PreAmp Power Amp Rack

[Infliktor]

Ok I have been looking at purchasing an ENGL Fireball head and a 4 x 12 Cab, The Fireball is not super versatile but does cleans well enough for most of what I play and the type of Gain I want for Metal.

Anyway, I am now moving to Dallas and probably will be in a Extended stay type of place or a corporate apartment for some time, maybe 6 months or so. So buying the Head and Cab is kinda useless for at least the next 6 months

The SE Head that does just about everything but is very expensive and wouldnt mind doing, but I would have had to wait quite a while longer to purchase.

I saw today that there is a Pre-Amp version of this head. Here is a link to the PDF version of the manual. http://www.engl-amps.com/manuals/e570-om.pdf


I know absolutely nothing about rack gear, So here are my questions if I bought this preamp, and waited months to buy the poweramp and cabinet do I or can i do the following?

1) Can I run just the preamp this thru some monitors as a temporary solution until I am in a house and purchase the matching power amp and Cab?

2) Can I run the pre-amp it thru my computer and then to a set of good monitors?

2) Does it have to be installed in a Rack to work?

Anything else that I need to know?

Thanks guys

[psy]

You should be fine running a preamp in to a PC or to a set of powered monitors.  Just bare in mind that you'll get better results if the preamp has some kind of recording outputs (they'll simulate the sound of running it through a cab), otherwise you'll hear all that nasty top end that guitar speakers don't produce.

EDIT - You don't have to put it in a rack, it will help protect it from damage

[Spitfire]

for that purpose, i really would suggest a line6 pod x3 live... im not a big fan of line6 stuff (i seem to be recommending them a lot tho) but for this purpose its perfect... you can use it with headphones, thru your pc, or into a pa and thru monitors. 

Very good for practicing and if needs must you could get away with gigging it.

[ToneMonkey]

I could be way off the mark here, but I've just been reading a review of the new Valvetronix amps and they seem to be doing the same thing.  The headphone output is voiced for the speaker, so this could be used as a line out.  You also have an amp that can be attenuated from a nats fart up to 15 or 30 watts in case you want to annoy the neighbours.

I know it's not a valve amp and it seems to be a love em or hate em thing, but could be an option.  But you did say you wanted cleans AND high gains  :D  Fairly cheap too.

[Infliktor]

I already have a toneport.  I have GAS now and wanted to get half of it (ENGL) out of the way so to speak, and use it temporary in that fashion until Im settled in a house, but appreciate what you guys are saying about modeling stuff.

Personally the modelling I think does cleans very well but when you get to crunch and dirty it does not sound as realistic and or very long time to tweak to get the way you want

[Adam.M]

Definitely go for it, especially if you can find one second hand!

I never really looked at the ENGL preamps but this does look something special... might have to investigate further myself.

A pod is definitely not what you're quite obviously after, you're after building up your gear quite clearly and yes, you can use it without a poweramp though it'll be much better with one + guitar speakers, even a solid state one.

It doesn't have to be in a Rack but when rack units are not in a rack you have to switch the ground switch on it to tell it it's not in a racks housing, that's all.

I've just entered the rack world myself with a Mesa/Boogie Studio Preamp and a Marshall 9200 power amp... it's going to be fun! though i might be selling it already to fund bass gear...

[Infliktor]

Can I run it through a 1 x 12 Mesa Rectoverb combo temporarily.  If so how would I hook it up

[Adam.M]

You run it into the effects return of the amp, thus using the rectoverb as a poweramp... simples!

what are those rectoverbs like?

[hunter]

What else could I say other than: "get an Axe FX" :O)

[Infliktor]

The rectoverb just doesnt agree with me for some reason.  Others that have plugged into mine like it.  Im replacing it essentially with an ENGL