Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

[jgcable]

So, our band CHASE had another gig Friday night. Sambencuda brought his Single Rectifier and his Mesa 4 x 12 and I brought my 5150 and a Randall 2 x 12.
Here is the review as told to me by musicians in the audience and from what I could hear on stage.

Our rhythm tones coming out of the PA according to the audience were crushing. Our lead tones were also excellent. The problem on stage was that both of us had trouble hearing ourselves. Even with the guitars through the monitors all I could hear was bass and drums and virtually no lead vocals.
I couldn't turn my 5150 past 3 and I am sure Jim barely had his Rectifier on. We just didn't have enough stage volume. I need MORE coming out of my amp. This seems to happen at every gig we do lately. I am starting to think that its not us but rather the sound engineer for the bands we are opening for.
The way my other band AFTERMATH does it is different. The engineer that does our sound feels that the stage amps need to be heard by the guys using them and the crowd. He also feels that a good tube amp sounds like ass on 2 so why amplify that ass sound in the PA. He tells us to turn our stage amps up to a decent volume where the amps sound good and where we can hear them onstage (fairly loud) and he balances out the sound by adding us into the PA. Regarding monitors, my guitar (I am on the left side) is put only through the right side cross stage monitor for the other guitarist to hear and visa versa. The front stage monitors are vocals only.

[slayer]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

I suck at guitar, but I totally agree, that a tube amp neads to be cranked and running hot to sound it`s best. I wouldn`t play anywhere I couldn`t crank my amp. Next time bro, turn her to 11 and blow them away [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] Jack.

[jgcable]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

[ QUOTE ]
I suck at guitar, but I totally agree, that a tube amp neads to be cranked and running hot to sound it`s best. I wouldn`t play anywhere I couldn`t crank my amp. Next time bro, turn her to 11 and blow them away [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] Jack.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the immortal words of the Olsen twins... "You got it dude".

[Chuckracer]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

I used to just run my SLO up to 4 on the master, the point to where it's really coming alive, and tell the soundman to work with it.
Somehow they always found a way. Then usually complimented me at the end of the night.

Soundmen are completely full of shit.

[Endrik]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

Tube amps are awsome when they are cranked but when they are louder than the PA it can ruin the whole sound. Last summer I used a very old Marshall plexi (wich is an AMAZING amp) at one gig. At the sound check I turned the amp to 5 and wanted to crank it even more, but the sound guy (who happened to be a very good one) told me to turn it down. So I turned the amp to 3 and it was the MAXIMUM volume I could use. When we started to play I had an awsome sound but I didn't have a boost pedal for leads so I had to turn the volume to 4 on the amp. And it ruined the sound. My amp was over the PA and the soundman had to work hard to get the muddyness and the noise away. I dunno, maybe hotplate is the answer.

[Fragle]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

umm....well, the only guy who usually tells me to turn down is my lead guitar player. i've never ever experienced problems with any soundguy, and i'm playing LOUD. even when playing small club shows i usually have the master on my 2210 at around 4 (channel volume 7). last gig i had the 5150 cranked to 4 on the post gain. no problems whatsoever.
i've never played an unmiced show, by the way. normally i turn the amp up to the point i'm overpowering the drums, then i'll cut back. i usually get all my stage volume from the backline (no guitar on the stage monitors) in order to be in total control, this way i can determine how loud i'm hearing me by changing position on stage.
and as i said, i haven't heared a single complaint from a soundguy yet. i talk to them frequently, and normally they tell me i can be as loud as i want to as long as the vocal or drum mics don't pick up my guitar signal (bass runs D.I.).

maybe it's different here...

[jgcable]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

[ QUOTE ]
Tube amps are awsome when they are cranked but when they are louder than the PA it can ruin the whole sound. Last summer I used a very old Marshall plexi (wich is an AMAZING amp) at one gig. At the sound check I turned the amp to 5 and wanted to crank it even more, but the sound guy (who happened to be a very good one) told me to turn it down. So I turned the amp to 3 and it was the MAXIMUM volume I could use. When we started to play I had an awsome sound but I didn't have a boost pedal for leads so I had to turn the volume to 4 on the amp. And it ruined the sound. My amp was over the PA and the soundman had to work hard to get the muddyness and the noise away. I dunno, maybe hotplate is the answer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Trust me bro.. the PA feed was twice as loud as our stage amp volume. They had PA bins that were close to 10' high on each sied with at least 10 QSC power amps powering them. I think the PA guy was full of shit too.

[Endrik]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

wow, then the soundguy was full of shit.

[charvelguy]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

try taking a lounge gig for a few months..you'll gain a new perspective for what 'loud' is and what is useable volume.

[horns666]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

John..I know you know amps [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]..BUT!!!

Me thinks playing a 5150 thru a Randall 2 X 12 is like fighting with one arm ..and that arm is broken..IMO [img]/images/graemlins/what.gif[/img]

You NEED a 5150 cab to get what THAT amp is capable of..Played many 5150s thru many Stock Marshall 1960b cabs..they sound like crap..you can't get the the gain past 5.5 without flubbing and the is sound "sloppy" overall.

I picked a 5150 Half Stack (got it CHEAP) and I could NOT believe the diffence!!!!!..It was amazing how much tighter , focused and "flubless" the 5150 can was..I could crank to gain to nearly 7 , which was always impossible, more gain than you'll EVER need with a 5150..but it was "USEABLE" and perfecty focused without any flub or fuzz.at any volume levels.. [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

I would NEVER even consider running a 5150 thru a 2 X 12 cab ..much less any other cab...PERIOD. [img]/images/graemlins/refuse.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/nono.gif[/img]

Been there done that ..have T shirt! [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[slayer]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

What happened to the days of raw Power and 4x12 cabinets? It seams everything is about PA now a days. I loved the old days where Amps and 4x12`s ruled the day. Yes, the drums and singers were harder to hear, but what the hell, the guitars were roaring [img]/images/graemlins/band.gif[/img] I remember seeing Slayer at small places and mostly 4x12`s and amps, raw aggressive power, now you can tell most of their sound is thru a PA. I don`t care for the PA sound compared to the raw power sound. Jack.

[jgcable]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

[ QUOTE ]
What happened to the days of raw Power and 4x12 cabinets? It seams everything is about PA now a days. I loved the old days where Amps and 4x12`s ruled the day. Yes, the drums and singers were harder to hear, but what the hell, the guitars were roaring [img]/images/graemlins/band.gif[/img] I remember seeing Slayer at small places and mostly 4x12`s and amps, raw aggressive power, now you can tell most of their sound is thru a PA. I don`t care for the PA sound compared to the raw power sound. Jack.

[/ QUOTE ]

Me too bro.
Bill, my Randall 2 x 12 cabinets are slant style and look like small versions of a 4 x 12. One is loaded with 50w Celestions and the other is loaded with Altec Lansings. I also have a 3/4 back Mesa 1 x 12 cab. In addition to all these cabs I do have a 5150 4 x 12 cab loaded with Sheffields. Its bone stock. Unfortunately, it doesn't fit in either of my cars. No way,,, no how. It is religated to band rehearsal in New Jersey and gigs with my other band. They have a moving truck to carry equipment to gigs. With my band in Connecticut I have to carry my gear in my Sentra. That is why I use 2 x 12 and 1 x 12 cabs. I agree. The 5150 sounds the best through the 5150 cab.

[horns666]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

ahhh..I Gotcha Bro...Yeah a matter of convenience and portabilty...I can dig that...but it if you did have your 5150 cab , That would be more of a fair fight..

OK John..I figured you knew as much.. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

Bill

[sambencuda]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

Bill, I will tell you this, I have never heard a 5150 in person live. I was fucking blown away. Articulate, punchy, in your face, raw gain. I can only imagine it sounding any better with a 5150 cab. With my flubby sounding Mesa halfback, It was no contest in my opinion. The 5150 was the winner hands down. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[horns666]

Re: Live amp review... Mesa and 5150

I aggre...It's my favorite amp for the $$$ hands down..BUT two things are MANDATORY..a 5150 cab and BBE 422 in the loop...5150s loves those damn things more than any amp in the world..

BTW I posted my Uber clips (uber live thread) ..with MY gain DIMED..it's DIMED at all times..if you're curious..it sounds decent considering that "crap" we recorded it with. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]