# ENGL Fireball 100 Vs EVH 5150 III



## Adil-2552 (Feb 6, 2010)

Which do you prefer, and why?

Would it be worth selling my recently purchased Fireball 100 to buy the EVH?
...And is it really any better than the ENGL for metal?

I heard one last night and it sounded quite nice, however the price tag and fact that they're made in Mexico make it less appealing and also raise concerns about it's reliability. 
The EVH has versatility, but I'm a clean and lead kinda guy.
What would you do?


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## Sepultorture (Feb 6, 2010)

i've tried both

the quality of the EVH 5150 iii isn't even a concern for me cus i've tried a few of them at different stores and they were all the same tone, and quality, very consistant from what i saw

tone wise, the 5150 ii has a nice metal tone, for deathcore, death metal, any metal really, again it will boil down to tone preference

if you sell the FB100 for the EVH and end up not liking the tone in comparison to what you were using before, you will be stuck with an EVH you don't want

really these are two completely different sounding beasts man, you'll have to find a way to try one out mate, cus that's the only way you're gunna know for sure wether you want to dump the FB100

now from a more personal point of view, i wouldn't dump the FB100, that thing has some seriously thick brutal tone, if you are doing metal, that thing is fucking godlike, ESPECIALLY for death metal, anything that needs searing leads and chunk all on one channel

even though i'm buying a cheap ass rig end of this month i will also at the same time be saving for an FB100 and an ENGL XXL 4x12 cab


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## metalvince333 (Feb 6, 2010)

I personally think the 5150 has more balls to it, sounds huge and tight and the clean is surprisingly good, I wish I got it instead of my hughes and kettner switchblade.I did buy the h&k over an engl powerball cause I tought it had a fuller sound to it.Back on subject, I never tried the fb100 but imo the 5150 is a hell of a head.


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## Sepultorture (Feb 6, 2010)

i'd love to hear a 5150 iii with an FB100, that would sound sick live


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## Larrikin666 (Feb 6, 2010)

Sepultorture said:


> i'd love to hear a 5150 iii with an FB100, that would sound sick live



Workin on it. haha. Just need someone to sell me a 5153.


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## Andretti (Feb 7, 2010)

def Fireball hand down 

5150=No balls, only fuzz metal sound I think Peavey is also going through a quality control managment transition as their tube built heads are weak sounding. I tried a "New" ´5150 head at the Guitar center and it was all facked up and the sound kept strobing in and out..weird


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Feb 7, 2010)

Andretti said:


> def Fireball hand down
> 
> 5150=No balls, only fuzz metal sound I think Peavey is also going through a quality control managment transition as their tube built heads are weak soundning and fuggly.



What the HELL are you talking about? Have you ever really played a Peavey in an actuall "musicians" environment? The 5150 isn't my favorite amp, but whatever you played couldn't have been the 5150.


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## Andretti (Feb 7, 2010)

Yeah, I tried a 5150 a few times before and loved it, but then I tried it again a few years later and it was having some problems having said that, the tone doesnt compare with an Engl Fireball. I would use the 5150 for a lead tone if (if it werent the one I tried at the GC) but I would use the Fireball for everything. So its a better value IMO.


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Feb 7, 2010)

Andretti said:


> Yeah, I tried a 5150 a few times before and loved it, but then I tried it again a few years later and it was having some problems having said that, the tone doesnt compare with an Engl Fireball. I would use the 5150 for a lead tone if (if it werent the one I tried at the GC) but I would use the Fireball for everything. So its a better value IMO.



To each their own I suppose. Mind you he's not talking about the Peavey 5150. As much as I hate Engl amps, those Fireball 100 amps sound pretty nice, but I'd rather have a 5150. Honestly these are two completely different amps so you'd really have to figure out exactly what you're going for


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## troyguitar (Feb 7, 2010)

The OP isn't asking about a Peavey 5150, he's asking about the EVH (by Fender) 5150 III.


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## Andretti (Feb 7, 2010)

Yeah I was directing my reply towards metalvince when he mentioned the 5150 and that got me thinking about the Peavey version..I cant share my oppions on the EVH head since I never tried or heard one yet. You're right, personal tonal preference is in the eye of the beholder. For my style of music I've never heard anyone even mention a peavey nor a fender though lol but it's not because it wasn't "metal" enough, as that subject is purely opinionative


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## Adil-2552 (Feb 8, 2010)

Hmm. I think I'll just keep the Fireball 100
Anyone have any experience with Vader Cabs?
Atm I'm trying to decide between a Vader and a Mesa Rectifier cab.


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## Larrikin666 (Feb 8, 2010)

I have 4 ENGLS and 3 Vaders. Those two are perfect together. Vaders absolutely smoke a cab loaded with V30s.


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## Andretti (Feb 8, 2010)

Im thinking about Vader cabs, but I dont know yet either


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## Pyramid Gallery (Feb 8, 2010)

I tried a 5150III side by side with my 5150 and I thought my 5150 was ballsier and beefier. If the III had a depth control and more gain in ch 2, it would've won. If you like to use a clean boost, it might thin out too much. I could never part with my 5150. But I love the Engl tone also, so for me, it's between a used powerball, savage, or new powerball. Short answer - keep the fb100, get a used 5150 or 5150II.


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## Wolfenstein (Feb 8, 2010)

Does the FB have the noise gate dial at the back like the Invader does?


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## Sepultorture (Feb 8, 2010)

Wolfenstein said:


> Does the FB have the noise gate dial at the back like the Invader does?



yes


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## Andretti (Feb 9, 2010)

really? is it any good?


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## Sepultorture (Feb 10, 2010)

Andretti said:


> really? is it any good?



it's adequate, and shows you how tight this thing can get with a gate, but no where as good as an ISP


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## vtruong (Jul 14, 2010)

Mod Edit: One post, and it's an ad that doesn't match the template. Please contribute something to the community by posting before placing ads.


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## paris (Jan 24, 2014)

Andretti said:


> Yeah, I tried a 5150 a few times before and loved it, but then I tried it again a few years later and it was having some problems having said that, the tone doesnt compare with an Engl Fireball. I would use the 5150 for a lead tone if (if it werent the one I tried at the GC) but I would use the Fireball for everything. So its a better value IMO.



your not setting it right....i've owned both and its not a question of tone...its a queston of knowing how to set one up. if you think you can plug into a amp and not have to spend a couple of weeks tweaking to find your sound then you will miss out on a lot of great amps.


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## TeeWX (Jan 24, 2014)

paris said:


> your not setting it right....i've owned both and its not a question of tone...its a queston of knowing how to set one up. if you think you can plug into a amp and not have to spend a couple of weeks tweaking to find your sound then you will miss out on a lot of great amps.



One of THOSE guys eh... google search OP


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## whosdealin (Jan 24, 2014)

Lets keep in mind the title of the thread is Fireball 100 vs EVH 5153 ....Not Peavey 5150.

Regardless Ive had all incarnations of the 5150 from peavey to the evh fender version and now I have the newest stealth version which I love... I have owned the Fireball 100. The Fireball 100 is actually one of my favorite ENGLs, Ive had the chance to try most of them. 
Regardless my point was going to be that the Fireball 100 sounds great but any incarnation of the 5150 can hang. 5150s are killer amps IMO, they stack up to amps that cost way more.


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## TeeWX (Jan 24, 2014)

paris said:


> your not setting it right....i've owned both and its not a question of tone...its a queston of knowing how to set one up. if you think you can plug into a amp and not have to spend a couple of weeks tweaking to find your sound then you will miss out on a lot of great amps.





whosdealin said:


> Lets keep in mind the title of the thread is Fireball 100 vs EVH 5153 ....Not Peavey 5150.
> 
> Regardless Ive had all incarnations of the 5150 from peavey to the evh fender version and now I have the newest stealth version which I love... I have owned the Fireball 100. The Fireball 100 is actually one of my favorite ENGLs, Ive had the chance to try most of them.
> Regardless my point was going to be that the Fireball 100 sounds great but any incarnation of the 5150 can hang. 5150s are killer amps IMO, they stack up to amps that cost way more.



This thread is 3.5 years old.


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