11 Best Tube Amps for Modern Metal

This title is a scary one for any writer, and it contains
not one, not two, but three highly subjective words — two adjectives (best and modern) and one noun (metal).
Consequently, the chances of indignant, vitriolic disagreement are high — really,
really high! That tried and trusted ol’ cliché I love to quote, “one man’s meat
is another man’s poison,” definitely rings loud and true here — especially when
it comes to defining who is and isn’t “modern metal.” I mean, do bands such as
Periphery, Between the Buried and Me, Botch, Mastodon, Meshuggah, Ghost,
Gojira, Opeth, Machine Head, Slipknot, Animals as Leaders, A7X, Amon Amarth,
Tesseract, Trivium, Prong, Pantera, Lamb of God, Children of Bodom, KSE,
Disturbed, Darkest Hour, Dillinger Escape Plan, Sikth, and Vildhjarta all really fall under said umbrella? I
guess it all depends on who’s holding said umbrella and also who they happen to
be listening to and/or hanging out with at the time!

I’m sure that every single person reading this will have a
very different list and a bunch of vehemently “beg to differ” stances, too.
Plus, as you doubtlessly know, many of the aforementioned acts are hardly
“new,” but their tonal and stylistic
influence is irrefutable — hence their inclusion. Let the debate that will
never, ever end begin, my friend... bring it on, let’s have fun with it,
it’s all good!

Regardless of personal opinions, here are 11 (what other
number could be more fitting for such a list?) amps that the metal-loving
throng at Sweetwater put forward as being perfect for “modern metal” — however
you choose to define it. Boxes deemed necessary to tick included the following
tonal-capability criteria:

Super high gain Tight, percussive lowsPunchy midsArticulate note definition at even the highest
gain settingsAble to handle 7-string, 8-string, and
down-tuned 6-string axes with easeThe ability to produce a “spanking,” “sparkly,” and
“pristine” clean sound, too

There were more, of course, but the above six definitely
cover the basics! Disclaimer made, here are the 11 amps in no particular order.

Peavey 6505 120-watt Tube Head

This now-classic tube amp first emerged in the early ’90s as the 5150, a signature head for the late, great Edward Van Halen. Its incendiary tone immediately made it a favorite of a great many up-and-coming metal bands of the ’90s — many of whom are now household names in the modern metal world. When Peavey & Mr. Van Halen parted ways, the amp was renamed the 6505, but the sound remained the same. This dual-channel, 120-watt fire-breather houses a quartet of 6L6 tubes and a quintet of 12AX7 tubes, too. Armed with extremely high gain capabilities, a 3-band EQ, master controls for Presence and Resonance, plus a switchable effects loop, the 6505 is as flexible as it is brutal. As a result, it remains the tonal cornerstone for many modern metal acts.

Mesa/Boogie Rectifier Badlander 100-watt
Tube Head

When Mesa’s Rectifier amps first burst onto the metal scene in the early ’90s, they literally grabbed the genre by the throat due to their aggressive, high-gain attack and thick, pounding low end. The EL34-tube-powered Badlander 100-watt head is the latest addition to the ever-popular Rectifier family, and, according to the good folk at Mesa, it has tighter lows, more aggressive mids, and enhanced harmonic content — making it perfect for modern metal. The Badlander also has some neat new features that add further flexibility and fire to its tight, muscular tone. First up is a 3-way power-reduction switch that allows you to select 100 watts, 50 watts, or 20 watts. Then, to make it even more stage- and studio-friendly, it has a built-in CabClone IR with both a reactive load box and no fewer than eight Mesa cabinet IRs to choose from. Plus, if you want, you can upload your own personal-favorite IRs, as well. This not only makes “silent,” cab-less, late-night recording a breeze, but it will also make your live sound guy very happy, indeed.

Marshall JVM410H 100-watt Tube Head

Marshall’s now-legendary 100-watt “Plexi” head ruled hard rock in the ’70s, and the company’s equally famous 100-watt JCM800 head dominated ’80s metal. Since those heady times, Marshall has remained highly relevant in the increasingly aggressive metal world by upping both gain and versatility on this successful tonal platform. The JVM410H is a 100-watt, all-tube, 4-channel monster that delivers what many modern metallurgists desire. The fact that the highly influential and sadly recently departed Alexi Laiho, the leader of Children of Bodom, used this head speaks volumes. “The JVM gives me the aggressive sound I need and still has room for basically anything,” he told me in 2016. “So, if I want, say, more gain, more midrange, or more low end, it’s possible.” The fact that each of the JVM’s four totally independent channels boasts three selectable modes definitely adds to the amp’s tonal flexibility. Plus, a master Resonance control in the amp’s EL34-driven power amp helps fine-tune that all-important low-end “oomph.”

Diezel Herbert III 180-watt Tube Head

When Diezel unleashed its debut head, the VH4, in the early ’90s, it quickly became the amp of choice for some of metal’s most influential players due to its tight, precise high-gain roar. In keeping with this German company’s reputation for creating contemporary monsters capable of delivering crushingly high levels of articulate gain, the Herbert was designed with the desires of 7- and 8-string metal guitarists fixed firmly in mind. As a result, this amp delivers a low-end attack that is both tight and percussive at all levels of gain. Also, while its 180-watt, KT66-tube-driven power amp has all the headroom you need and then some, the Herbert is voiced to sound equally monstrous at small-venue and neighbor-friendly, bedroom volumes.

The Herbert’s three channels are totally independent and can take you from shimmering cleans to delightfully vicious, detuned djent and all points in between. Master controls for Presence and Deep add to the amp’s already wide tonal palette. The Herbert’s rear panel offers no fewer than three effects loops — parallel, series, and a second series loop that is footswitchable. This head also has a compensated, speaker-emulated output and is MIDI switchable, too.

PRS Mark Tremonti MT15 – 15/7-watt
Tube Head

Since the multi-platinum success of Creed, Mark Tremonti has built himself an impressive following with both Alter Bridge and his eponymously named solo efforts. He’s also deservedly carved himself a reputation as a world-class player and riff writer with a stellar, modern, high-gain, metal sound. As Mark is a longtime PRS player, it made perfect sense for him to collaborate with said company in designing his signature head. The result? The diminutive yet demonic MT15 2-channel tube head. Armed with a pair of 6L6 power tubes and no fewer than six JJ 12AX7s (a.k.a. ECC83s), the MT15’s pair of footswitchable channels offer up a wide variety of tones — from spanky cleans to old-school and new-school crunch to over-the-top, harmonically rich gain. A transparent series effects loop, a Full/Half Power switch, and external bias controls add further to this lunchbox-sized amp’s flexibility. Oh, and if you’re wondering if the MT15’s 15 watts can cut it live, I’ve played Diamond Head’s “Am I Evil?” standing right next to a guy using one onstage, and, believe me, it can! The amp’s 7-watt setting is great for the studio, too.

Peavey Invective.120 – 120-watt Tube
Head

While on the subject of signature stuff, this next one is a no-brainer entry on any “best heads for modern metal” list: the Peavey Invective.120. The reason is a good one — it’s the signature head of Misha Mansoor, guitarist of modern metal pioneers Periphery. If you’re familiar with Periphery’s musical wares, then you’ll know that they cover all shades of gain from the cleanest of cleans to the most brutally percussive high gain imaginable. Because of this, the Invective has three footswitchable channels; two footswitchable effects loops; a built-in, studio-quality noise gate; a Half Power switch; a cab-emulated DI output; and more. Heck, it even has a pair of 9-volt, 500mA outputs to power any pedals you’d like to perch on top of the amp! It also comes with a 10-button footswitch that has a Preset Mode, which allows you to instantly call up any one of nine presets you’ve stored with a single stomp of your foot — for example, Channel 3 + Gate + Drive Boost + Effects Loop 1. Very efficient and also very clever as this option removes the need to tap dance while onstage!

Friedman BE-100 Deluxe 100-watt Tube Head

Dave Friedman’s hard-hitting BE-100 head has been a favorite of the metal crowd from day one. The BE-100 is the company’s flagship, and its trio of channels (one clean, two dirty) covers a vast expanse of tonal territory — from clean to extreme. The versatility of the dirty pair of channels is further expanded by the following switches: Gain Structure (3-way), Sat(uration), Voice (3-way), and Fat. Nice. Plus, if that isn’t already enough sonic flexibility for you, there are master controls for Thump (lows) and Presence (highs), too. The master section of the amp also has switches for Thump Frequency and Response. The latter is a 3-way switch that adjusts the overall negative feedback of the power section. This impacts both the sound and feel of the amp — taking it from bright and punchy to darker, smoother, and a little softer.

A Bright switch on the amp’s Plexi-like clean channel enhances the shimmering detail and clarity of your clean sound. The amp comes with a 2-button LED footswitch and also features Friedman’s highly acclaimed, transparent series effects loop.

EVH 5150IIIS EL34 100-watt Tube Head

When it comes to hard-rock tone, the late, great Edward Van
Halen is held in the very highest esteem by pretty much anyone and everyone who
loves and plays hard-rock guitar — and rightfully so. After all, his now-legendary
“brown sound” was just as groundbreaking as his innovative, incendiary playing.
Also, Edward was a self-confessed “tone chaser,” so he was always tweaking and
updating both his sound and that of the amps that bear his name. Consequently,
you’ll see his EVH5150 heads in the backlines of many of metal’s elite.

The three-channel EVH 5150IIIS EL34 is a great example of EVH’s continued sonic evolution and truly is a high-gain weapon of mass destruction that’s as aggressive as it looks! That said, its clean channel is capable of crystalline, musically compressed clean sounds at the drop of a hat. Individual Resonance controls for each channel add to the 5150IIIS’s tonal-sculpting capabilities, and the powerful punch of a quartet of EL34 power tubes adds a distinctly “British” vibe, too. It’s well-thought-out combination of articulate high gain, well-defined mids, and a punchy low end makes this amp perfect for all forms of metal — from the ’80s to right now!

Revv Generator 120 MKIII 120-watt
Tube Head

A relative newcomer to the high-gain tube amp arena, Revv has already made an impressive impact, and the Generator 120 MKIII illustrates why. The head’s four independent channels take you from the Blue Channel’s pristine clean all the way up to the Red Channel’s thick saturation or the Purple Channel’s tight, articulate high-gain angst. Global switches for Wide, Drive, and Aggression add further tonal flexibility, as do the Bright, Fat, and midrange-shaping Cut switches that are at your disposal, too. The Generator also features power scaling; digital reverb; a noise gate; a series effects loop; Bluetooth and MIDI control capabilities; and built-in Two Notes Torpedo cab-emulation technology with stereo XLR outputs. And, if that’s not enough, the amp also houses a reactive dummy load, so you can run it into a PA or a recording setup without having to hook up a cab. You can save up to six settings, and the head comes with a versatile footswitch, too.

Synergy ENGL Savage Preamp Module

This bad boy is a little off the path we’ve been walking so
far as it’s a preamp module that’s part of the exciting and versatile Synergy
modular range — meaning you can plug it straight into a Synergy tube-driven
head, combo, or rackmounted power amp setup and be ready to rock.
Alternatively, you can pair it with either a SYN-2 (a rack unit that holds two
modules) or a SYN-1 (a compact desktop unit that holds a single module) and
then plug into the amp or power amp of your choice. You can also feed the SYN’s
cab-simulated DI output straight into a desk or audio interface.

The Synergy ENGL Savage preamp is just one of many cool boutique offerings available in this ever-growing range of modules. Furthermore, it’s not someone’s “best effort” at cloning the high-gain beast that is the ENGL Savage — Horst Langer, ENGL’s technical mastermind, was at the helm of the development of this module from day one. As a result, this 2-channel preamp module packs the Savage’s gigantic, high-gain tonal palette and touch-sensitive nature into this compact and extremely versatile little unit. Not shabby.

Thus far, to a degree, the 10 great amps we’ve looked at could well be described as “the usual suspects” — so, let’s finish with an “unusual” suspect that might well surprise you!

Dr. Z CAZ-45 45-watt Tube Head

(In my best Clint “Dirty Harry” Eastwood voice): “I know you’re probably thinking, punk! ‘A Dr. Z amp in a modern-metal amp roundup? You’ve finally lost what’s left of your mind, Bowcott! Sure, Dr. Z makes great amps, but they’re low-wattage, low-gain, handwired boutique ones used by the likes of Brad Paisley.'” To quote my pal, Tommy Victor of Prong fame: I “beg to differ!” Enter Dr. Z’s CAZ-45: an all-tube, single-channel, 45-watt head capable of truly ferocious, modern-world high gain. And yep. It’s handwired, too!

Dr. Z collaborated with his pals at Carol-Ann Amps and used
an old-school approach to create a modern-sounding amp. Their tonal target?
High gain capability with a tight low end, a midrange that could go from warm
to percussive, plus focused highs that will cut through any mix. They also
wanted the amp to be extremely responsive to playing nuances and picking
dynamics, too.

Throw in a tube-driven, series effects loop and the good Doctor’s much lauded Level control (a clever “volume scaling” knob that allows you to tame the amp’s volume without losing sustain, fatness, tone, or gain), and the CAZ-45 is good to go. Did Dr. Z and his pals achieve their lofty sonic goals with this bad boy? In spades... that’s why it’s included! Never judge a book by its cover or an amp by its logo is the lesson I learned when I plugged my trusty down-tuned, EMG-loaded Charvel into a CAZ-45 head and let it rip.

Conclusion

While we’ve just looked at 11 amp offerings perfect for modern metal, there are obviously plenty more out there! As always, at the end of the day, personal preference along with playing style and the rest of your gear will play a vital role in your choice of the perfect “modern metal” amp. The setups used to create the tones of your favorite stars — from picks to speakers — will obviously be a pretty good road map in your quest. That said, no two players sound the same — even when playing the same riff on the same guitar through the same rig. And that’s just one of the many beguiling beauties of the electric guitar... and metal! If you need help selecting the right amp, then call (800) 222-4700 to get the advice of a knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineer. Good hunting, my friend.
The post 11 Best Tube Amps for Modern Metal appeared first on inSync.