Engl invader 100 mk 1

[Csm84123]

Hey

So I have a 6505 120 watt head and an engl ironball 20 watt head that i been playing through an orange ppc 212 cab. This is the second 6505 i had the past 10 years. The deal is i just sold the 6505 and going to pick up an Engl invader 100 mk 1 head with a z9 footswitch.

Whats you guys thoughts on the Engl invader 100 mk 1. Likes/ dislikes. It looked specd out with 4 channels and noise gate and different voicings for every channel. Have read some trash talking in forums that it is not the best engl for metal. And everyone recommended the savage instead. Savage wasnt possible for me right now.

Seen some videos and the invader sounded nice to me. Liked the channel 2 sound what i heard on youtube.

How does the invader compair to the 6505 or the ironball i have?

Whats the difference in the mk1 version and the mk2 version?

Saw there is even a 150 watt version of the invader.

 

[MatrixClaw]

Invader is like the red headed stepchild of the Engl line. Everyone seems to love the Savage, Powerball, Artist, SE, etc, but I rarely ever see anyone outside of the EU talking about the Invader in a good light. It seems like there's a few people that love them and then everyone else that's played one didn't like it Would love to try one someday but they're not common at all in the US.

 

[rokket2005]

I've had my Invader 100 for like 12-13 years or so and it was my main gigging amp for a few years. When I starting recording more I grew to hate it real fast. All ENGL's have a plasticky high end attack that I can't unhear. It doesn't like to blend with other amps well and when I have a rec, bogner, and ac30 type amps that work with everything it's not worth my time to fuck around with it in the mixing stage trying to massage it into place. If it's the sound you want and are going to have the guitars overpower everything else it's probably fine, but that doesn't work for me.

Channel 3 will do metal no problem. Channel 2 is voiced too heavily in the low mids to have the same type of cut that a Marshall does despite it trying to emulate that. Channel 4 is fucking rotund. The noise gate isn't great. With your ppc cab maybe you won't have a problem with spiky hi end on it that I did. These are just my opinions on it though, and surely there are people out there that love the amp.

 

[Csm84123]

Well u guys got me a little nervous about it.Already shipped and on the way. I live in sweden so they are a little more common here. First one i tried was the first 60 watt fireball. Loved the sound but had a hard time cutting through. Tested a friends retro and it was cool. Have personally owned an ironball for last 4 years. Still have it and love it. My experience is most engls have been brutal and really nice sound / gain structure. But read alot of mixed thoughts on the invader online. Have to wait till i get it this week to draw my on conclusion.

 

[gnoll]

All ENGL's have a plasticky high end attack that I can't unhear.

I don't think all Engl amps should be bunched together like that. A lot of them are very different to each other. Invader doesn't seem to sound anything like a Savage, and neither do the balls for that matter.

 

[MatrixClaw]

I don't think all Engl amps should be bunched together like that. A lot of them are very different to each other. Invader doesn't seem to sound anything like a Savage, and neither do the balls for that matter.

+1 to this, my Savage does not have plasticy high end. It sits just fine with my 101b, Sabot and Iconic.

 

[Emperoff]

Instructions to use an Engl amp:
- Dim the presence
- Crank the treble
- Profit

 

[Pyramid Gallery]

I have a OG 100, I like it quite a bit. All, of course, IMO:

ch1: a bit sterile, but ultra clean, shines with fx.
ch2: kind of a weird feel to it, plasticky. I like to scoop it. I don't ordinarily like to scoop anything. This can get metally.
ch3: the nuts. I like to boost this, as well as ch2 and 4. But only a unity gain boost (SD1, vol 11:00ish, tone noon, gain down), anything else is too much and takes away low end. It's weird, cuz the amp has tons of low end, but a boost really neuters it, maybe more than other amps.
ch4: almost like a mesa mark with no graphic. Like a fucking goose with more mids. I like to scoop it more than ch 2. This one is softer in the attack than 2 or 3. The most gain. Pretty decent lead ch, if you can take the whole insane mids thing.

I like to run mine with the Helix, works perfectly. I use active PUP only for maximum attack.

 

[Krucifixtion]

My main amp for the last decade has been an Invader 150. I still really like it a lot. It has a really nice clean channel. Channel 2 gain get a little more thrashy sort of Marshall, but not really. Channel 3 is high gain heavy rhythm tone, but Mids are kind of scooped, so I tend to crank them. Chanel 4 is a cool lead tone with lots of Mids. I only run mine with KT77. Gives it an overall smoother feel than with the EL34's that make it a little more bitey in ways I don't care for as much. I recently purchased a Mesa Triple Rectifier, which I love for rhythm tones, but my main amp platform is still the ENGL since it's overall a bit more versatile and way better cleans.

 

[Csm84123]

So it came in the mail today. Only played with it for like 30 min so far.... but i can tell u this much. It is friggin sick. Read some other forums the past few days that say its not the best for metal. Im tellin ya. If this thing cant do metal nothing will. lol So yes its got plenty of gain, bottom end , and attack. Gonna try to get to know it a little better next few weeks but i think im gonna like it.

 

[Choop]

That may have been the last amp that Misha and Alex had used in Periphery before switching to Fractal, so it seems to definitely be up to the task. I believe there is a guy in town here that uses one to play in a variety of metal bands -- he always sounds dope!

 

[Zado]

The Savage sounds far more surgic and precise, the Invader (MKI, never played a MKII, or even seen one IRL) sound more rude, fat and far less elegant. It's an old school kind of metal monster amp.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

So it came in the mail today. Only played with it for like 30 min so far.... but i can tell u this much. It is friggin sick. Read some other forums the past few days that say its not the best for metal. Im tellin ya. If this thing cant do metal nothing will. lol So yes its got plenty of gain, bottom end , and attack. Gonna try to get to know it a little better next few weeks but i think im gonna like it.

Yeah idk why the amp gets so much hate online. Its pretty gnarly

That may have been the last amp that Misha and Alex had used in Periphery before switching to Fractal, so it seems to definitely be up to the task. I believe there is a guy in town here that uses one to play in a variety of metal bands -- he always sounds dope!

I went back to watch this old video, and I just noticed in the description that he says he didn't plug in any pedals for this playthru. Just straight in. And it's handling Drop G# like a champ

 

[wakjob]

I'd buy an Engl amp that just had channel 3 of the MK1 Invader 100.
One of my favorite metal tones.

 

[sonofabias]

Hey

So I have a 6505 120 watt head and an engl ironball 20 watt head that i been playing through an orange ppc 212 cab. This is the second 6505 i had the past 10 years. The deal is i just sold the 6505 and going to pick up an Engl invader 100 mk 1 head with a z9 footswitch.

Whats you guys thoughts on the Engl invader 100 mk 1. Likes/ dislikes. It looked specd out with 4 channels and noise gate and different voicings for every channel. Have read some trash talking in forums that it is not the best engl for metal. And everyone recommended the savage instead. Savage wasnt possible for me right now.

Seen some videos and the invader sounded nice to me. Liked the channel 2 sound what i heard on youtube.

How does the invader compair to the 6505 or the ironball i have?

Whats the difference in the mk1 version and the mk2 version?

Saw there is even a 150 watt version of the invader.

I gigged with the E640 Invader 150 for several years , it was my first Engl along with the XXL quad. I never had any problems with cutting through when playing out and nothing but compliments on my tone and girth. It definitely is unique which is one of the things I liked most about it , not sounding like anyone else in my region because at the time I had my first one 06’ know one had anything like it which suited me just fine! I’ve actually owned three as well as a KT77 MKII that I had to return . I just recently had a custom SE/FE delivered only a few weeks ago but I would still like another Invader

 

[BabUShka]

I don't think all Engl amps should be bunched together like that. A lot of them are very different to each other. Invader doesn't seem to sound anything like a Savage, and neither do the balls for that matter.

I only owned the Powerball and Fireball, and even those sounded like two completely different brands - never understood why they are in the same "series" of balls.
For the PB I totally get the plastic ish vibe (maybe super compressed and modern is more correct term), for the Fireball not at all. Both great, but very different amps.