Peavey Classic 50/50 versus MosValve

Don Mogle · Post by **Don Mogle** » 5 Jun 2004 3:25 am

I'm thinking of buying a Peavey Classic 50/50 stero tube amp to run my guitar/steel rig. Is anyone using this right now? How does it sound? I've heard they're real quiet too!

Also, I've been told the MosValve (500?) sounds real close to a Fender tube amp. Anyone care to comment on this? My thought: if you want a tube amp sound, why not buy a tube amp?

Thanks,

Don

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 5 Jun 2004 6:40 am

Weight?

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 5 Jun 2004 9:54 pm

Actually, the MossValve is pretty heavy, almost as much as a tube power amp. I personally prefer the sound of the real tubes, although the MossValve has something of the tube warmth.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 5 Jun 2004 10:41 pm

I have never played through a MosValve. I have been using a Classic 50/50 for about a year. I retubed it with Tesla EL84 power tubes and a pair of Electro-Harmonix 12AT7 and a pair of Sovtek 12AX7LPS tubes. Great warm tone and no breakup, plenty of headroom. I use it with the Genesis3 in stereo mode. Using a pair of 1501 SB,15"BW's in enclosed back/ported front cabinets.
Dennis

J J Harmon · Post by **J J Harmon** » 7 Jun 2004 3:25 am

I bought a Mosvalve 1150. Not enough power to drive my 2 15" JBL's w/16 ohms but did have that tube warmth.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 7 Jun 2004 5:33 am

I have a Peavey Delta Blues, which is the 30 watt little brother of the Peavey Classic. They are both EL84 based with 15" speakers, so I assume they sound similar. I use this amp for practice and some pedal steel blues playing. But other than that, I can't get the mid-range and treble dialed low enough or the bass high enough (I play a Uni with a TrueTone). I have found I like the old Fender silver faces better. They just have a richer more full sound with more tube harmonic texture. For something smaller than a Twin, I got a Pro Reverb and put a 15" Jensen MOD series speaker in it (on sale new for $50). The Pro has lots of full bodied clean headroom for steel. It produces 70 watts, and weighs 60 lbs., which is a little on the heavy side, but is 15 lbs. less than a Twin, and about the same as a NV400. How much does a Peavey Classic weigh?

Wait, you're talking about the Classic 50/50 power amp, not the Classic combo. Nevermind...

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by David Doggett on 07 June 2004 at 08:59 AM.]</p></FONT>

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 7 Jun 2004 6:02 am

Peavey Classic 50/50 weighs 26.8lbs.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 7 Jun 2004 6:04 am

Don, can't comment on the Peavey, but do have the 500 in use w/the Tubeworks Blue Tube II and the RT921 Tube Reverb unit. The sound is indeed warm and wonderful as well as tubey. If you'd care for more comments on this rig, just email me. JO.
BTW, the 500 weighs in at a hefty 30#!

David Spangler · Post by **David Spangler** » 7 Jun 2004 1:58 pm

I replaced a Carver PM300 (300W @ 8 ohms bridged) in my guitar rack with a Peavey Classic 50/50 a few years back. My preamp/effects unit at that time was the Digitech GSP-21 Legend. I primarily play a Tele or archtop and immediately was impressed with the warmth and tone improvement with the 50/50. Some other benefits: "compensated" XLR output and it may be the only amp of this type that can be bridged for 100W. The amp is very ruggedly constructed of steel and has well thought out tube protection and cooling. The only downside is the weight but that's the price you pay for large beefy transformers and rugged construction.

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David Spangler

Don Mogle · Post by **Don Mogle** » 7 Jun 2004 3:56 pm

Thanks for all the help!

jim milewski · Post by **jim milewski** » 7 Jun 2004 6:47 pm

JJ, 16 ohms is a lot of impedence, that may be why the volume isn't there, when I put an 8 ohm in my Nashville it would not hit a good volume, went back to a 4 ohm, 2 eight ohm speakers in stereo is still an eight ohm load per side