Peavey XXX Question

[fritzreiser]

What kind of tones can you get with the 2nd channel? The clips on the Peavey website have the 2nd channel pretty darn close to the ultra channel. Can you get DECENT mid gain tones?

[jgcable]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

Chuck, when you say mid gain are you thinking JCM800?
If the answer is yes I would say the XXX won't do it.
The 5150-II will.

[fritzreiser]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

I kinda suspected that.

Here's the deal: Our church got a new praise team leader and he is in to more modern sounding worship music. So, I need a modern sounding 1 x 12. My first thought was a Rectoverb, but I would prefer to have 3 channels. I knew the XXX would be good for the harder stuff and okay for the cleans. But I didn't know about the mid gain stuff.

I will just get a Rectoverb and use 2 channels.

Thanks, JG.

[jgcable]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

The Rectoverb sounds like its EXACTLY what you need Fritz.

[hippietim]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

Fritz, I played around with a XXX a while back. Despite being a 3 channel amp I thought it was a 1-trick pony. It only does the really high gain stuff very well and even at that it's a pretty brittle, harsh tone. A good mild/medium crunch tone is not in there at all. The clean tone sounds colder than the coldest solid state clean. I could see it being a good amp for Numetal.

[jgcable]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

+1

[noodlesatf]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

Practically all of the complaints I see about this amp can probably be pointed straight at the cab it is hooked to. If you're looking for a combo, just forget it, since all the speakers Peavey is matching to these amps seem to be aimed at the dorks playing <insert name>-core music on their LTDs and Mesa TriRecs.

I play through two Mesa 2x12 cabs; one with Vintage 30s, one with Black Shadow 90s. I have no problems with brittle tone, none whatsoever. The crunch channel is very musical, but you have to spend some time playing with the oddball active EQ to get the tone you're looking for. Don't expect to plug into, crank up the gain, and set the knobs in the usual places. Throwing out my EMGs and returning to passive pickups was also a big help.

The clean is VERY clean. This is a matter of personal preference, since I think the best cleans in the world are a solid state amp with a good chorus, like a Roland JC-120. Then again, I go for sparkle and jangle, not warmth. I think most tube cleans sound like a retarded kid screaming into a wet sponge.

Sorry for the rant, but I felt the need to defend my choice in amps. I'll agree that the combo sounds really two-dimensional, but the head is great when matched to the right cabs. If you need a combo, though, I'd go with the RectoVerb.

[sevser]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

It's no one trick pony...

Work around these settings for a good mid/Marshall type tone.

Ultra CH
Treb - maxed
Mid - 2 O Clock
Bass - 8 O Clock

I like the Crunch CH with a more scooped set up but this makes the Ultra sound totally different than my Crunch set up.

The Ultra and Crunch are voiced very different despite what people who only tried one say. The crunch CH has a much more aggressive roar to it.

Now you still have the resonance settings to mess with and the ability to quickly swap 6L6's for EL-34's.

Now how is that a "One Trick Pony"?

BTW I hate Nu Metal and I get my tone with this amp no problem.

[Shotgun]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

Like always, some love 'em, some hate 'em.

I love mine. But I've always rooted for Peavey,

Like always, YMMV. So if you can, take your guitar(s) [and even your cab(s), if you're not going combo] to a dealer if at all possible and audition stuff for yourself.

Not a very helpful response to your post, eh? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Keith

[noodlesatf]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

[ QUOTE ]
Like always, YMMV. So if you can, take your guitar(s) [and even your cab(s), if you're not going combo] to a dealer if at all possible and audition stuff for yourself.

[/ QUOTE ]

The best advice anyone can follow. Before I bought the XXX, I tested out amps by Mesa, Marshall, Genz Benz, Hughes & Kettner, Bogner, Soldano, and VHT. I would take two guitars with me (one drop-D, one drop-B), and ask to be plugged into a Marshall 1960AV or Mesa Traditional 4x12. The Peavey sounded the best to me FOR THE MONEY. Some sounded better, but not better enough to justify spending two grand more. Then again, to me, if an amp is going to cost $3000+, it better sound way better than an amp that only costs a grand. I don't think there is an amp on this planet that fits that bill, so I will stick with what I have until I either have the income that makes $3000+ seem like nothing, or I run into that amp that makes me sell of stuff in a mad rush to get what I absolutely must have.

[siggy14]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

[ QUOTE ]
Fritz, I played around with a XXX a while back. Despite being a 3 channel amp I thought it was a 1-trick pony. It only does the really high gain stuff very well and even at that it's a pretty brittle, harsh tone. A good mild/medium crunch tone is not in there at all. The clean tone sounds colder than the coldest solid state clean. I could see it being a good amp for Numetal.

[/ QUOTE ]

I actually find this amp more suited for traditional metal then i do nu metal. The XXX doesnt have the super low end that say mesa's have, to me it is just great for banging out some 80's speed metal or even glam metal. I do have to say i have problem getting a good medium tone, but in the big picture i have not played with it that much or even tried the EL34's yet. I can get a medium gain by rolling back the volume on my guitar so that should count. Over all right now i have been playing my XXX alot compared to my other amps and i own alot of high priced amps, one being the RoadKing. Like others have said and is the best advice, take your guitars down to a place, go in a quiet room, pick a cab you want and play for a few hours!

[slayer]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

I love the sound of the Triple XXX. It does old Speed Metal very well. Jack.

[noodlesatf]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

[ QUOTE ]
I love the sound of the Triple XXX. It does old Speed Metal very well. Jack.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exodus played through JSX and XXX heads when I saw them open for Megadeth a few months back, and they sounded amazing. The guitar sound was huge. Better than Megadeth's, actually.

[sevser]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

I was just checking out the Exodus forum and Gary made a post about their gear saying Peavey just sent them both JSX's and they love em. Gary said they just plug straight into them. (I would have thought a external eq would be needed for that brutal tone but apparently not)

I also saw pics with XXX's in the back ground so I guess that’s what they were using up till the JSX's came.

I'd love to know how they tweak their amps and I think they use Marshall cab's with V-30's.

[Death]

Re: Peavey XXX Question

My brother uses XXX with 5150 cab and it does Death Metal and then some.