# NAD!!! EVH 5150 iii (100 watt)... mother of mercy!



## HumanFuseBen (Jun 15, 2012)

So i finally did it... i sold off my old faithful Peavey Triple xxx and replaced it with an EVH 5150 iii! I was attracted to the 50 watt mini, but the lack of a true separate clean/crunch channel turned me off. I have to say, i was worried about being homesick for the XXX (i've used it for like 7 years), but so far this thing has blown me away. I am using it with my bevy of Ibanez 7 strings with mostly Dimarzio pickups in them (one has BKP Aftermaths), through an Avatar 2x12 cab (one V30, one G12H).
The cleans are just fantastic. That was probably my biggest complaint about the XXX... the cleans were good for a high gain amp, but not good in the real sense of the word. They were bearable. The 5150 iii has a nice warm clean tone that can also get bright and sparkly if you want it. You can even crank the gain on it and get a nice amount of breakup going on. If you also dial up a lot of presence, it gets a really strange, stringy overdrive going on; it almost sounds like an acoustic with a distortion pedal in front of it, which is kinda odd! Can't wait to hear how the cleans sound with some reverb and chorus on them... i need to buy some damn effects.

The crunch channel is sweet. i've probably spent the least amount of time on this channel, really. It covers all the mid to high(ish) gain tones. I might look into some kind of tube swap that would enable me to get a little but more gain out of this channel; as it is now, it has just BARELY less on tap than what i usually use for rhythm tones when playing my own stuff. I mean, BARELY... i'd like to just get a little more gain and compression out of it. But the actual TONE is killer. I imagine you could get a killer brown sound out of this channel if you were so inclined.

The lead channel is a beast. It does what the 5150's are known for, only better. It isn't as ragged or piercing as the original model can be (which can be good or bad, depending on your taste), but to my ears, it can get even more savage and brutal. The low end is some of the tightest i've ever heard, and it has more gain on tap than you'd ever need. I bet it sounds ridiculous in a mix, too.

I have a Bad Monkey, which i used today to try boosting it. I left the low/high knobs at noon, cranked the level knob all the way, and left the gain knob all the way down or just barely turned it up. It made that crunch channel sound KILLER for rhythm! It really added the sizzle i wanted. I'd still rather have that kind of gain on tap rather than relying on a pedal all the time, though.... with the lead channel, the Bad Monkey made it even tighter and nastier, without adding much noise. Its easy for it to get a little too gainy, so you don't want to over do it. But yeah, it sounds insane. I'll make some videos or something soon.

The presence knobs on the amp are interesting, especially on the crunch/lead channels; they don't just add high end, they really alter the voicing of the gain. With the lead channel, if you crank the presence and reduce the treble, you can get it to sound almost exactly like the original 5150 combo. Very compressed, somewhat buzzy, and extremely brutal. I've been dialing in the presence knob until i got the character of distortion i'm after, then tweaking the EQ until i got the tone i wanted. You can really get a lot of different tones out of the amp just by spending some time with the presence knobs.

But overall, i'm very pleased! I can't wait to try this thing out at band practice volumes (and with a live band mix). Its got to be the tightest, most versatile and toneful amp i've ever used. Plus now that i don't have to look at trucker girls on the faceplate, i feel like i own a grown-up's piece of gear. Huzzah!


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## MikeSweeney (Jun 15, 2012)

Man put up a video of you rocking out


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## flexkill (Jun 15, 2012)

Man, I'm gonna have to go listen to the EVH III's people won't stop gushing over them. I have the original 5150 I bought back in 93 i believe...shit can't remember...anyway....congrats man.


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## mniel8195 (Jun 15, 2012)

im going to buy one of those when i move out of my apartment and into a house forsure. I guess they are one of the best sounding amps and lower volumes. I bet that speaker combo sounds awesome with that amp


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## mniel8195 (Jun 15, 2012)

you should try out the tc hall of fame reverb its pretty cool.


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## capoeiraesp (Jun 15, 2012)

Another happy 5150iii owner. Your review fits exactly how I feel about the amp and well described. Enjoy dude!


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## Leuchty (Jun 15, 2012)

Very Nice score mate!


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## Decapitated (Jun 15, 2012)

Noice! I have a 50w on order with the matching 2x12 cab. I will also be using a bad monkey to boost it. Great review! I can't wait!!!!


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## Blitzie (Jun 15, 2012)

You're making it hard for me not to buy one of these!


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## Underworld (Jun 15, 2012)

I love these! One of the best amp on the market for sure! Play the shit out of it!


Edit : good thing I already have one, otherwise my gas factor would have gone mad!


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## Blitzie (Jun 16, 2012)

CLIPS! (in the room clips, please)


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## SSK0909 (Jun 16, 2012)

Really want to hear one in person.

This clip makes it sound almost exactly like the original 5150 High Gain Comparison: Soldano - EVH - Peavey WATCH IN HD!! - YouTube but some people claim it's completely different. That could perhaps be attributed to gas playing mindgames, who knows


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## Wookieslayer (Jun 16, 2012)

Finally! Lol grats dude.


Though I still love those trucker girls


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## TRENCHLORD (Jun 16, 2012)

Dig the rig, brutal and unique. Cool speaker combo also.


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## Sam MJ (Jun 17, 2012)

Damn, that has to be the poshest guitar stand in history 

HNGD, really wanting to try out an EVH, especially the mini scince i dont need 100w


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## Krigloch the Furious (Jun 17, 2012)

digging that guitar!
when I win the lottery im getting an EVH


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## Brody (Jun 17, 2012)

About 9 months ago I made the same switch. Went from a XXX to a 5150 III 100 watt. Never looked back. Running it through a Vader 4x12 and a Vader 2x12. I was actually able to sell my MXR 10 band EQ when I purchased the 5153 because it's natural tone is just so damn good. The only thing I use on it for rhythm tones is a Maxon OD808 and it just sounds phenomenal. On the cleans (and some leads) I throw on an MXR cabon copy delay, Digitech RV-5, some chorus, and compression. This amp has so much more potential than just being a "heavy" amp. I used it for tech death as well as shoegaze type stuff!

Congrats man!


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## exo (Jun 17, 2012)

SSK0909 said:


> Really want to hear one in person.
> 
> This clip makes it sound almost exactly like the original 5150 High Gain Comparison: Soldano - EVH - Peavey WATCH IN HD!! - YouTube but some people claim it's completely different. That could perhaps be attributed to gas playing mindgames, who knows





LOL at random youtube poster in the comments of that vid trying to tell Lasse fraking Lammert he doesn't know what he's talking about.......


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## djpharoah (Jun 17, 2012)

My next amp purchase will be one of these EVH 5153s... just gotta decide between this beast or the smaller 50W one.


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## brutalwizard (Jun 17, 2012)

HumanFuseBen said:


>



The awkward moment when some other SSO member has the same EXACT setup .




http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/gear-equipment/201237-nad-evh-5150iii-like-earthquake.html


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## HumanFuseBen (Jun 17, 2012)

Hahaha i noticed your thread just a little while ago! amazing timing, dude! What pickups are you rocking in that thing?


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## brutalwizard (Jun 18, 2012)

HumanFuseBen said:


> Hahaha i noticed your thread just a little while ago! amazing timing, dude! What pickups are you rocking in that thing?



Not my thread, but i talk to dmonster a bit because he is the other idaho member. His guitar has dimazio dactivators

I am super jealous of you both haha


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## Suitable (Feb 2, 2013)

What's better tone wise for drop A? The EVH 5150 iii 100w or 50w? Or just better all up?


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## benduncan (Feb 2, 2013)

looks amazing with that guitar next to it!!


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## reckoner (Feb 2, 2013)

Nice choice dude!

Here's a short clip I made of my EVH 100 watt on Channel 3, boosted with a TS808 up front if anyones curious.



I'm playing a JP6 with the Crunch Lab in the bridge, my playing isn't spectacular but you'll get an idea of the Red Channel rhythm tone. 

Gonna try and demo all three channels this week.


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## bandinaboy (Feb 2, 2013)

Now I was looking into getting an avatar as the exact same specs as yours to pair with my 5150 III 100 watt amp, just like yours. 
However I thought that the v30 and the G12H paired up to be 90 watts and doesnt fit with the 100 watt amp. 
Do you think this is going to be a problem down the road? 
Because if it isnt, I want to go down the same road your going down! 
The 5150III is a BEAST! congrats on the purchase man!


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## RichIKE (Feb 3, 2013)

Welcome to the club! wait till you open up the volume on this beast, it turns into a different amp all together.


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## Suitable (Feb 3, 2013)

Fuck it... Sound is too good! I'm getting the 100w!!!


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## guitarfishbay (Feb 4, 2013)

bandinaboy said:


> However I thought that the v30 and the G12H paired up to be 90 watts and doesnt fit with the 100 watt amp.



Hang on!

G12H = 30 watts. So G12H + V30 (higher power, but doesn't matter since G12H is 30) = 60 watts, not 90 watts.

If you have a speaker mismatch the power rating is number of speakers multiplied by the lowest power speaker. You only do straight addition if the speakers are the same wattage rating. As for is it enough? Depends how loud you play.

EVH 5150 iii is a sick amp, congrats OP. Definitely looks (and sounds) much better than the XXX.


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## HRC51 (Feb 4, 2013)

I appreciate this amp the more I hear it. Congrats.


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## Suitable (Feb 5, 2013)

Can anyone tell me if there is a voltage switch for the power supply? Ie to run it at 240v or is it just 120v? 

Cheers for the info,!


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## j_m_s (Feb 6, 2013)

Nice! Love em 5150 III heads, also... sweet green swirl ibanez!


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## capoeiraesp (Feb 6, 2013)

Suitable said:


> Can anyone tell me if there is a voltage switch for the power supply? Ie to run it at 240v or is it just 120v?
> 
> Cheers for the info,!



No.


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## Suitable (Feb 6, 2013)

capoeiraesp said:


> No.



Sweet. Will get a transformer box for it. Thpugh it is a 100w amp should I get a 200w tranformer or would a 100w be fine?

Cheers for the info!


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## capoeiraesp (Feb 6, 2013)

Step-down transformers aren't directly based off of the wattage of the amp. You need to base it off of what current the amp draws from the mains power supply.
Something like a 100w 5150iii will need a 750w-1kw step-down transformer. I'd recommend 1kw just to play it safe.


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## Suitable (Feb 6, 2013)

capoeiraesp said:


> Step-down transformers aren't directly based off of the wattage of the amp. You need to base it off of what current the amp draws from the mains power supply.
> Something like a 100w 5150iii will need a 750w-1kw step-down transformer. I'd recommend 1kw just to play it safe.



Would i be better of getting a replacement internal universal power tranformer 110v/120v/230v/240v 100w rated instead and get that installed by a tube amp tcechnician here? Can get the transformers for ~$150 bucks and would take less than 30mins to install. would this be a better option?

Cheers for your help!


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## capoeiraesp (Feb 6, 2013)

Yes, that's definitely a better option. Easier when transporting and less susceptible to issues with power fluctuations.


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## HumanFuseBen (Feb 6, 2013)

bandinaboy said:


> Now I was looking into getting an avatar as the exact same specs as yours to pair with my 5150 III 100 watt amp, just like yours.
> However I thought that the v30 and the G12H paired up to be 90 watts and doesnt fit with the 100 watt amp.
> Do you think this is going to be a problem down the road?
> Because if it isnt, I want to go down the same road your going down!
> The 5150III is a BEAST! congrats on the purchase man!



i've never had a single problem with my cab, and at shows and stuff i would play LOUD AS FUCK!


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## EricSVT18 (Feb 6, 2013)

I've heard nothing but good things about those. I have a peavey 5150 right now but I've been going gear crazy and wanting so many different things. My next amp will definitely be an EVH III, powerball, or fireball.


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## paris (Mar 18, 2013)

yes, i just bought one too and i am blown away. i was using a 5150 II before. dude, you think its bad now (i'm sure you've found out by now) this amp shines live in a mix. so tight. the first time i demo'd one was at a gig. i was a guest player and there were two guitarist/two amps. a mesa dual and a 5153. i played the mesa first and it rocked, but i was forced by the other dude to try his and man i have never played one so brutally tight! one thing is it has a fixed reasonance control voiced for the matching cab. you think it sounds good thru the avitar. it sounds devistating thru an EVH


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## joebalaguer (Mar 20, 2013)

Great sounding amp. Congrats! I'm torn between the 100watt and the 50watt.


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## madrigal77 (Mar 20, 2013)

joebalaguer said:


> Great sounding amp. Congrats! I'm torn between the 100watt and the 50watt.


Get the 100w. The volume jump between ch.1 and ch.2 is pretty bad. Plus the shared EQ is annoying. I have a buddy that got the 50w and he really regrets not going for the 100w instead.


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## purpledc (Mar 24, 2013)

madrigal77 said:


> Get the 100w. The volume jump between ch.1 and ch.2 is pretty bad. Plus the shared EQ is annoying. I have a buddy that got the 50w and he really regrets not going for the 100w instead.




I think people should actually stop looking at the 5150 III 50 watt as a three channel amp. It really isnt. Its more like a 5150 II in the sense that there are two independent channels and channel one has a second mode. It actually bugs me when amp companies like engl and blackstar claim 4 channels yet much of those channels share controls. And in the case of the EVH 50 watt there isnt even a separate master for 1 and 2. But I understand the reasoning for them to do it this way. I personally have no need for a clean channel. And if I ever do want to play clean I dont have to get to it on the fly. So for me its easy to just leave the first set of controls dialed in for the blue ahem "channel" and just have two full on metal tones. I would like to try a newer 100 watt head though and see if its any better than the one I had an experience with. But if ill take the 50 any day of the week over what i had.


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## reckoner (Mar 25, 2013)

Oh are we talking about 5150 III's in here??


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## paris (Apr 27, 2013)

HumanFuseBen said:


> So i finally did it... i sold off my old faithful Peavey Triple xxx and replaced it with an EVH 5150 iii! I was attracted to the 50 watt mini, but the lack of a true separate clean/crunch channel turned me off. I have to say, i was worried about being homesick for the XXX (i've used it for like 7 years), but so far this thing has blown me away. I am using it with my bevy of Ibanez 7 strings with mostly Dimarzio pickups in them (one has BKP Aftermaths), through an Avatar 2x12 cab (one V30, one G12H).
> The cleans are just fantastic. That was probably my biggest complaint about the XXX... the cleans were good for a high gain amp, but not good in the real sense of the word. They were bearable. The 5150 iii has a nice warm clean tone that can also get bright and sparkly if you want it. You can even crank the gain on it and get a nice amount of breakup going on. If you also dial up a lot of presence, it gets a really strange, stringy overdrive going on; it almost sounds like an acoustic with a distortion pedal in front of it, which is kinda odd! Can't wait to hear how the cleans sound with some reverb and chorus on them... i need to buy some damn effects.
> 
> The crunch channel is sweet. i've probably spent the least amount of time on this channel, really. It covers all the mid to high(ish) gain tones. I might look into some kind of tube swap that would enable me to get a little but more gain out of this channel; as it is now, it has just BARELY less on tap than what i usually use for rhythm tones when playing my own stuff. I mean, BARELY... i'd like to just get a little more gain and compression out of it. But the actual TONE is killer. I imagine you could get a killer brown sound out of this channel if you were so inclined.
> ...



the 5150 III was not made to be played in a living room. it is a true to the word stage amp. this one is not made for the dudes that buy halfstacks to look cool in theur house and made to sound good to for them like other amps, it does sound good there, but when you hear it live you will know what i mean. it is not voiced for any other cab but the evh matching cab. it sounds ok with others, but when you hear it with its mate you will again know what i mean. its because it has a fixed resonance and is voiced to that cab. the 50w has a resonance knob and can be played with anything. Mr, Kapplin (the designer) told me this. i do own the 100w head and cab and i have never heard anything better live!!!!!


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## capoeiraesp (Apr 27, 2013)

But my mom says I'm cool...


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## Mayhew (Apr 27, 2013)

Everything's comin' up Milhouse. Can't wait to own the III.


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## KevHo (May 16, 2013)

Just pulled the trigger on a 50 watt with EVH 2x12 cab.


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## viesczy (May 20, 2013)

KevHo said:


> Just pulled the trigger on a 50 watt with EVH 2x12 cab.



You should be crazy impressed with the 50 watt 5153. I love mine. Got it just to have a "beater" high gain head @ my GFs and it slays! Each channel on its own is AWESOME. 

My only complaint, the shared green/blue channels. I knew the problems, and the midi fixes, going in, and I'd still do it again!

Derek


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## noUser01 (May 20, 2013)

Congratulations man!! And that swirl, wow!


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## Brody (May 20, 2013)

Congrats man welcome to the club!


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## KevHo (May 21, 2013)

viesczy said:


> You should be crazy impressed with the 50 watt 5153. I love mine. Got it just to have a "beater" high gain head @ my GFs and it slays! Each channel on its own is AWESOME.
> 
> My only complaint, the shared green/blue channels. I knew the problems, and the midi fixes, going in, and I'd still do it again!
> 
> Derek


 

I just got the head in last night but only had about 15 mins or so to play around. I was very impressed with what I was hearing through my Orange 2x12 Open Back with V30s. The VHT cab was delivered today, and as soon as I get home from work I am fully expecting for my mind = blown. I will post a review/NAD later this week.


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## Spawnofsatan (Jul 14, 2013)

Dude I am running my 5150iii through to randall Xl cabs with different speakers in x patterns in both and I have to say if you want to tweak one of these heads it's simple. I just bought the mxr 10 band eq pedal.... It makes that head come alive. I have the mxr clean boost pedal as well I can't remember the name audio something and that's cool to boost a solo but that eq pedal is all you need. I guarantee you it will blow any amp away. Any....


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## madrigal77 (Jul 15, 2013)

Spawnofsatan said:


> Dude I am running my 5150iii through to randall Xl cabs with different speakers in x patterns in both and I have to say if you want to tweak one of these heads it's simple. I just bought the mxr 10 band eq pedal.... It makes that head come alive. I have the mxr clean boost pedal as well I can't remember the name audio something and that's cool to boost a solo but that eq pedal is all you need. I guarantee you it will blow any amp away. Any....



I agree the MXR kicks absolute ass with this amp.


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