was going to be, but as soon as I turned it on and push the button to the red channel I feel I had the perfect tone right away.. In an awesome way 😊🤘.. I think my cabinet has a lot to do with it. I'm running it through an Engl 4x12 with 2x vintage 30, and 2x K100, and I really feel it is the perfect match for the amp...before i got the iconic, I was using my Engl fireball 25 and it sounded really good, but also very sharp.. A little bit too sharp I think.. A little painful for the ears. Not with the iconic, I feel it has the exact right amount of sharpness for this speaker configuration.. I was blown away with how awesome it sounds.. And using a guitar with fishman moderns...i really feel no need to use a tubescreamer or any kind of overdrive pedal.. It sounds much better without it. 🙂
@@shamsulchong1785 it has nothing to do with treble..i guess its hard to explane..i know its because of the K-100`s..those things are loud...as the name imply(100w unit)..there is just somthing about the way that the Engl fireball 25 , hits those speakers...it sound really good, but just a bit too sharp..ear piercing...with the Iconic , it just more smooth ..its as if it hit the speakers just the right way. hope that made sense :-)
How about the boss ME-80 through the fx loop for modulation? I love ch 1 on the iconic so i dont need any more distortion. Just delay and a but more reverb.
How did you decide which speaker to add to the cabinet? Was it a matter of picking a different one you liked or was there one you thought would pair well?
Classic Amplifier 5150, one of the top high gain, I think it is an amplifier with a more acute sounds, it is more versatile, turning on, overdrive and an equalizer for fine adjustments, Congratulations Great Tips!
Home boy is also using a Peavey Windsor cab, which is made of MDF and the Windsor speakers are.... not so good. I think a cab upgrade to a birch cabinet and a higher quality speaker would help him a good bit. The other pieces of the puzzle are there.
Yeah, not a great cabinet. Speakers are the single biggest factor in how your amp's tone is perceived by you. What sounds like an amp that doesn't wanna dial in now, will sound completely different to your ears through a different cab, and with different speakers. Look for a high quality cab, even a 2x12 if necessary, with good construction and good speakers.
I actually figured that out after i played a gig with my band 2 days ago. Not sure what speakers they were but it sounded a looooot better on those compared to the windsor
I got an Iconic combo a short while ago and have been very upset with the way I usually set an amp up. I almost returned it, but I spent a good amount of time playing with the controls, I thought I would share my experience. This is a super mids-focused amp from top to bottom. The presence and mids knob are going to be the guys you want to barely move at all. I usually like to set my presence around "6" on an amp and mids about the same to give definition and cut to my tone. If you do this on the Iconic combo, you land into cocked wah territory. Some people may want that kind of tone, but I primarily play Stoner/Doom metal and hard rock so the wah sound is not for me. My current settings are: Low 5.5 Mid 4 High 7 Resonance 6 Presence 3 Granted, this is what works in my small house, but starting somewhere here would be something I recommend to anyone before adding EQs or just dumping the amp altogether. My other touch point is Channel 2. The "normal" side of channel 2 is what I would consider a hot rodded JCM type tone. Like using my settings above and keeping gain around 5 or 6 works perfect for some Sleep Holy Mountain tones, especially when paired with the boost. The burn button is something I'm not a huge fan of, because of what it does related to the music I play. "Burn" gives a little more mid push, little more presence and a tad bit more gain. It's definitely dynamic and "modern". I would compare it to running Channel 2 Normal with a TS9 to boost it, just more focused on mids. I think I don't like this switch because it brings back the vocal mids, but it still isn't tight enough for the kind of modern metal I would want to play. It stays a little flubby, for better or worse. Another thing to keep in mind is that this amp has a lot of gain, but not all of it is usable in my opinion. Sure, you can throw it to 10, but it just becomes a bit of a muddy mess. For me, it works best when you don't put Channel 2 gain higher than 7. Channel one is great in both clean and gain modes. I like it around 5, but you really can't go wrong with that channel. In short, you won't get modern metalcore, deathcore, or prog out of this without an overdrive pedal or EQ, but If you really spend time with it, it is a wonderful amp. I finally got it where I like it and wanted to share my findings in case others are having similar struggles. You have to treat the amp more like an Americanized Marshall than "the legend of modern metal" as it has been advertised as (regarding its similarity to the OG 5150 of the 90s). I haven't played an original 5150, but I do own a Peavey Ultra 60 and they are similar in a lot of ways. A big difference is that the Ultra is hard to get presence out of sometimes, but the Iconic has it for days. I wouldn't be afraid to gig with the Iconic at all. It's a solid amp and it has warmed up on me. I should add that I play a Squire '72 Thinline Telecaster with the stock Wide Range pickups, so your rig may very quite a bit. But I'm happy and think I'll be keeping it
I also have one of these bad boys , like you I struggled a little with dialling in a good sound for a while . I tried your settings on mine and it sounds killer ! Thanks man
Ya i realized that when i played a gig with my band the other day lol. Im still a noob when it comes to speakers but ill definitely have to upgrade. Cheers!
Boss EQ (or any other good EQ) are a staple in many pedal boards just to fix those small frequencies we dont want. I used to use one in the loop of a Single Recto to shape the sound better, got some killer tones.
The GE7 is a life saver. I had an H&K Switchblade that sounded like a semi-weak Marshall. Ran a GE7 through the effects loop and it became a monster. I did it through the loop so I was re-eq-Ing the preamp rather than the front end
For a more curated EQ experience Fortin 33 or Pepers' Pedals Dirty Tree work nicely into a modern amp. They are called boost pedals but they are really all about cutting frequencies under 300 Hz and boosting above it.
Any clean front end volume boost helps along with cutting the boomy lows and a few of the super high end frequencies. A lot of people scoop the mids too much in the front. If you are gonna scoop, do it on the Amp or in the effects loop. Season to taste.
Thanks Ola! I have owned this amp coming up on a year now and have struggled with that same issues. Using that EQ seems like a great remedy. I appreciate the content!
The first thing I'd have him do is sell that Peavey cab. I love Peavey amps, but their speakers suck. Get a Mesa, Marshall, Engl, or Hesu cab. Great video though! Those pedals really made a difference.
Overdrive/Boost and the 5150s are the best, get really nice tight tones. I am currently using either the Protone Bulb Deluxe or Fortin 33 clone. Would recommend either, but the protone is my favourite.
The Boss EQ is actually not a noisy pedal if you never push any of the sliders higher than zero / unity. Just cut instead of boost. E.g. Cut lows and highs if you want more mids.
It is a modernized 5150. As an owner of a block letter, a 6505 usa made(same thing), and the Iconic... it absolutely rips and is superior in the room to the 5150/6505 for modern tones, needs nothing when dialed. THAT SAID, people are used to having to boost the 5150 to get it to sound the way they like. In a mix, it is also much different, 5150 is almost a platform of gain & iconic is fully shaped for modern tones and tunings. IMHO, people should stop trying to make it sound like a different amp. They both have their own lane. I blame most of the bad press on the initial release video.. sounded terrible. Then RUclipsrs hopped on tribalistic hate train, I think before even playing one. I demoed one for 2 hours in person and couldn't quit riffing, eventually got it and the matching cab. Objectively, this a highly refined amp that is really good at what it does - nothing else will do what it does for the price. Sort of a one trick pony and one dimensional, but it punches WAY above it's weight. I have no fanboying or loyalty to any one in particular, just being objective as an owner of each.
Cheap option (but maybe even better control) Get some Berringer pedals, here you can get at least twice as many pedals :-) and they work just as well (but they are not as durable for live rigs) Get: 1. TA 800 (TS-9 clone) 2. EA 700 (GE-7 clone) ekstra 3. NR 300 Noise gate 4. CS 400 Compressor you might want to use send and out from noise gate in front and in loop :-)
My 5150 Iconic Combo tips: Keep red channel gain below 5 Low at 4 Mid at 0 High at 5.5 Resonance at 4 Presence at 3.5 I use a Boss SD-1 in front Red channel gain at 1 for classic rock, gain at 3.5 for modern metal Presence has to be below 4 for this amp!!!! Sounds killer even with stock speaker
EQ for reducing a bit of that low end energy in front of the amp just allows those pick attack dynamics to shine. Can still beef up the resonance on a 5150 to get a little beef back in after the pre stage...
Yep really good suggestion. I would say the only reason to get an OD is if you want to switch between the totally clean and some OD tones with your feet. You can go from clean to a sort of already metal with Channel 2 or clean to OD via your guitar volume knob, but can't do Clean + basic crunchy OD with just the foot switch. So the OD pedal helps there.... not really needed for tone, mostly for practicality in live situations. And yes EQ because... well that's usefull for any amp. Especially if you want to play varied music from Djenty hardcore to classic metal, to punk and indie crunch, etc.
I use an Earthquaker Tone Job as my eq pedal - my smooth brain like simple 3 band eq I run it after my drive pedals as an overall eq and it does excellent 👌
The old rack mount Mk1 BBE sonic maximizers really tightened mine up. I also use the green side(the 808) of the JHS Sweet Tea MK2 on mine. It absolutely crushes.
Very good Ola. That brings me to the question I have asked several times: Which Celestion speaker are the ones used in the Iconic box most comparable to? Keep up the good work! I love it. Almost always.
I've used an old Ibanez EQ pedal as a boost for many years - definitely recommended. And a good compressor (especially with EQ or a multirange type) will do the trick too 👍
I used to use a noise suppressor with my 6505+ which also helped some of the extraneous noise, especially when using with a noisy pedal like that equalizer, cheers!
Ola is giving great advice here. An eq pedal in the loop helps a lot. I find Airis Effects pedals can really tighten up the front end with their boost and ODs as well. That combo will fix any issues.
Just my take on this. "air" frequencies are 14khz and above, boosting those frequencies will make guitar breathe more. Careful with boosting them tho cause you might boost the annoying hiss and fizz frequencies. To get a feeling of space record 2 takes of the same section and hard pan them left and right. To get a spacey sound you can add reverb to your liking. To get more high frequencies while recording use a condenser mic and face it to the edge of the speaker. Great way to get best of both worlds is to use 2 mics one sm57 closer to the middle and one condenser at the edge of the speaker. Low pass the sm57 and high pass filter the other to blend 2 mics to be together in a mix.
I bought this amp and when I got it it got from foreigner to Pantera and it will reject a few distortion pedals .. However before I got to use it on the road I have had major problems and EVH has the worst customer service since Dorect TV.. I hope those who have one don't go thru everything I have with it . Going back in the shop and haven't even used it but for a few practice sessions.. I hope the shop brings the tones back because this amp rocks .
Please respong - can you please compare the peavy valveking (mark 1) with the boss katana or even the new peavy valve king People often forget about this when metal amp shopping and you can find these used for 300$ often. Some thumbs up 👍 from you folks would help to for ola to see
With other 5150 models I’ve always turned the gain way down, like 9:00, and turned the bass almost off. In a band context the lower gain and bass almost closed made it pop in a band context
Moat amps since the '90s seem to be voiced for the showroom or the bedroom, too much low end, too much gain, luckily we can always turn down the bass control and remove a little fizz once there's a bass player and cymbals and everything else going on.
Hey Ola! I'd love a video seeing you dial in a Swollen Pickle on top of a 5150/high gain amp. The inspiration comes from producers like Will Putney and Lance Prenc who will use a swollen pickle on top of an already high gain tone for certain parts. Bands like Dealer, Alpha Wolf, Kublai Khan and Knocked Loose for example. Love the channel, thanks!
I have replaced my preamp tubes in my 6505mh with lower gain ones. It was suffering with unusable gain control past 4-5 mark. Now it is usable in all range. This might be a similar issue here.
I run the EQ pedal through the effects loop on the back of mine. With the proper channel switcher, you can create 4 separate tones or just dial in 2 and leave it engaged the entire time. Problem solved.
Any high gain distortion pedal or amp will benefit from some EQ tweaking. Like he said, identify the undesirable frequencies, and drop them out a bit. Then add some of the "good" ones you want to accentuate. Notice how he starts with the EQ flat and works from there. Would seem to me, common sense? Unfortunately with all the crazy gear out there, I think many people get mired in mud and can't find their way out?
our guitarist is using a Mesa Triple Rectifier as his amp with a Dan Electro 7 band Fish N Chips EQ Pedal after that in his chain he's using at Joyo Vintage Overdrive pedal (sounds just as good as a TS808 our friend in another band has, we did a shoot out in the band room) and his pre-amp pedal is a Joyo Chopper Z.
I have both the amp and cab, run a dod YJM308 in front and a rack eq in the loop with a sonic maximizer and it sounds great. You can make it sound like any type of modern metal. Personally I like a scooped sound
More highs? haha In my particular opinion this amp have the best mid ever in the market, totally agressive for thrash/hardcore/metalcore/melodic death.
Great sounding already but really dials it in with the pedals man! I have a solid state Orange CR120 but don’t have a cab. Of course the goal one day is to have a tube amp but I was wondering if you had a solid state tucked away you could beat the $hit out of with some overdrive and noise gate pedals to see how metal I may be able to go! Haha! Hope you had a great weekend man!
Also add an ISP Decimator. Amp will sound killer. Will get that tight TBDM sound. Maybe add a Marshall or Mesa cab. Marshall with vintage 30s and the 5150 sound amazing.
Ola, I have 2 unrelated questions here, maybe choose one :) 1. How to get close to Meshuggah's lead tone? Would be nice to see an amp and a vst method as well. 2. I use a dual recto with a 2x12 with vintage 30s. I seem to get a lot of icepick treble, no matter what I dial, how does one get rid of that? Thanks :)
Ola please respong! What is your procedure of capturing a speaker IR. I'm very impressed by how yours sound and would like to know how to make something like that 🙂. Cheers man!
Also important: the speakers in the cab youre using. they could just not be great speakers, which will impact the tone you can get
exactly 🙂
@Bigovsky of course. the oversized mesa is a go to.
I have a heavy ass Crate cab that came with a Blue Voodoo my roommate and I bought, but the speakers are complete ass. Trying to decide on what to throw into it once I have money.
I really liked Kristian Kohle's video over the Celestion Blue for metal. And i think WHG makes a blue clone at a higher wattage rating
@Bigovsky Peavey actually got this wrong with the Sheffield speakers they used in the 5150 cabs. They were just bad speakers.
The iconic 4x12 comes with EVH speakers, right? (8ohm greenbacks with some tweaks if I'm not mistaken)
@@mfkrwill do you mean WGS? I've got their green beret (green back) and its awesome.
When I joined my first hand, my bassist friend said get a ts9 And EQ. First thing he did was slide lowest and highest fader all the way down to get tighten up low end and pull out fizzy unwanted high end. then on my amp I used my resonance and presence knobs to move my high and low mids around after I EQ the channel I played on. I use a 6505+
Most useful comment in the thread
Agree on that 100%. In front of my 5150 and Peavey JSX I only use a TS-9, a ISP Decimator Noise Gate and an MXR M108S EQ pedal and that's it. Great tone for days. If you want even further tonal options, put the EQ through the effects loop.
Exactly the same.
EQ in loop is super powerful.
The EQ pedal affects everything behind it. So in front depending on where it is in the chain it's certain pedals and guitar going into the amp. In the loop it shapes the channel you're using as a post EQ before your power amp. Love versatility if in the loop I put after reverb before delay
Do you like how the Decimator rounds out sustained notes? I have a nice noise gate, but I think because cutoff is so dramatic, I can’t get a balance between sustain and gating. So I’ve had the decimator on my radar because I’ve seen some great videos on it. What are your thoughts?
@@thisguy2973 I love the Decimator noise gate. It's easy to use (only one knob that controls the gate threshold) and it really is good for playing lead. I had a Boss Noise Supressor for a while but it just doesn't compare to the Decimator in terms of smooth decay and sustain. I'd recommend one in a heartbeat.
@@a.wagner6225 Definitely mate. I love my JSX and can't believe how cheap I got it for. Very versatile amp with a clean channel that just does not break up and it excellent for putting pedals through.
Thanks for highlighting the GE-7, Ola. Lots of folks overlook pre-EQ as a means to shape their tone, especially when tightening up their amp's response. IMO pre-EQ is the most underrated tool for tone shaping.
Right? Considering how absurdly high gain the 5150 is, you could easily turn the gain way up and use the eq only to cut the low end rumble and high end harshness and still crush anything that comes your way LOL
@@Octopus502 The EQ would be more effective in the loop for doing that..
It can help boost the signal, but it mostly changes the tone and output of your pickups.
It's effective in both ways, try it for yourself
@@joeylizotte7537 Why boost? Just read my original comment again to see where you missed my point. The amp needs no boosting, what I suggested is underdriving some frequencies, taking advantage of the high gain in the amp. If you eq it in the loop it's not so effective, as you need to cut a lot more and a lot more precisely, where a parametric eq or a bigger, studio/rack quality graphic make a lot more sense.
It is like changing pickups, yes, it's like a fluence you can voice the pull settings as you like.
Things I do with my iconic combo that makes me like it more : Switched to a creamback(stock speaker isn't that great), don't use too much gain(red channel on 1 for some Led Zep, 2 for some scorpions, 3 for Van Halen and like 3.5 if you just need something extra), the boost function is all you need for solos(Ed really nailed the right amount of gain you need for solos),Don't go past 4 on the presence(way too fizzy after that), don't use any resonance(makes it muddy, i keep the bass on 2-3 at most, it might sound thin by yourself but it cuts great in a mix).
Yep. These are all things that people overlook when hearing reviews or thinking about the amp tone. What sounds awesome by itself, needs to be a little bit thinned out for a band setting.
Also, yes the presence and resonance are VERY useful tools... this depends on your guitar as well. Can do higher resonance with a Strat vs a Les Paul. And pretty much noon with a Ibanez, Jackson, etc.
In my experience with the iconic, I feel no need to make it sound better. I was very nervous about how good it was going to be, but as soon as I turned it on and push the button to the red channel I feel I had the perfect tone right away.. In an awesome way 😊🤘.. I think my cabinet has a lot to do with it. I'm running it through an Engl 4x12 with 2x vintage 30, and 2x K100, and I really feel it is the perfect match for the amp...before i got the iconic, I was using my Engl fireball 25 and it sounded really good, but also very sharp.. A little bit too sharp I think.. A little painful for the ears. Not with the iconic, I feel it has the exact right amount of sharpness for this speaker configuration.. I was blown away with how awesome it sounds.. And using a guitar with fishman moderns...i really feel no need to use a tubescreamer or any kind of overdrive pedal.. It sounds much better without it. 🙂
Sounding too sharp? You can always decrease the amp's treble no?
@@shamsulchong1785 it has nothing to do with treble..i guess its hard to explane..i know its because of the K-100`s..those things are loud...as the name imply(100w unit)..there is just somthing about the way that the Engl fireball 25 , hits those speakers...it sound really good, but just a bit too sharp..ear piercing...with the Iconic , it just more smooth ..its as if it hit the speakers just the right way. hope that made sense :-)
Absolutely.
How about the boss ME-80 through the fx loop for modulation? I love ch 1 on the iconic so i dont need any more distortion. Just delay and a but more reverb.
How did you decide which speaker to add to the cabinet? Was it a matter of picking a different one you liked or was there one you thought would pair well?
Classic Amplifier 5150, one of the top high gain, I think it is an amplifier with a more acute sounds, it is more versatile, turning on, overdrive and an equalizer for fine adjustments, Congratulations Great Tips!
Home boy is also using a Peavey Windsor cab, which is made of MDF and the Windsor speakers are.... not so good. I think a cab upgrade to a birch cabinet and a higher quality speaker would help him a good bit. The other pieces of the puzzle are there.
Yeah, not a great cabinet. Speakers are the single biggest factor in how your amp's tone is perceived by you. What sounds like an amp that doesn't wanna dial in now, will sound completely different to your ears through a different cab, and with different speakers. Look for a high quality cab, even a 2x12 if necessary, with good construction and good speakers.
I actually figured that out after i played a gig with my band 2 days ago. Not sure what speakers they were but it sounded a looooot better on those compared to the windsor
I always put an EQ in the FX loop to any amp. Lately I've been using the Empress Para EQ.
I got an Iconic combo a short while ago and have been very upset with the way I usually set an amp up. I almost returned it, but I spent a good amount of time playing with the controls, I thought I would share my experience.
This is a super mids-focused amp from top to bottom. The presence and mids knob are going to be the guys you want to barely move at all. I usually like to set my presence around "6" on an amp and mids about the same to give definition and cut to my tone. If you do this on the Iconic combo, you land into cocked wah territory. Some people may want that kind of tone, but I primarily play Stoner/Doom metal and hard rock so the wah sound is not for me.
My current settings are:
Low 5.5
Mid 4
High 7
Resonance 6
Presence 3
Granted, this is what works in my small house, but starting somewhere here would be something I recommend to anyone before adding EQs or just dumping the amp altogether.
My other touch point is Channel 2. The "normal" side of channel 2 is what I would consider a hot rodded JCM type tone. Like using my settings above and keeping gain around 5 or 6 works perfect for some Sleep Holy Mountain tones, especially when paired with the boost.
The burn button is something I'm not a huge fan of, because of what it does related to the music I play. "Burn" gives a little more mid push, little more presence and a tad bit more gain. It's definitely dynamic and "modern". I would compare it to running Channel 2 Normal with a TS9 to boost it, just more focused on mids. I think I don't like this switch because it brings back the vocal mids, but it still isn't tight enough for the kind of modern metal I would want to play. It stays a little flubby, for better or worse.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this amp has a lot of gain, but not all of it is usable in my opinion. Sure, you can throw it to 10, but it just becomes a bit of a muddy mess. For me, it works best when you don't put Channel 2 gain higher than 7. Channel one is great in both clean and gain modes. I like it around 5, but you really can't go wrong with that channel.
In short, you won't get modern metalcore, deathcore, or prog out of this without an overdrive pedal or EQ, but If you really spend time with it, it is a wonderful amp. I finally got it where I like it and wanted to share my findings in case others are having similar struggles. You have to treat the amp more like an Americanized Marshall than "the legend of modern metal" as it has been advertised as (regarding its similarity to the OG 5150 of the 90s). I haven't played an original 5150, but I do own a Peavey Ultra 60 and they are similar in a lot of ways. A big difference is that the Ultra is hard to get presence out of sometimes, but the Iconic has it for days. I wouldn't be afraid to gig with the Iconic at all. It's a solid amp and it has warmed up on me.
I should add that I play a Squire '72 Thinline Telecaster with the stock Wide Range pickups, so your rig may very quite a bit. But I'm happy and think I'll be keeping it
I'm a simple man, I see Sleep and I thumbs up.
the combo has a pretty lack luster speaker in there tbh, change that for a good one and you will suddenly sound WAY better
thanks this helped me a lot
I also have one of these bad boys , like you I struggled a little with dialling in a good sound for a while . I tried your settings on mine and it sounds killer ! Thanks man
Its gotta be that windsor cab bruh those stock speakers are really tinny
Ya i realized that when i played a gig with my band the other day lol. Im still a noob when it comes to speakers but ill definitely have to upgrade. Cheers!
Ola and his 5150 on Saturday mornings when I spit shine my house!! Cheers 🍻😂❤
Boss EQ (or any other good EQ) are a staple in many pedal boards just to fix those small frequencies we dont want. I used to use one in the loop of a Single Recto to shape the sound better, got some killer tones.
The GE7 is a life saver. I had an H&K Switchblade that sounded like a semi-weak Marshall. Ran a GE7 through the effects loop and it became a monster. I did it through the loop so I was re-eq-Ing the preamp rather than the front end
For a more curated EQ experience Fortin 33 or Pepers' Pedals Dirty Tree work nicely into a modern amp. They are called boost pedals but they are really all about cutting frequencies under 300 Hz and boosting above it.
Any clean front end volume boost helps along with cutting the boomy lows and a few of the super high end frequencies. A lot of people scoop the mids too much in the front. If you are gonna scoop, do it on the Amp or in the effects loop. Season to taste.
Took a long time but I paired my 5150 lll 100 watt with the Misha 4x12 cabinet and it took me to tonal heaven!!!
I loved it with the TS9 in front. Killer combo.
Thanks Ola! I have owned this amp coming up on a year now and have struggled with that same issues. Using that EQ seems like a great remedy. I appreciate the content!
The first thing I'd have him do is sell that Peavey cab. I love Peavey amps, but their speakers suck. Get a Mesa, Marshall, Engl, or Hesu cab. Great video though! Those pedals really made a difference.
Overdrive/Boost and the 5150s are the best, get really nice tight tones. I am currently using either the Protone Bulb Deluxe or Fortin 33 clone. Would recommend either, but the protone is my favourite.
The Boss EQ is actually not a noisy pedal if you never push any of the sliders higher than zero / unity. Just cut instead of boost. E.g. Cut lows and highs if you want more mids.
Subtractive EQ for the win.
Rock on Ola that amp looks amazing 🤘 and sounds really good to
We can confirm that Ola is a wizard who drops his pick and can easily get that back instantly!
Ola just grows a new one at will.
@@Clafrance1971 🤣
It is a modernized 5150. As an owner of a block letter, a 6505 usa made(same thing), and the Iconic... it absolutely rips and is superior in the room to the 5150/6505 for modern tones, needs nothing when dialed. THAT SAID, people are used to having to boost the 5150 to get it to sound the way they like. In a mix, it is also much different, 5150 is almost a platform of gain & iconic is fully shaped for modern tones and tunings. IMHO, people should stop trying to make it sound like a different amp. They both have their own lane. I blame most of the bad press on the initial release video.. sounded terrible. Then RUclipsrs hopped on tribalistic hate train, I think before even playing one. I demoed one for 2 hours in person and couldn't quit riffing, eventually got it and the matching cab. Objectively, this a highly refined amp that is really good at what it does - nothing else will do what it does for the price. Sort of a one trick pony and one dimensional, but it punches WAY above it's weight. I have no fanboying or loyalty to any one in particular, just being objective as an owner of each.
Cheap option (but maybe even better control)
Get some Berringer pedals, here you can get at least twice as many pedals :-) and they work just as well
(but they are not as durable for live rigs)
Get:
1. TA 800 (TS-9 clone)
2. EA 700 (GE-7 clone)
ekstra
3. NR 300 Noise gate
4. CS 400 Compressor
you might want to use send and out from noise gate in front and in loop :-)
The GE-7 is the perfect complement to any amp or pedalboard. selective freq boost? yes, please
My 5150 Iconic Combo tips:
Keep red channel gain below 5
Low at 4
Mid at 0
High at 5.5
Resonance at 4
Presence at 3.5
I use a Boss SD-1 in front
Red channel gain at 1 for classic rock, gain at 3.5 for modern metal
Presence has to be below 4 for this amp!!!!
Sounds killer even with stock speaker
Boss GE7 is so versatile. Would have it on my board all day long
Putting the BOSS GE-7 works really well in the Effects Loop. That's where I prefer to put the GE-7.
EQ for reducing a bit of that low end energy in front of the amp just allows those pick attack dynamics to shine. Can still beef up the resonance on a 5150 to get a little beef back in after the pre stage...
Yep really good suggestion. I would say the only reason to get an OD is if you want to switch between the totally clean and some OD tones with your feet. You can go from clean to a sort of already metal with Channel 2 or clean to OD via your guitar volume knob, but can't do Clean + basic crunchy OD with just the foot switch. So the OD pedal helps there.... not really needed for tone, mostly for practicality in live situations.
And yes EQ because... well that's usefull for any amp. Especially if you want to play varied music from Djenty hardcore to classic metal, to punk and indie crunch, etc.
I use an Earthquaker Tone Job as my eq pedal - my smooth brain like simple 3 band eq
I run it after my drive pedals as an overall eq and it does excellent 👌
I love this series, looking foreword to the next one 😊
The answer to the first question is NOT PEDALS. Try another cab.
In the words of Ola the Swede. "SH*******ttttttt" Sounds damn good with the TS9.Thanks for the great demo!!!🤘😎👍
I love my full bore metal pedals in front of any amp plugged into.
I use the GE-7 in that way since many years and it works so great, mainely to dry the lows and boost the meds on my LesPaul
Perfect as soon as I get this head ola uploads this
That single cut with that reversed headstock is 🔥
Have u ever tried to use the EQ on send/return? It makes more sense to me, to shape de distortion, not the pickup
Would be nice to see a direct comparison of the 5150 Iconic and Peavey 5150
EQ in front is so useful, I find myself using an EQ for boosting and tightening more often than I would use an OD.
I have a 6505, cannot play it on its own. Threw an EQ and a noise gate into the FX loop, helps a ton
But does it chug?
Hi Ola. Could you please revisit the Katana Mk2 head? Preferably into an interface to show us how you would dial it in for recording.
I use both pedals, and they are awesome when combined together.
Awesome video!
The old rack mount Mk1 BBE sonic maximizers really tightened mine up. I also use the green side(the 808) of the JHS Sweet Tea MK2 on mine. It absolutely crushes.
Back in the day I used to run a BBE sonic maximizer rack unit with mine to tighten the bottom and give it a lil sparkle.
Very good Ola. That brings me to the question I have asked several times:
Which Celestion speaker are the ones used in the Iconic box most comparable to?
Keep up the good work! I love it. Almost always.
I've used an old Ibanez EQ pedal as a boost for many years - definitely recommended. And a good compressor (especially with EQ or a multirange type) will do the trick too 👍
I used to use a noise suppressor with my 6505+ which also helped some of the extraneous noise, especially when using with a noisy pedal like that equalizer, cheers!
Ola is giving great advice here. An eq pedal in the loop helps a lot. I find Airis Effects pedals can really tighten up the front end with their boost and ODs as well. That combo will fix any issues.
Question. When you are recording, what is the best technique to get the "air" or feeling of space with the guitars?
Just my take on this. "air" frequencies are 14khz and above, boosting those frequencies will make guitar breathe more. Careful with boosting them tho cause you might boost the annoying hiss and fizz frequencies. To get a feeling of space record 2 takes of the same section and hard pan them left and right. To get a spacey sound you can add reverb to your liking. To get more high frequencies while recording use a condenser mic and face it to the edge of the speaker. Great way to get best of both worlds is to use 2 mics one sm57 closer to the middle and one condenser at the edge of the speaker. Low pass the sm57 and high pass filter the other to blend 2 mics to be together in a mix.
I bought this amp and when I got it it got from foreigner to Pantera and it will reject a few distortion pedals .. However before I got to use it on the road I have had major problems and EVH has the worst customer service since Dorect TV.. I hope those who have one don't go thru everything I have with it . Going back in the shop and haven't even used it but for a few practice sessions.. I hope the shop brings the tones back because this amp rocks .
Please respong - can you please compare the peavy valveking (mark 1) with the boss katana or even the new peavy valve king
People often forget about this when metal amp shopping and you can find these used for 300$ often. Some thumbs up 👍 from you folks would help to for ola to see
Thank you so much Ola! I actually have a ts9 in the line, aswell as a 6 band mxr eq.
With other 5150 models I’ve always turned the gain way down, like 9:00, and turned the bass almost off. In a band context the lower gain and bass almost closed made it pop in a band context
Moat amps since the '90s seem to be voiced for the showroom or the bedroom, too much low end, too much gain, luckily we can always turn down the bass control and remove a little fizz once there's a bass player and cymbals and everything else going on.
Expensive suggestion but… I use a fortin 33 with my 5150 and my god is it good
Basic but useful information. 4:29 Boss GE-7 is noisy. MXR 10-band Graphic EQ is way better.
Ola I just purchased a A2.6TBR Solar.Great guitar man.Where is Pix?
I use the 5150 iconic combo pre amp with a ts mini and a mxr 10 band eq and can get some pretty crazy tones out of it
makes me so happy to hear icarus when talking about the "djenty" sound its just the best meme
the cab makes ton of difference as well
what speakers are in the peavey cab of the questionererer?
Hey Ola! I'd love a video seeing you dial in a Swollen Pickle on top of a 5150/high gain amp. The inspiration comes from producers like Will Putney and Lance Prenc who will use a swollen pickle on top of an already high gain tone for certain parts. Bands like Dealer, Alpha Wolf, Kublai Khan and Knocked Loose for example.
Love the channel, thanks!
I have replaced my preamp tubes in my 6505mh with lower gain ones. It was suffering with unusable gain control past 4-5 mark. Now it is usable in all range. This might be a similar issue here.
Ola jamming that Periphery riff!!!!
Or trying to djent
I run the EQ pedal through the effects loop on the back of mine. With the proper channel switcher, you can create 4 separate tones or just dial in 2 and leave it engaged the entire time. Problem solved.
I Got the Boss eq 200 that is wayyy better with its 2 loops. One before the input of the amp, one in the effects loop. Unbeatable
2:29 it's a classic. I have the stems from Andy Sneap's forum yet in a external HDD somewhere.
I would love to see a 5150iii cabinet comparison with a Mesa cab. I can’t find many demos of the EVH cabs online.
Im using a DOD eq and it's my favorite pedal. 👍
X-wire a NS-2 pedal in the input and fx-loop to get a "snortight" preamp gate! And get rid of that 5150 background hizz.
Awesome. I’d love to see a closer look on how you dial in the knobs on the amp itself too. Pls respond
In my past experience, the boss GEQ-7 add lots of noise. They should sell it with a noise gate.
I use the sonic maximizer in the fx loop and it’s work very well
Last year I brought a Marshall 6100LM, from classic to modern metal no pedals needed.
Any high gain distortion pedal or amp will benefit from some EQ tweaking. Like he said, identify the undesirable frequencies, and drop them out a bit. Then add some of the "good" ones you want to accentuate. Notice how he starts with the EQ flat and works from there. Would seem to me, common sense? Unfortunately with all the crazy gear out there, I think many people get mired in mud and can't find their way out?
4:52 Devil in White riff. Hell yeah! \m/
For me, it`s enough to have my Engl Victor Schmolsky with 4x10" Marshall dynamic basscabinet and that`s it.
you must put an equalizer in the send loop effect, put in front your guitar making noise
Eq in the loop, it will be able to drastically change the character of the distortion.
our guitarist is using a Mesa Triple Rectifier as his amp with a Dan Electro 7 band Fish N Chips EQ Pedal after that in his chain he's using at Joyo Vintage Overdrive pedal (sounds just as good as a TS808 our friend in another band has, we did a shoot out in the band room) and his pre-amp pedal is a Joyo Chopper Z.
Use the ts9 in front and eg in loop for more effect on shaping tone post the amps drive.
I have both the amp and cab, run a dod YJM308 in front and a rack eq in the loop with a sonic maximizer and it sounds great. You can make it sound like any type of modern metal. Personally I like a scooped sound
Low cut at the very beginning of the chain is great for modern chugs
More highs? haha
In my particular opinion this amp have the best mid ever in the market, totally agressive for thrash/hardcore/metalcore/melodic death.
4:30 exactly the reason why I sold my EQ pedal. For some reason, these things really add alot of humming.
It could even do with where in the room he has it, but the amp is just fine by itself.
A year later I find Celestion Lead 80 212 w/ a TS808 on channel 2 burn engaged gain at 9 o’clock just right for me(low mid high to taste)
Great sounding already but really dials it in with the pedals man! I have a solid state Orange CR120 but don’t have a cab. Of course the goal one day is to have a tube amp but I was wondering if you had a solid state tucked away you could beat the $hit out of with some overdrive and noise gate pedals to see how metal I may be able to go! Haha! Hope you had a great weekend man!
Also add an ISP Decimator. Amp will sound killer. Will get that tight TBDM sound. Maybe add a Marshall or Mesa cab. Marshall with vintage 30s and the 5150 sound amazing.
Yup same noise on my GE-7...its a bit annoying...I use a 10-band in the EQ
Ola, I have 2 unrelated questions here, maybe choose one :)
1. How to get close to Meshuggah's lead tone? Would be nice to see an amp and a vst method as well.
2. I use a dual recto with a 2x12 with vintage 30s. I seem to get a lot of icepick treble, no matter what I dial, how does one get rid of that?
Thanks :)
Ola please respong! What is your procedure of capturing a speaker IR. I'm very impressed by how yours sound and would like to know how to make something like that 🙂. Cheers man!
I used my mini tube screamer and mxr EQ and noise gate and got some sweet tones on my 5153
In that situation, I'd use the ts in the input and the ge7 on the loop
I've owned one of those Peavey 6505 cabs with the Sheffield speakers imho I think that's where the bulk of his issue lies.
GE-7 in the FX Loop is still my favorite way to shape a 5150
Too ice picky for me personally .. but reducing the lower frequencies and boosting everything else helped definitely.