Free X-Mas 5150'ish modern metal profile (think Unearth, Machine Head, Devildriver, Arch Enemy) with new MIDAS pre and EQ

  • THE GOAL

    Well, my first goal has been to try out my new API 500-rack from MIDAS. 6-slot lunchbox, 502 preamp/filters and 512 parametric EQ. The price just dropped significantly and I couldn't resist :-).

    My second goal has been to get close to my favorite metal tones from Unearth, Machine Head, Devildriver and Arch Enemy. All of them used 5150's of some era or in combination with other amps. I tried to get kind of a middle ground tone while referencing the tracks Devildriver: Clouds over California, Unearth: The Great Dividers, Machine Head: Clenching the Fists of Dissent, Arch Enemy: Nemesis.


    THE GEAR

    So I grabbed my Bugera 6260, which is a 5150 clone, google'd up Machine Head's settings for the Crunch channel (yes, they do use the beefier crunch channel and not the lead channel). Maxon OD808 in front with the usual no-drive, mid-tone, high level setting. Then into my Mesa Rectifier 4x12 with British V30's. Mic'd up with an SM57 into my new MIDAS 502 pre and 512 EQ. The pre has been in TX (transformer)-mode, high- and low-pass-fiters were applied to get rid of excessive highs and very deep lows and some light EQing on the 512 to give it a bit more clarity and sparkle. Power comes from a Furman power conditioner.

    BTW, I got this Bugera for €277 brand new back then! Decide for yourself and compare this to your favorite 5150 profile.


    THE PROFILE

    The profile can be found on the Rig Exchange by searching for "RiF-6260".



    USAGE TIPS

    • You might want to dial down the mids and up the highs a little for Machine Head's tone.
    • Try to increase the Definition for a crisper, less juicy tone.
    • This tone works great for leads as it is.
    • Turn down the gain. I think the KPA is usually better in dialing in less gain than it is in adding more gain, so I always profile with quite some gain.
    • For quad-tracking, try the combo of this profile with my Dual Recto profile "RiF-DR CH3 Mod OD 1 57x" (see sound sample.


    THE SOUND SAMPLES

    Here is a short clip to showcase the profile in action. The guitar has been a Charvel 750XL /w EMG 81 tuned to drop-B. All guitar tracks have been recorded directly from the Kemper's STACK output with no FX applied. PureCabinet off. Even in Pro Tools they are kept bone dry, no EQ, no reverb, no nothing. There's a Waves SSL bus compressor and iZotope Ozone 7's Maximizer (only that module) as a brickwall limiter on the mix bus, that's it.

    The clip "KPA - RiF 6260 And DR - Ch3 Quad - Tracked Demo" shows the combo of my Dual Rectifier profile "RiF-DR CH3 Mod OD 1 57x" (see Rig Exchange as well) with this one in a quad-tracked setup.

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    THE PICTURES

    Bugera 6260:

    MIDAS 502 preamp, 512 EQ and Legend 6 lunchbox:

    SM57 on V30 speaker , edge of cap:

    Maxon OD808:



    As always, I appreciate any feedback (positive or negative) from you guys.


    Merry Christmas to all of you!

    Edited 5 times, last by RiF ().