HIGH-GAIN Amplifier Shootout! (Mesa, Marshall, Orange, Peavey, ENGL & Randall)

Thomann Affiliate: www.thomann.de/intl/index.htm...
Sweetwater Affiliate: sweetwater.sjv.io/k0mGvx
My personal Thomann recommendations: thmn.to/thocf/cv37zixo68
My webstore for Captures, presets etc: ko-fi.com/sonicdrivestudio
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction, details and signal-flow etc.
03:29 Marshall JVM410H
05:01 Marshall JVM410H ISOLATED
06:16 Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
07:45 Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier ISOLATED
09:08 ENGL Fireball 100
10:37 ENGL Fireball 100 ISOLATED
12:10 Orange Rockerverb 50 MKIII
13:38 Orange Rockerverb 50 MKIII ISOLATED
15:12 Peavey Invective 120
16:40 Peavey Invective 120 ISOLATED
17:51 Randall Diavlo 100
19:19 Randall Diavlo 100 ISOLATED
20:02 ISOLATED A/B Back to back comparison
23:24 ISOLATED A/B Back to back comparison same cab
25:59 Conclusion
Thanks for watching this high-gain guitar amplifier head shootout/comparison! In this video I just used one guitar and one style, so one tone per amp. The guitar is my ESP LTD NW-44 Neil Westfall (Bareknuckle Aftermath). Let me know in the comments what your thoughts were of this shootout!
The amps featured:
- Marshall JVM410H
- Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
- ENGL Fireball 100
- Orange Rockerverb 50 MKIII
- Peavey Invective 120 (modded 5150 / 6505)
- Randall Diavlo 100
The signal chain:
- ESP LTD NW-44
- Amp Heads
- RedSeven Amplification Amp Central Reactive Load
- York Audio Impulse Responses
- Cubase 11 (Steven Slate Drums 5.5)
RedSeven Amp Central Reactive Load review: • AMAZING Reactive Load!...
York Audio Impulse Responses: www.yorkaudio.co/
Thanks for watching! Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are, please subscribe along with the bell and follow SDS at:
/ sonicdrivestudio
/ sonicdrivestudio_official
/ jon_symons
#metal #amplifier #comparison #shootout #marshall #jvm410h #mesaboogie #dualrectifier #engl #fireball100 #orange #rockerverb50mkiii #peavey #invective120 #randall #rd100h #yorkaudio #redseven #ampcentral #esp #ltd #nw44

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Thomann Affiliate: www.thomann.de/intl/index.html?offid=1&affid=3210 Sweetwater Affiliate: sweetwater.sjv.io/k0mGvx My personal Thomann recommendations: thmn.to/thocf/cv37zixo68 My webstore for Captures, presets etc: ko-fi.com/sonicdrivestudio

[@silverstaralchemist]

For me, a tie between the JVM and Peavey! Love those Marshall mids and the tightness from the Invective.

[@BenvanGeest]

The Marshall JVM410H is a clear winner for me personally. I just love the raw, clear tone of a good Marshall amp and those mids are to die for! You can’t go wrong with that amp. Killer demo as always, Jon.

[@deadinsidemcgee411]

I suspect that the mid scoop may be more down to the settings used. Mesas do have a harsher emphasis on bass and the fact that he pushed a little more treble adds a scoop effect.

[@InfiniteDesign91]

And it has a very decent price.

[@Davidthestratman7]

Can't beat the Marshall sound to my ears. It does everything really well and it's definitely the cleanest sound in my opinion. That's why I bought one a year ago when I had the money to buy a tube amp. Never letting it go. It just sounds so good

[@user-zc1hb6mt3o]

The Marshall is the most honest, well thought out amp, and the sound is very well balanced and more pleasing to the ear than the other amps featured in this video.

[@yaroshpetr1]

Согласен с вами. Мне тоже больше всего Marshall понравился. 😃 Не выдержал и купил такой же.

[@JBGoode-zx7pp]

Also super versatile in other styles

[@fernandonavarro6783]

Man, you are one of the few youtubers which i can actually hear the differences, and the verbal explanation just clarifies my toughs. Top notch content keep up!

[@hyperbolekid]

Nice job again! You convinced me to pickup an Invective 120 so I an gonna try out the settings you have here. Keep pumping out the great content Jon!

[@beerwolf8518]

This video is so helpful for me. I have a lot of Fender amps but am barely tipping my toe into the 'high gain' amp world. It's cool hearing what the difference is in all of these manufacturers.

[@guitartonetopia]

Wow the ENGL Fireball 100 stood out to me as the best... didn't expect that! 👍👍

[@kancelariaarkadiusz699]

You do the best comparisions on YT. Thank you.

[@hcj1967]

They ALL sound great in their own unique way and mixing two of these is sure to give one multiple-eargasms!

[@djentlover]

Thank you so much for including the shootout with the same cab! I was wondering why some amps sounded weird and hollow, with this kind of vacuum cleaner sound, turns out it was the initial cab ir's that did that sound. The oversized Mesa ir is awesome! No annoying resonances, so natural

[@alexanderfischer1293]

Fantastic comparison! I think you are showing pretty well that the final guitar sound is not ONLY driven by the speaker/cab/mic selection, as the recent "IR hype" is suggesting. Different amps still have their own character added to the band mix. I do own an Engl 19" rack setup (E530 preamp & 840/50 power amp) and the Peavey Invective 120, but I must say that I also loved the sounds of the Orange and the Dual Rectifier. Great content and smart way to compare sounds. I love your channel!

[@keolahutchinson7687]

They all have their own voicing...which is why I love a good tube amp shootout. Good call dialing them how you like. We got to hear each brand's signature attributes clearly here. I know I've said it before...but the Peavey invective is my thing for sure. Nice work on the shootout!😁👍

[@markconner5341]

Great shootout. Great mix. My fave was the ENGL, but the Invective came in a close second. In the mixed versions, they were extremely similar.

[@Monsoon1973]

I think the Mesa makes a great wall of sound combined with the Marshall or the Orange. The Mesa has the bite and the rattle and Marshall or Orange do have the bark, the growl, the mids, whatever you wanna call it. They are all beautiful... Great video!

[@sneakynation1414]

The Invective is a dream amp for me, it has so much to offer in terms of versatility imo.

[@Bret_Sanor]

The Marshall was my favorite by far of the bunch in this example. Great comparison.

[@silvestrslusis3007]

Marshall, Randall and Engl all sounded great - beautiful, pronounced mids and a heavy sound that does not get lost in the mix.

[@Pirewheel]

The Mesa and the Orange compliment each other very nicely and I'm happy I own both.

[@mattrector431]

orange is on my bucket list, rock a dual rec tremoverb and its killer for my rhythm/lead tones.

[@Tanax13]

I love your videos! Perfect to have this video on while working :D

[@swmnoutdoors9146]

The randall really does it for me

[@7DeuceCutty212]

Finally someone who plays great for these demos🔥

[@zirzop5]

I don't remember the last time I commented on a youtube video. this channel is so underrated!

[@FlavioHerbert]

Orange, Mesa and Marshall! Thanks for the vídeo! 👏👏

[@youngraves7857]

invective for me. throaty and present, sounded like all of them mixed nicely together. great vid!

[@WesTyler9]

Usually not a huge Dual Rectifier fan, but thought it sounded really good here especially for more open chords. Marshall sounds great all around and the Peavey really shines for palm muted sections since it is so tight. Great comparison!

[@Bash_Man]

I have to say and was surprised that the Marshall JVM410H was to my ears the best sounding. Clarity on it was very nice. Close 2nd I'd have to say was the Peavey Invective. nicely done sir. keep em coming. Cheers

[@zeevshaff]

Pairing the marshal and the rectifier is gold

[@kadestorm]

In a blind test, they’re all high gain winners. Personally, I am partial to the rectifier for a certain tonal quality and detail, even though it also comes with some compromises. Yet the Diavlo is the amp I sought out for the very reason demonstrated in this video: very tight and cutting low end.

[@demian113]

Wow the Peavey was surprisingly impressive! I'm not a big fan of newer Marshall's because they sound fizzy to me, but in this demo the dual rec is fizzy and the JVM actually sounds better to me. I'm shopping for a new live rig and your videos are extremely helpful thank you!!!

[@VE17OM]

Have a JVM 410h on order with a 1960AV cab cant wait til it arrives!! Love that sound

[@lancesheffield3433]

Very good demo brother as usual. I really enjoyed the Marshall’s clarity and mids. Second up the Peavey!

[@thekramer1097]

Awesome video!

[@Ronkde]

Thanks! I appreciate the effort put into this so I didn't have to click to compare the tones. :) All of them have something in them that I like a lot. ENGL and Randall were my favorites. ENGL needs a bit of girth and Randall needs to be less muffled without getting too shizzly. Then again I would get used to it and be happy with any of these.

[@marior2862]

Amazing video comparison !

[@fjk1138]

I've owned 2 JVMs, a Triple Rectifier and a Roadster. I can actually see all of them serving a purpose depending on the application. I have to go with the Dual Rectifier just because, though I found it to sound a bit fizzy when isolated here. Was pleasantly surprised by the Engl and the Peavy. The Orange and Randall sounded pretty much as expected. Regardless, you did an awesome demo as usual and I envy you having such a fine collection of amps!

[@christophercharlot2840]

The attack on the Randall is awesome. Great clarity. Plus I dig the darker tone.

[@DORSIAKILL]

The Peavey, Marshall, and Orange in that order. Awesome amps!

[@OssianOtt]

IMO ENGL Fireball 100 definite winner in this test. Love the sound of it in this clip! If you had a tubescreamer I think I would rate the mesa much better than I did in this test. I miss the 6505 also.

[@DarkHorizonsMusic]

They all sound awesome!! My favorites would be the Marshall JVM and the Mesa Dual Rec. They just sounded the best to me. Great job dude!!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Thanks!

[@kdaviper]

I think I prefer the triple rectifier over the dual. But more definition in the bottom end I think

[@jwelliott74]

If someone says all your hi gain amp tones sound the same, they obviously aren’t listening for nuance. I use six different signal paths and blend together (including Marshall, Mesa, Orange, Diezel, Bogner and even an Op Amp Big Muff!) to taste, simply because of what you’ve illustrated here - just because you dial in a certain type of sound on each amp doesn’t mean they sound the same. You truly have a knack for these type of comparison demos, and do them well!

[@timrichards5628]

Brilliant comparison! i would never say all your amps sound the same x

[@FEAROWNAGE]

I love the Diavlo and how you can hear the attack on the strings. It’s crystal clear despite being so high gain. Same with the Engl.

[@ordohereticus3427]

With the Diavlo it’s that Fortin signature metallic twang, but you’re right, the ENGL Fireball also has a somewhat similar tight attack but also different.

[@soad11dude]

I'm glad you put a section in where all the amps are using the same IR. Changing IRs makes a massive difference and isn't great for comparisons sake. But then again... you chose IRs that complemented each amp well and let them shine. Having both the shared IR comparison and different IR comparison is awesome to listen to. Just goes to show how big a role is played by the speaker and mic. Also. I'm usually a 5150/6505 person, so it will be no surprise that I preferred the invective. But the Fireball is basically tied with it. I found them to be the most similar of the bunch. This is probably the first video of the Randall DV100 that I don't hate it outright. Yes it is dark, but still has some interesting gain character. I also found the Dual Rec and Orange has a similar fuzziness going on, which is great for slow chugs, but not fast stuff (I've never cared for Dual recs.. I'm a fast picker). I'm not a Marshall person either, but the JVM410H still did well.

[@foxhole_music]

Awesome!

[@Hemstrought]

Orange! Loved it.

[@renebauch9316]

What a great Video! You provide your viewer wirh so much detail, that is really awesome. For me the invective was the one that ruled them all. I was dissappointed by the randall and engl. although the fireball is a great amp in many Situations, compared next to the peavey and marshall it lacked a bit of mojo to my ears. Man and that rockerverb... But hey, everyone has their own taste in whats sounds best to them. That's what makes it so great to play with other Musicans and create something new.

[@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

All sound great. ENGL, MESA, Marshall were my top 3. Quad tracking with any blend of two of them would fit together really nicely I think.

[@_mysilentblue2227]

I'd love to hear all of these layered together.

[@thorpenator9148]

Killer shootout.

[@rnhtube]

Really impressed with the Randall actually. It has its own thing going on, and I really like how not buzzy it is.

[@borhksalduero9259]

my number ones are the Dual Rectifier and the peavey invective, very different sounding beasts. very nice riffs mate!!!!

[@_mysilentblue2227]

Just like my post on your other video... You spend a huge amount of time on these fantastic videos!

[@jonathancompan4508]

great video

[@roberttullos9334]

Besides these great amps. This guy got some killer chops

[@69fabricio]

The Marshall by far is the best sounding amp of the bunch. To my ears, this amp has the best distortion and it is very clear sounding; the rest of the amps are lacking one way or another. I also liked the Orange, it sounds very organic, although is the least suited for metal. Great video!!

[@JacksonAxe]

Fantastic demo.

[@JacksonAxe]

JVM for me.

[@piemanmusic]

What an absolutely fantastic shoot out. 5 stars. I definitely hear the growl in the Engl - that thing is a dog. The invective has that punchy mid range growl too, but just just tuned a little differently. The recto has this whole other thing going on with its real scooped flavour, it's like the exact opposite vibe to the Engl and Peavey. Not sure which I prefer, but absolutely depends on context. I reckon the Engl and the recto together would be very complimentary and probably more aggressive than any amount of naval ships in the South China sea. I felt the Randall had some of that snarl, but it was a bit wild and outta control for me. The orange sounded a bit choked in this company. The Marshall just seemed a bit spiritless for this application. The moral of the story is: there is no cure for GAS. Again, absolutely stellar shootout. Thank you so much for this. It's obviously a hell of a lot of work but I'm never gonna have the opportunity to play all of these side by side. You've done us guitar nerds a massive service. Also - and not for nothing, but seriously wicked riffs on all your videos and great playing. Cheers, mate ;)

[@crispyjalapenobread6345]

The Engl sounds so good, especially when palm muting!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

It's a great amp!

[@sergiuq2good4u]

That dual rectifier made me burst in tears after hearing its tone and seeing its price. Speachless

[@csj9619]

Wow, those are all the amps I would buy if I had money. Really like your guitar too, I'm a big fan of the single-pickup guit-box. My first guitar was a Kramer Striker with one dual-coil p/u.

[@johnwhitlock5998]

Love these vids, must be nice to be able to try amps like these. Never see anything close at any GC near me.

[@etihidalgogarrido8519]

My favourite is the MESA boogie because you can put some gain but you can clearly listen to the chords you play. Sounds like the distortion is backing the notes . Hard to explain. Great video honestly.

[@mathieugaron3428]

What I really love the most is how every amp has their fans and it's not a best overall question.

[@mattwhite399]

Love this video! As we all know, it depends on the musical style. The last two riffs of the demo song are very staccato, palm muted. While the Mesa and the Engl absolutely shine in this section, the Orange falls apart - too “squishy.” In this test, the Mesa was a little too scooped for some of the first bits of the demo song, while the Orange really sang. In this test, the Peavy was the most well-rounded, but not my fav. I love the same speaker/IR tests because that controls 80% of the sound. All these amps are killer!

[@pigxstix]

I preferred the Marshall just because I like the classic Marshall sound in general. That Invective though, that's pretty killer.

[@jasons.3921]

Well, they all sounded great, and definitely had unique characteristics individually, but, I would have to go with the MesaBoogie Dual Rectifier. It seemed to have a bit more in your face punch that I personally enjoy. I noticed, too, that you were plugged straight in, no od's, etc..so, even more room to tighten things up if ya wanted. Great content and production as always. Thanks for all ya do...cheers from Texas!

[@Fwr942]

Man i was not exto LOVE that Peavey but wow! It was a standout for me.

[@ereaUA]

The test is great

[@mikemunro811]

Brilliant comparison! If I had to pick only one it would be the ENGL

[@bereanwarrior]

The Marshall just seemed to have the cleanest fullest chomp and the low end was consistent through every demo, so if I had the money, I'd buy one. The Mesa was a tad over-distorted on the chomp, but also has good low end. The ENGL was very nice. The Orange was not even in the same neighborhood as the others but it would be great for the British sound of the 60s and 70s. The Peavey sounded great but needs more low end push, and the Randall, while better than the Orange, is just barely adequate. Thanks for putting this video together - you're still the best comparison tester out there!

[@LFiles48]

Really love the Marshall and orange. the peavey was also pretty nice.

[@80s_kid]

The Orange sounds surprisingly well, "roundly" in this comparison. Based on the video, I would choose the Orange and maybe the Mesa but the Mesa requires a different eq for my taste. The sterile but brutal Invective is also impressive. The Randall produced a "filtered" and slightly muffled sound for me. The other amplifiers brought its character.

[@hellsing1983]

Awesome video! JVM is winner for me. It's tone has such a nice balance. After the JVM comes the Invective and Fireball. All amps sounded awesome tho. But the JVM is my clear favourite.

[@ryanpullin]

I love my fireball 100. Hopefully I’ll have a JVM and a Rockerverb some day

[@JBGoode-zx7pp]

1. JVM 2. Fireball 3. Invective for my preferences (voicing, articulation & cut). Clearly, the Mesa and Randall are better for heavy applications. Sadly, the Rockerverb is a fish out of water here, but I do really like that amp for other styles.

[@JoseCruz-ft2qb]

Good video! I really got impressed by the sound of that Marshall. I have always been a Peavey 5150 guy, but for the past two years I’ve also been playing Randall Diavlo 100. I can see that there’s quite a difference in what people comment on this amp, but trust me, mixes through IRs and all that are good, but nothing compared to what the Diavlo can do direct through cabinets and mics, live, or in a rehearsal space. It is a monster! Give it a chance when you got the opportunity, because it will for sure blow your mind 🤟

[@CS-ru4xd]

IDK why the El Diavlo gets so much discredit? I honestly think( especially in this demo) that it has a distinct voice that set it self apart from the rest in a good way! Beings that I already have a JVM, if i had to choose one from the remaining amps in this line up..I would take the El Diavlo above all. I think i'm gonna dive a little further into the El Diavlo because it may very well be my next acquisition!

[@6nosis]

I have to concur; it’s dark, foreboding I love Randall…. Always have but I do carry a heavy quarter bag bias Er I mean Dimebag bias…

[@gimmickmusic8827]

Man, I can’t choose between the JVM and the Invective. The invective sounds great, but the JVM just sounded so different from the rest of them and still sounded amazing.

[@bouillefabien1195]

such a good guitar player!!!

[@fr33z00]

I also love the growly and clear Engl style. I had the feeling that the Randall could have had this same feature with more presence. Overall, I prefered the 412 IRs to the 212. Next, the Marshall sounded great too, and the sharpness of the palm mutes on the Peavy were mind blowing. The Mesa sounded a bit messy in the A-B comparison (not in the mix), and might require to lower the gain for rythm guitars. Thanks for the work!

[@steven_uk]

Marshall, Peavey, and Orange all impressed me the most.

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Awesome hi gain shout out

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Thanks! :)

[@antonioalbares]

I must say at some point, all metal high amps going out through the same speaker/emu sound extremely similar. I liked the Marshall, Orange and Peavey. Great comparison

[@theraditz]

I loved the Randall 😈

[@gabriel_guitar]

JVM, Engl and Recto were my favs

[@c.kfusion3231]

1) JVM - perfect allround talent. a safety for most constellations, the living mids… 2) ENGL - absolutely not my brand, but this amp simply sounds tight and huge (too bad it doesn‘t have 2 eq sections) Peavey is too much of everything for me personally. Mesa too scooped and muddy. Randall hmm, muddy too (but I still love my rh150g3). Orange would be my choice for another layer in the mix. Unique, wide & driving forwards… Thanks for this professional shootout :)

[@kuzWich]

engl all the way! Thanks to this comparison I started to dig and feel the orange also. Not the overall tone probably, but that definite boost in the low-mids, just above the engl's "signature" roar range. It's almost a boxy feel frequency range clearly perceivable at chug parts - that's what made it bliss in the mix, none of the others seemed to have imho. Might be a great "blend-in" amp 🤔

[@Sound_Stable]

I'm really impressed with the Invective. I didn't think I would like it more than the Marshall or Mesa. I may need to get one.

[@hannibalbarkas1350]

Its a take on the 5150 with modern features according to Misha Mansoor who developed it with Peavey.

[@Astral_Wave]

Orange has the qualities i like in the Marshall and the Mesa combined 🥰

[@aldouslau8722]

No doubt for Randall as I am using it for years. Always wanna try ENGL as it sounds pretty good. The Rockerverb surprised me

[@donovanrebbechi3334]

Marshall was my favourie in this demo, really sweet mids. ENGL also sounds really good here, really punchy midrange. ENGL and Marshall tied for the win for me (but if I had to own one I'd pick that Marshall because at 4 channels and 3 modes you could do a whole shootout video with just that amp) The orange had a nice bright punchy sound, I feel like it would be a really good choice for more melodic / less aggressive riffs. Peavey (including my own XXX) usually sounds tight and punchy in the lower mids like the ENGL here, but in this demo it sounded a bit cold to me.

[@mediocremetalguy]

I thaught all sounded good in their own way, and depending on what style you plays the most! But for me, the Winner is JVM410H! So gritty and nice curving in sound! And most suitable for different things! But the rest of all in very close 2 place! The one i’m missing at home is the Diavlo! Pain and bitch to get to Sweden! THIS video was GREAT Jon🤘🏻

[@trentfranks4507]

JVM, Peavey, and the Engl are my favorites

[@stefanmaciolek6540]

I loved the back to back comparison at the end. My favorites were definitely the Orange and the Mesa, they're such different tones but they complement each other so well, I'd honestly double track both of them if I was recording. If I had to pick one I'd go orange, but it's close. I honestly didn't like the Marshall. Not that it sounded bad, but I'm so used to associating the Marshall sound with classic rock and '80s metal to me it just sounds out of place for more modern stuff. But to each his own, it's really cool how everyone has a different opinion and there's no clear winner.

[@kornelwav]

Perfect choice for No.1 the ENGL. As a second I would pick the Randall. At last but not least the Mesa. Cheers! And greetings from Hungary!

[@TheMadMedek]

My least favorites

[@perpetualgrimace]

Rockerverb and Invective for me!

[@nowhereweareagain]

The Marshall has something special going on in the mods that seems to really work with this riff and guitar. That said, the Mesa has tighter chugs, so it might work better for certain styles and while I don’t think orange is a great lead tone, if that’s the rhythm with something else on top for the lead everything sounds freaking huge.

[@scottsmith7193]

Orange and Peavey for me but all of them sounded great.

[@mattvdh]

The JVM sounded the best in this demo. It's weird I used to be a Mesa guy and their cabs are still the best, but I've drifted away from their heads and found myself to be more of a marshall guy lately and never thought I'd come around to solid state amps but there's some pretty great ones like the peavey supreme 160

[@bigfarting]

That Invective is next level