I think I want an engl?

[joshhale7]

I live far from any music store so cant really try amplifiers out. ive been seeing lots of ppl on here saying that the tones on engls are scooped and digital sounding but I think that may be what im looking for, im not really into thrash or death metal. I need something for bedroom playing, recording and live shows. I like djenty and metal core bands like - veil of maya, Elitist, Rivers Of Nihil, Volumes, Novelists, The Afterimage, born of Osiris, Modern Day Babylon, Shokran, job for a cowboys latest album ;P The Healing, wouldn't mind being able to play some fractalize as well. this is my first high quality amp im thinking of getting and I don't really know anything. I figure I cant go wrong with an expensive mesa boogie or an engl. why dosnt everyone just buy a mesa boogie or engl and hook an axe fx up to it? I don't have a budget really as I don't like to spend my hard earned money on shitty gear. I'm also very interested in the axe fx but would I need that if I had one of these other amps? cab suggestions? I don't plan on playing for 50 thousand ppl just small gigs with like 500ppl tops. is 50w more than enough ? I know I should probably just do some research but im just staring at amp heads really...and no idc about grammar....this website has mostly metalheads no? thanks in advance

 

[lewis]

I live far from any music store so cant really try amplifiers out. ive been seeing lots of ppl on here saying that the tones on engls are scooped and digital sounding but I think that may be what im looking for, im not really into thrash or death metal. I need something for bedroom playing, recording and live shows. I like djenty and metal core bands like - veil of maya, Elitist, Rivers Of Nihil, Volumes, Novelists, The Afterimage, born of Osiris, Modern Day Babylon, Shokran, job for a cowboys latest album ;P The Healing wouldn't mind being able to play some fractalize as well. this is my first high quality amp im thinking of getting and I don't really know anything. I figure I cant go wrong with an expensive mesa boogie or an engl. why dosnt every just buy a mesa boogie or engl and hook an axe fx up to it? im also very interested in the axe fx but would I need that if I had one of these other amps? cab suggestions? I don't plan on playing for 50 thousand ppl just small gigs with like 500ppl tops. is 50w more than enough ? I know I should probably just do some research but im just staring at amp heads really...and no idc about grammar....this website has mostly metalheads no? thanks in advance

where are you in the world?
I have an ENGL E530 tube preamp amp 1U rack for sale if you are interested.

It pairs brilliantly with efx and has a great clean channel.
Will do thrash to modern metal easily.

 

[joshhale7]

where are you in the world?
I have an ENGL E530 tube preamp amp 1U rack for sale if you are interested.

It pairs brilliantly with efx and has a great clean channel.
Will do thrash to modern metal easily.

thanks for the offer but i'm just waiting on my jackson sl7 ht and saving up so I can buy an amp by the time it arrives. wont be able to buy for a few months. I live in Banff, Canada

 

[lewis]

thanks for the offer but i'm just waiting on my jackson sl7 ht and saving up so I can buy an amp by the time it arrives. wont be able to buy for a few months. I live in Banff, Canada

no worries mate.

ENGLs are great. They do have that kind of cold/synthetic thing going on. It makes them incredibly tight and savage sounding.
Fear factory/Meshuggah is easy on these imo.

 

[budda]

thanks for the offer but i'm just waiting on my jackson sl7 ht and saving up so I can buy an amp by the time it arrives. wont be able to buy for a few months. I live in Banff, Canada

How far is the closest long and mcquade?

 

[oneblackened]

Engls are very compressed by nature generally - that's kind of the sound they go for. It has to do with how the amps generate distortion. They're very love/hate, you'll either be all for it or you'll hate it. Personally I'm not a fan but I generally tend to like amps that respond a bit more to your picking than most Engls do.

 

[Bentaycanada]

As someone who's owned 4 Engl's (Thunder, e530, Fireball and Powerball), I can't recommend them any higher. Amazing amps! Tonally the Fireball was my favourite, it could do so many tones for a single EQ amp. That said, a Powerball at band level is like a wrecking ball to the building. It's truly something to behold!

 

[KnightBrolaire]

most of the engls are going to be a ton of amp to haul back and forth, plus they'll likely be far too loud for regular home use without an attenuator or torpedo captor, unless you live alone, in the middle of nowhere.
if you're mostly doing small gigs/bedroom playing then i'd recommend a kemper over an amp.
there are a number of good engl profiles floating around on the rig exchange or that you can buy *kosten's engl profiles are great*.
also rivers of nihil uses kempers

 

[MetalHead40]

As stated most Engls are compressed, tight, aggressive, and have a somewhat stiff feel (Some translate this as "sterile" IMO). I really liked my Savage 120 and FB100, but ultimately after a couple years with both I grew tired of the stiff/overly tight response. I was just fighting them more often than not because they're so damn tight and fast in response.

They are great amps, and based on the tones you mentioned, you might dig em. I'd still like to try an Invader100 and a Powerball II.

 

[NinjaRaf]

There are so many amps that will give you the tones you are looking for. Mesa Marks will do it, 5150s will do it, Engls will do it, Bogners, Diezels, Fryettes...The list of great high gain heads that will give you great modern metal tones is massive.

As far as Mesa and Engl being the best...its really all subjective, and as far as the Axe goes, digital isn't for everyone either. Personally, I've been a huge 5150 and Mesa Mark fan. Those have been the 2 amp series for me that have been the best for what I look for, and the 5153 50 watt is one of the most functionally thought out gigging amps you can get...light weight, midi functionality, great footswitch, great tone, size is so nice for taking out to shows with a 212, and somehow they got it to sound ballsy as hell with only 50 watts, which makes changing power tubes cost half of what a 100 watt head would cost.

Buying an amp and AxeFX has its merits, particularly if you are planning on using the Axe for just FX. Not something I personally need.

As far as cabs...again, you have a million options. Pretty much any cab thats all birch plywood is going to be a good cab. You can swap speakers at to your hearts content and have a lot of fun falling down that rabbit hole. Most guys will probably tell you to either get a Marshall 1960 (which I am not a fan of) or a Mesa Recto 412. The Mesa cabs are really great cabs. I've been a big fan of Avatar cabs, and own 3 of them currently, but their options are limited now. Speaker choice is another big thing. Most metal guys like V30s. I do not. I have been using Eminence Legend V12s for about a decade, and love them. K100s are great, the new-ish Celestion Redbacks are cool. Lynchbacks are cool. T75s are a solid, standard kinda speaker. Too many options.

If you want to go the safe route, a Mesa 412 with V30s, and an Engl Savage or Blackmore or SE or a Mesa Mark IV, Mark V, JP2C, or even a Recto...or if you want to save a little money, some kind of Peavey 5150/6505, or an EVH 5150, will all do you really well.

 

[NinjaRaf]

As stated most Engls are compressed, tight, aggressive, and have a somewhat stiff feel (Some translate this as "sterile" IMO). I really liked my Savage 120 and FB100, but ultimately after a couple years with both I grew tired of the stiff/overly tight response. I was just fighting them more often than not because they're so damn tight and fast in response.

They are great amps, and based on the tones you mentioned, you might dig em. I'd still like to try an Invader100 and a Powerball II.

My other guitar player has a PBII, and its alright. I think I agree with you where Engls ultimately weren't for me because of the razor sharp attack. They sound, and kinda feel, harsh in a way. Also, the PBII has a hard time keeping up with other 100 watt heads. My Mark IVb would just absolutely destroy that amp on a weekly basis at practice. Even my 5153 50 watt drowns it out very easily.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Yeeeah I was gonna say that about the Powerball and Fireball. They're not the most cutting amps. I've seen a lot of Engl fans that say to pass on them and try the e530 or Blackmore. Maybe even the Artist series.

 

[Metropolis]

I played in studio situation with Powerball I couple of years ago and kind of hated it... harsh, stiff feel, and compressed in a way I didn't like it.

 

[budda]

Also, care about grammar. If we cant understand your post, we cant help you.

 

[shred-o-holic]

Well it's subjective. I have tried/owned different ENGL's over the years. My issue has been band mix performance. With the FB 100 and the PB1 I was always messing with the treble and mids in a band mix. Too spikey and harsh and they disappeared in the mix. Now I own an Ironball and it slays at bedroom volumes. However, I just acquired a Mesa Triple Crown 50 and that thing to me just sounds more like a real amp (LOL that is kinda goofy I guess to say that)......it just sounds more balanced and I prefer to play it more.

 

[NinjaRaf]

Funnily enough...my MT15 outperforms the Engl PBII. So much so that my other guitar player ended up getting an MT15, too lol

 

[shred-o-holic]

Funnily enough...my MT15 outperforms the Engl PBII. So much so that my other guitar player ended up getting an MT15, too lol

Awesome........my Ironball did better in a band mix as well........the Mesa is just overall better sounding....I bet those PRS kill.........I do love me some Powerball II channel 3 tho

 

[kevdes93]

I had an invader100w that i loved to death, but a hugely underrated amp in their lineup is the artist edition, got to play one at the axe palace and it was insane

 

[JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo]

most of the engls are going to be a ton of amp to haul back and forth, plus they'll likely be far too loud for regular home use without an attenuator or torpedo captor, unless you live alone, in the middle of nowhere.
if you're mostly doing small gigs/bedroom playing then i'd recommend a kemper over an amp.
there are a number of good engl profiles floating around on the rig exchange or that you can buy *kosten's engl profiles are great*.
also rivers of nihil uses kempers

They're very doable at bedroom levels. I've owned 4 ENGLs and all have handled low volume very well

 

[oneblackened]

My other guitar player has a PBII, and its alright. I think I agree with you where Engls ultimately weren't for me because of the razor sharp attack. They sound, and kinda feel, harsh in a way. Also, the PBII has a hard time keeping up with other 100 watt heads. My Mark IVb would just absolutely destroy that amp on a weekly basis at practice. Even my 5153 50 watt drowns it out very easily.

My experience has been similar. Something about PBs just makes them disappear in a full band setting.