The ESP Guitar Company

The 5:25 is loud for sure, even at the 5 watt settings, but don't think it'll cut it for anything more than a jam space. It's very versatile, but you might need to throw something in front of it if you're gonna for metal. The "burn" channel doesn't have the balls or the gain.

If you want to add some balls (and loudness) to the amp, play it with a closed back cab. My first tube amp was an open back combo, and it sounded pretty harsh and bright when played by itself. A good closed back cab will give a much warmer tone with loads of low end thump. It doesnt even have to be a big cab- just closed back.

If you want to get balls into it, id use the contour function and a good TS9 or GT-OD in front, also getting the head for either version and then putting a 1X12 closed back cab would be a good call, with either a V30 or EV12L speaker.

I really want a 5:25, but cant afford to get one, and justify getting one, im pretty happy with my Peavey VK R8 at the moment.

Altho, if you can afford to, save for a Stiletto 1X12 combo or a Rectoverb 1X12 combo, those have the balls and tone youd prolly be wanting!

Stiletto is cool, but bright as f#&k! Rectoverb is great.......but no casters and no power drop option. :(

In 5W mode the 5:25 is heavenly. Only amp I'd reccomend under that would be the Laney Lionheart, but I reccomend that above everything :p

i baisicly wanted to know if i could get away w/ the 5:25 vs. the 5:50 volume wise

You tell me, are you playing a little blues trio, or a huge rock hall

^^^ I cant aggree more with you Donting, thats like a MT-2 into a Triple Recto.

Seemingly the reason that the 5:25 1X12 was realeased was because of Petrucci, he wanted a 12" driver and not a 10", also the Mesa Tech guys won over the Marketing guys at the launch of the 5:25 with the 10" speaker, but the marketing guys knew theyd sell more with the 12" so Kudos to the marketing department at Mesa there.

Trust me, with the 5:25 1X10 you can easily get a Lamb Of God As The Palaces Burn/Ashes Of The Wake tone out of it on the burn with careful use of the contour, Metallica and Petrucci tones come easisy.

As for the blues channel on the 5:25, you will have no problem with the volume is loud enough to play over a drummer as long as youre on 25W mode, altho the 5W mode is really creamy as well, altho that might be only of use in the studio, but i may be wrong there.