Peavey 6505+

I give it a 10

like i said this thing could take a beating just like the old 5150s this one is louder

I could take a shot gun and blow a hole in the front of this thing and it would probably get louder,this is the 5150s big brother oh my my, If you are looking for a really clean amp,This is not your amp,if you are a high gain freak like me that likes a loud loud amp,with killer distortion and bad *** crunch,and killer bottoms? This is your amp.........BUY IT..........

I bought it a couple months ago and I'd guess that it was produced last year (2007).
I play in a Rock-Band, you could call it cross-over. We have our heavy sides and our soft spots and incorporate elements from Metal, Rock, Pop, Ska, Blues, Punk and more (www.ergomanen.com, for those interested, though the sound is still my old amp).

I went on the look for a different amp, because I had the feeling that my old one just didn't give me the sound I wanted for this band, especially the distortion.

This is basically the new version of the 5150+, which has been developed for and with Eddie Van Halen. It features a two-channel set-up with the possibility to jack the clean channel up to crunch with the included foot-switch. Both channels feature Pre-Gain, Low-Mid-Treb EQs and Post-Gain (=Master Volume). Additionally you have Resonance and Presence pots for each channel. I think most guitarists will know the workings of a presence knob. Resonance influences the resonance-frequency of the speakers (which is the lowest frequency a speaker can reproduce without tricks).

The clean channel also features a "bright" switch, which makes the sound (big surprise :-) brighter.

There are two paralel speaker outs, an effect loop (switchable on foot-switch) and some other nifty things I cannot remember right now, but you can get it from peavey's homepage. There also is a switch to change the speaker-outs between 4, 8 and 16Ohms.

Two features I'd love yet: A Master-Volume for both channels and a mute-switch.


I'm giving it a 10, not because it is the most versatile amp there is (TriAmp and RoadKing got it beat for sure) but because it is more than I need!

There is clean, crunch (in clean channel) and lead.

The clean sound is not spectacular but good. Depending on the Pickups it starts crunching up a little above 5 (of 10) on the pre-gain.
The crunch-part within the clean channel is nice-sounding and sounds simply like tuning up the pre-gain to 15-20 (of 10), so it really is just a gain-stage somewhere in there.
The bright sound is good, but too bright for me. Would be good for funk, though.

The lead channel is the main reason I bought this baby. Listen to Machine Head, Bullet For My Valentine and Eddie Van Halen and you know the sound. Peavey really made an amp here that combines killer distotion with a clarity, so you hear every nuance played (gotta get used to that). Just great.

Sound-wise, this is definitely the best amp I have ever played!

I haven't had it for long, but friends tell me, it is very solid, though I do have the feeling that my Mesa and My Hughes&Kettner are sturdier built...

Never had to deal with them personally, but I have heard the best for European support, at least as long as the warranty runs...

I've been playing for 12 years now and have a Mesa Stiletto Trident and a Hughes & Kettner Tube 100. Both of my other amps are great, but since I first heard the Peavey I just didn't want to play on anything else anymore... I'm even thinking of buying the smallest combo for home-practice...

I'd definitely buy another one, if this one was stolen or broken or whatever. If I am staying in Rock, I think I might never buy a different amp in my life anymore...

This amp does only a handful of things, but what it does do, it does very well. two channel, eq on both, bright/crunch on the clean, nothing on the dirty side (a bright switch would be a nice little bonus, but is completely unneeded) one of the best parts of this amp is there isn't anything on it you don't need. all the knobs are easy to find, and they do make a difference!

This thing, in my opinion, is number one in the metal scene, having been a part of it for over 4 years, I've seen this and the 5150's at almost every show I've played. Huge names use this amp, from Ted Nugent to evergreen terrace and emmure, and everywhere in between. It is KILLER as far as distortion goes. the clean is average, but that isn't what you would buy it for. The best part of the clean channel is crunching it up a bit for a ballsy blues sound, not a jazz amp at all. this thing is LOUD. it seems very well built, and i haven't heard of many people having a problem with this amp at all. i play a Yamaha t-50 (all tube, designed by mike soldano before he started his own company, sounds just like his amps do now) and i plan on purchasing this amp ASAP! (the yamaha is a great amp, but it's 20 years old and I'm going on the road this summer, so i need something more reliable)

couldn't really say, but like i said it looks built like a tank, and i've heard nothing but good.

I've never owned anything Peavey, so lets hope this is the start of a good relationship

Like i said, its a metal amp. it will do other things, and does it well, but blowing down walls is where it shines. i played this for two hours in a guitar center and almost put myself in debt to take it home with me. you can sit on your computer and read all the reviews you want, but get out to a shop and play it, you'll be sold.

Just got the 6505 plus a few days ago. I used to own a 5150 6 or 7 years ago. I have repeatedly kicked myself in the ass for getting rid of it a couple years after I bought it.
Most people by now know the specs: clean/crunch channel, lead channel, EQ (low, mid, high) for each channel,FX loop, and enough gain to bring your friggin house down.
Pretty much plug and play with min. tweaking to find your sound.
We play straight up hardcore so this head gives me EXACTLY the sound and power I want.
Def. the head to get if you play hardcore or metal.

As stated in other reviews the clean channel is not all that amazing..... Who cares! You buy this head for the ball busting gain.
I have my clean channel dialed in at zero and use it as my silent channel for the ends and inbtween songs for the time being till I get a noise gate.
The lead channel sounds BRUTAL! I didn't need to put the post past 3 to drown out our drummer :) Nice warm but cutting heavy sound.
Only minus is the noise and feedback if you are not playing, but nothing a noise gate won't take care of.

If it is anything like my 5150 I don't forsee any reliability issues.
Bought a decent road case with it to give it that extra protection.

haven't had to deal with thrm
hope not to have to deal with them

I have been playing for about 17 years and have owned lots of different amps ranging from cheap to a mesa dual rectifier (which I think this blows away) and this is BY FAR THE BEST I HAVE OWENED.
For the time being I am playing a Epiphone Goth with a EMG 81 in it (Colin stop your whining, EMG makes amzing active pickups and they just add to the amazing sound). A Gibson Studio Les Paul is next on the list though. So far have only played this through an older Peavey cab with celestion speakers but I have a Koch TS412SL-DLX 4x12 cab on the way, so we will see how that sounds.
All in all this head gives you the best bang for you buck. If someone were to steal this I would hunt them down and kill them. I would not think twice about buying this head again.