Peavey 6505 Plus Head

Brand new late 09 model
All tube 120 watt 2 channel 3 mode rock/metal head with footswitchable effects loop and preamp slave out. Also has bias test points on the back panel (very handy)
The features section is where this head loses marks but it really is quite versatile. I personally found that the transition beetween clean and crunch on the rhythm channel to be quite useable (pre
4-5) I use a boss dd-7 in the loop and it works really well no volume clash issues yet although there is a hissy popping sound when you turn the loop off though it doesnt seem to be a problem at higher volumes. With a volume pedal and a tube screamer you can set this thing up to do any kind of music. Compared to a jvm or a road king its limited, but for me it does a flexable hard rock rhythm and HUGE metal rhythm very very well indeed.

Im running it through a orange ppc 412 loaded with vintage 30s (really good cab) and using a Epi les paul standard with a jb in the bridge and and old ibanez rg270 with a emg 81 in the bridge. Man this thing is a ****ing weapon the rhythm channel is really dynamic and the lead channel....ill get back to that. I use a morley volume plus pedal out front with the minium volume set so on the rhythm channel with the crunch engauged i can sweep from a sweet slightly sandy clean tone (heel down) to a thick saturated rock rhythm tone (toe down) then switch to the lead channel to break out the chug. The lead channel is ****ING BAD *** you can get any level of over drive here and it is tight and huge. If your a fan of the metal a mahogany body bolt on neck guitar with a Emg 81 in the bridge is gonna get you dick hard believe me. I prefer the epi with the jb it sounds massive (sounds better with the rhythm channel, better dynamics) but if your only after 1 wicked metal tone go the E banger. The eq section is very effective at shaping the tone not just slightly altering an already pre set sound. The presence and resonance knobs work well to add cut and low end punch (ball busting low end man very nice) Did i mention how loud its is...do i need to? Its not as noisy as everyone says at least mine isnt. it does feed back quick on the lead channel but a good noise suppresor will sort that. theres no need to push this thing with a overdrive pedal its got all the gain you need on tap, but my ts9 work really well to boost for lead or back the gain off the amp and push it with the ts9 for a different flavoured gain.

Brand new dont know, very well built though and its got a good reputation.

Have not yet had the pleasure. 5 year warranty got a good price through sky music melbourne .

I settled on this amp by choice not financial restriction after being bitterly disapointed by a 7 and a half thousand dollar mesa road king. Ive been playing for about 10 years ive used heaps of different **** and this is the most instantly impressive amp i ever played. All in all this is a pro level head and very high qualiy rock and metal tones lie within all you gotta do is find them.

08 Peavey 6505+ head purchased new from guitar center.
Everyone reading this most likely already knows all the features this amp has to offer, but just in case you don't here's some of the highlights.
All tube construction w/ two channels, rhythm and lead. Pre, low, mid, high, post, presence, and resonance for each channel. Preamp out, effects loop, tube bias ports, ohm switchable on back panel.
Basically everything you would expect form a solid amp head. The only reason I rated the features of this head at a 9 instead of a 10 is that I would really like to have a master volume knob to control both channels once you have them set. Definitely not a deal breaker in my book but it would make setting up for a live show a lot easier.

Ok, here is the reason you are all reading this review...the sound quality.
So heres the deal. In my opinion this is the absolute best sounding amplifier for the money. Are there better sounding amps out there? Of course there are, but you will pay at least double for them. Consider for a minute that this amp can be purchased new for the mid $900's (I paid $950 at guitar center, trust me, they will deal if you have cash). You would be hard pressed to get a Mesa, Marshall, Randall, Engl, or any other decent sounding tube head for less than $1800.
This amp has a very distinct tone that carries with it a lot of peaveys own flavor. Personally, I like the peavey sound, but I know a lot of people dont. It will never have that ever so sweet dry distortion that a Mesa Rectifier is famous for and it will never have that warm Marshall crunch. What it does has is something in between and uniquely peavey. Somewhat unrefined, a little harsh, but definitely gets the job done.
If the Rectifier was a professional MMA cage fighter who was well versed in many styles of fighting and was refined to the point of appearing graceful and in control, the 6505 would be a bar-room brawler. Not a lot of finance but definitely a heavy hitter in the rock/metal tone department.
Ok, first thing you need to know it that this amp is designed for hight volume use. It is not a good amp for bedroom volume levels. In fact I have found that the tonal characteristics of this amp change substantially as you change volume settings. So make your adjustments at the volume you intend to play. This head really doesn't come into its own until you reach a post volume of 3, which ironically is a perfect mix with a loud drummer. You can get reasonably good tone at lower levels but in my opinion your just waisting you money. You would be much better off getting one of the new modeling amps like a line 6 if you want good tone at low volumes.
Rhythm channel- In my opinion this channel needs just a little more gain to be used for a moddern rock/metal rhythm sound. The clean is passable but just barely. Currently I have this channel set up for a smooth moderate gain lead tone and I use the lead channel for my metal rhythm tone. Try a pre of about 7 with a low of 9, mid 3, and high 5. As with the lead channel this channel has WAY too much high and mid available. I have read that the reason for this is that Eddy V is partially def especially to the higher tone range. This being the case this amp (along with his new fender 5150 III amp) has and excess of high tones available. I find that with this channel I only need to set the high on 5 to achieve a well balanced tone. The brite switch is also overkill in my opinion and completely unnecessary.
The lead channel is everyones favorite and with good reason. Absolute searing tone! Again, way too much high and mid on tap than is necessary for a good metal/modern rock tone. This channel has a pronounced "honk" and harshness that can be overcome with proper adjustment but it does take some time. It has a somewhat grainy sound that can be harnessed into a great tone but it will never be buttery smooth marshall or dry ear-soothing mesa. It also has more than enough gain. Personally I only need to set the pre at 4-5 to get all the gain I need for blistering metal. Any higher than 6 and your into serious death metal-wall of distortion noise.
The low end is flawless, great thud without being muddy. try a setting of 6 with resonance of 4 will get you in the ball park.
Mid adds just enough body at 1, and high only need to be at about 4. presence is overkill on this channel, try around 1.
*keep in mind that all the setting I have recommended are for a post volume of 3 or higher.
All in all this is the best rock/metal tone that can be had for under a grand. Ratting of 9 because it could be better but is extremely good for the price.

Come on guys, its a Peavey. It's built like a brick **** house.
I have owned peavey products before and never had a problem. The one time I had a question and contacted Peavey they were helpful, friendly, and very willing to do what ever was needed to help.
In my opinion this is a great head to take on the road. Tough as nails, easy (and plentiful) to replace if needed, and I've never heard of one crapping out...ever!

Like I said before, the peavey guys stand behind their products.

Very good overall package. Probably the most over looked and under-rated amp available today. Definitely the most bang for the buck out there. Rated at a 9 because its not perfect but all things considered you'd be hard pressed to find anything better for the price.

This is a 2005 model I think. It is a very versatile amplifier. I can get just about any tone I need from it using different guitars and not really changing the settings on the amp very much at all. The only time I change settings is when I use a different cab with different speakers, and even then it is minimal. This amp has 2 channels, but effectively has 3 because of the crunch setting on the rhythm channel. All of these are switchable on the footswitch, along with effects loop on/off. I did use the effects loop for a while, but with the different types of effects I had and some of them not being true-bypass, I found that I had a lot of volume issues with the effects loop, so I went back to in-line with the guitar. I use this amp for live shows with two different bands. It definitely does the job, and I can play just about any type of music through it and play with some very loud drummers and it cuts through no problem. Lead channel post gain set at 4 is very loud with good speakers. Nobody should have to go much louder than that.

I use this amp with several different pickup configurations. This amp, as with any tube amp, will really produce a lot of different sounds based on what guitar and pickup configuration I am using. I am in two different projects right now. The first one is an experimental grindcore/post-punk type band. I use a Fender Special Edition FMT Telecaster with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates in the bridge and Seymour Duncan '59 in the neck. This is by far my favorite setup with this amp. The Pearly Gates sounds perfect through the lead channel on this amp, and the '59 is great for smoother solos on the rhythm-crunch setting. I also use a 2000 Mexican Stratocaster with Seymour Duncan Alnico-II Pro staggered pickups for a Funk/Classic Rock band. The pickups are a lot cooler and crisper and really turn the amp into a funk/blues sounding amp. The clean channel isn't as warm as it could be for this type of music, but the Alnico-II pickups really help to smooth it out.

I can definitely depend on this head. I do keep it in a NY-Case hard case with some custom extra padding that I added. But even so, it's been bounced around on some pretty bad highways in a U-Haul trailer on several weekend tours and hasn't missed a beat. The power tubes do have to be replaced pretty often with how often I play (at least a few hours every week), even with the cold biasing that Peavey sets it up with (I have it turned as hot as it will go without modifying it). I would say I replace them every 8 months to a year. When the sound starts to get really scratchy, you know it's time to replace the tubes. Oh, and most of these amps come with Ruby tubes in the power section. Throw them away and get some JJs, they sound so much better and last a lot longer. I haven't replaced the pre-amp tubes yet, and I've had the amp for about 3 years now. I will probably replace them the next time I replace the power tubes.

I haven't dealt with customer support at all. I haven't had to, which is a good thing. I think the warranty is for 5 years, but I think I extended it to 10 when I sent in the registration card.

I've been playing guitar for about 13 years. I also own a Peavey Transtube Supreme, which was my first head. The quality was kind of low on that head and even though they were trying to recreate a tube amp's sound with a solid state amp with that one, they just couldn't do it, that's why I bought the 6505 Plus. I still occasionally use the Transtube for practice, but not very often. I tried several other amps when I was looking for a tube amp, including the Hughes & Kettner Triamp and the Marshall JCM2000 Lead Head. The H&K sounded too processed, the JCM2000 had too much bass separation. I like the raw lead channel sound of the 6505 Plus, and the fact that it is so versatile and I can use it for just about any style of music. The only thing I wish it had is an actual bias probe connection on the back and a wider bias adjustment range with the potentiometer, but of course being a warranted product, and the fact that you need to probe across 300+ volts DC to get the actual bias current, probably wouldn't be a good idea in terms of liability for Peavey.

2008 model: 2 channels (Rhythm and Lead, with footswitchable "Crunch" mode on Rhythm channel), separate EQ/pre/post-gain controls for each channel, footswitchable effects loop, 120W switchable impedance.
Like most 6505 and 6505+ players, I use this amp for the high-gain sounds it produces. The clean is a bit hard to set up, but usable sounds can be gotten from it. Footswitch is clearly marked and intuitive to use, and it's great for switching delay/chorus etc. on and off all at once. At 120W, this thing has more than enough power for any practice or club gig I've ever used it at. Peavey could greatly improve the versatility of the amp by giving the crunch switch more gain, however. With just a bit more gain, the crunch could be used as a main rhythm sound with the lead channel being available for extra volume and as, well, a lead channel. As the amp is now, the gain needs to be pegged in the Rhythm channel to get a good metal tone going, and this can be undesirable if you're quickly switching back to a clean sound.

I use a variety of EMG 81-powered guitars through this amp (Ibanez RGs, ESP Eclipse, etc.), then run the amp into a Marshall 1960A cab at 4 ohms. The clean requires a low gain setting and a light touch to stay clear. These techniques can yield a nice chiming tone for clean arpeggios and when played more aggressively even country snap. Pushing the "Crunch" button gives a solid foundation for crisp hard rock/punk tones. The lead channel seems to be everyone's favorite, and I'm no exception. More gain than most people will ever need (I don't usually run the pre-gain past 6) and all of the EQ dials are very useful for getting the right tone. The resonance and presence controls are quite useful too, although extreme settings can yield harsh tones. It's best to start with a flat EQ setting, then tweak res. and pres. controls to taste. Overall, the tone is tight, focused, and raw, with chunk and grind in abundance. If there's anything the lead channel lacks, it's a more harmonically rich character. I'm hoping a JJ tube swap and bias will help that. The sound only gets better as the post gain goes above 2. For all the gain, the amp will remain relatively quiet. A noise suppressor is still recommended for tight rhythm styles. Overall, I'd say it' s an awesome amp for all styles of metal, including soloing and dropped tunings.

In the year I've had it, I've never had a problem. I've even accidentally left it on for a full day and it never complained.

never had to use customer support

I've been playing for 8 years, and this is my second amp head (the other being a Peavey Triple XXX). If something happened to it, I would definitely get another. I've demoed Marshalls and Mesas, and the 6505+ (for me, anyway) gives off a sharper, tighter tone with less mud and more aggression for a lower price. I don't know if there's a better metal amp that doesn't cost 1000 dollars more than this one. So much power and gain is on tap here; the amp really helps take your playing to another level. Other than the minor versatility issues with the rhythm channel, this amp is perfect!

3 channels, 120 watts 6l6 power, 6 12ax7s. This is a heavy music amp. Forget about cleans, if you're a jazz/light blues player-you bought the wrong amp.

I don't see how naming all of the other amps/guitars you own will make a difference in sound. Got a mesa? A fender too? WHO GIVES A CRAP.

ESP DV8 (Dimarzio Dist.)>6505+>1960A (stock, thank you)

This amp IS distortion. Let it be known that there will never be another sound like this amp, nor will any amp hold up to such high levels of abuse and LOUD. I've modified this amp to get it sounding closer to home. I upped the gain, boosted the bass, brought down the highs and brought the noise down a bit.

This amp cannot be more perfect. I have literally tried over 50 amplifiers in the course of 3 years and have yet to be blown away. I've been disappointed by every amp on the market, every speaker combination, blah blah.

I wanted EVH's early tone, with a bit more bass. I got it. Yep, this amp can do it. Full on saturation, huge harmonic response. No nonsense, cutting tone that's powerful enough to rid of the bassist.

I also upped the gain on the crunch channel to make it a bit more usable, but it's such a difference in tone I hardly use it. The tone on the crunch channel is darker and has less "fizzy" quality to it, sounds alot like early sabbath. Cool.

Forget about the clean channel.

I've owned this amp for 3 years, tons of shows/practices all with volume up around 4-6. Sometimes I swap the 4 JJ's for 2 Winged C's to run it at +-40 watts. (They're rated at 120 watts, it's putting out around 70-80.) Yes, it's biased correctly. I built wah pedals, guitars and amps for the last 3 years, I know what I'm doing.

The stock 75's in my 1960A are well broken in and make a huge difference in tone. The 6505 cab is tuned for this head in that it reproduces the correct amount of bass frequencies, but I find that the tone lacks in the upper register. The 6505 cab is either too dark or harsh. Vintage 30s make it sound like a wimp and greenbacks can't hang. I've been using Celestion 75's for 10 years. These speakers don't break up and dammit they sound amazing at loud volumes. But I think a lot of that has to do with this amp.

This amp NEEDS to be loud. Can't get a big enough tone at 0? Bring this bad boy up to 2-3 and let it sing. Sustain and POWER for days. I've not played a show where I didn't get a compliment on my tone. No rack space units, No ********. Just the ultimate in tone.

Want mods? YOU GOT IT.

Another issue regular purchasers managed to have was the lack of balls when the gain was brought down to, say 5-6. You'll need to replace the bypass cap on V1 with a 1.uF+ cap (It's .047 stock, I believe.). This will add nuts to your tone when it's around 5 and increase the gain a bit. The bypass cap on my amp is 2.2uF, nice and thick.

For more of a vintage tone, (more mid-range, less bass, a brighter top end and less gain), try something like .22uF, or leave it stock. The lower the value, the "thinner" the tone.

Or add a vintage(.22)/modern(2.2) DPDT switch on the back.

If you really want more distortion and a thicker low end, replace the cathode resistor on V1 (2k7) with a 1k-2k resistor. Lowering the value will take you where you need to go.

Bring down the bright! Replacing the 470pF ceramic cap will bring down the brightness of an amp, especially if there is a 150pF cap in parallel! My amp has a 90pF cap (240pF total), just to give you an idea of how much taming amps may require.

In the tone stack, right up front is an 82K resistor that sort of controls the lower mid-range frequencies (Making it sound a bit cloudy). I added a 100k pot from an old boss pedal (the pot is small and square) so that I can lower the value accordingly from the front of the amp. To tighten up the tone a bit and take a bit of the "flabby" mids out, lowering this value helps a lot.

That's all for now! DON'T SPEND ANY MONEY GETTING THIS AMP MODDED BY "GURUS" ON THE WEB FOR OVER $300!!! These parts cost cents and if you've got experience with a soldering iron, you're half way there! I just gave away a bunch of "secre

I've used this badboy for nearly 4 years without a backup. Yeah, it's TOUGH.

Never needed to contact. Voided the shit out of the warranty.

I wouldn't buy another brand or model amp. This amp is literally perfect. I have been searching for THIS tone since I started playing (10 years ago). I'm 21 and plan on using this amp through TONS of live shows throughout the year. Massive touring will really prove this amps worth.

Other guitars sound the same, this amp has a massive ego, only showcasing it's own tone. A tele will sound like a noisy Les Paul. A vintage Les Paul will sound like a massive tool of destruction. This amp is made for any kind of music that requires high gain, big volume and massive tone. Although the lower distortion settings yield solid results, I don't think you bought the + version of the 6505 series for low gain versatility.

I play hard rock/heavy metal. No jazz, no blues, no funk, no bullshit.

Thank you, Peavey. I hope to get my amp to be your next signature model.

I'm not sure what year it was made, probably 2007.
I play Progressive metal, which means I have to be as versatile as possible. I need to be able to play death, thrash, technical, hardcore, grindcore, and jazz. This amp covers it all very well. The amp has 2 channels, a presence and a resonance for each channel, and effects loop, 4, 8, and 16 ohms. A bright and crunch button for the rhythm channel. So it has all the features that i'll ever need. I don't like complex amps, so this is a good amp for me. I ONLY use this amp during gigs and band practice. This is a 120 watt tube amp, this amp is way too powerful for stay at home practice.

I play on a Fender Squire Telecaster with EMG 81/85 pick ups in it. The EMG's compliment the amp very well. I've played an Ibanez RG with Infinity 2 pickups in it and it sounds really good to. So Passive and Active pick ups sound really good with this amp.
I play a ton of different metal styles and jazz. The only thing that could be better is the Clean, I sometimes have problems keeping it clean. But i use Active pickups that run really hot so keeping any amp clean with these pickups is a challenge. The amp is very loud. So it has a lot of feed back, so a noise supressor is a good investment. The amps doesn't have load and loads of low end, if you want that get a mesa or a diezal if you have the money. The amp has punchy low end, the high end soar for days, in fact a little to much for me, but more is always better, and the mids give this amp a ton of body and they aren't nasaly or anything. The presence and resonance knobs only make your tone perfect. The Rhythm channel has a a lot of features. It has a crunch button that gives it a good rock tone, and bright button that makes it (big surprise) brighter. It has really good clean if you eq it right. But it's hard to get it just right. I worked on it for days before i got it right. And it's hard to keep clean, but i have active pickups, and the output is really high. So it's hard for me to even keep my solid state with zero drive clean. The Lead channel is where this beast really destroys everything. It was not hard to get great tone out of this amp. It can make every metal tone there is. Getting what you want that is good for you is the tricky part. But it only took an hour for me to find what I fell in love with.

I've only had it for 4 months and played 1 show with it so far. So it hasn't had any neglect.

Never dealt with them, but i heard they are cool people.

I've bee playing for 5 1/2 hears now. And the i've only played on solid state stuff the whole time. Having this amp has opened up so many doors, It actually make you play tighter. If you play sloppy, It will show, So it will make you want to play better. If the amp were stolen:
1. I would find them and scalp them
2. I would take what is mine
3. I would probably buy another one.

I've heard a ton of concerts and did a ton of research and this seemed like the right choice. I find the distortion better then Mesa/Boogies I hate EL34's so I hate every amp that has them except Orange. I've heard ENGL and it just wasn't thick enough and didn't have enough body, and they are to cruchy it seems. I've heard of other amps being better but you have to pay an arm and leg for them. Peavey did an amazing job by giving the people amazing tone for the price they make it for. The amp has the best value on the market, by far.

2 channel 120 watt all tube head, six preamp Tubes JJ/EHX and four 6L6 Ruby powertubes , FX Loop, I think made in 2007, bought second hand but in new condition. I'm using it with a Marshall Mode Four 400 watt cab (The MF400A version), I'm playing in a Pub Band at the moment doing stuff like Metallica, Grinspoon, Silverchair, Foofighters all the usual popular pub Songs, though i'm mainly into metal but this thing rocks for anything with searing distortion and awesome leads... Hard Rock, Death Metal you name it and yes Van Halen haha. It's not that versatile but if you know how to work the EQ good you can get some different sounds.
It would of been cool if the 6505 came with a half power switch to run it on 60 watts to get that powertube breakup earlier cause this thing is insanely loud, I only use it on about 2 when playing along to songs and 3 or 4 at band practices and gigs. I've only had it around 7 or 8 a few times. Having that power under your belt is very reasuring for me haha, knowing that you can obliterate any small animal within a 1 mile radius.
The one feature I love is the FX loop on/off button in the foot switch, this is great if you have multiple pedals in your loop. I'm only using a MXR Carbon copy delay at the moment (Great pedal by the way) and a dunlop WAH in the front, but this is gonna come in handy when I get more pedals, there will be no tap dancing turning them on and off all the time haha.

Man this amp is killer, just brutal distortion, the clean channel is ok but not the best but is still very usuable, this channel is shared with the crunch mode which I don't use much but can be used for stuff like ACDC, Airbourne, Led Zep, Hard rock stuff. Now the lead channel is what my ears crack a fat over, Im running a Gibson Les Paul Std with Seymour Duncan JB and Jazz fitted and it is just awesome, chords are just thick and punchy but still have clarity and the bass response on this is excellent, especially for chugging, You can feel the thump in your chest if you stand or sit next to it close enough. The artificial harmonics just scream out and solos just cut right through anything. The amp I was using before this was a Marshall DSL50, the clean channel on it was great but the Distoriton channel was a little lacking, I had JJ's in it too with a good bias and it was just kinda fizzy and thin at times, the 6505 just has a beter quality sounding distortion, it sounds and feels bigger and has a lot more oomph. The DSL is still a good amp though, If the 6505+ had the clean channel of a DSL it would be perfect.

I've only had for about 2 months so I can't really comment, it feels very solid and reliable, I've read other reviews with people very happy with their 6505's holding up to night after night of abuse and gigging so thats very reasuring. I would still gig with a backup but the other guitarist in the band is going to be using the DSL50 so i can't afford another 6505 seeing as they are $3000 new here in australia.

Can't comment cause, i've never had a reason too contact them.

I've been playing for a bit over 4 years and have a small collection of guitars... strats, Epiphones, A gretsch and ibanez and other ones which will never stop growing and yes all guitarists should know you can never have enough gear. I'm extremely happy with this amp, the distortion is absolutely killer and just makes me play so much better and keeps me inspired to practice for hours everyday cause it sounds that good. If it were lost or stolen I would headbutt a brickwall for losing it or hit the person over the head with it if I ever found them cause it weighs a freakin tone. If you are after an amp with unbelievable punchy, searing and chugging distortion haha, check out the 6505+ or the 6505. You wont look back!

First off, just like you-I read these reviews quite often but have never felt the urge to comment until now. I recently purchased a used 2006 model 6505+ head. No mods or anything. 2 channels (clean has crunch select).

I am using a Anderson Pro Am, Suhr Classic, plus a Les Paul Studio through this head. All have humbucker pickups.
This is where the lesson in humility came in. I also own a Mesa Rect-O-Verb, 2 Marshall MarkIII 900 heads with Soldano Hot Mods in them, and a Splawn Quick Rod. THIS AMP SMOKES THE OTHERS! It sounds awesome. No Tube Screamer, Super O.D., Sonic Maximizer, etc... just straight in. I do have a Nano verb in the loop (which is footswitch selectable) for delay. The clean channel is decent,but that isn't what this amp is for.
I play metal/hard rock and this thing sounds terrific!!!

Not too crazy about the power and standby switches, but they may last forever-who knows? Seems like a fairly solid built amp. As good as the Marshalls anyhow. The Peavey products that I've used in the past have been well built.

Never used them but their website is very informative.

I've been playing metal for about 25 years. I'm not a pro, but I can get around the neck. My scores don't average to a 9-but the sound quality of this amp warrants the score. If you play metal,this is your amp!

This is the new version of the Peavey 5150II.

* 120 watts into 16, 8, or 4 ohms (switchable)
* Six 12AX7 preamp and four 6L6GC power amp tubes
* Footswitchable lead/rhythm channel select and effects loop
* 3-band EQ, resonance and presence controls on each channel
* Rhythm channel: pre-/post-gain, bright and crunch switches
* Lead channel: pre-/post-gain controls
* Preamp output
* Footswitch included

Let's be honest here; if you're buying this amp, you're buying it for metal/hard rock. This thing kills with distortion. There is a reason so many metal bands use this amp, and that's because the tube distortion is amazing; there is no need to have a distortion pedal. You want crunching lows or piercing leads with a lot of sustain, this amp will do it.

With that said, there are some flaws.

The clean tone leaves a lot to be desired. It takes a lot of tweaking and certain know-how to get it to "sparkle". Get yourself a good cabinet (I'm running a Mesa/Boogie cab with V30's in it) and either a delay/chorus/reverb pedal and you'll notice a HUGE change in the clean. But, if you want it to just sparkle, get a Fender amp or look elsewhere.

Also this amp is LOUD. I'm talking, turn the post volume past 2-3 and you're piercing eardrums. You'll have no problem cutting into the mix of things. But, with that amount of volume and the amount of gain this amp pumps out a noise suppressor is NECESSARY.

I'm using a Boss NS-2 and I just turn the threshold at about 3 o'clock (I have to have it that high because I also have a Schecter C-1 Hellraiser with active pickups and this thing will feedback like crazy without the right control). Do this and you won't hear a sound for those dramatic pauses when you need to kill the distortion in a split-second.

I use this thing live too, and it's perfect. You'll hear yourself just fine and deafen those who are silly enough to stand right in front of it. It's reliable and has been used to record in studio with stock tubes (there fairly good).

I've been gigging without a backup for some time, and this thing has never crapped out on me. (Though I need to get a backup pretty soon, because you never know when something weird can just happen.) I'll tell you what HAS crapped out on me: not having good cables.

But, this amp is amazing. I haven't had the money to get an ATA case for it yet, so I've been lugging it around to gigs with no protection on it AT ALL. And it works just fine. It's built like a tank, tubes are completely covered and it has a metal grill where the pre/power knobs are at.

My only complaint is that this is a heavy head, and having one leather strap to carry it by makes me nervous. I wish more heads had the carrying handles like a Genz-Benz El-Diablo.

This amp won't break unless I purposely do it, nuff' said.

Haven't had to deal with them, and I've had this head for about a year. That's a good sign.

Been playing for 13 years and I've tried Mesa's and Marshalls, high-end Crates, Randalls and Laney's and this is the sound I wanted. We don't play "death metal" like a lot of bands on here do, we're much more a Sevendust sound. But for metal, no matter your subgenre, this thing will work for it.

If it were stolen I'd buy another in a heartbeat, and then hunt down and murder the person who stole mine.

I love the distortion and I love it's reliability. The clean tone is very "meh". And I wish it had a hard ATA case it came with, but that's okay. I'm also a fan of the power plug being attached to the head and non removable (this keeps people from walking buy and ripping out the cord and killing a show!).

I wish it had a reverb effect on it somewhere.

For the price of this head, you won't find better. And hell, you won't find better for double the price either. This is one amazing amp.

Not sure the year this was produced but it was a floor model from the music store I currently work for. This 2 channel beast acts as a three channel if you consider the crunch feature on the rhythm channel. Pre and post gain as well as three band eq on each channel plus resonance and presence for each channel, crunch and bright switches on the rhythm channel. Mine came stocked with a pretty nice tube selection, 4 Ruby 6L6GC's in the power section and 5 JJ's ecc83 plus an Electro Harmonix 12AX7LPS located second from the left if looking at the preamp tubes from the back. Comes with a three button footswitch for channel, crunch and fx loop switching. Switchable impedance 4, 8, or 16 ohms, bias testing and adjustment, etc. The last amp I owned was a Mesa Boogie Mark IV and after I had spent a considerable amount of time (roughly 1 month of tweaking) I finally got a tone I was happy with on all three channels. I'm not fond of tweaking and like ease of use...this amp has it. I didn't have to spend much time dialing in a tone I was pleased with and it didn't seem to vary from use to use as I had experienced with the Mesa.

I use this amp for all three projects I'm currently involved with. The first is a southern metal/hardcore project which I use an older LTD KH203 with a pair of EMG HZ's tuned to dropped D. The sedond project is more of a dirty rock project and I use an LTD EC300 with HZ's tuned to standard. Both projects play original material and I had a different set up for my tone relying mostly on the lead channel. The third project performs mostly covers ranging from Wilson Pickett to Alice In Chains which is where the versatility comes into play with the 6505+. I have heard people say this amp doesn't clean up which is a misconception. The rhythm channel has a nice "tube" clean sound, it's not a solid state clean which sounds overprocessed to me but instead a true warm clean tone. From what I understand, this is a throwback to the first generation of 5150 heads. Over time as Eddie's hearing diminished he lost the ability to hear higher frequencies which is the reason for the brighter sound of the following generations of the 5150 series. This amp has a killer range of tone and for what I play is the perfect head. I didn't find the amp to be very noisy at all although I have heard that from many people. My suggestion, replace the tubes, I think mine is less noisy because of the 12AX7LPS which has a tighter coil to reduce noise. As far as gain...this is one brutal head. I had use the rhythm channel at a show because a resistor failed in the preamp in the lead channel and was able to get very close (pre dimed with the crunch pushed in) to the tone I get on the lead for my southern metal/hardcore project. The lead channel blows my mind...sick overdrive and very easy to dial in. Mine was a floor model so the tubes were very nicely broken in but a brand new head will sound harsh until you reach that point. Also, I play out quit a bit from small clubs to theaters and was able with only using a 412 cabinet to meet the demands of every location.

I have only had one problem with the head which was a faulty resistor. It had been the floor model and had been on display for almost a year prior to me purchasing it. I work in the music store where I purchased it and had seen the abuse it took from some of the knuckleheads who tried it. Anything from turning the power on without running the head in standby first as well as turning it off without letting the tubes cool down to running a bass guitar through it and using a speaker cable as an instrument cable. This head took some light abuse from our customers but our service tech said the problem with the resistor had nothing to do with use and was covered under warranty. I feel I can depend on this head and wouldn't see the need to bring a spare as a backup. I usually have it in the trunk of my car (which has crappy suspension) to transport it to my various projects' rehersals and know Peavey products can take a beating and still work like new (I still run my Peavey 412 stero cabinet that I purchased roughly 10 years ago with the stock speakers and it sounds great). The only thing not covered under Peavey's warranty was the tube that went along with the resistor and shipping to our service center.

I have dealt with Peavey customer support on different repair and purchase situations and they are top notch. For those of you who have been forced to sit through 2-5 minutes of on-hold music...well Peavey plays nothing but rock haha. I did have it serviced for a faulty resistor and it was covered under warranty but tubes and shipping will not be covered. I believe the warranty is 5 years.

I have been playing for 15 years and own a small Tubeworks 7100 practice amp as well as my two LTD's and a Taylor Big Baby acoustic guitar. Like I said, I did own a Mesa and although I liked the sound it was very stressful taking so much time to dial it in and had to sell the Mesa to cover gas bills when I wasn't playing in any projects. To be honest, I don't miss the Mesa and when I realized I needed to purchase an amplifier I tried a number of heads from Marshall to Fender to Bogner to Peavey. I was down to a Marshall JCM 2000 TSL and the Peavey and kept coming back to the Peavey. I have also played through a Framus Cobra and a Bad Cat and wasn't very impressed to be completely honest. I love the overall raw tone and miles of gain as well as the versatility of this product and wouldn't say I hate anything but it would be nice if they included reverb on the unit as I had to purchase a Holy Grail to cover the aspect of my playing needs.

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

120 watts, i'd say 3 channels but really only two. Bought mine in late 2006. Has just about everything an amp head should have. No reverb but that doesn't bother me at all.

I play mostly heavier type stuff. I tried several amps before i bought this one(Cavin legacy,Mesa Dual rec, Marshall Tsl, Dsl, and a few others) This is a really great sounding amp with it's own sound. I know I love the Marshall sound. I had owned a Jcm 900 in the past and Love the jcm 2000 dsl 50. However i wanted something different. I was dissappointed until i heard the 6505. The cabinet has a lot to do with the sound. I didn't really like the 6505 cabs. At the time I owned two older peavey cabs with sheffield speakers, a marshall 1960A cab and two mesa rectifier cabs with V30's. The marshall cabs sounds really nice. A bit piercing though. The Peavey cabs sounded even better. More bottom end. Pretty close to the Mesa cabs without as much speaker breakup. I decided the Mesa cabs sounded best. With two of them hooked up......WoW! Another Great sound is with one peavey cab and one mashall cab running together. I'd say that might have been the best. But since most of the time i plan on running through one cab, the Mesa was best for me. I get a nice tight bottom end, some mids and smooth highs. If i want really bright highs i can turn up the presence past 7. Typically I run the settings as follows....
Pre. 3.5 - 4 (Jackson picup with smooth cover removed is hotter than the emg 81)
bass. 7
mid. 2.5
high 7.5
Post. with band 3-4
resonance 7
Presence 7
Running the pre at 3.5 to 4 is damn heavy. I don't ever see a need to increase this. At rehearshal levels if i let go of the strings there is an awful moan type feed back. A noise suppresser should handle that.

no problems yet

not had to deal with them yet

I have been playing for over 20 years. I really like the tone of this amp. Maybe different tubes might make it sound better maybe not. I satisfied with the sound for now. Well, except for that noise. I run a Charvel model 88 most of the time. I removed the smooth jackson cover on the pick up and it really came alive. About the best picup i've heard. I use a Jackson dinky with emg 81 for back up. I have to turn the pre up from 3.5 to 4 with this guitar. Sometimes i run into a wah,flanger and delay(in that order) then into the amp.

Very simple front pannel, the standby confused the hell out of me because i thought when the standby light was on that the amp was on standby! Apart from me being a dumbass this is amp is a very simple easy amp to configure and use efficiently. I don't like amps with big flashy bits and complicated front panels.
Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the amp this thing absolutely slays!!!!!

Sound quality was simply amazing, both the lead and the crunch sound is incredible (Especially the lead sound.....it simply is so brutal but still retains clarity and a sustain which is more you can state about most of the other amplifiers on the market!) as other people have stated however the clean does sound pretty bland, adding chorus to it and delay does make it sound better but remember who actually does buy this amp for its clean sound?!
Back onto the distortion:
Crunch sounds very nice indeed, think of a sort of old school metal with more balls to it, how ever the crunch sounds brilliant with the gain turned down to play blues and old rock music like ac dc and sabbath.
Lead channle is probably one of the best distortion sounds that I have EVER heard before. It is absolutley brutal!!!! I have only recieved this amp about 2 weeks ago but believe me I have put it through its paces already, when cranked up the distortion still is as searing and remains clear as ever. Perfect for death metal/thrash metal which is what I love to play (think through the eyes of the dead/carcass stuff!)
I'll definiatly give this amp a 10 because despite the clean channel being bland it deserves a ten for the distortion tones that it can pump out!!!

Heres the thing I got this amp out of the box and it was brand new, plugged it into my 4x12 marshall cab and proceeded to dick around with all of the channels to see what sound I got get from this amp then all of a sudden whilst I was blissfully shredding away on the lead channel it decided to basically screw up and remove all of the gain away from the channel while i was still playing through it.
I was not amused after 10 minutes of adctually playing it so i phoned up the shop and gave them quite alot of grief down the phone.
Mustve just been some dick on the depo who threw it in the back of the van or something.

They came the next day with a brand new one to my house and removed the old one free of charge so I was happy again.
Also gave me three years of warrenty with it so I was even more happy.

The first one broke which sucked but the look on my friends face when I blew his mesa of the stage with this beast was priceless. Buy this amp and you will not be dissapointed (unless it breaks on you like it did for me!)

3 channels, lots of basic EQ versatility, and one input. it has a pre amp out, so you can run it into either a mixer, or another clean power amp. FANTASTIC. one head should do it all.

BUT!

this is NOT a JSX, TSL, or FENDER!!!!!

noone buys this amp for multi channel versatility.

THIS IS A DISTORTION AMPLIFIER!!!!!!!!

holy lord...ive been wanting one of these for 6 years...well, a 5150.

i got a JSX, carvin V3, and have had a voodoo modded JCM800 2204, and a stock 2205.

why have i been neglecting myself from this amp!?

IT IS AMAZING!!!

i play metal. megadeth metal. iron maiden metal.

NOT hardcore, emo, or any of that other stupid shit people play this with.

REAL METAL!

this is definitely the ONE to own. maybe not the last one, but definitely the ONE. super distinct sound, and WONDERFUL chord clarity, and sustain.

i have to say...this will end my search for years to come. this is THE amp. i have the gain on the lead channel set around 6, and use a tube screamer for a bit of low cut. i dont like AMP lows...too flabby, most often. the lows are around 3, mids around 2, and highs around 3. sounds like it would be dull, but it PENETRATES the weak, and DESTROYS the speakers with power and beauty.

i just got it today. my JSX haS HAD one PROBLEM SO FAR, and that is that the first power tube section has gone out, and so it needs to be repaired. but after playing EVERY day for a year, at volumes of 5 and above, isnt it EXPECTED?

i havent contacted them yet, and dont really plan to.

i have urged my rhythm guitarist to buy one. its just fantastic. i have been playing for 10 years, and if it were lost or stolen...well...who cares?!

i love everything about this amp. WISH IT HAD A LEAD BOOST!

but i solved that by putting a ZVEX SHO in the loop, and boost it with that.

i cannot believe the sheer power of this amp. its nearly rediculous.

i suggest ANY metal head to try it out, before you even THINK about a mesa.

In stock form, everyone knows the specs to this beast by now.

After the deluxe mod and Ruby matched power tubes and preamps($810.00), a MAJOR loss in gain and crunch in the lead channel. I do not care for Ruby tubes at all. Before the mod, I usually would have the pre-amp gain around 6 and half and Master 3 when playing with my band. Plenty of distortion there. Now after the mods with the preamp gain on 10 and Master volume on 3, it sounds like the preamp distortion is set to 5-6. Big change of the worst kind for me. Changed to Matched power and high gain preamp JJ's from Eurotubes and sounded way better. Some crunch started coming back. Actually, every tube I have tried in this amp sounds better than Ruby tubes. This is the best rock sound I have ever heard.Does not feedback anymore when turned up loud. I do not reccomend Voodoo Amps for metal players though. Not enough gain and the crunch is definetly softenend. The clean channel and rythym cahnnel sound way better though. Before the mod, I would give the stock amp a respectable 7. After the mod, I would have to say I would give it a 6. It does not do what I want it to do. I play major metal and this amp does not cut it. I use ESP Deluxes with JB's and some with EMG81's. Not enough gain anymore. The clarity is greatly improved with the mod and has a great rock sound. Not for the highest gain metal players though. I reccomend talking to Jerry at fjamods.com if you love the 5150 series and want high gain metal guitar modification options. He is the man. I can get that classic Maiden and Priest souped up Marshall tone with ease, but that is about as high as the distortion will get. AC/DC songs sound amazing also.

Seems to work perfect after about a month of having it modded. I purchsed it new in January, and is built very well from Peavey. I haven't had it long enough to give an honest evaluation of reliability. It is up for sale if anyone wants to make offers. E-mail me at mixmastermark_2001@hotmail.com. I can provide any documentation and pictures you need. I would like to put the money from this amp toward another amp asap since I am going into the studio soon to record with my metal band.

Trace and the guys at Voodoo Amps are super nice. The Voodoo Amp mods just did not turn out the way I wanted. This is a rock amp, not a metal one now. 48 hrs try-out return policy is kind of ridiculous considering Musicians Friend gives you a month.

I have been playing for 14 years and play a little of everything. The amp sounds really good don't get me wrong, it just is not for metal(Unless it is very early Marshall Amp 80's metal). Metal is my favorite, and when I talked to Voodoo Amps about modification, this was definetly made known. I play Pantera, Fear Factory, And Justice For All and Puppets Metallica, Nile, etc. etc. I would not go to Voodoo Amps for modification again. It is not for me. I HIGHLY reccomend talking to Jerry at fjamods.com if you want a high gain amp modded for metal. He will charge you a more reasonable price and not so much a loss in gain in the lead channel. I feel I wasted my money for these mods, considering it can't do what I want it to do. Great rock sound, sounds more like a Marshall now than a Peavey 6505+, which I do not like.

This features rating is for the production model before the modification. I play metal and rock mostly and this amp is known for insane gain. It is not vey articulate and is very noisy and fizzy sounding. The clean channel is pretty lame, but I use the rythym channel with low gain as a clean channel which works pretty good. The lead channel is pretty sweet though and can get insanely loud. The effects loop is pretty noisy and I try not to use it if all possible. Overall for a production all tube amp costing around $950.00 it is a pretty good deal.

After the mod, my amp really came alive. Lead work really shines now and is incredibly articulate and cuts like a knife. Mids dial in nicely now and it crunches like crazy. It is very tight in the bass department and does not feed back like crazy when it is turned up loud with lots of gain. I had the deluxe mod(New Mercury Magnetics Output Transformer, Standard Mod, and completely retubed). It sounds incredible now and I love it.

So far so good.

Trace knows what he is doing and is super nice. Best money I have ever spent on music gear.

I have been playing for 13 years and love it. I play and sing in a 2 piece insanity metal band where I need lots of volume and headroom to keep with my drummer. He has the same set as Ray from Fear Factory and is tight on the double bass. I play an ESP H-1000 Deluxe with a Seymour Duncan JB and a 59'. I also have a ESP EC- 1000 Deluxe with dual EMG-81 humbuckers. My baritone is a Schecter Scorpion with Dimarzio Super Distortion Humbuckers. I use Mogami gold cabling along with Monster studio Pro cabling for hooking up the cabinet to the head and instruments to the amp. I use a Furman Power Pro for plugging in my amp which makes a huge difference in the sound. I have a Genz-Benz cabinet which I am changing the stock speakers to Celestion. Get the mod if you love the Peavey 6505 or 5150 but want it tosound the best it can.

This amps is pretty vertatile.It as three channels only the lead and clean i use.

Sounds amazing you just have to dick around with it like anything.The sound stright is desent but i went and bought a ts9 and stuck it infront of the head.Thats when it went from night to day. very heavy think killswitch clean tight heavy metal sound.The clean channel is very butter with the extra tube.better then the reg 6505.

no probelms yet

deff get if you want to save money while obtaining a great rock/metal amp.

This is a amp right up next to marshall bogners and mesas.I was able to actully get a better sound quicker then any amp i've tryed.I think the olly amps out there better are engl,framus,or bogners.but then again you'll pay about $1000 more then this thing.

2 channels 6 preamp tubes, 4 power tubes.
I think the amp is very versatile. Tweak the gain, Res, Pres, and mids to get differnt tones.

Footswitch is cool. Effects loop. I use the amp at home through a VHT fatbottom 2x12.

Sounds Great! I am using Ibanez Prestige customs with Dimarzio Air Nortons and Steve's Specials. Suits my style very well....I like a Savatage type tone and this suits my style a bit more than the regular 5150, which is darker and sounds awesome for death metal. The big factor in sound is the speakers/cab. Many overlook this, but it is huge!!

so far so good

I had a 5150 for about 3 years and decided to get it modded from voodoo amps. Had that for about 2 years. Just wasn't happy with it. Sold that amp and bought the new 6505+ and it has been awesome! I have been playing for 18 years and I have been diggin peavey cuz the bang to buck ratio. I could pop out big money for Splawn, Engl, Framus, but why? I don't play out much and I am more than happy with my tone. Make sure whenever you get a new amp to try it on different cabs. Speakers make a big difference! For what I spent, it can't be beat!

The rythym channel seems like a total waste, exspecialy considering it has a whole power tube dedicated too it, one that on the 6505 (non plus) was on the lead channel, so basicaly they sacrificed some gain to add the rythym channel, and its decent, but most everything i've read here on it already is pretty accurate. I get alot of great metal sounds out of it and I don't use a pedal, my fav setting atm is pre-8, low-7, mid-1, high-2, resonance-7, presence-10 and it basicaly has a warm but not at all muddy distortion sound, if i turn the post past 3, i drown the other guitarist out, he plays on a crate bvh120. I get cleaner (distortion) chuck schuldiner sounds, I get sharper killswitch engage sounds, I get good ted nugent rock sounds, and they all sound GREAT!

I just got this amp today. Perfect timeing actually because we had rehearsal today. Anyway, I am amazed at this amp. Saturday I went and tested it out and was sucked in from the start. I love everything about it. For me personally, this amp is a very versatile amp. I am currently involved with alot of different projects, and it is going to be a very wonderful asset to me. I know everything is reletive, but I am very happy to own this amp. It is a two channel amp; rythmn and lead, with a crunch on the clean channel. There is an effects loop, that I am currently not using. I will be using this amp for live and studio applications. I am just amazed at this product.

Tone, almost too personal to even give an opinion, so I will speak only from my perception. I have been playing guitar for fifteen years now, and only in the last five years have I learned about the wonderful world of tubes. Unbelievable huh! I honestly don't know how that happened, but I am in love with the electric guitar. When I got my first real tube amp, it was like stepping into another world. Thus my tone search began. All I can say, with complete humility, is this is the tone I was looking for. I am a music lover, and so I play alot of different styles; Blues, rock, jam band, country, and anything else I can feel. I play through a G&L Legacy with twinblades, my effects include a MXR Dyna comp, Boss DD-6 Digital Delay, Electro Harmonix Small Clone, and a Crybaby. For me, this a perfect amp. I personally love the clean channel and the lead channel. I am just impressed with the amp all around.

Looks very dependable

Overall, I love this amp. All I can say is, go to a local dealer, and see if this amp is for you.

This is a Peavey 6505+ made in 2005. I bought this amp off of Music123.com in B quality ( used ). Funny thing about it, someone must have returned it with mesa 6L6 power tubes. So keep in mind, this review is on a killer amp, made even better by tubes from Mesa. This has all the features anyone needs. Clean,Crunch and Lead. The previous review is dead on about the clean channel not being loud enough because you have to turn the gain down to get a decent clean, then when you switch on the crunch, its super loud cause you have the pre on 7. But who buys this amp for the crunch, the lead is sick and all I use. This amp turned on 2 1/2 is loud enough for practices and gigs. This amp gets an 8 only because I wish the clean was more smooth and buttery

My set-up is this: Esp Eclipse EC-1000 into the 6505+ with a Kerry king Eq in the effects loop through a crate 4x12 loaded with vintage 30's. Anyone not familiar with the kerry king EQ, should def. try it out. An Eq in general whether its before or after the amp is an awesome and useful tool. My band plays As I lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Thrice type style of music. Without the Eq the amp is brutal on its on, the eq just soups up the gain and depending on where the sliders are you can adjust the bottom, midrange and high frequencies. These 5150's/6505's amps have been known to be very noisy due to the high gain, but Mine is not that noisey, the only thing noisy are my emg pickups ( hence the noise gate thats on my x-mas list ) Now onto the clean, for some reason my clean is very bright and glassy, Im guessing that is the mesa tubes working its mojo? I wish it was a litte warmer like a marshall. Im still trying to master my eq amp settings and eq pedal, I know nothing about settings. I know I love the scooped mids sound, but in a two guitar band, you might as well just stop playing. Boosting the mids seem to work on being heard, but its not balls to the wall. I have only played a couple handful of amps in my day from marshalls avt's, jcm 800, crate blue voodoo, peavey triple xxx, peavey supreme, this one has the best distorion for the money. I would give it a 10, but I know there are better amps out there, maybe with equal distortion but better clean or vice versa.

I have played about 10 shows and put about 200 hours at practice on it, so far it hasnt failed me. I dont have a back up, Im always nervous every show, cause I bought it used and I dont have a case for it, and how sensitive tube amps are. But this thing is a beast, so Im sure it will last me awhile. But invest in a road case!

Well this isnt a plug whatsoever, but I buy most of my gear from music123.com except my guitars. and they have a killer return policy, so I dont need peavey customer support. For any musician looking for great deals on used stuff I would check out thier outlet section.

I have been playing for 10 years and I have owned a few peavey heads and a crate blue voodoo, so far this head takes them all. If this head were stolen I would def. get another one. If you play metal, hardcore, or any other harder type rock, this head is for you. Save your money and buy a decent cabinet with celestions. The new crate voodoo cabinet was the best cabinet for the money, heavey as hell though. Same speakers as the ones in the mesa oversized cabs.
www.faceforwardrock.com

05' Peavey 6506+, 120 watts all tube. Some sort of effects loop which i dont really use. Two channel amp, lead and a clean channel. The clean channel has a crunch boost which is footswitchable. Each channel has independent resonance and prescence controls, this really lets you dial in fell as to whether the amp has a "saggy" tone or a "tight" tone in a way that you cant do with an eq. Really cool.

What i would like to see is the clean channel improved by making it more clean and fuller sounding. Id also like to see the crunch channel moved over to the lead channel so you can get a good solid clean tone and a heavier crunch. Im playing more metal and hardcore these days, as well as some good ol' rock.

Im using an Ibanez RGT-42 and have used a Gibson V in the past. Both guitars sounded really good on this amp. The lead channel tends to be my main channel since i use a lot of distortion. This channel sounds very heavy and tight, great for metal rythym and of course lead. The crunch channel is awesome for harder rock tones ala Rush, Dio, Black Sabbath. It can do lighter tones as well and has a real good Marshall-y sag to it.
The clean channel is utter shit though. No soul in the clean channel, really anemic an tinny sounding. The really horrible thing is since the clean channel and the crunch channel are on the same channel you cant dial in a good crunch distortion and have the clean be clean. The clean it ends up being dirty if the preamp is past 3.

Ive had it for 2 or 3 months, so far so good.

Never dealt with em'.

Ive been playing guitar and bass for 15 or so years. The band im in now is in the vein of Lamb of God, Slayer, Mastodon, KSE, Children of Bodom ect. Really heavy stuff that doesnt require a clean channel. This amp shines for this style. But its very limited in my opinion and the day this band ends ill probably ebay this thing and get a more versatile amp.

All in all its a good amp, but very one dimensional.

this was a 2005 peavey 6505+. notice I say "was" i got the amp 3 days ago and I plugged it in and got it all set up to my likings and I thought that the disortion channel sounded pretty freakin good. the clean/rhythm channel is kinda odd though. but ill get into that more in the sound section. it is not a very versitile amp when I compare it to my TSL 100 but there is sufficiant sound/tone adjustment on it. I use it for live gigs with my band and we play melodic metal/hardcore/screamo.

I use a USA Jackson soloist SL2H-mah with seymour duncan JB in the bridge and a 59 in the neck. well... to get back to what i was saying befor....i have had the amp for three days and the power amp section of the distortion channel is dead. it worked for 2 days and then nothing. the clean still worked though (oh boy). they are gonna send me another one. the clean channel is VERY clean (too clean)when low gain is applied but there is almost no head room. then there is a crunch button on the clean/rhythm channel and it boosts the gain a bit but it doesnt make for a very graceful change from clean to crunch because the crunch boost is too loud and the clean is too soft so when the clean is loud enough to match the lead channel and you wanna go from clean to a crunch into full chaos(the lead channel) the crunch ends up being so loud that its louder than the lead channel. which is really really loud. so my solution is...I will use two cabs and two heads. The 6505+ with a 1960 lead cab and a TSL 100 head with a 1960 cab. the TSL's clean and crunch channel is far superior to the peavey but the distotion (lead) channel on the 6505 is more of my taste because the peavey 6505+ has more of refined and less grainy gain. so I will switch between the clean and crunch on the marshall TSL and the lead channel on the 6505+. SO essentually the peavey is like a $974.00 distortion pedal.

The power Amp section on the lead channel DIED 3 days after having it.
they are sending me a new one so we will see.

never talked to em.

well in its current condition I probably wouldnt care too much if it broken (more) or stolen or something. but if it actually worked ....yes I would buy it again.

It has what is needed, and a little extra on the side. It has the usual Low, Mid and High EQ's, pre and post gain (actually, only pre is gain while post is volume control) and resonance and presence controls, which are extended controls for further scuplting your lows and highs. All of these are available for both the rhythm and the lead channel.

It also has a "bright" switch which will output more treble and it also has a "crunch" switch which will add a tad more gain... Both features are only available in the rhythm channel.

It comes with a 3-buttoned footswitch, which allows you to control channel selection, to add crunch on the rhythm channel and an effects switch which will switch on your effects loop.

As I said, it has more or less exactly what it needs, with a extra toppings.

I play my amp through an ESP M-II with Seymour Duncan JB/59 pickups, which is connected to a Boss TU-2 tuner, a Boss GE-7 that goes through a Boss NS-2 noise suppressor, and then straight onward to the input jack on the 6505+. The head is connected to a Hughes & Kettner Vortex 4x12 cabinet. I acquired it very recently, so the amp is straight outta the box with no "improvements" whatsoever.

The sounds? It does what it was designed for with excellence: Pure and utter annihilation!!! It has more gain than Cain and it has more bottom end than Amsterdams Red Light District. The word brutal gets thrown around a lot, but this time it's justified. This head is capable of outputting sounds that are more brutal than any other amp that I have ever heard. If you know your shit, you know that the only reason to purchase a Peavey 6505+ is for the lead channel. You can sculpt your tone to range from more or less any genre within the heavy metal branch of music, from mild gain to earthshaking and bonecrushing gain with a HUGE bottom end, which is exactly what I need for the style I play (metalcore). And with the Boss GE-7 hooked up to your signal line, you there's even more room for toying around.

The rhythm channel on the other hand, could use some improvement. The clean sounds aren't the best in the world (but not the worst either), and the "crunch" button adds very little gain which kinda forfeits the idea of the crunch feature.

But as I implied earlier, you're not buying this amps for it cleans but for its gain.

I haven't had it long enough to really comment on this, but as I understand it, Peavey builds reliable equipment.

I sent them an e-mail regarding the powersupply of the amp some weeks ago, and they have never responded...

This amp is without a doubt, the best bang for the buck for all you metal/hardcore musicians out there. If you need great cleans, look somewhere else, but if you want to be in Gain City, this is without contest THE amp for you. So far, I like... No wait, I LOVE everything about this amp.

I have played for 7 years, and of all the myriads of Marshalls, Mesas, Hughes & Kettners and "what's their name?" that I've tried, this amp straight out beats them all for my needs, which is gain, gain and more gain!

The bottom line is, if you play in a band that plays heavy metal, whether that be hardcore, punk, grind, metalcore, power-metal, black-metal, death-metal, melodic-metal, whatever, save yourself some time and go check out this amp immediately... I am 99% certain of that you won't be let down!

Yeah, i'd like to say to Colin to leave your dirty diaper at the door when real guitar players smoke your pussy-ass. I guarantee you wouldn't tell KErry King or Zakk Wylde that they are pussy and pathetic for using EMGs and drop tunings. Plus, i know you suck at guitar because you have more effects pedals than all other guitar players in tha world combined.

Anyway, on to the 6505+ or in my case, 5150 II. I bought one from the last batch of 5150II to leave the Peavey factory in late 2004, and man, was i lucky on that day. It is the most killer amp on the planet. No reverb, but if you need reverb, get a pedal for it.

2 Gibson Les Paul customs, one is a Black Beauty and the other is a Zakk Wylde original bullseye, both have EMGs(Colin, read this please.) and i own a Peavey EVH Wolfgang with a quilted maple top with the factory pickups, which are fuckin the best sounding PASSIVE pickup i've heard, but can't compare to the low noise-high output sound of the EMG81/85 combo. I had 5 pedals, a Dunlop Wylde Overdrive, Hendrix Wah and Rotovibe running in to the amp and a Boss Chorus Ensemble and Digital Delay through effects loops. Yep, no noise gate. I have 2 4x12 Peavey cabs(not 5150, straight and top) and this amp has more than enough power to crank out some of the greatest tones you will ever heard.
For the most part, i play metal in tha vain of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, Shadows Fall, Black Label Society and Killswitch Engage. So, for most of my metal, i like to use the Rhythm Channel, with the pre-gain set at 10 and the Wylde Overdrive for a lil' more crunch and sustain. If i need it clean, i will usually just hit the footswitch and cut off the crunch and go to the clean. My chorus is usually always on when i'm using the Rhythm mode, so my effects loop is on, which means my clean channel has that awesome late-80s early-90s ballad tone, which is what i love. Now, if i'm playin shit like Killswitch, Pantera, Shadows Fall, and my own brand of metal which is a bastard child of Van Halen and Fozzy, i use the lead channel with the Wylde Overdrive with the FX loop off. I keep the Lead pre-gain around 3 or 4, and the Wylde Overdrive smooths out the gain and pinch harmonics fuckin fly from the speaker cabs.

On both post gains, i've never had a need to go above 5 when in a rehearsal situation and never above 3 in a live situation.

If there is a better amp, i'm sure as hell i wouldn't be able to get it for the $900 i paid for my baby. Shit, i'd laugh, die, be shocked, etc. if you could find one for $2900.

Hell yeah, i'd gig with out a back up, i've been a dedicated Peavey user ever since i started playin guitar 8 years ago, and i could have bought any amp and will stand by Peavey til tha day i die. Hell, if tha best in most genres(EVH, Gary Rossington of Skynyrd uses the Peavey Mace amps and new XXX amps, Satch with the JSX) use Peavey products, need i say more.

And if some one ever fucked it up or stole, i'd kill them, their family, pets, children, etc. go out and by a new one.

No, really, i'd just be really upset and know that i can go out and get the same great tone for less than a $1000.

I just tried out this amp in a local music store this weekend. The amp has killer tones and a variety of them. The features are somewhat limited by intent of design. I decided I have enough amps and this one although truly awesome, wouldn't add anything really to my collection. I'm a reverb kind of player. I like it and that's why there are so many different amps and FX out there. The single BEST AMP ON THE PLANET IS THE ONE YOU LIKE THE BEST.

The sounds were killer. There were a variety of sounds and we were allowed only a ten minute try out. That sucked. I got away with a 1/2 hour. The amp wasn't real noisy for being such a high gain amp. There was some noise, but hey, I've got a Bad Cat that is Class A and noisy at times. I tried four guitars through it: A LPC; Strat SSS; Strat HSS; and a Strat with EMGs HSS. Yes Colin, I've been playing for 35 years and have played in places you probably could not even approach. My triute band was #1 nation wide! I do think "The Dude at" was a little rough on you though. I don't find it necessary to get all emotional and curse someone because thier tastes are different from mine. I also don't think you've got the right to blast someone either. If you don't like a product, don't buy it and don't use it; perhaps don't even listen to the musicians who use them.

If this amp is like any other Peavey tube amp I've ever owned, it will be an unstoppable tank.

I've dealt with Peavey for 30 years now. Mr. Peavey himself has written me two emails and contacted me once on the phone. Peavey sets the stanard for customer service by which all others should be judged in my opinion.

If this amp had reverb, I'd probably find some way to add it to my collection. My retirement account is suffering, but I've got a storage space full of gear. It is truly an amazing amp with "ALMOST" uncontrollable gain. It sounds awesome for what is is intended to be.

First off I would like to say that Colin, the guy who wrote the review below, likes to rub against little boys on the bus. For some reason he felt the need to bash anyone who uses EMG pickups. Since I use EMG's exclusively, I just want Colin to know that when he is done blowing his boyfriend, he ought to go down to the local corner store and buy himself a clue. Your tone is the result of a number of factors: strings, pickups, the wood the guitar is made of, the amp you are plugged into, the type of tubes in the amp, the cabinet you are playing through, the type of speakers in the cabinet, etc. If he doesn't care for the way EMG's react with the rest of his signal chain, that's his business, but there are a lot of ways to skin a cat. To bash EMG's and anyone who uses them is just a glaring example of how truly stupid Colin is. Hey Colin, please refrain from posting further reviews until your balls drop!

You can check the Peavey homepage for the vital specs, but it's got two channels, Rhythm and Lead. You will notice that I did not use the words Clean and Lead, because the Rhythm channel was not meant to be a clean channel. You can roll back the volume knob on your guitar to help improve matters if you are after a clean sound, but that really isn't what this amp was made for. If you are expecting a Fender Twin Reverb clean out it, you are what is known as a complete fucking idiot.

This amp is the 5150 with a different name. Internally they are the same amp. I own a 5150, but am writing this review here because obviously it applies to the 6505 as well.

Jackson Rhoads guitars with EMG's (81,60). One guitar is in standard tuning, one with all strings detuned a half step, and the third with all strings detuned a whole step. I use a Marshall JCM900 1960B cab and I play real metal (Old metallica, Slayer, Sepultura, Pantera, Exodus, etc), not the pathetic excuse for music that passes as heavy these days (Limp Bisquick, Lincoln Log Park, Kornhole).

I mentioned above that it has no clean channel, just Rhythm and Lead. If you are really hell bent on getting a decent clean sound out of it, I recommend swapping out the third Pre-amp tube from a 12AX7 to a 5751, which has about a third as much gain as a 12AX7. It reduces the gain enough to get a usable clean sound, and also tames the lead channel a little bit, which some people like since a common complaint is that there is too much gain on the lead channel.

On the subject of pre-amp tubes, I recommend Electro Harmonix 12AX7's as they provide the warmest tone and best harmonic content of any 12AX7 that I have tried, and I have tried all of them short of some NOS tubes that I couldn't get my hands on. A lot of people rave about the JJ 12AX7's, so I tried them, but I found that they had almost no harmonic content and the tone suffered compared to the EH tubes. Everything is personal preference, but I found that the JJ's were dull and lifeless compared to the EH. (NOTE: These were not relabeled Sovteks, they were true Electro Harmonix tubes. The first batch of EH 12AX7's that came over to the states were just relabeled Sovteks, but the EH's that came after are completely different tubes than any of the Sovtek 12AX7's, and Sovtek makes a bunch of different 12AX7's. EH tubes are made by Sovtek, in the same factory as the Sovtek tubes, but they are not identical. The design of the tubes is different from any of 12AX7's that Sovtek makes, and the quality controls are better than the Sovtek tubes) The first three pre-amp tubes are for the gain stages, the fourth is for the effects loop, and the fifth is the phase inverter for the power amp. So, swapping out any of the first three tubes for something else will affect your tone and the amount of gain the pre-amp produces.

When it comes to power tubes, I settled on Svetlana's after extensive testing with just about every kind of 6L6 that I could get my hands on. Again, other people rave about the JJ's, but I didn't care for them at all. They sounded thin and had a spike in the upper mids that gave the amp a horrible honk. Sovtek and Chinese 6L6's were slightly better, but the Svetlana's won hands down for my taste.

The amp has two inputs, Normal and High. I use the Normal input because the distortion is too fizzy plugged into the high gain input. Obviously with lower output pickups you might want to use the High gain input, but I found that with a high output humbucker plugged into the Normal input, there is still a ton of gain, but with a lot less fizz so you retain better note definition. A high output humbucker plugged into the high gain input will result in a VERY distorted sound, so if that's what you are after, go right ahead.

The Rhythm channel with the crunch button engaged (gain boost) has more gain than the lead channel of most other "high gain" amps that I have played. The Lead channel has more gain than anything I have ever owned or plugged into and that includes the famous black face rectifiers from the early 90's (I had a Dual from the second batch of recto's that Mesa ever made). Tonally the Rhythm channel has more bass than the Lead channel, and the bass is also a little tighter on the Rhythm channel. The Rhythm channel is voiced like a lot like a JCM800, but with way bass and way more gain than any Marshall ever produced. The Lead channel has been compared to the Soldano SLO, and while I can't speak to that comparison personally, I will say that a LOT of expensive high gain tube amps have found their way into my possession since I got my 5150 (

Absolutely Bullet Proof.

I have never had to deal with them personally, but their homepage has all of their manual and a nice forum for people with amp related questions.

By itself, it's a very nice amp. Throw a BBE sonic maximizer in the loop and you will be in high gain heaven. I also use a Hush Super C, but that's only because I A/B to another amp for clean sounds and need the 5150 (6505) to be completely quiet when it's not in use. You could get a better amp, but it'll probably cost three times as much. Don't be afraid to experiment with different combinations of tubes as the amp is very responsive to the differences from tube to tube. In some amps the tone doesn't really change much even if you swap in different tubes, but the 5150 (6505)will cover a lot of ground sonically if you are patient enough to do a little experimenting.

i got my head a week ago. I still have my old 5150II. Features are the same thing. Just the face plate is different. it was a good clean channel if you use the boos or digitech x sustainer pedals. The crunch channel isn't for emo what i call it something else. The crunch is more use for 60 to 70 rocks or mild rhythm. The f/x loop is good. Now come for the beast and best part of the amp. The Lead channel. Nothing more else to say. I just use the clean and lead channels only. ALL TUBE IS THE WAY TO GO!!!

Clean will need a lot of tweaking and a sustainer pedal. A must need for your Lead channel and that is Boss Noisegate pedal. It will be perfect for the hissing sound. I love the clean and lead. i playing on Ibanez 7-string guitar with DiMarzio Evolution pickups. This are the best. I think people are pathetic with their EMG's pussy battery powered pickup. Get a real passive pick up like mine or the Tone Zone. If all you little pussies out there just use drop tuning then you are pathetic even more. I tune my guitars to B flat to A. I use the new digitech x-series for my sounds. Just Flanger, Sustainer, Delay, Whammy, Phaser, Vox Wah and Reverb. I play classical/flamenco style, and metal. Death/Black Metal. Have fun on your own when it comes to your own settings.

Yes i do all the time, but you will need to replace your footswitch after a 2 or more years. Unless you don't stomp on it like some idiot's do so.

Don't need it cause i never had any trouble. Just when getting another footswitch and getting new tubes put in for me. Thanks a lot Bill.

I would get a new one in a minute if someone stolen it or it just died on me.

Amp was just released in march of 2005. It is a 2 channel all tube amp but their is no clean channel you can make it sound close to clean but come on this amp is made for one thing only, brutal ass distortion. I use only the lead channel for the crazy amounts of gain it has. It has 10 tubes (6 preamp 12AX7 and 4 power amp 6L6) and 120 watts. At volume 2 it is loud enough to hear across an entire house and at 3 your drummer will hate you for drowning him out. If you go past 4 your ear drums are bleeding. Loud as hell!

I use a B.C. Rich KKV with zakk wylde emg pickups (81, 85) and an Ibanez rg7620. The KKV is tuned to drop B and the 7 string to drop A. I play Metal and Hardcore. The amp is noisy but it's a high gain amp, itshould be. Get a MXR Smart Gate or an ISP Decimator and then laugh at your friends when you pull off perfect start stops with your band. The amp is made for super high gain. I never put it above 7 on the gain or it gets to be too much. The clean channel is non-existent but the "rythm" channel distorts easily at almost any volume. If you wanted clean out of a 6505 then you should go put on your emo records and cry anout you pussies. All I need to say is that the BALLS on this amp easily surpass anything short of a Bogner Uberschall or Framus Cobra. Honestly, If you re-bias the tube settings to 35mA then this thing can easily compete with amps more than twice it's price.

Haven't had a problem with anything Peavey I've ever owned so I'm guessing this will be no different.

I haven't dealt with them yet and i don't expect to.

I've been playing for almost 9 years and this is by far the best amp head i've played. For the price it competes with amps it shouldn't even come close to. I play the head through a Randall full stack consisting of a 4x12 and a 2x12 with a 15 that just kills. i heard the 6505 sheffield speakers are even better so i have to go try that shit out. I don;t need a clean channel, all i need is pure heaviness and this amp is perfect for that. I love the way it looks with its grill and faded peavey logo (It's not white like it is in the pictures, it's a dark silver). If it were stolen i would either buy another or work my ass off to go buy an Uberschall because those things are evil. I looked at Marshall JCM 2000 and the shitty new triple Rectifiers that take years to find a decent sound from. Mesa egineering my ass, my peavey destroys any mesa product any day and for half the price. Just buy the damn thing already if you need an instrument of destruction.