Does the Supreme 160 sound like 6505?

[Bearitone]

Can anyone who’s owned both a 6505 and a Supreme 160 tell me how they compare?

I guess my ideal amp would be a solidstate 6505. No tubes to replace, low maintenance, possibly a better clean channel.

They’re getting hard to find so I want to know if, for me, it’s really worth watching reverb/eBay daily and pouncing when I find one.

If it sounds like a VH-140, then that’s a hard pass for me. My VH-140 sounded like ass.

 

[Gmork]

Vh140....... Ass.?!........ What?!
Anyway... I still haven't tried the supreme and have always been dying to. Thats the teal stripe supreme right?

 

[ATRguitar91]

Take this with at least one grain of salt since it's been awhile since I could compare them, my Supreme is busted, I would say they're similar in character, but it depends on how the Supreme is setup. The 6505 just kinda sounds like itself, not a ton of variance. Whereas thanks to the active eq, the Supreme has a pretty huge variance in tone.

I think it's fair to say that the Supreme 160 is a solid state sounding 6505. It doesn't have the huge bottom end or sizzle that the 6505 has, but it can very cutting in the mids if you set it that way.

The biggest difference is that the Supreme doesn't have the cocked wah sound to it.

 

[Adieu]

The solid state 6505 would be the Vypyr no?

 

[TheBlackBard]

The solid state 6505 would be the Vypyr no?

No, because the Vypyr has several models based off of amps, one of those being a 6505.

 

[Adieu]

No, because the Vypyr has several models based off of amps, one of those being a 6505.

Ok I mean if you wanted something that 6505's and has no tubes...

 

[TheBlackBard]

Ok I mean if you wanted something that 6505's and has no tubes...

That's a different statement entirely, thereby subject to being taken completely different.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

The solid state 6505 would be the Vypyr no?

The Vypyr Pro and X-series, yeah.

 

[Bearitone]

I’m trying to avoid modeling or modelers in general.

I want something that can be used and repaired over and over for decades if need be and something that I can dive in and mod if I really want to.

 

[budda]

I’m trying to avoid modeling or modelers in general.

I want something that can be used and repaired over and over for decades if need be and something that I can dive in and mod if I really want to.

Or just run a modeller and said “future proof” gear and not worry about it .

How many of the 80’s rack units are still going?

Who’s to say if you’ll even like the tones it makes in a decade?

 

[BlasphemyMadeFlesh]

I didn’t think the Supreme 160 90’s teal version sounded anything like a 6505 when I owned one for a year. The EQs are different - Supreme has an active EQ. A “crystal clean” and loud clean channel not like the mid-tinged 6505 clean. The mid-scoop and “super saturation” channel are some other features that differ it from the sound of 6505 in a big way.

I would take a 6505 over the Supreme easy… it sounds more modern, you have the 120 watt tube power and I can get the same overtly brutal tone with EQ in loop and TS in front…

Bearitone, your VH-140c was likely broken. It has a stereo power amp and more likely than not one side or both was messed up, a common issue with them. Those are known to fail that way and affect gain etc. The VH-150 was the one with a mono power amp like a typical amp but much harder to find.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

yes but it takes 40.65625 160s to make one 6505

only takes 32.1875 to make one 5150

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

I had a 5150II for a long time and currently have a 5150III 50watt 6l6 as well as the teal stripe Supreme160. I do think there are some similarities, they both have this low end thump and mids that kick you in the chest. Very brutal and powerful palm mutes. My 5150III sounds amazing with any guitar and pickup combinations, but the Supreme is a bit more selective. But once you get a good fit it’s pretty magical. The EQ allows for more versatility on the Supreme however. The Supremes cleans are better than the 5150 II easily.
I would say pick up a Supreme. I have a feeling they’ll start fetching prices near 1K soon, and for good reason. I really like mine, it is loud!!! Kept it over a SS140 Ampeg. Sounds killer with my Lundgren equipped RG and my EMG 81 guitar.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Can anyone who’s owned both a 6505 and a Supreme 160 tell me how they compare?

I guess my ideal amp would be a solidstate 6505. No tubes to replace, low maintenance, possibly a better clean channel.

They’re getting hard to find so I want to know if, for me, it’s really worth watching reverb/eBay daily and pouncing when I find one.

If it sounds like a VH-140, then that’s a hard pass for me. My VH-140 sounded like ass.

Get one of the various "5150 in a box" pedals, like an Amptweaker Tight Metal or AMT Legend or similar and feed that to whatever power amp you want.

Solid State? Check.
Simple and easy to repair or replace? Check.
Instant "that tone"? Check.

 

[sevenfoxes]

Get one of the various "5150 in a box" pedals, like an Amptweaker Tight Metal or AMT Legend or similar and feed that to whatever power amp you want.

Solid State? Check.
Simple and easy to repair or replace? Check.
Instant "that tone"? Check.

This.

 

[Bearitone]

I actually had this very setup for years. I got great tones but I’m not looking to go back to a preamp-pedal/poweramp rig.

Just want a really satisfying solidstate head (combo would actually be preferred). I dig my SuperCrush 100 but, I’m craving 6505-esque tones.

Maybe I’ll go with an AMT StoneHead.

 

[dspellman]

Can anyone who’s owned both a 6505 and a Supreme 160 tell me how they compare?

I guess my ideal amp would be a solidstate 6505. No tubes to replace, low maintenance, possibly a better clean channel.

Looks like a modeler is in your future. Not a modeling amp, but a full-bore modeler.

 

[Dineley]

A guy I knew in high school had Peavey XXL that thing ripped hard. I couldn't speak to it having 6505 vibes but it definitely was a beast.

 

[Emperoff]

Get one of the various "5150 in a box" pedals, like an Amptweaker Tight Metal or AMT Legend or similar and feed that to whatever power amp you want.

Solid State? Check.
Simple and easy to repair or replace? Check.
Instant "that tone"? Check.

Simple and easy to repair? Uncheck. Both are SMD based (with the exception of the older TMP).

The other two points are correct.