Peavey 6505 Plus Head

2 channel, rhythm and lead. Has the most tonal characteristics since the Marshall JCM 800 hit in the 80's. I've tried every amp under the sun, had a 5150 II and came back full circle to this amp b/c you can't match the sizzle and personality of this amp. Amp only good for hard rock and metal IMO. So loud that you really can't turn volume past 1 in a home/practice situation.

Here's how I ended up with this amp:

2005 bought a 5150 b/c the tone and sizzle blew me away.
2006 got rid of it b/c i was frustrated with the noise while not playing and the fact there's not a lead boost.
2006 bought a Krank Revolution but returned 2 weeks later b/c of crap sound and microphonic feedback.
2006 bought a new Engl Powerball of the web b/c of the 4 channel and built in noise gate. Sold two months later b/c tone had no personality and it lacked bottom end punch.
2006 bought a Mesa Dual Rectifier b/c of the sound features and lead boost-great amp but the tone was not me.
2006 Fell in love with a Marshall JCM 2000 but then struggled to get the gain needed for metal. put Boss SD-1 in front and held me over til now but I never matched the tone of that 5150 and kept thinking of trying again.
2008 decided to do a side-by-side on the new Fender EVH and the Peavey 6505+ and hands down the Peavey won out. 1/2 the price (has one less channel and the clean is mediocre but who cares!). The 6505+ is kinda noisy but not nearly as noisy as the 5150 and it's only when not playing so just kick off the lead channel during idle times and there's no issue at all. I cranked the gain to 10 and still have unbelievable note definition and clarity. There hasn't been an amp with this kind of signature tone since the JCM 800 (and perhaps Mesa in the 90's). this amp stamps your name all over a bands sound and for me having a notable tone is the key to being a player. No wonder a slew of great players from Nugent to Steve Stevens and many new metal bands prefer this amp!

brand new but don't anticipate probs

No experience here

By far the best amp for the buck on the market today providing you're looking to play rock or metal. I played side-by-side with the new Fender EVH but couldn't justify the added cost. The Peavey had more personality as well.

3 channels, all tube, by-passable effects loop, lots of volume. Covers a large variety of music styles.

I mostly use Les Paul's with Alnico 2's, a few hot-rodded strats by John Suhr with Suhr pickups, and a Strat with the EMG Luke setup. Cabinets are Mesa standard 4x12's, and/or Mesa 2x12's with V30's or Greenbacks. This amp really sounds great, and I am a bit disappointed with myself for not buying one much earlier on. I do a lot of session work requiring many different sounds from gig to gig. Most of I have spent silly amounts of money on very high end boutique amps to get practically the same sound that this amp puts out stock.

First off, I've read so many threads that the clean on this amp is horrible. NOT TRUE. Maybe so if you're using super hot pickups (like the EMG's or similar), but hot pickups will distort even the cleanest of amps. With medium output pickups like the Alnico 2's or the Suhr's, this amp gets a wonderful clean with a Vox-type chime to it with great sustain. I run the pre gain between 5-6, volume on about 3-4, MXR Carbon Copy delay in the loop, and I get a beautiful clean with just a hint of grit. It's LOUD too! You can get it even cleaner by running the pre gain lower, and upping the volume, but you start to get in the way of the crunch channel.

The crunch channel is my favorite. With the pre at 6, I get way more than enough gain here for almost all rock sounds, including hard rock and metal. This channel has awesome Marshall-esque tone to it, with a punchy midrange, tight bottom end, sweet highs, and great harmonics. Sounds awesome in a mix, cuts right through without being harsh on the ears, and stays clear. It also cleans up great and gets a killer blues tone. It sounds killer with all of my guitars. A+ for this channel.

The lead channel is on the verge of rediculous, but is amazing at the same time. I mainly use it for leads, but it is sometimes too much. I run the pre at 5, and the volume around 3-4 live. Is can be so smooth and get very brutal keeping a tight low end with great sustain. I had a Diezel Herbert for many years and it was a really awesome amp with a massive low end. It did everything very well, but it didn't have the "sizzle" that this amp does on the top. I think this amp is more forgiving, cuts better in a live mix, and has a feel which makes it much more fun to play. The only thing I'd comment on is the midrange voicing of this channel. There isn't a big sweep here, so there is always a sort of scooped nasaly sound no matter how high you dial the mid in. It still has a very cool sound to it that is very unique. You just better have good control over your volume knob, or volume pedal, 'cause it'll squeal like a pig if you let go of it. The EMG's on my strat are WAY too much for this channel, and it becomes just a gainy mess with much less clarity and definition.

I've had a Classic 50 for maybe 10-15 years or so, and it is still as good as the day I got it. I also have a Peavey Penta, which might be the absolute best sounding Marshall copy I've ever heard, but is so damn heavy to lug around. I've never had a problem with either one other than tube changes, so I expect the same from this. Peavey makes amps that are meant sound killer, and hold up to the demands of working/touring musicians.

Haven't dealt with them because I never had to.

I've been playing guitar for nearly 20 years, and professionally for the past 8 years. For all of you that tour extensively, you know all of the horror stories of bands getting their trailers stolen with all of their gear inside them. You can't very easily replace a Diezel on the road, and if you're making your living on the road, you most likely can't afford another one either. I've been very happy the last six months with the 6505+. It covers the same type of sounds the Herbert did, and is a fourth of the price. I actually like playing through this amp much better. It just has a better feel.

I have used pretty much every amp in the book, from Bogners to Victorias to old Marshalls, H&K's, Hiwatts, Buddas, etc. I usually rent some nice hand made boutique amps recording, or get loaners from manufacturers. There are soooooooo many great amps out there, but there are also some AWESOME amps out there that are affordable. I think Peavey's are the only "affordable" amps I've used fall into that category.

I do own a few stupidly expensive amps like a Custom Audio OD-100 Classic and a Divided by 13 FTR 37. The Divided by 13 is the best amp I've ever heard in my life, so it was worth the $4K I spent for the head and 2x12 cab. Both of these serve a completely different purpose from the Peavey, but were "must have" amps for me.

Overall, the Peavey is an absolutely killer amp. Not only does it sound great, it's affordable, and will last forver. Test it out for yourself in a LIVE situation, and I'm sure most will be very satisfied. Amps with this much power are not designed for the bedroom. You might as well get a small Line 6 combo, because it will sound just as good as the Peavey at low volume. You're not going notice much until the Peavey opens up, which is just around 3.5-4 on the volume. It is a whole different amp when loud.

I bought a 2006 Peavey 6505+ at Big Apple Music; I have owned This amp for 5 months. This is a 2 channel amp with a foot switchable crunch so it makes it a 2/3 channel amp. Here are features:

120W
Preamp: 6 - 12AX7s
Power amp: 4 - 6L6s
Foot switchable lead/rhythm channels
Effects loop
3-band EQ
Resonance control
Presence control
4, 8, or 16 ohms

This amp works for me, it gives me the sounds I am looking for. I play in a Progressive Power Metal band and the 6505+ suits my style perfectly. Only wish it had a reverb knob like the combo version. This is a Rock/Metal amp. It can do other styles but if you mainly play Blues/Jazz/Country, there are other amps that will suit that style. better With 120W, it is more power than I will ever need. At home I use the master volume at 3/4, at band practice 2 Max and live I never go past 3 since the cabs are have mics in front.

The sound of this amp is amazing. I use this guitar with an Ibanez RG550 20th anniversary Reissue FR. My guitar is loaded with a Dimarzio X2N on the bridge position and a Dimarzio AirNorton in the neck position. When I first got my 6505+, I really didn't find anything special about this amp except the Lead channel. But now I realize that the more I play it, the more I love the different sounds I can get from this amp. I use no mods and all stock tubes.

It is true that the clean channel is not great but if you turn down the guitar volume a bit, it will be. I lower my guitar volume and switch to my single coil when playing clean and I get a beautiful clean sound. Of course, this is not a Fender Jazz or Laney clean but it is really close and very usable. I can get clean sounds like Opeth, RHCP/Dream Theather/etc.

When using the crunch I switch to my X2N and since my Pre is set at 5, I get a really nice chunky, perfect for alternative and classic rock. The my crunch channel gives a Green Day/Rancid/Against Me! type of sound, very rich.

Now, the lead channel is what everyone is crazy about. Im one of them too. This is the reason I bought this amp and I love the beefy heavy tone more than anything. It is great for solos too, when I switch to my AirNorton. This I have my Pre on the lead set at 7 and it is more than enough to play Hard core/Trash/Death/Black metal. I use it to get sounds like Necrophagist/Behemoth/Symphony X/Pantera.

I gig and tour with this amp. I never bring backups, that is how much I trust this amp. It UPS proofed too! :P

The Best company I have dealt with. Great honest forums too. I found answers to all my questions in less than 24 Hours.

I have been playing for 8 years. I have own a few other tube amps. I had a Peavey Triple XXX, a Madison Divinity and a Laney TT100H. I was never satisfied with none of these so I sold them. However, the 6505+ is here to stay. If it were lost/stolen I would definitely buy another one. This amp is has more gain and it is better assembled than my past amps. Also, Peavey customer service is more helpful. At first this amp may seem very straight forward and plain. Some people even call it a $900 distortion pedal but when you take the time to fully explore it and experiment different sounds, you will find many other great sound and will make this amp more versatile.

New '07 head. I'd call it a 3 channel amp. Clean w/ dirt, Rythum, Lead. No Reverb. Effects on/off via pedal. Wish it had an effects level, wet/dry mix control.
I've only had it a week now so we're still on our honeymoon.
This head came with Ruby Power tubes and Westinghouse pre's. The preamp tubes are mounted to a flexable circut board so be carefull when changing them

Jackson SL2H (JB in the bridge, 59 in the neck) - Boss OD3 out front. Rocktron Tsunami, Ibanez DE7, MXR 10 band in the loop.
Marshall blue 30th 4X12 with Celestion 75's

This is what I always wanted my Marshall's and Laney's to be. I could never acheive this type of tone from them. The low/low mid voicing of this head is awesome.
The Clean is just ok....If you dial it in. I adjust the rythum channel to my liking. Then when I switch to Clean I have a nice Bluesy dirt type sound. Turning down my guitar vol it cleans up a bit.
The Rythum channel is great. I can get Classic Rock tones, Brown Sound, Classic Metal, '80's hair, etc. and it can get heavey as a mofo. With a boost out front this channel alone is bout all I need.
Lead channel? I've not had a head to rival it. Very usable gain. No need for my Gain to be above 5. I can get this channel real close to the Rythum channel if I want but I elect to make this my Heavey A$$ Dark, Death, Black, Power, MetalCore whatever channel to vibrate things off the shelf in my house when I want.

I can also get some very nice, smooth, thick and creamy lead tones from this head with my Jackson. With my 10 band in the loop the tones and sounds are expanded greatly. Damn near endless.

BTW, this peticular head it not noisy at all to me. I guess it can be if the gain on the Lead channel is way up. This head can be mushy and muddy if your not careful. I just keep the Resonance down below 6 and the Mids above 4. Rythum Gain no more then 6 and the Lead Gain no more the 5.5 and be prepared when

This is like my 3rd or 4th Peavey. Never had a problem with any.....Except a XXX that sounded like poo straight out of the box. Perhaps it was biased cold from the factory or it could have been the new speakers in the XXX cab. Don't know. I gave it up after a couple of weeks. I'm not bashing the XXX. It just wasen't for me.

Never needed it

Been playing for over 20 years on and off. I would defentaly buy this head again. Love it! Baddest amp I've owned yet.

Been a Marshall guy for years. Gone thru 3 TSL's, 2 DSL's, 900, 2 30th Anny's. Also 3 Laney's, other Peavey's, Modeling amps. SolidState's, etc. I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

So far this is it. My dream amp has always been the SLO. This may be as close as I get. Maybe one day.

For the value? Let me think about that...10!

Bought it a month or two ago for $800. Its a few months old. 6 gain stages, a fairly gritty clean (which I like) and a decent crunch channel. But as the other reviewers have said, you dont play this amp for anything but the super overdriven tones that it so wonderfully produces. This head is amazing.

The clean is a little gritty so dont expect a Fender-like sparkling clean tone. Its totally usable though and I really like it. The crunch channel is pretty good for older classic rock sounds and the like and shares the rq with the clean channel. But the lead channel is where this amp shines. Simply amazing face-melting distortion and sounds so good you wont want to stop playing.

This amp is not like a Mesa with its hair-dryer sounding distortion (which is a great sound as well) but more of a tighter, more percussive sounding gain with alot of attack. I play a couple of strats loaded with humbuckers and its my dream amp. I wouldnt trade it for the world.

I cant imagine anything taking this amp out. Every other Peavey I have ever owned took massive amounts of abuse and kept asking for more. Very heavy, very solidly built.

I had a question about some noise I was hearing (bad tube) and posted my question on the Peavey forums and had a reply within 24 hours from a Peavey rep. Cant ask for more than that.

Buy this amp if you are even remotely into heavey music (metal, metalcore, death metal, etc.) and you wont be disapointed. This will be the last amp you will buy.

This amp is very straightforward. 2 channels and just enough versatility to let you get the sound you want (as long as its heavy or very heavy!!)
Like everyone says the clean isnt unbelievable but I think its works just fine,I wouldnt say it sounds bad its just not great for the price of this amp. But hey this is a metal amp anyway!
Its got 120watts which is very...Very loud when going through a 4x12.
The back has every output you want so it could be used as much more than just a straightforward head e.g. recording out etc.
This amp was perfect for me cuz all I wanted was a damn heavy sound.

Like I said, the clean is fine but its the lead channel that made this head famous. It is great!
I play everything from thin lizzy to slipknot and it can do it all. I use my warlock and Esp kh2 for heavy sounds and with my Gibson V this amp is actually surprisingly good at getting a rock or classic rock sound.
It is true that the head is noisy but thats only when you're not playing and you leave it on the lead channel.
When bands like Van Halen, Arch Enemy, and Metallica have used this head (well the 5150II) its got to mean something and you have to hear this to believe it.

Its been perfect to me, I really cant complain.

Never needed them so they get an automatic ten.

Ive been playing for about 5 years so I still have alot to learn but I know that this head will be around for ALOT longer.
Ive owned marshalls and was never happy until I found my sound with this head. I think I would probably would buy this head again because Im seriously in love with it!!
If there was one head I would choose over this, it would have to be the mesa dual rectifier, simply because lamb of god use em and I absolutely worship that band!!
All i can say is buy it!

6 gain stages. If you're even looking at this amp, you know that's exactly the reason. To me, this amp embodies the "no-frills" attitude of playing guitar. It's got the basic passive EQ knobs for both channels (which is nice compared to the 6505, which only has one set of EQs for both channels. Some say having the extra set of EQs takes away from the sound, but I would say it's negligible, and having the flexibility to fine tune EQs for both channels is more important.)

This amp also has 1 12AX7 tube dedicated solely to the clean channel, with the hope that it would give the 6505+ a smoother clean tone, compared to the 6505.

Oh and what's with Peavey and their ridiculously tacky front faceplates for their heads? The 6505+ has that terrible looking hex plate, which covers up all the logos and everything. If anyone's thinking about the XXX, beware of that too. The faceplate is a clear rip of the Triple Rectifier, with "Triple XXX" on it. So is it a Triple triple X?

This is not a variety amp. It's meant for crushing and expressive distortion and high gain tones, with what I would call an "acceptable" clean channel. My score is basing the sound quality of it's abilities as a hi gain beast. I've tried it with a Gibson SG with the EMG 85/81 combo, Ibanez RG with EMGs, Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster, and one of those cheap Ibanezes that comes in those starter packs. This amp definitely favors active pickups. The fullness and warmth is unmatched, and anyone considering this amp should really look into a set of EMG pickups or a guitar loaded with EMGs. Otherwise you aren't doing this amp justice.

I've had it for 2 days, and it's been good so far...

Haven't dealt with them, but I suppose it would be the same as any other mid sized company. I believe it's got a 2 year warranty, and there are plenty of places to get it serviced.

I've been playing for 9 years now, and this amp is the one for me. Others may come and go as my collections grows, but the 6505+ will be my main weapon for hi gain destruction. When I was shopping around for amps, it ended up boiling down to the 6505+, along with the 5150/6505, 5150 II, Mesa Boogie Triple and Dual Rectifier, and some much more expensive "boutique" amps from VHT and Soldano.

First, as much as you could compare the 6505+ and it's brothers to those other amps, it is very different. The tonal characteristics of those amps are pretty different, and part of figuring out what sound is for you, is to really spend a good amount of time playing these amps and figuring out if it can do what you want.

Plain and simple, this amp costs way less than those other amps, was bought brand new, and has to be one of the simplest amps to dial in compared to its more expensive competition. After all, who needs 4 channels and countless knobs?

I'm just looking to rock.

I bought this amp for about $750 or so, new, off a local dealer. Pretty solid price. Well, this amp is electronically the same thing as a 5150II. Only reason its called a 6505+ is because EVH owned the the 5150 trade or whatever. Soo peavey changed the name. This amp is 120watts, 4, 8, or 16 Ohms [selector switch], features 6 12AX7s and four 6L6GC's. It's a two channel amp, rhythm and lead. The rhythm channel features a standard EQ [low, mid, treb], pre/post gain control, a bright switch which when active boosts the treb 3db or so, a crunch switch [activates via amp or footswitch] which adds more gain [adjusted with pre gain knob] to your channel, but not as much bite as the lead channel. The lead channel has as well a standard EQ [low, mid, trb] and pre/post gain controls. Each channel has a power amp EQ which consists of Resonance and Presence controls.
The amp alos features and handy-dandy ground switch. If you ever have a grounding issue, or hear obnoxious noise that a grounding problem would cause; flip the polarity with the switch to + or - [which ever stops the sound]. Now this switch wont stop ALL buzzing, cuz it is a high gain amp, there will be a lil bit of hum when this things cranked.

This amp has a wide array of sounds. It can go from smooth cleans, to snappy cleans, to light gain, and heavey metal. It's definatly a metal head's amp. It gets alot of crunch, and the lead has alot of bite to it. This amp can clean up fairly well, but its no fender cleans [unfortunatly]. with the crunch switch pushed, you can get a decent "marshall" mimic tone, with some tweaking. It's a very versital amp. Definatly fits heavey metal, rock style music.
the amp is a high-gain amp, so it can get pretty noisey but nothing bad at all. And it is VERY loud. Amazing loud.

This amp is SOLID. and decently heavey [48.3 pounds]. But its a very well built amp, i have no worries of it falling apart or something like such.

Never had a problem with the amp, never had a problem with peavey. free 10 for you

Ive been playing for about 5 to 6 years, gone through a fair share of amps and guitar. And i'd have to say im hanging onto this amp for awhile. Its a great amp.

I just bought a 6505+ head and matching 4x12 cabinet. I play in two bands, one's an original metal band and the other is a pub cover band in Adelaide, South Australia. I tried a couple of amps when i was in the shop but i quickly fell in love with the sounds this beast can produce so i got it. Wish it had reverb on the rhythm channel but that doesnt really bother me..

I use a BC Rich USA Mockingbird and an vintage Ibanez Les Paul Custom both fitted with EMG 81 (bridge) and EMG 85 (neck). Brutal distortion and this thing is f***en loud!! I run a Ibanez TS808, Boss NS-2 and a Crybaby Zakk Wylde wah in front of the amp and have a Boss DD-3, Boss GE-7, Boss CH-1 and a MXR Phase 90 in the loop..

Strong as an ox..

Not sure, haven't had to deal with them..

;)

this amp has more features then the first one but dont seem to make it any better the bias adjust is usless and the 2nd eq dosnt seem to do much diffrents it does have a nice steel stomp box

ok here is were my beef is it dosnt sound better then the first it sound worse the lead is thin and fuzzy and the clean is the same if you like the lead on the first head dont change up u will be disapointed. there is a popping noise between chanels.in my opinion the first head is the best by far

dont know i got rid of it fast

peavey is always good for support there stuff last forever you dont need them most times

man just stick to the first head its one of the best amps they ever made