Author Topic: Bitten by an Engl! (Read 4710 times)

March · « **on:** January 31, 2006, 12:10:54 AM »

I think I met my next amp last night! I tried a friend of mines new Powerball through my VHT cab and I have never been more impressed with an 'jack of all trades' amp. Stunning clean, beautifully defined crunch tones and searing leads... I want one!

I noticed that board member Andy has one for sale and I have already contacted him about it. Trouble is I need to move some kit before I can swing for it... plus what do I axe?

For the chopping block are;

Trace Elliot Speed Twin C100 combo (all valve - think high end Marshall then some...),
Hamer Special with Bare Knuckle P90's, cased.
Plus some Gibson and DiMarzio pickups.

I think I have got to give some thought as to prices. I would be sorry to let the Trace go as it is an amazing sounding amp, I've surprised many a gear snob with that thing!

Never thought I would get bitten my the Engl bug. I tried a Savage Special Edition a while back and hated it!

dave_mc · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2006, 05:46:01 PM »

^you hated the savage se? :o

i much prefer my savage se to a powerball, i'm glad i took one over it!

just goes to prove the "personal preference" adage...

Hell Hound · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2006, 05:53:35 PM »

I got a Engl 620 Tubepre and love it!!!
Engl rules!!!

March · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2006, 11:25:42 PM »

Quote from: dave_mc

^you hated the savage se? :o

i much prefer my savage se to a powerball, i'm glad i took one over it!

just goes to prove the "personal preference" adage...

It sure does! Mind you it would be boring if we all liked the same thing! Still stunned by how good the Powerball was.

I've also been stunned by my Minimat this week. I think I have found one of my all time favourite crunch tones with this little beast...

dave_mc · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2006, 04:58:23 PM »

^just to check- you probably aren't as stupid as me- you do know that the gains on the clean channel affect the amount of gain on the crunch channel, and the amount of gain on the crunch 2 channel affects the amount of gain on the lead channel. (that fooled me at the start!)

Also, did you have it in rough or smooth mode? and triode or pentode? (these all make a major difference to the tone!)

sorry if i sound like i'm trying to make you like something you don't, but i'm just trying to figure out why you didn't like it- i like the powerball as well, and i can nail its channel 3 tone on the lead channel- it just seems to me that if you like the powerball, you should like the savage se too- it's like a powerball, but more versatile, IMO.

Of course, it might just be that you prefer the powerball... :twisted:

March · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2006, 05:27:55 PM »

Quote from: dave_mc

^just to check- you probably aren't as stupid as me- you do know that the gains on the clean channel affect the amount of gain on the crunch channel, and the amount of gain on the crunch 2 channel affects the amount of gain on the lead channel. (that fooled me at the start!)

Also, did you have it in rough or smooth mode? and triode or pentode? (these all make a major difference to the tone!)

sorry if i sound like i'm trying to make you like something you don't, but i'm just trying to figure out why you didn't like it- i like the powerball as well, and i can nail its channel 3 tone on the lead channel- it just seems to me that if you like the powerball, you should like the savage se too- it's like a powerball, but more versatile, IMO.

Of course, it might just be that you prefer the powerball... :twisted:

Don't ask me questions like that, as I have exceeded 30 and subsequently as a result, my memory is not what it used to be! :lol:

To be honest, it was a couple of years ago that I tried the amp out (although for good measure I did try another one in a music shop in Cologne) and the switching options escape me. I remember being impressed by the drive tones, but I was not sold on the clean tones, they sounded overly sterile to my ears. One thing I noticed about the Powerball straight away is that the clean tones are just that, clean, but to my ears warmer.

However, without a back to back comparison it's difficult to express a concise opinion, as my musical tastes and tonal preferences are constantly changing. With the myriad of options avaliable on the Special Edition, I would probably have found tones to my liking. I had a similiar problem with a VHT Ultra Lead head. :?

dave_mc · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2006, 05:44:26 PM »

yeah, that's what i found, to be honest- the powerball is more plug and play- set everything to 7, and it sounds great! set everything to 7 on the savage se, and it sounds good, but lacking a little something... but then when you sit down with it and tweak for a while... :twisted:

it's a good job i ordered my savage se without trying it! (good deal!)

i think the cleans on the savage se are warmer than the powerball- but then again, i have the pre-shape switch engaged (!)- yet another option!

i think you need to try the savage se again, and try all the options! ;)

To be honest, (and i've heard other engl fanatics say this), unless you play a large proportion of metal (like, 80% plus), you'd be better with a savage or savage se than a powerball.

I play my fair share of metal, and i'm glad i went for a savage se over a powerball- it's just "too metal" imo (EDIT: on channels 3 and 4)- hard to dial the metal out- in the savage se you can (easily).

these are my opinions, by the way, and, like you, i haven't tried my savage se head to head with a powerball- i'm just going on memory.

EDIT again: i think the clean on the powerball is more "shimmery" though, more pristine.

Custom79 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2006, 03:01:45 PM »

I've been gigging my Powerball for four months now and I couldn't be happier !! best amp I've ever had !!

JamesHealey · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2006, 08:38:10 PM »

I've got a Screamer 50.. and it's been my main amp since 2002, fantastic piece of kit.