Rack Preamp Suggestion?

[spaghetti_time]

I want to thank everyone for their recommendations! Did a fair bit of research and picked up an ENGL E530. Seems like exactly what I need. Super stoked!

 

[lewis]

I want to thank everyone for their recommendations! Did a fair bit of research and picked up an ENGL E530. Seems like exactly what I need. Super stoked!

Just a tip for when you get it, for Drop E, swap in the 12Ax7B Silver dragon preamp tubes and run some sort of EQ in its fx loop

I had the E530 and for Drop E. It sounded amazing for modern tones using the tube swap and also its so incredibly tight, even with bass on max, it barely has any. So if you want more, eq in the loop really helps.

Better still look for a Depthfinder Presence and resonance knob
Congrats on the purchase and enjoy.
I miss mine.

 

[jaxadam]

What you really want is an ADA MP-1 with an Alesis Midiverb 4.

 

[gnoll]

Don't forget the E570 nor the E580 preamps...

I would say forgetting about the 580 is ok. I have it and I'm not very impressed. The lead channel just doesn't sound very good.

 

[Choop]

I miss my old 530 as well, congrats on the purchase! If I were to go back to a rack setup that one would be in the running for the preamp to be used.

 

[Emperoff]

I would say forgetting about the 580 is ok. I have it and I'm not very impressed. The lead channel just doesn't sound very good.

Let me know if you ever want to part ways with that forgettable and unimpressing piece of equipment (for an equally unimpressing price)

 

[odibrom]

I would say forgetting about the 580 is ok. I have it and I'm not very impressed. The lead channel just doesn't sound very good.

Really? Could it be tubes or some component gone bad? I had that preamp in high regards, but truth be told, it was about 13 to 14 years ago... I've tested the 570 in head format and I felt it was a cool sounding head. Nevertheless, thanks for your comment.

 

[gnoll]

Really? Could it be tubes or some component gone bad? I had that preamp in high regards, but truth be told, it was about 13 to 14 years ago... I've tested the 570 in head format and I felt it was a cool sounding head. Nevertheless, thanks for your comment.

Well that's how I feel about it, others may disagree with me. I'm pretty sure it's working fine, and I've tried different tubes in it. There's something clicky/brittle about the high end on the lead channel that I really can't stand. It shows up in the attack, mainly on palm mutes. The clean channel I'm okay with, and I've used that one for metal with the gain turned up, which works totally fine as long as the front end has enough push from the guitar/pedals.

If you read around on the internet about it, in old forum posts and such, you can see some mixed opinions about the 580 with a bunch of people saying 570 sounds better, and I would probably agree with that. Everything I've heard from 570/SE sounds at least "good". I mainly got the 580 because I was curious about it, but in hindsight I should have got 570 instead.

This video (not mine) kind of shows what I mean about the channels. Go between 2:53 (clean channel) and 4:08 (lead channel). Same riff with similar amounts of distortion, but the lead channel to me sounds much worse.

 

[odibrom]

Well that's how I feel about it, others may disagree with me. I'm pretty sure it's working fine, and I've tried different tubes in it. There's something clicky/brittle about the high end on the lead channel that I really can't stand. It shows up in the attack, mainly on palm mutes. The clean channel I'm okay with, and I've used that one for metal with the gain turned up, which works totally fine as long as the front end has enough push from the guitar/pedals.

If you read around on the internet about it, in old forum posts and such, you can see some mixed opinions about the 580 with a bunch of people saying 570 sounds better, and I would probably agree with that. Everything I've heard from 570/SE sounds at least "good". I mainly got the 580 because I was curious about it, but in hindsight I should have got 570 instead.

This video (not mine) kind of shows what I mean about the channels. Go between 2:53 (clean channel) and 4:08 (lead channel). Same riff with similar amounts of distortion, but the lead channel to me sounds much worse.

Thank you for that insight. I thought this E580 was Engl's response to Mesa's Triaxis, meaning it receives Continuous Control MIDI messages, or at least that's what I remember from reading its manual but I may be confusing shit around. Can you confirm or correct this idea?

The video is cool, since it kind of runs through all the preamp's modes/channels, but it was made with single coils only, so maybe with humbuckers it will sound better to your ears? I must say that (probably due to my headphones) it all sounded pretty fine to me, I did not catch said clicky/brittle sound...

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I'm not sure how to feel about that demo because it indeed doesn't sound impressive, but it sounds like homeboy didn't switch to the bridge pickup for the hi gain channel.

 

[gnoll]

Thank you for that insight. I thought this E580 was Engl's response to Mesa's Triaxis, meaning it receives Continuous Control MIDI messages, or at least that's what I remember from reading its manual but I may be confusing shit around. Can you confirm or correct this idea?

The video is cool, since it kind of runs through all the preamp's modes/channels, but it was made with single coils only, so maybe with humbuckers it will sound better to your ears? I must say that (probably due to my headphones) it all sounded pretty fine to me, I did not catch said clicky/brittle sound...

Maybe it's a matter of taste. I only play humbuckers for this stuff. I just don't like the lead channel at all, don't know what to tell you. Playing it and switching between channels, or switching between the 580 lead channel and a different amp, I go "ew, I don't like this" to "ahhh, that's better".

You can save and recall settings for the tone stack, gain, volume, channel/mode switching etc. with midi. I haven't bothered much with that stuff.

 

[odibrom]

Maybe it's a matter of taste. I only play humbuckers for this stuff. I just don't like the lead channel at all, don't know what to tell you. Playing it and switching between channels, or switching between the 580 lead channel and a different amp, I go "ew, I don't like this" to "ahhh, that's better".

You can save and recall settings for the tone stack, gain, volume, channel/mode switching etc. with midi. I haven't bothered much with that stuff.

Hey, it's all cool, we're all different and thanks to that we have a bunch of different stuff to try out, right?

 

[Emperoff]

If you read around on the internet about it, in old forum posts and such, you can see some mixed opinions about the 580 with a bunch of people saying 570 sounds better, and I would probably agree with that. Everything I've heard from 570/SE sounds at least "good". I mainly got the 580 because I was curious about it, but in hindsight I should have got 570 instead.

I've always read that they're reeeeally close sounding, with the E570 sounding a bit more "modern" and the E580 more "organic" (you know, internet buzzwords).

I'm pretty sure they're both the same shit inside with the exception of the E580 having the ability to change the EQ per preset (like the Mesa TriAxis) and apparently a very noticeable latency when switching presets.

Here are some gut pics of the E570:

And a demo video clearly showing how if you want sweet lead tones you probably have to look elsewhere:

 

[gnoll]

Whenever I hear 570 or SE they always seem smoother than 580 and without that annoying top end. But maybe it's just my prejudice against the 580 messing with my ears. It would be interesting to have them side by side to compare.

I'm gonna track some guitars on Friday, maybe I have time to record some quick clips of the 580. It would be interesting to hear exactly how it stacks up recorded against other amps.

 

[odibrom]

I'm gonna track some guitars on Friday, maybe I have time to record some quick clips of the 580.

That would be cool...

 

[Emperoff]

There is something about rack preamps that fascinates me. I know everyone is into the Synergy thing, but those just don't "wow" me. I suppose it has to do with not being their own entities. To me they're "characterless" (even if they sound great).

I mean, just look at how gorgeous this thing is:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/new-pre-amp-vht-gp3.2022704/

 

[Concerto412]

I’m with you on the ‘aura’ of a rack pre Emperoff. The Synergy gear is interesting, no doubt, but there’s an emotional thing that happens with a full-size rack pre. Call it nostalgia.
Earlier this year I lost an auction for a GP3, that still smarts

 

[Shask]

There is something about rack preamps that fascinates me. I know everyone is into the Synergy thing, but those just don't "wow" me. I suppose it has to do with not being their own entities. To me they're "characterless" (even if they sound great).

I mean, just look at how gorgeous this thing is:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/new-pre-amp-vht-gp3.2022704/

I owned many rack preamps back in the day. They are certainly cool, but I think looking back, I would probably buy a huge fat power amp. I always skimped on the poweramp, and now I know that huge tone comes from a huge poweramp. I think most preamps can sound decent. I still think about grabbing a Mesa 2:90 or something. I dont even need it, I just want one, lol.

 

[Emperoff]

I owned many rack preamps back in the day. They are certainly cool, but I think looking back, I would probably buy a huge fat power amp. I always skimped on the poweramp, and now I know that huge tone comes from a huge poweramp. I think most preamps can sound decent. I still think about grabbing a Mesa 2:90 or something. I dont even need it, I just want one, lol.

My bandmate has one. It weights 15kg by itself and has like 11 tubes

He has the 2:90 and I have the TriAxis, but neither of us wants to sell our half so there we stand

 

[Kyle Jordan]

^Best poweramp I’ve ever encountered or owned was the Mesa Strategy 500. The KT88s added to it plus the natural character were just the most massive and enveloping sound I’ve ever heard. The 2150 was more neutral, which is why I like the 500 just a bit more because it has some of the Mesa 6L6 vibe on top of being absurdly huge sounding. 295 was awesome too and a bit bigger than the 2:90, which itself was awesome as well.

There is something about rack preamps that fascinates me. I know everyone is into the Synergy thing, but those just don't "wow" me. I suppose it has to do with not being their own entities. To me they're "characterless" (even if they sound great).

I mean, just look at how gorgeous this thing is:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/new-pre-amp-vht-gp3.2022704/

My best tones prior to the Axe FX were from my rack stuff. It just sounded cleaner than heads. If I could go back in time, I’d keep the Mesa Studio pres and Quads I had, and maybe pick up more to mod and get that last little bit I was missing. Throw in a GP3, and I’d probably be good.