ENGL Powerball?
- Thread starter papersoul
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Virtual Kevorkian
New member
Re: ENGL Powerball?
Build quality is nowhere near boutique, I'd say. It's comparable to Peavey, in that aspect. By no means bad, but nothing amazing.
I honestly find them to be way too processed and overgained for what I'm doing, and it takes some gusto to be able to pull that kind of thing off.
Build quality is nowhere near boutique, I'd say. It's comparable to Peavey, in that aspect. By no means bad, but nothing amazing.
I honestly find them to be way too processed and overgained for what I'm doing, and it takes some gusto to be able to pull that kind of thing off.
Loserchief
SwingingIdiot
Re: ENGL Powerball?
Absolutely evil amp for droptuned rhythmwork(meshuggah style), ultra tight, crushing and extreme levels of gain.Great leads and it's also good for classic rock if you really want it.
It doesn't sound processed once you put some a bit warmer tubes in there and play with the eq a bit.
I'd say the build quality is a bit above peavey but more or lesss the same.
Absolutely evil amp for droptuned rhythmwork(meshuggah style), ultra tight, crushing and extreme levels of gain.Great leads and it's also good for classic rock if you really want it.
It doesn't sound processed once you put some a bit warmer tubes in there and play with the eq a bit.
I'd say the build quality is a bit above peavey but more or lesss the same.
Loserchief
SwingingIdiot
Re: ENGL Powerball?
For a more mesa tone you'd definitely want to darken things a little and take out a bit of aggression.
JJs are my primary choice for ENGLs so i'd say go for 6L6GCs for the poweramp.
Since you want something a bit smoother you might want to try a Goldpin ECC83s or Goldpin ECC803s(longplate tube). Goldpins are smoother and a little less gainy than the regular ones.
If you want to keep the gain levels yoo might ry getting a ECC83s graded for high gain from eurotbues and fill the other 3 slots with goldpins to provide gain and also smoothness.
For a more mesa tone you'd definitely want to darken things a little and take out a bit of aggression.
JJs are my primary choice for ENGLs so i'd say go for 6L6GCs for the poweramp.
Since you want something a bit smoother you might want to try a Goldpin ECC83s or Goldpin ECC803s(longplate tube). Goldpins are smoother and a little less gainy than the regular ones.
If you want to keep the gain levels yoo might ry getting a ECC83s graded for high gain from eurotbues and fill the other 3 slots with goldpins to provide gain and also smoothness.
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: ENGL Powerball?
Wait, do they clip the diodes over at Engl? I mean Screamer, Fireball, Powerball.
Wait, do they clip the diodes over at Engl? I mean Screamer, Fireball, Powerball.
ksmith63
New member
Re: ENGL Powerball?
comparing the build quality ENGL to peavey?
honestly i've never owned/spent very much time with a xxx or 5150 so im not too sure about peavey's quality. actually the only peavey stuff i've played was old, small, cheap and not very well taken care of (needless to say, it was all pretty crappy). i know peavey makes a broad spectrum of products so i pretty much assumed their more expensive stuff was built better.
ENGL? never played one but i would expect them to be made quite a bit better than peavey considering they cost almost 2x as much and the simple fact that engl doesnt make anything thats considered cheap.
So: Is peavey's quality better than it seems (from my perspective) or is ENGL's not as good as I thought?
comparing the build quality ENGL to peavey?
honestly i've never owned/spent very much time with a xxx or 5150 so im not too sure about peavey's quality. actually the only peavey stuff i've played was old, small, cheap and not very well taken care of (needless to say, it was all pretty crappy). i know peavey makes a broad spectrum of products so i pretty much assumed their more expensive stuff was built better.
ENGL? never played one but i would expect them to be made quite a bit better than peavey considering they cost almost 2x as much and the simple fact that engl doesnt make anything thats considered cheap.
So: Is peavey's quality better than it seems (from my perspective) or is ENGL's not as good as I thought?
Loserchief
SwingingIdiot
Re: ENGL Powerball?
Well one reason why ENGLs are way more expensive is the fact that they are imported into the Us coming from Germany which produces huge prices.
On the other hand ENGLs in general tend to be way more complex and flexible(more channels,switches and so on) than typical peaveys making them harder to produce. Also labour in germany is more expensive than in the US. The inner components are not very different from peavey but i found ENGL chassis and cabs to be way more durable than Peaveys because they just use better woods(Engl cabs are on the same level as mesas, both for sound and quality)
Well one reason why ENGLs are way more expensive is the fact that they are imported into the Us coming from Germany which produces huge prices.
On the other hand ENGLs in general tend to be way more complex and flexible(more channels,switches and so on) than typical peaveys making them harder to produce. Also labour in germany is more expensive than in the US. The inner components are not very different from peavey but i found ENGL chassis and cabs to be way more durable than Peaveys because they just use better woods(Engl cabs are on the same level as mesas, both for sound and quality)
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Re: ENGL Powerball?
I cant speak for ENGL, but peaveys are fine. You mentioned the PVs you played were small and cheap. Keep that in mind. Peavey makes budget amps like the bandit and those are fine and have started millions on thier way to playing.. But those are not near the build of the 5150 or jsx.
I cant speak for ENGL, but peaveys are fine. You mentioned the PVs you played were small and cheap. Keep that in mind. Peavey makes budget amps like the bandit and those are fine and have started millions on thier way to playing.. But those are not near the build of the 5150 or jsx.
ksmith63
New member
Re: ENGL Powerball?
:bigok: thanks for the info guys. i think i just had a bad opinion about peavey.
i was actually looking at getting an ENGL savage a while ago but i got such a great deal on my budda that i couldnt turn it down. i'm not really a metal player and 4 channels are two more than i need but one day i may get one. i was quite impressed by the clips i heard of that (savage) and the powerball
:bigok: thanks for the info guys. i think i just had a bad opinion about peavey.
i was actually looking at getting an ENGL savage a while ago but i got such a great deal on my budda that i couldnt turn it down. i'm not really a metal player and 4 channels are two more than i need but one day i may get one. i was quite impressed by the clips i heard of that (savage) and the powerball
Virtual Kevorkian
New member
Re: ENGL Powerball?
That's debatable, as they're totally different sounding cabinets.
That's debatable, as they're totally different sounding cabinets.
Loserchief
SwingingIdiot
Re: ENGL Powerball?
ok,maybe i should have stated it a little different. They are definitely on apr when it comes to build quality and the materials used. Both sound great, but they were tailored to work with different amp voicing(Mesa VS. Emgl is a huge difference in voicing). Better?
ok,maybe i should have stated it a little different. They are definitely on apr when it comes to build quality and the materials used. Both sound great, but they were tailored to work with different amp voicing(Mesa VS. Emgl is a huge difference in voicing). Better?
daemon barbeque
Zuhahahaologist
Re: ENGL Powerball?
Engl Powerball is one of my Fav Amps!It slayed (for my ears) Engl Savage ,Mesa Dual Recto ,Mes triple recto ,VHT Deliverance and Peavey JSX without any problem!If you play downtuned ,The ENGLs and Diezels are the way to go!Nothing ,but nothing in that price range can give you a tight ,well defined bass response ,except Engl Fireball ,wich is my fav Engl Amp!
And ,i played live with it and i was pretty present in the mix!It allows you to tweak the hell out of it!And it's clean channel is usable!
The most "cool" thing about it ,is how well teh Hi-gain sound is.You crank the volume and Gain ,and still it's not fizzy!It's ment to play hard ,and the articulation is amazing!
Engl Powerball is one of my Fav Amps!It slayed (for my ears) Engl Savage ,Mesa Dual Recto ,Mes triple recto ,VHT Deliverance and Peavey JSX without any problem!If you play downtuned ,The ENGLs and Diezels are the way to go!Nothing ,but nothing in that price range can give you a tight ,well defined bass response ,except Engl Fireball ,wich is my fav Engl Amp!
And ,i played live with it and i was pretty present in the mix!It allows you to tweak the hell out of it!And it's clean channel is usable!
The most "cool" thing about it ,is how well teh Hi-gain sound is.You crank the volume and Gain ,and still it's not fizzy!It's ment to play hard ,and the articulation is amazing!
suislidE03
New member
Re: ENGL Powerball?
Well, if you want to hear it thru an ENGL cab then go here http://www.chrisbroderick.com/html/audio.htm and listen/watch his clips. That will hopefully give you your own opinion of the amp even if its one guy with his own setup. BTW, it freakin rocks too.
Well, if you want to hear it thru an ENGL cab then go here http://www.chrisbroderick.com/html/audio.htm and listen/watch his clips. That will hopefully give you your own opinion of the amp even if its one guy with his own setup. BTW, it freakin rocks too.
papersoul
New member
Re: ENGL Powerball?
The Fireball is two channels? I believe the Powerball is 3 or 4 channels with a great clean channel! Does the Fireball have the same great clean? If it does....I'll add it to my want tlist although I am really liking what I hear from Laney - thick, warm and full.
I hear the original Powerballs are not nearly as good as the series II.
The Fireball is two channels? I believe the Powerball is 3 or 4 channels with a great clean channel! Does the Fireball have the same great clean? If it does....I'll add it to my want tlist although I am really liking what I hear from Laney - thick, warm and full.
I hear the original Powerballs are not nearly as good as the series II.
daemon barbeque
Zuhahahaologist
Re: ENGL Powerball?
The Fireball is 2 channels ,but shared eq!So it's cool for recording ,but for live situations ,it will be not that great without turning the volume down!But the OD channel is like heaven (or hell) and it's 50 watts!You can crank it ,and it sound amazing even volume on 2!!The Powerball has 4 channels! Much more versatile than any other brand with the same price/specs.And again tight as hell!
The Fireball is 2 channels ,but shared eq!So it's cool for recording ,but for live situations ,it will be not that great without turning the volume down!But the OD channel is like heaven (or hell) and it's 50 watts!You can crank it ,and it sound amazing even volume on 2!!The Powerball has 4 channels! Much more versatile than any other brand with the same price/specs.And again tight as hell!
