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Live LOUD SETTINGS. Here are the amps. They were all ran through a Peavey 5150 4 x 12 cab loaded with fresh Sheffields.
Randall RM100 running blackface, XTC and ULRA modules
1984 JCM800 2204 Bone Stock
Rivera R100 Duo Hundred Twelve
Peavey 5150-II
I had these amps turned up loud and what I mean by loud is EAR BLEEDING. Walls were shaking loud.
I play METAL and I go for an 80's to early 90's type metal tone.
No effects. Just amp, cab, guitar and a cord. I did this to be fair to the 2204.
CLEAN.... Rivera by a landslide. The Rivera has 2 footswitchable modes for the clean channel. Normal and pushed. It also has a notch switch. These features allow this amp to mimic a Fender Blackface or a Marshall Plexi clean. Its remarkable. It can also be pushed via footswitch for that SRV type blues pushed clean tone. It also has outstanding reverb. I didn't use it for this comparison.
Everything else.... Peavey 5150-II by a remarkable landslide.
The 5150-II in addition to having an outstanding clean channel, it also has 2 footswitchable modes for rhythm. Crunch and Lead. On the crunch setting, this amp has enough gain to do any genre of metal with the gain on 7. Articulate, very reactive to the guitar volume control and just outstanding in every way. Switch to the lead setting and there is more useable gain on tap then any player could ever need. It also channel switches completely silent and immediately with no delay at all.
Its full bodied, dead clear, dead silent and has tons of bottom, mids and highs. Its outstanding. Reminds me alot of the Soldano SLO100 I owned except this amp has a great effects loop.
When you palm mute your guiter for some heavy chugging with the 5150-II it is very rewarding. The amp is tight, focused and just rips the sound right through your body. Click on the lead channel and you get a perfect balance of increased gain, mids and anything else you might want. It just begs you to rip solos.
The Rivera sounds great too but it doesn't push as much air as the Peavey. I like amps that blow you back in the chair when you crank them. The Rivera has more mids, more highs and less bottom.
Its more articulate and balanced sounding. It has that Rock You Like a Hurricane type tone. Its bright and really gets your attention. It just doesn't move enough air for me. It needs more punch if you know what I mean.
The Marshall 2204 sounds great for AC/DC type stuff but you need to hit it with a pedal for any thing that requires more gain. The 2204 definately is the better amp if you like to roll your volume down on the guitar for cleans though. It absolutely roars when turned up though. Just not enough gain for any metal from the mid 80's and up. Its a great amp for a one guitar band or a rhythm player.
The Randall RM100 is very middle of the road sounding. The Blackface module really sounds like a Fender but it doesn't sparkle enough. The XTC module really does sound like a Bogner until you hear what a real Bogner sounds like. The Ultra module is great for soloing but it lacks presence. It needs to be more open and in your face. Still, I am not complaining about it. Its so good at everyting that it makes up for its shortcomings in tone. If you wanted an amp to have 3 different distinct tones this would be the one.
When comparing any of these amps its pretty easy to make the decision on which amp is the best if you are in a metal band. Peavey 5150-II.
Randall RM100 running blackface, XTC and ULRA modules
1984 JCM800 2204 Bone Stock
Rivera R100 Duo Hundred Twelve
Peavey 5150-II
I had these amps turned up loud and what I mean by loud is EAR BLEEDING. Walls were shaking loud.
I play METAL and I go for an 80's to early 90's type metal tone.
No effects. Just amp, cab, guitar and a cord. I did this to be fair to the 2204.
CLEAN.... Rivera by a landslide. The Rivera has 2 footswitchable modes for the clean channel. Normal and pushed. It also has a notch switch. These features allow this amp to mimic a Fender Blackface or a Marshall Plexi clean. Its remarkable. It can also be pushed via footswitch for that SRV type blues pushed clean tone. It also has outstanding reverb. I didn't use it for this comparison.
Everything else.... Peavey 5150-II by a remarkable landslide.
The 5150-II in addition to having an outstanding clean channel, it also has 2 footswitchable modes for rhythm. Crunch and Lead. On the crunch setting, this amp has enough gain to do any genre of metal with the gain on 7. Articulate, very reactive to the guitar volume control and just outstanding in every way. Switch to the lead setting and there is more useable gain on tap then any player could ever need. It also channel switches completely silent and immediately with no delay at all.
Its full bodied, dead clear, dead silent and has tons of bottom, mids and highs. Its outstanding. Reminds me alot of the Soldano SLO100 I owned except this amp has a great effects loop.
When you palm mute your guiter for some heavy chugging with the 5150-II it is very rewarding. The amp is tight, focused and just rips the sound right through your body. Click on the lead channel and you get a perfect balance of increased gain, mids and anything else you might want. It just begs you to rip solos.
The Rivera sounds great too but it doesn't push as much air as the Peavey. I like amps that blow you back in the chair when you crank them. The Rivera has more mids, more highs and less bottom.
Its more articulate and balanced sounding. It has that Rock You Like a Hurricane type tone. Its bright and really gets your attention. It just doesn't move enough air for me. It needs more punch if you know what I mean.
The Marshall 2204 sounds great for AC/DC type stuff but you need to hit it with a pedal for any thing that requires more gain. The 2204 definately is the better amp if you like to roll your volume down on the guitar for cleans though. It absolutely roars when turned up though. Just not enough gain for any metal from the mid 80's and up. Its a great amp for a one guitar band or a rhythm player.
The Randall RM100 is very middle of the road sounding. The Blackface module really sounds like a Fender but it doesn't sparkle enough. The XTC module really does sound like a Bogner until you hear what a real Bogner sounds like. The Ultra module is great for soloing but it lacks presence. It needs to be more open and in your face. Still, I am not complaining about it. Its so good at everyting that it makes up for its shortcomings in tone. If you wanted an amp to have 3 different distinct tones this would be the one.
When comparing any of these amps its pretty easy to make the decision on which amp is the best if you are in a metal band. Peavey 5150-II.
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