Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

[IMENATOR]

According to demos this one is meant to be very transparent solid state clean amp. From the demos is looks like it should take pedals very well, at least for those who get their tone from their pedals and I am currently in that situation. Basicall [Guitar] -> [Tone Pedals] -> [Clean SS Amp]

Anyone in this forum using this Tech 21 Power Engine like this? How good is this amp for this kind of usage? How would you compare it with a Roland Cube? I thinking on maybe using it with some Fulltone/Wampler pedals. I already have a Cube 40 and need more watts for louder, I know I could buy a Roland 80 but honestly I don't like its modelers and has things I don't need and the new 2014 models can't use the DIY footswitches I already did .

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

I love mine. Used everything from a POD, dummy load from Hot Plate, and pedals that are a "preamp". Right now I use it with my iPad and amp simulators.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

I think you should just buy a powered PA speaker for this.

off u see did MRSAge, I m on tapa talk and auto correct is hating on me

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

They are great with the Tech 21 Character Series pedals.

Bill

 

[everdrone]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

I dig my tech 21 character oxford and vtbass pedals with IR impulses

but,

they are definitely far from the end all be all. axefx/kemper through PA speakers so I could hear in the overall mix along with frfr would be perfect for me!

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

But I don't have any "preamp" pedal and I don't plan using any amp modeler (lik the Pod). I have pedals that are connected in front of the amp's clean channel, like my Fulltone PlimSoul or Boss Metal core, and I want to buy others in the future. Can you please clarify if this can be done and actually sound good with the Tech 21 Power Engine?

 

[Andrew Lamprecht]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

But I don't have any "preamp" pedal and I don't plan using any amp modeler (lik the Pod). I have pedals that are connected in front of the amp's clean channel, like my Fulltone PlimSoul or Boss Metal core, and I want to buy others in the future. Can you please clarify if this can be done and actually sound good with the Tech 21 Power Engine?

There needs to be a preamp in front because the Power Engine is not an amp. It is just a powered speaker.

 

[everdrone]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

yes exactly, it is just a powered speaker!!!

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

I just found there is a manual for the Power Engine, I found this:

1/4” INPUT (*FOR INSTRUMENTS ONLY*) Accepts 1/4” output of your pre-amp/processor or amplifier. This specialized input features an isolation transformer to eliminate ground loops when using the Power Engine 60 in conjunction with an amplifier. Be aware that this transformer loads down passive guitar inputs. If you would like to plug your guitar directly into the Power Engine 60, either use an active guitar or any buffered type of effect pedal (Boss®, Ibanez®, Tech 21, etc.) in bypass mode in order to drive the low input impedance of the amplifier.

So I guess I should give it a try, I already have a buffered output from my Decimator so it should take care of any true-bypass distortion pedal. I just found they have the power engine in stock in a store here in Mexico so next step is go and try it.

 

[dominus]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

Crate Power Block may be more what you're looking for.

 

[Animal]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

There needs to be a preamp in front because the Power Engine is not an amp. It is just a powered speaker.

The Power Engine is an amp. A powered speaker is just a speaker with a power amp. In the Power Engine's case it has 60 watts of solid-state power. It differs from a traditional guitar amplifier in that it does not have a preamp built-in allowing put whatever you want in the front end with minimal colouration. The power engine does though have a 3 band EQ to fine tune your sound.

You don't have to put a "preamp" in front one of these things. ANYTHING that boosts or colours your tone could be considered a preamp. It's up to the user to decide what works best. You only need enough juice to boost the low impedance of the input. Just don't feed the power output of another amp into the input of a Power Engine or it may blow up.

[EDIT]: As the input of the amp is designed to see line-level then ideally it'll work best with a preamp. As most regular pedals will output at weak instrument level you may have to max the pedal volume to get a strong enough signal to feed into the amp. Consequently this can result in lots of pedal noise being amplified.

In the past have experimented with plugging a Digitech Bad Monkey and MI Audio Crunch Box directly into a Mesa Fifty/Fifty power amp and it seemed to work pretty good. Even going direct guitar > power amp "worked" but reallly needed a slight kick in the front end to make it usable. Your results may vary.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

Anyways I took some time to read about preamp pedals, the ones that are meant to be connected into FX return or a power amp like the power engine. In particular I think the ATM is teaching a lesson to other brands: multiple outputs to be used as a preamp, as a normal stomp box or even for recording/mixer. So that is a pedal that can be used for different needs. I wish all pedals where like this, amps in a box are getting better and better.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

You might want to look at the Trademark 60, so you can use it as a clean amp...plug right into the power amp of it and it acts like a power engine too.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

You might want to look at the Trademark 60, so you can use it as a clean amp...plug right into the power amp of it and it acts like a power engine too.

Great idea.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

There needs to be a preamp in front because the Power Engine is not an amp. It is just a powered speaker.

Wrong it is an amp

 

[Animal]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

If you already have a decent cabinet on hand, a much more affordable alternative would be a EHX Magnum 44. They are designed to be driven with pedals in front and apparently can get quite loud.

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

If you already have a decent cabinet on hand, a much more affordable alternative would be a EHX Magnum 44. They are designed to be driven with pedals in front and apparently can get quite loud.

I don't, I currently have a cube 40 but I need a bit more power. Yes I could buy the trademark 60 but I did not think of trying it because I had no intentions to use its OD/Dist so it would cost more that the PE for features I would not use. But anyway if I can try the PE then I can try the trademark too and compare, you never know.

Honestly I am in a cross road between stick to my pedals and just invest on louder good quality solid state clean amp or sell must of my stuff and buy a 40 watt tube amp, I understand tube amps on the same power are louder anyways. With the tube amp I may get a much better tone but its gonna be heavy to transport to rehearsal, maybe I should start a thread about how to handle a 24 kg amp when your knee hurts (as mine sometimes), another one about how to change tubes and bias and just bite the bullet .

 

[IMENATOR]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

Crate Power Block may be more what you're looking for.

I can't find it in the Crate website. Was it discontinued? After all this discussion about preamps and power amps I found references to the power block and the ISP Stealth. Honestly all this new options based on solid state is very interesting as new vendors are able to get better tone from pedals working as preamp. I am willing to sell some of my stuff in order to get to the next step in never ending tone chasing road, it is just that I need to take the right desition since whatever I will buy next will stay for a few years, I am not a pro musician but still I want to enojoy my tone.

 

[dominus]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

I can't find it in the Crate website. Was it discontinued? After all this discussion about preamps and power amps I found references to the power block and the ISP Stealth. Honestly all this new options based on solid state is very interesting as new vendors are able to get better tone from pedals working as preamp. I am willing to sell some of my stuff in order to get to the next step in never ending tone chasing road, it is just that I need to take the right desition since whatever I will buy next will stay for a few years, I am not a pro musician but still I want to enojoy my tone.

Yup, the Power Block was discontinued, they'll show up on eBay in the $150-$175 range often enough. It's a 150W amp that is about 5-6 lbs. Toss one of the AMT pedals into it and you'll get your metal tones in a light-weight package, and it'll push a 4x12 easily.

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Re: Tech 21 Power Engine 60 ?

If you already have a decent cabinet on hand, a much more affordable alternative would be a EHX Magnum 44. They are designed to be driven with pedals in front and apparently can get quite loud.

Those are nice too.