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Average Price: $400
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$300
$801+
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Description
Unleash the beast within your guitar with the Randall RD5H Diavlo 5W Tube Guitar Head, a compact powerhouse designed to deliver the high-gain tube tone that metalheads and hard rock enthusiasts crave. Whether you're shredding solos at home or laying down heavy riffs in the studio, this amp head combines portability with the raw power and versatility needed to cover the entire spectrum of blues-based rock to face-melting metal.
Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, the RD5H Diavlo offers a straightforward control setup including Gain, Tone, and Master Volume, allowing for easy sculpting of your sound. The unique 3-way ToneStackShift provides a remarkable midrange contour adjustment, enabling players to effortlessly switch between full-bodied lead tones, classic rock growls, and scooped metal brutality. For those looking to expand their soundscapes, the Class A Discrete FX loop offers seamless integration with your pedalboard, while the speaker-emulated XLR direct out allows for silent recording or direct-to-PA setups without losing the amp’s characteristic bite.
Perfect for guitarists seeking to dominate any musical battlefield without the burden of a bulky rig, the RD5H Diavlo is a testament to Randall’s commitment to high-quality, versatile amp design. Plug in, and prepare to command the stage with tones that range from sparkling clean to aggressively overdriven.
Key Features:
- 5W all-tube guitar amp head, perfect for home, studio, or small venue performances
- Single channel with Gain, Tone, and Master Volume controls for precise sound shaping
- 3-way ToneStackShift for versatile midrange contour adjustments
- Class A Discrete instrument level FX loop for integrating effects pedals
- Speaker-emulated XLR direct out with dummy load for silent operation or direct recording
- Rugged construction designed to withstand the rigors of the road
Product specs
| Brand | Randall |
| Model | RD5H Diavlo 5-Watt Tube Guitar Amp Head |
| Finish | Black |
| Year | 2010s |
| Categories | Guitar Heads |
| Color Family | Black |
| Electronics | Tube |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Number of Channels | 1 Channel |
| Number of Inputs | 1 Input |
| Output Power (Watts) | 5 |
| Power Tube Type | 6V6 |
| Reverb | None |
FAQs
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What kind of sound can I expect from the Randall RD5H Diavlo 5W Tube Guitar Head?
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The Randall RD5H Diavlo delivers a high-gain, aggressive tone ideal for rock and metal genres. Its single-channel design and 6V6 power tubes provide a powerful, saturated sound with excellent tube-driven warmth.
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Is the Randall RD5H Diavlo suitable for home practice?
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Yes, with its 5-watt output, the Randall RD5H Diavlo is well-suited for home practice, offering tube-driven sound at manageable volume levels.
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Does the Randall RD5H Diavlo take pedals well?
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The Randall RD5H Diavlo handles pedals effectively, making it a versatile option for players who use effects to shape their sound.
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What type of speaker cabinet should I pair with the Randall RD5H Diavlo?
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The Randall RD5H Diavlo is designed to work with an 8-ohm speaker cabinet, ensuring optimal performance and sound quality.
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Does the Randall RD5H Diavlo have built-in reverb?
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No, the Randall RD5H Diavlo does not include built-in reverb, allowing the natural tube tone to shine through.
Videos
Ola Englund
Randall Diavlo RD5 & Washburn Parallaxe PXL10 - Metal
Randall Diavlo RD5 & Washburn Parallaxe PXL10 - Metal
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Randall Diavlo RD5H Namm 2013
Randall Amplifiers
Randall Diavlo RD5H Review - Metal+Rock
DickieRadd
Randall Diavlo RD5H Namm 2013
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Mini Amp Fight! Peavey 6505MH vs Randall Diavlo RD5H
DickieRadd
Reviews
PROS
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Excellent for metal with natural sounding distortion
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Surprisingly loud for a 5-watt amp
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Quality build, durable
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Great tonal variety with tone shape toggle
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Direct out feature is great for recording
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Can achieve semi-clean tones by rolling back the gain
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Effects loop and XLR cab-sim line out for versatility
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Simple controls but effective for tone shaping
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Can be modified easily for different sound preferences
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Affordable for its features and capabilities
CONS
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Not loud enough to jam with a drummer
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Limited clean tone capabilities, primarily a high-gain amp
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Mid controls are a switch, not a knob, limiting mid-range adjustment
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Requires an overdrive pedal for certain distortion styles
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May not handle pedals well without modifications
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Randall RD5H Diavlo 5W Tube Guitar Head.
Comparisons
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Owners suggest comparing the Randall RD5H with the Blackstar HT-5 and Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 5 for similar wattage options in the same budget range.
Source
Use cases and applications
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The Randall RD5H is considered suitable for achieving phat fuzzy sounds, which is ideal for slight overdrive to heavy metal music.
Source
Features and functionality
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The desire for a head and cab setup is driven by future expandability, with a preference for 1x12 or 2x12 cabs for balance between loudness and space.
Source
Value and pricing
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Within a $300 budget, the Blackstar HT-5 and Bugera models are highlighted as alternatives, though Bugera may have inconsistent build quality.
Source
Critic Reviews
4.0 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 2 Ratings
1200
Awesome Little Amp!
So stock this amp is a straight up metal monster, it doesn't really do cleans that well and there is so much gain being pumped out that it also doesn't really like pedals (It will squeel like a banshee if you hit the front end too much). But the amp is clearly geared towards the metal crowd anyways, so I have to keep that in mind.
Myself though, I was looking for a low wattage tube head that has an effects loop and an XLR cab-sim line out, and this had it. The problem however is that I needed an amp that can take pedals and can play out for worship gigs.
The solution for me was doing a re-tube of this amp. Originally it came stock with Ruby Tubes, swapped them all out for a JJ set of Tubes. Two JJ 12AU7 gold pins in the preamp stage, JJ 6v6S in the power amp. Those AU's in the preamp have virtually no gain and are often used as power amp tubes for 1watt amps. So the tube swap turned this metal monster into a flat tube amp where you only get gain if you pump the gain past 2 oclock on the amp. This helped with taking pedals immensely and got rid of the squeal when pushing this amp. Not only that, but it added a bunch more clean headroom.
Played the amp out like this for a worship gig in October 2019 and it was perfect. The cabsim was plugged into the front of house while the cabinet I used to hook this amp up to served as a monitor for me. It takes pedals, it's light, small, sounds amazing and looks cool in my opinion lol
It's a single channel head with essentially three controls: Gain, Volume, Tone but above the tone knob is a three toggle switch which changes the voice on the amp. This feature makes the tone knob super useful when you move it and allows for different voices for the amp. Its pretty cool how radically this little feature changes the sound of the amp so dramatically and it makes this amp a lot more versatile than the three knobs in the front would suggest.
I am giving 5 stars because this amp really does what it says it will out of the box, but also because it has those extra features like an effects loop and a balanced XLR cab-simulated line out, you don't see that in low watt tube heads at all these days. It was easy for me to open this amp up and retube it and use it for my own purposes and still sounded fantastic after the swap. Add on top of that the wide variety of tonal options and it's relative affordability (even buying a tube kit for it won't break the bank). Highly recommended if you are looking for a mini metal monster with that real tube sag, or if you are willing to do a tube roll to get that do it all small tube amp head.
Can't be more happy with this head!
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