NAD: Peavey JSX

Yeah, those videos sound a lot better - kinda tight and full like a Rectifier. The crunch and clean channels sound good too. Was this Peavey's attempt to sound like a Mesa?

It is a monster.
 
The JSX is the third main amp in the Ultra lineage of Peavey amps, the first being the Ultra and the second the TripleXXX. I think it was meant to be something of a Mesa inspired amp, whereas the 5150 was inspired by a Soldano. The 5150 evolved from the VTM series (VTM60 and VTM120) and the Ultra came in a 60W version too. Here is a video of the Ultra Plus 120:


Like the 5150 it just had the one shared EQ. With the XXX it became a three-channel amp:


They stopped making the Ultra when the XXX came out. The JSX was introduced sometime after the XXX in the early-mid '00s and was discontinued in 2009. The XXX seems to have been discontinued around the same time and in 2011 Peavey brought out the rebadged/updated versions the XXX II (JSX) and 3120 (XXX). Other than cosmetics the XXX II is identical to the JSX. The main difference between the XXX and the 3120 is that the former shipped with 6L6 tubes whereas the latter shipped with EL34 tubes, but both these amps and the JSX / XXX II were made to take either (there is a switch). There is a video comparison of the 3120 and the Mesa Dual Rectifier:


But yeah they are great amps when set up right. The EQs are a bit fiddly, you have effects loop level knobs to worry about, etc but once set up with the right settings and tubes that you like you can get some great tones.
 
Yeah, your new amp sounds great, Dave - it has a tight punchy quality that I prefer to many of the other amps in the videos.
 
Tried it today with the send and return controls on the effects loop maxed out, much better

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In response to the mesa question. I favor Peavey vs the mesa for tight metal..it has its own unique aggressive punch like no other. I think a real bargain is the Ultra-VTM-Mace-JSX-3120-valveking.. basically has shades the early 5150 thing goin on but really does hard rock well. Think of Skynyrd tone in the Mace..it sorta is its own tone. My first amp was a Valveking2 when switched to guitar..sometimes think i could of just stayed right there. Big American cleans & some attitude in OD,,pedals were great. Probably the best amp i ever used to allow a pedal to have its own pre amp tone effect. darn..i was chillin on the GAS..new quest !!
 
Well, I started to get some squealing last weekend that sounded a lot like a bad preamp tube. So I immediately ordered a full set of tubes and booked the amp in for a service. Who knows how long it's been since its last service? The previous owner wasn't sure if the tubes were EL34s or 6L6s so I am pretty sure they hadn't been changed while he owned it. Either that or he's a doofus. Anyway I should be getting a set of Tung Sol 6L6GC-STR power tubes and JJ ECC83s preamp tubes via Express Post today, and then driving them and the amp out to Frank's workshop in Prospect.
 
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