EVH Unleashes New Amp Emulating Eddie Van Halen’s Famous Tone

Eddie Van Halen's EVH brand just dropped the 5150III Hypersonic 6L6 1x12. This digital amp copies the sound of Eddie Van Halen's legendary tube amp, but it weighs almost 35 pounds less. Digital circuits inside mimic the punch, brightness, and feel of the 5150III 6L6 tube version.

EVH claims the sound is "virtually indistinguishable from the all-tube original," made possible through what they describe as "massive digital processing power."

"This represents the next evolution in EVH amplification, delivering Eddie's iconic tone through innovative digital technology," said Jon Romanowski, VP of Product of EVH Guitars, as reported by Guitar World magazine. "The Hypersonic 6L6 1x12 breaks down the barriers that have kept players from accessing authentic EVH sound, making it more portable and versatile than ever before."

Three channels come standard: Clean, Crunch, and Lead. The first two channels have concentric EQ knobs that adjust gain, sound shaping, and volume. Every channel gets its own noise gate, which kills unwanted hum when you're cranking high-gain settings.

A power selector lets you pick full output or one of five reduced settings. This means you can dial in the right sound whether you're playing in a stadium or your bedroom. There's a balanced XLR line output with built-in impulse response cabinet simulations — perfect for recording. Want to practice silently? Hit the mute switch for headphone monitoring or quiet recording.

Around the back, you'll find MIDI and USB-C connections. The updated five-button footswitch gives you remote control over reverb and effects loop selection when you're performing.

The cabinet is closed-back and built from 11-ply 15mm plywood. It also features a Celestion EVH G12H 30W Anniversary Series 12-inch speaker, the same one used in the tube version.

This is EVH's first digital amp. The Fender-owned brand seems to be taking a page from the Tone Master series, which turned classic Fender tube amps into digital models.

You can buy the 5150III Hypersonic 6L6 1x12 from an EVH dealer. It comes in black or ivory vinyl covering and costs $1,699.99.