Author Topic: Engl Screamer 50 users... (Read 17780 times)

Antag · « **on:** September 18, 2006, 12:45:19 PM »

The Engl Screamer has sorely tempted me to do something I've never done before: buy an amp without actually seeing it & playing it myself.

So I have a few questions for those of you who have owned one:

1: Just how much gain does it have on a lead channel? Andy RV's excellent Nailbomb clip pretty much answered this (i.e. "enough" :lol:) but I'm seeking re-assurance that I can get an absolutely face-melting metal sound from it. Particularly interested in the opinions of those who have had both a Screamer & a Mesa Rectifier.

2: If you dial in your ideal lead sound, how usable are the clean & crunch sounds without having to adjust the controls? Part of the attraction with the screamer is getting the Z5 footboard & being able to switch between a clean, crunch & metal tone at the touch of a button.

Thanks in advance for any opinions... :)

dave_mc · « **Reply #1 on:** September 18, 2006, 01:36:38 PM »

^ i haven't owned one, but I've tried one several times. I'll get the ball rolling, but obviously listen more to the guys who actually own one.

1) it has plenty of gain. perhaps more than a recto, in terms of pure gain. the rectos, though, have a lot of lower mids, which tend to make it sound "heavy", without the need for as much gain- the engls are a bit brighter in tone- think megadeth tone, as opposed to mesa, which is more of a modern metallica tone.

2) it's a compromise. not as much as you'd expect, since each channel is voiced individually, but there's not doubt, there's a little compromise there.

I'd look into a genz benz el diablo too (in addition to the screamer, and perhaps a mesa f30), they're all roughly in similar price bands. of course, if you can't get to try them...

:drink:

Antag · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2006, 05:13:00 PM »

Quote from: dave_mc

2) it's a compromise. not as much as you'd expect, since each channel is voiced individually, but there's not doubt, there's a little compromise there.

Yeah, I kind of guessed it would be a compromise & don't expect it to be as flexible as a Powerball (or any of the 3/4 channel heads on the market with separate eq & gain for every channel) - but are all 4 sounds basically usable?

On my Rectifier, I have an excellent high gain sound & decent clean, but nothing "in between" without playing around with the settings: If I just flick the "clean" voice to "pushed" there's a HUGE jump in volume & a very harsh sound from my ideal clean eq & gain settings. Likewise, if I flick the "modern" hi gain voice to "vintage" the sound gets a bit muddier with a tiny bit less gain & volume, but it's not really a big enough change. Plus the voice switches aren't foot-switchable :(

I guess what I'm asking is whether the Screamer really is a 4 channel amp, or a 2 channel amp that you can get a variety of sounds from?

Dakine · « **Reply #3 on:** September 18, 2006, 06:05:58 PM »

I have both, ENGL Screamer 1/2 stack and Mesa.
The ENGL has enough gasin to kill small animals/children. It need's some taming though. For this a bought a 10 band EQ, all better now :)
Seriously good amp, just VERY wild and overpowering!
It is, imo, not close to as organic as the Mesa. TBH I have not given the ENGL much love at all after getting the Mesa. However, it's aplication is somewhat different.
The Mesa is easy to dial in all kinds of tones. The ENGL need's to be chastised with a bullwhip often, but boy does it reward when taken roughly by the balls :twisted:

The ENGL is DEF. 4 channels (but really with my added EQ). I can be ok without but once I added the EQ,OMG!
The channels are quite defined, but there again I find none of the 'issues' you state with my Mesa.

Anyway, hope this helps.

chrisola · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2006, 06:20:19 PM »

hoi

The Screamer is great, the shared EQ not really a problem, although (as Dakine says) an eq pedal would provide some more options.

It has enough gain for most people, id agree with the Megadeth comparison!

It doesnt sound like anything other than an ENGL, its just a great sounding rock and metal amp :)

I have a combo and the big footswitch...90% set on looking to sell both together as i'm never home alone anymore so i cant really use it, and i dont gig or have a practice space anymore.. so i'm back to using my GuitarPort and headphones :(

Plus i have a big car insurance\tax\mot bill in next couple of months so cash is good :P

Its the 2nd best amp i've ever owned, the BEST was the Fireball, but i didnt have the room to keep a cab\amp and downsized to the Screamer... the Screamer is way more versatile, but it cant quite match the Fireball for all out face melting attack and gain (for this you need a POWERBALL).. then again the Fireball cant match the Screamer for more refined rock sounds :lol:

Best all round amp in the price range imo, especially 2nd hand :)

MDV · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2006, 06:56:32 PM »

I have a screamer and have tried many dual recs.

There is more than enough gain on the screamer for anything. I play...errr...extreme metal with the gain on 6.

However its a very different character to a mesa. Its not as dark and throaty, its much more open and wet. I've found mesas can lean toward a hissy high end: the screamer is fatter and round. Its low ends tighter and its mids are more natural. The mesa will give you a better classic scooped tone, if thats your bag.

Dual recs cant touch screamer cleans and rock tones, though....but you didnt ask, I suppose :P .

The channels are all quite independantly voiced and the EQ isnt active, so you cant properly screw a sound in one channel by setting another; its not that powerfull an EQ.

Dakines on the money with an EQ with one. Same goes for all amps, imo though ;).

Most important of all: in my experience Mesas are quite quiet and their natural scoop lets them get lost in a mix. You spend all day EQing. A screamer absolutely comes alive in a mix!!!

Dakine · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2006, 09:06:12 PM »

Can't vouch for dual Mesa's but can tell ya my single cuts like a laser (though read this/heard this many places post my purchase so guessing I got lucky in that respect).
It is (maybe) different for me to judge abit if we are primarily talking combo-stack. I played an ENGL combo alot but eventually got the stack. The added air moved, IMO, def. makes it more of a beast to tame.
TBH, GET one, very much doubt you will be sorry. I'm not and now have 2 very distinct amps to have pleasure and supply aural pain with :twisted:

SliderJeff · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2006, 09:49:09 PM »

Guys,

So in your opinion, how close to the Fireball melt-your-face tone can the Screamer head get? I really love the Fireball tones I have heard, but as I am only 90% metalhead, I want to be able to do fusion tones as well. My current Triaxis or GSP2101 can get me fusion tones, but I will need to lose the Triaxis to finance the purchase of the new Engl head. So the question is, can the Screamer sound like a Fireball... or if not, can the Fireball with it's clean channel and an overdrive pedal in front get me the fusion distortion tones I want?

So many questions... and the money tree died a LONG LONG time ago.

Thanks,
Jeff

Dakine · « **Reply #8 on:** September 18, 2006, 09:51:59 PM »

Jeff, IMO, it's a compromise. The Screamer is more of a do it all but not as extremely (if that makes sense). ENGL's are ALL insane, just some more focussed on innihilation than others. The Screamer reacts very well to pedals I have shown it, although NOT a great pedal fan/user.

Shame I was not back in TX right now with gear, ya could come and annoy the neighbors :)

SliderJeff · « **Reply #9 on:** September 18, 2006, 09:55:50 PM »

Yea, the Screamer sounds like it's a Jack of all trades, master of none. Do you know how this differs from the Powerball? I mean, they are both 4 channels... yet one is like $900 more or something. Is it just that you have Eq for each channel on the PB, whereas the Screamer is shared EQ? Did you ever play a Powerball?

Yeah, it figures I find someone of like mind and they are half a world away. :)

Regs,
Jeff

MDV · « **Reply #10 on:** September 18, 2006, 10:03:29 PM »

I wouldnt say that.

What amp masters a tone for you depends on the sound in your head. For me, the screamer got closer than any I've tried to a perfect metal tone bar the powerball, that isnt practical at the moment: to me its a master of one thing with bonus points for everything else!

Edit: powerball is master of all, jack of nothing!

(disclaimer: no this isnt really true, dont get any knickers in a twist: buts its pretty dang close!)

SliderJeff · « **Reply #11 on:** September 18, 2006, 10:10:15 PM »

Thanks, Mark. The biggest issue is that I can't play the bloody things before I purchase. There isn't a dealer to be found in either of the States I visit or live in. So I'd have to sell my current gear to finance the new purchase, then buy blind and hope that the new gear "does it" for me. A really sucky situation to be in, for sure. Any idea about the Engl e570 preamp and how it fits into the picture. That would allow me to keep my current rack, minus the Triaxis, but should give me access to more tones to do things OTHER than death metal grindage. At least that's the theory. The other issue is that I don't know how good using the Screamer or other head's effects loop to plug in my other preamps would be. Do any of the Engl have an external preamp in to use just the power amp section of the heads? I'm just too damn busy right this second at work to look through all 10 PDF manuals.

Thanks,
Jeff

chrisola · « **Reply #12 on:** September 19, 2006, 12:08:44 AM »

the Powerball is the screamers big brother imo, it has the ultra gain aswell as the rock type stuff and clean...

when i saw Emperor live in Wacken festiva they used the Powerball, there stuff isnt all balls out extreme riffage... in fact, alot of bands at the same festival used various ENGL amps, in previous years it was mostly Mode 4s and the odd Mesa, and this year was the best sounding year so far!

Primal Fear use the Savage SE and the pre-amp, they are sort of 'heavy pissed off judas priest meets zakk wylde' :P

I think the Fireball would do fusion fine, Stick a delay pedal in with and back the gain off (half way on the gain dial was enough for some proper balls out metal sounds while still leaving the clean 'clean' with a tweak of the guitars volume, that was with a Nailbomb pickup).

www.rocksolidamps.com is a good USA dealer (from what ive read online)

Listen to his clips, theres one of the Screamer and Thunder doing Vai and Satch stuff, also one of the Thunder doing some brutal death riffs ;)

Dakine · « **Reply #13 on:** September 19, 2006, 12:11:31 AM »

Or don't fanny about at all and just get a Blackmore :twisted:

SliderJeff · « **Reply #14 on:** September 19, 2006, 03:25:37 AM »

LOL! But how do you REALLY feel, Dakine? :)

Chrisola, yeah, Derek@rocksolidamps is who I would be dealing with here in the states. Not a bad word said about the guy on numerous forums. I've poured over the clips on his site for hours... still have many more to go before I can really make up my mind.

As far as Engl users, I LOVE Primal Fear (E530 preamp and Savage IIRC), Scar Symmetry (Fireball), Jag Panzer (Powerball). Michael Romeo of Symphony X used an Engl Fireball for nearly all the rhythms on "The Odyssey" and that sounds killer as well. So lots of bands I dig use the gear, they don't exactly bust out with Gambale or Holdsworth leads lines during their songs either, you know?

Dammit... it's so hard to choose. Plus, if past history is any indicator... it'll be two plus years before I finally make up my mind... and then be unhappy with my decision for another 5 years after. I blame the Ewoks. Friggin furry little teddy bear bar-stewards. :)

Thanks for all the replies.

Regs,
Jeff