Engl Amps owners thread :D

[MetalHead40]

The Savage is definitely a versatile amp, however not in the same way the Invader is. The Savage cleans are as you described "decent" but the Invader cleans are nothing short of beautiful. The Invader isn't as gained out as the Savage is, but it's definitely still capable of doing the high gain thing, just with a different flavour than the Savage. Not better or worse, just different. I love both amps, but for versatility, I'll always go Invader over Savage.

Your not the first I've heard say that the Invader has less gain, or I guess others have maybe referred to it as "rounder" and more open/less compressed than the Savage. I'd love to try one for sure. I've seen a few decently priced Invader 100 s recently and was very tempted, but with two Engls already I decided I'm gonna go for a totally different flavor all together on the next amp.

 

[blackzar84]

Ive got a switching pedal coming from Bright onion for my Rockmaster. 2 x z4s were required at over £120. £55 for a custom build, check them out

You mean these guys?

http://www.brightonion.co.uk/routing/

 

[Chiba666]

Thats them, message them with your requirements and see what they can do. Mine is a quad switch with red leds and dual outputs for the dual inputs in the back of my amp.

 

[Krucifixtion]

Your not the first I've heard say that the Invader has less gain, or I guess others have maybe referred to it as "rounder" and more open/less compressed than the Savage. I'd love to try one for sure. I've seen a few decently priced Invader 100 s recently and was very tempted, but with two Engls already I decided I'm gonna go for a totally different flavor all together on the next amp.

With the high gain switch activated my Invader has more than enough gain than I would ever need. Especially if I boost with drive. You don't need to boost, but I do anyway to get a specific tone.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Your not the first I've heard say that the Invader has less gain, or I guess others have maybe referred to it as "rounder" and more open/less compressed than the Savage. I'd love to try one for sure. I've seen a few decently priced Invader 100 s recently and was very tempted, but with two Engls already I decided I'm gonna go for a totally different flavor all together on the next amp.

I think its more the voicing of the amp. Channel 4 is a little too dark, bass, flabby, mushy (not what you expect from an Engl)... and Channel 3 is not the classic Power Metal / Death Metal tone you expect either. Better used for hard/modern rock. This is one reason Engl quickly released a second version, as well as the 150W version, and most recently the "sound wizard plug-in module" to help overcome these "issues" as well some others... which still persist. They keep trying band-aid fixes with the Invader. Same reason why you see few to zero touring metal bands using them live as compared to the Savage 120, SE, PB. Get the Special Edition... its the amp the Invader wants to be when it grows up.

 

[MetalHead40]

With the high gain switch activated my Invader has more than enough gain than I would ever need. Especially if I boost with drive. You don't need to boost, but I do anyway to get a specific tone.

Good to know

 

[MetalHead40]

I think its more the voicing of the amp. Channel 4 is a little too dark, bass, flabby, mushy (not what you expect from an Engl)... and Channel 3 is not the classic Power Metal / Death Metal tone you expect either. Better used for hard/modern rock. This is one reason Engl quickly released a second version, as well as the 150W version, and most recently the "sound wizard plug-in module" to help overcome these "issues" as well some others... which still persist. They keep trying band-aid fixes with the Invader. Same reason why you see few to zero touring metal bands using them live as compared to the Savage 120, SE, PB. Get the Special Edition... its the amp the Invader wants to be when it grows up.

I think for the next Engl, I'll just wait for the Savage II

 

[oracles]

I agree that channel 4 is definitely the weak link in the Invader, but I wouldn't say that channel 3 isn't usable for anything high gain, on the contrary I've gotten really good death metal tones from it, and a lot of dudes I know have gotten great tones as well. I think a lot of it comes down to personal preference more so than anything else, but I love my Invader for death metal.

 

[sonofabias]

I think its more the voicing of the amp. Channel 4 is a little too dark, bass, flabby, mushy (not what you expect from an Engl)... and Channel 3 is not the classic Power Metal / Death Metal tone you expect either. Better used for hard/modern rock. This is one reason Engl quickly released a second version, as well as the 150W version, and most recently the "sound wizard plug-in module" to help overcome these "issues" as well some others... which still persist. They keep trying band-aid fixes with the Invader. Same reason why you see few to zero touring metal bands using them live as compared to the Savage 120, SE, PB. Get the Special Edition... its the amp the Invader wants to be when it grows up.

The e640 Invader 150 came first , the 100 watt version was not released until a few years later . I had my first Invader 150 in 2006 .

 

[MetalHead40]

I agree that channel 4 is definitely the weak link in the Invader, but I wouldn't say that channel 3 isn't usable for anything high gain, on the contrary I've gotten really good death metal tones from it, and a lot of dudes I know have gotten great tones as well. I think a lot of it comes down to personal preference more so than anything else, but I love my Invader for death metal.

Do you know if Kreator used the Invader on Hordes of Chaos?

Whatever they used on that album, its one of my favorite guitar tones

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

The e640 Invader 150 came first , the 100 watt version was not released until a few years later . I had my first Invader 150 in 2006 .

... and was shortly discontinued. I'm sure they were designed at the same time, regardless of release date. It's a 4 channel Powerball amp design that pales in comparison to the SE. It's a jack of all trades, master of none. Which is why almost no one uses them compared to the other models.

 

[Stooly]

Well, I got my new to me Savage yesterday. Tighter and more immediate compared to my Powerball V.1. Played it at a gig last night and it cut through nicely. I kind of went with the eq set at halfway as a starting point and it sounded pretty good, so I left it there. I might swap some tubes to see what sounds better. Pretty stoked since I've been looking for a clean used one for some time!

 

[MetalHead40]

Well, I got my new to me Savage yesterday. Tighter and more immediate compared to my Powerball V.1. Played it at a gig last night and it cut through nicely. I kind of went with the eq set at halfway as a starting point and it sounded pretty good, so I left it there. I might swap some tubes to see what sounds better. Pretty stoked since I've been looking for a clean used one for some time!

CONGRATS! One of the greatest amps of all time

I'll never get rid of mine, in fact, my wife has been instructed to cremate mine along with my body.

If you haven't yet, throw and eq in the loop and prepare to be floored. I was just messing around with both my Savage and FB 100, and just for the hell of it turned off the loop. Two different worlds; night and day. I cant believe what a profound difference in tone, feel, and depth a simple eq like an MXR 10 band makes.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Well, I got my new to me Savage yesterday. Tighter and more immediate compared to my Powerball V.1. Played it at a gig last night and it cut through nicely. I kind of went with the eq set at halfway as a starting point and it sounded pretty good, so I left it there. I might swap some tubes to see what sounds better. Pretty stoked since I've been looking for a clean used one for some time!

Noice! Get ready to

 

[BrianC85]

Here's my baby! Unfortunately doesn't get cranked as much since I don't play out anymore.

 

[Stooly]

Anyone try KT-120 tubes in a Savage? Or any other amp for that matter? Plate dissipation of 60w and will go in any 6550/KT-88 amp. Plenty of headroom I guess, just curious on what they may sound like.

 

[MetalHead40]

Anyone try KT-120 tubes in a Savage? Or any other amp for that matter? Plate dissipation of 60w and will go in any 6550/KT-88 amp. Plenty of headroom I guess, just curious on what they may sound like.

Never heard of em but sounds interesting. I'm not one to swap tubes too much. I've been more than happy with the stock 6550s that came in my Savage.

 

[Stooly]

Never heard of em but sounds interesting. I'm not one to swap tubes too much. I've been more than happy with the stock 6550s that came in my Savage.

I sent Engl support a message on Facebook to see if they would even work, I'll let you know what they say. Mine has the stock Engl 6550s in it also , but I was just thinking down the road...

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

I sent Engl support a message on Facebook to see if they would even work, I'll let you know what they say. Mine has the stock Engl 6550s in it also , but I was just thinking down the road...

Replied on R/T too...

But I doubt you'll be able to set the bias hot enough. You can use them, but they'll be biased really cold. You may need to replace the bias resistor.

 

[youngthrasher9]

I'll be joining the ranks of this club tomorrow evening.