carvin v3 or peavey xxx?

[shred1980now]

which amp is better for hair metal/thrash metal?
pros and cons of each one?
i've found them for pretty much exactly the same price and i need help deciding.

[TheLivingDead]

No personal experience with either but I love what I've heard from the V3 (and even the V3M). Sounds like one crazy versatile amp! I'm positive it'll easily produce the tones you're looking for and then some.

[shred1980now]

thanks man! the peavey xxx used to be my dream amp because i was a huge gary holt fan, but i think i'm going to go with the carvin v3.

[UberMetalDood]

If it's between the V3 and the XXX, then the V3. However, if it's between the V3 and the XXX II, then the XXX II. I JUST barely got a chance to check out the new XXX II and I must say that at a $1000 price point, it's a freaking steal. I like it a lot more than the 6505+ because it's more versatile, has much better clean tone, and can get as brutal as the 6505.

[Soulcrusher_X]

The XXX II looks like they took the JSX and turned it into Optimus Prime. I wonder if it's a new curcuit or if it's just new cosmetics, considering the 3120 seems to be essentially the old XXX.

[CTN]

I'd go with the Peavey. it's got a great reputation as an awesome thrash amp.

[Soulcrusher_X]

^yeah, I probably should have elaborated on the XXX more, but the two gain channels are wickedly heavy, and the clean is actually pretty nice. The JSX would actually work well, too. The Ultra Channel is based on the XXX Crunch channel, the JSX Crunch is based on the Classic 50 lead channel for midgain stuff, so it's got a pretty good range for gain. The clean channel was designed to be very flat sounding to work better with dirt boxes, so stock, it lacks a little sparkle. I like the XXX cleans better than the JSX cleans.

If the new XXX is like the old one with the adjustability of the JSX, then Im sure it will be wickedly kickass.

[ken361]

I hated the XXX sounded like crap when turned up, could never bond with it. Ill take carvin any day if you have the cash the mini boogie is awesome. the 6505 was decent with new tubes and speaker but i could hear the cheap flimsy PCB board when change some of the preamp tubes. XXX did have a powerfull clean channel though.

[DrNewcenstein]

As a child of the late 70s/early 80s, and this is way Off-Topic, but it still amazes me to actually see and hear people saying positive things about Peavey amps being used for Metal.

Back in the day, you got one sound out of them - Country. If you tried, you could get Southern Rock out of them, but you needed it serviced soon after.


I mean, seriously, who brought Meridian Mississippi kicking and screaming into the 20th Century, much less the 21st?

[JOEBACCA]

As a child of the late 70s/early 80s, and this is way Off-Topic, but it still amazes me to actually see and hear people saying positive things about Peavey amps being used for Metal.

Back in the day, you got one sound out of them - Country. If you tried, you could get Southern Rock out of them, but you needed it serviced soon after.


I mean, seriously, who brought Meridian Mississippi kicking and screaming into the 20th Century, much less the 21st?

That was then...this is now.

Between the 5150 & 6505, XXX & XXX II, 3120, & JSX, Peavey pretty much positioned themselves as the Best Bang for your Buck USA Made Metal Amp Manufacturers.

I have yet to try the XXX II but going off of some NAMM 2012 Utube clips the Gain Channel sounds RIDICULOUSLY CRUSHING. Can't wait to try one in person!!!

[jmh151]

I have the V3 and like it ALOT, but to achieve its full potential you need do bias the tubes higher as suggested on the Eurotubes site, if you want better,retube it with good tubes, and stick a decent delay in the loop (if you get an older one that doesn't have reverb, the new ones have reverb)

The V3 is an extremely versatile amp but it does take time to dial it in. What I like about it is with most amps you can only dial in 3 tones- clean, dirt, and more dirt. With the V3 you can dial in the 3,channels so it sounds like 3 totally different amps

[Mattr4president]

I haven't played a V3 but i know if you can't get that sound out of a XXX then you need to step away from all amps. Kinda sad i never bought one cause they sure are cheap enough used and I've always gotten great sounds when i sat down with one.

[BloodRose]

I can get all kinda great tones with my Ultra plus, but it doesnt get that big gooey 5150 tone.. I think that was a great stepping stone that morphed into the XXX and jsx and........

Drnewcenstien, Yeah, I hear you.. I grew up in Ohio too, and every country act used PV and thats about all you could buy. My first REAL amp was a Special 130. When I learned about and bought my first distortion pedal, I wept for joy...

But, they have gone to the dark side.. haha

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Looked into the Peavey BUTCHER yet ?

[Franknfilms]

I had a peavey xxx 40 watt combo. Decided I wanted a head so went head shopping. In the 300-500 range I looked at a bunch of chinese garbage or used amps that didn't quite deliver like the xxx did and then realized the best amp was...my amp!

I pulled the amp out of the combo, put it into an empty head cabinet, done! The xxx is seriously versatile and loaded with features. I even had built in effects. Some are terrible, some are great. I bought an mxr phaser and then sold it right away, complete crap compared to the xxx phaser. The clean channel is pretty remarkable considering you can switch over to an insane metal channel on the same amp.

I still obsess over the v3m though. I mainly just like the idea of having a tiny portable amp with the same wattage and even more features than my xxx. Impossible to find a v3m to test out, unfortunately, you just have to buy it online and hope that you like it. It is very expensive in comparison to the xxx. You can find a used xxx for a very low price.

[metalmachine]

I used to own a v3 i haves played triple x many times. I like the v3 better