What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

[cakire82]

...for rock and metal genres. If I buy, I will use it with a Freyette 2/90/2 power amp.

Specs from engl's website for TUBE PREAMP E 530

Preamp: 4 channels, Clean, Crunch, Soft Lead, Heavy Lead, 3 band EQ for Clean/Crunch, 4 band EQ for Soft/Heavy Lead, separate channel volumes, preamp defeat switch, Bright switch, Contour switch.
Power Amp: 2 x 1,5 watts solid state
Outputs: Stereo fx loop, stereo outputs, stereo recording outputs, 2 x dual foot switch jacks (Z-3, Z-4)

Here is review

 

[JOLLY]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

I like what I heard. I like the way that dude demo'd it as well. I wish everyone demo'd stuff like that.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

It sounded good, but I think a player with those skills could make a nice demo with a Gorilla.

I don't think Engl is bad at all, I think their amps/preamps are a little "crispy", but they are workable. I like other preamps more, but I do like the feature set and layout of Engl's.

 

[JeffB]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

I love the way he did the demo as well- very professional

Not a fan of the tones he was getting... way too "dimarzio website pup demo" for my tastes. It didn't sound nearly as versatile as he was trying to convince us it is either. Most of the tones were very similar just with varying amounts of gain & treble.

But if those are the kinds of tones you need- it seemed very tight and professional sounding.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

I posted that in an E530 thread here a couple of months ago. Great demo.

 

[cakire82]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

I love the way he did the demo as well- very professional

Not a fan of the tones he was getting... way too "dimarzio website pup demo" for my tastes. It didn't sound nearly as versatile as he was trying to convince us it is either. Most of the tones were very similar just with varying amounts of gain & treble.

But if those are the kinds of tones you need- it seemed very tight and professional sounding.

Indeed a great demo/player! To bad the guy is an DiMarzio/Ibanez endorser
Their songs were pretty good too.

 

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

I love the way he did the demo as well- very professional

Not a fan of the tones he was getting... way too "dimarzio website pup demo" for my tastes.

Umm, the tones fit the mixes perfectly.
What more can you ask for, seriously?
A guitar tone that fits the fix so well is the very definition of good tone, period.
I hear a bazillion "demo" clips of tones that wont even fit a full band mix at all but then everyone goes gaga over the clips and says it's "grate toanz".

 

[crguti]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

The Engl e530 has only 2 channels, clean/crunch with bright switch and soft/heavy lead with contour switch. I use the preamp mainly for heavy lead which can be very brutal. Definitely it has that Engl kinda sound. The headphones (1.5w amp stereo) and the speaker sim output are good, but I consider that the preamp really shine when is connected to a tube power amp.
Check out these 'line out' demos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BVtN6jqEQI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cIhGFmdarE&feature=related

 

[JeffB]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

Umm, the tones fit the mixes perfectly.
What more can you ask for, seriously? A guitar tone that fits the fix so well is the very definition of good tone, period.

Just because it fits in the mix doesn't mean it's something I personally care to hear.That may be YOUR defintion of good tone- but it's not the only qualifier there is for everyone. The tones on that demo were dark, syrupy, super tight, compressed and showed little character of the guy's (good)technique. If you need that kind of shred tone, then awesome, but it's not good tone for my tastes.

CC Deville's tone cut through the mix just fine too.

 

[eschoendorff]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

It sounded good, but I think a player with those skills could make a nice demo with a Gorilla.

I don't think Engl is bad at all, I think their amps/preamps are a little "crispy", but they are workable. I like other preamps more, but I do like the feature set and layout of Engl's.

What he said.

Good lord, I did like that reviewer's style though. I need to freakin practice more...

 

[cakire82]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

It sounded good, but I think a player with those skills could make a nice demo with a Gorilla.

Agreed.

I don't think Engl is bad at all, I think their amps/preamps are a little "crispy", but they are workable. I like other preamps more, but I do like the feature set and layout of Engl's.

What do you mean with crispy? Which other preamps would you consider over this one? and why?

 

[Red_Label]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

Agreed.



What do you mean with crispy? Which other preamps would you consider over this one? and why?

Dunno what he was referring to, but "crispy" to me means it has a lot of presence, maybe even a bit "fizzy".

Conversely, you take a preamp like the classic Marshall JMP or ADA MP-1 and you've got a very Marshall-esque mid-range style tone that roars and is very "brown". It's all about tastes.

Engls are cool amps for metal. But the only one I've ever heard to the brown thing to my tastes was the Richie Blackmore sig head. But I will admit that I haven't played them all.

 

[cakire82]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

Dunno what he was referring to, but "crispy" to me means it has a lot of presence, maybe even a bit "fizzy".

Conversely, you take a preamp like the classic Marshall JMP or ADA MP-1 and you've got a very Marshall-esque mid-range style tone that roars and is very "brown". It's all about tastes.

Engls are cool amps for metal. But the only one I've ever heard to the brown thing to my tastes was the Richie Blackmore sig head. But I will admit that I haven't played them all.

You right, they voiced very different from Marshall style amps.

Btw, I didn't hear any fizzyness in the tone. Where in the video did you hear that?

 

[Rowan]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

ENGLs have a ton of presence on tap, too much honestly but its nice if you need it I suppose. Just dial low for the goods.

 

[Red_Label]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

You right, they voiced very different from Marshall style amps.

Btw, I didn't hear any fizzyness in the tone. Where in the video did you hear that?

LOL... I can't watch the video right now, as streaming video/audio is blocked at work. But I've played through several Engls and was trying to describe the presence on-tap with them. I obviously picked the wrong word there.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

What do you mean with crispy? Which other preamps would you consider over this one? and why?

"Crispy" as in lots of stiff presence and bottom end, but no squish and soul in the mids, and no "splash" in the pick attack. They lack a kind of vocal, 3D character that sings. It really has little to do with "fizz", some amps have fizz and still have depth and character that really becomes expressive when technique is applied.

Actually any really good amp of any flavor will have similar qualities, even though they sound different.

If we are strictly speaking rack stuff, I like the Recto Pre (I do use a mild boost to tailor it more to the sound of a Road King II), Triaxis, and Bogner Fish. I still have a soft spot for the old Peavey Rockmaster too.

There are a handful of other realy nice preapms also, but those are the ones that I like and use (except the Triaxis...I am waiting for a rack mount Mark V preamp...LOL)

 

[Baltar]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

a friend of mine runs it through a mesa poweramp and a 1960 marshall 4x12,
there are lots of good rock sounds in that little pre imo.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: What do you think about this amp (ENGL)...

I've always liked Engl amps for metal ever since I tried a Straight amp in a store. That's a great sound in that demo. I could see that working for most hard rock/metal musicians.