Product: Peavey 5150 4x12 Cabinet Price Paid: US $350 Submitted 04/01/2005 at 03:06am by dontsoundlikeass Featur...
Product: Peavey 5150 4x12 CabinetPrice Paid: US $350
Submitted 04/01/2005 at 03:06am by dontsoundlikeass
Features
: 8 Sheffield 1200's, Slant cab. Rating would be a ten if it had a stereo option. I had to modify but not to big a deal.
Sound Quality
: 9 This is mostly for all you metalheads like me. I just read a review about a Marshall 1960 cab and it really reminded me of how and why cabs are designed. The reviewer compared Marshall and Mesa cabs and how they are voiced. I'll try to be brief as this is about the 5150 cab but, think about what kind of power tubes you are using... Are they 6L6 or EL34. This is why a 1960 cab with G1275's has very little mids unless you are using an EL34 power tube. The same applies for a Mesa cab, you should be using a 6L6 for it to sound the way it was intended which has the opposite effect. Don't get me wrong, if you like your Mesa with a Marshall cab or vice versa by all means stick with it. The reason we listen to music is for its diversity and tone is relative.
I love the sound of these 1200's. I do not own a Marshall or Mesa Cab but have friends that do. Thinking about Peavey's reputation I would guess this is more like a Mesa cab since Peavey uses 6L6's most of the time. I am running EL84's however from a Mesa 20/20 or Classic 50/50 and to my ears sound great. If I wanted more low end I would use a VHT 2902 (how could you go wrong?).
I just recently compared them to a Celestion Sidewinder (a very unique sounding guitar speaker, rather flat in freq. response and true to its design-high power) and the Sheffields definitely have more bite, a crunchier sound. Of course a Parametric EQ can change all of this but the question is to what degree. What can I say, I love them (the 1200's). Great for clean to ungodly distorted. Very versatile. They cut through the mix with unbelievable clarity!!! I get a little more breakup than I would like for rythem but that is most likely the EL84's I am using.
For those getting a "fart" sound, let me tell you the cab is not without its faults. The wood is not as thick as some other cabs but if you talk to a "drummer" about wood thickness this is very subjective. Every 4-12 I have owned could stand some tweaking and the most important is driving a screw through the middle of the back to firmly connect it to the wooden 2x2 post in the middle of the cab. This will tighten up your bass greatly and assure you of no cab vibrations. Make sure all other screws are tite too! Insulation can help too.
Bottom line, I play in a Metallica tribute band (for the last 5 years) and I have received nothing but compliments on my tone. I have played numerous preamps through it and most of them sound great. I would not recommend a solid state power amp however, even my ADA Microtube 200 sounded way to harsh in the 2.5K region.
I love the sound of these 1200's. I do not own a Marshall or Mesa Cab but have friends that do. Thinking about Peavey's reputation I would guess this is more like a Mesa cab since Peavey uses 6L6's most of the time. I am running EL84's however from a Mesa 20/20 or Classic 50/50 and to my ears sound great. If I wanted more low end I would use a VHT 2902 (how could you go wrong?).
I just recently compared them to a Celestion Sidewinder (a very unique sounding guitar speaker, rather flat in freq. response and true to its design-high power) and the Sheffields definitely have more bite, a crunchier sound. Of course a Parametric EQ can change all of this but the question is to what degree. What can I say, I love them (the 1200's). Great for clean to ungodly distorted. Very versatile. They cut through the mix with unbelievable clarity!!! I get a little more breakup than I would like for rythem but that is most likely the EL84's I am using.
For those getting a "fart" sound, let me tell you the cab is not without its faults. The wood is not as thick as some other cabs but if you talk to a "drummer" about wood thickness this is very subjective. Every 4-12 I have owned could stand some tweaking and the most important is driving a screw through the middle of the back to firmly connect it to the wooden 2x2 post in the middle of the cab. This will tighten up your bass greatly and assure you of no cab vibrations. Make sure all other screws are tite too! Insulation can help too.
Bottom line, I play in a Metallica tribute band (for the last 5 years) and I have received nothing but compliments on my tone. I have played numerous preamps through it and most of them sound great. I would not recommend a solid state power amp however, even my ADA Microtube 200 sounded way to harsh in the 2.5K region.
Reliability
: 8 This will last forever unless you run a PA through it! But the covering is fragile.
Customer Support
: 8 Not bad for a huge company.
Overall Rating
: 9 Great for the money. If I had to look for another I would shop around but this is difficult since most stores only have a few different cabs to choose from. The Celestion Vintage 30's are the hot item it would seem, but need the right head/cab combination to work with their extreme midrange honk. The Sheffield's seem to work in almost any combination and sound "totally sick" if that's what your after. I don't like the sound of a dog pissing in my ear and that is what I don't get from these. From clean to rythem to lead these sound awesome, and even more so if your into Van Halen.
