A few questions?

[Blazphemer]

Hi,

I currently own an ENGL Powerball, and i like it very much.

However, i do feel that its distortion sounds are very modern sounding, and i would like to have a wider palette of tones available to me. I would like a more old school sound if you will. Maybe like a Marshall, but with a little more brutality.


Basically i see 2 options:
1. i keep the Powerball and get a second head.
1. i sell the Powerball and get an amp that has i wider range of distortion sounds

So here's my questions:
What do you think would be a good amp for the sound i am looking for?
Are there any amps out there that does the ENGL like modern sound as well as the more Marshall'y old sound, and does it competently?

Just for fun i have have put up a trade notice a couple of places, and one guy wants to trade me a Krank Revolution 1. Anyone have any experience with these?

Other Amps I have read about which looks to be up my alley are(note i havent actually tried any of them):

Engl Invader
Engl SE
EVH 5150III
Marshall JCM800 Kerry King sig

and what about brands like Soldano and Mesa, i have never tried those?

Anyone have some useful insight?

[Leo Chang]

Perhaps you can look into a Mesa Boogie Mark V? (I have one)
- 1st channel great for both pristine cleans and "rounded" cleans
- 2nd channel very good for Marshall-ish sounds (I used to have a DSL2000) but you can easily dial in more aggression
- 3rd channel great for any kind of modern distortion stuff

If you want maximum versatility in one tube amp... the Mark V is hard to beat. The many toggle switches = TONS of tone shaping options. And surprisingly intuitive once you've gone through the manual and understands the logic behind the control layout.

Also the power options means you can get it to sound pretty good at low volumes too.

Have never heard an ENGL amp in person, so can't really tell you how similar or different it is to the ENGL sound.

If you want to stay tube, but don't mind a slightly different format ... then perhaps either the Randall or Egnater modular systems? That would give you even more versatility.

If you want MAXIMUM versatility ... go for the Fractal Axe Fx (I got an Ultra on the way )


- Leo.

[Electric]

I owned a Powerball for about 5 or 6 years and just sold it because I'm looking for something with a little more middleground as well. You might want to consider looking at the ENGL Blackmore. It will definitely do the Marshally thing and channel 4 can do the brutal metal sound pretty well. There's not near as much gain on tap as the Powerball, but definitely enough there to cover that ground and do it well. I've never played the SE, but I bet it would do what you are looking for also.

[petez0r]

i absolutely love my markV and recomend it to anyone, but i have played a powerball, and i dont remember getting anything mesa sounding out of it, also leave that krank where it is(not even close to a good trade). i say keep that powerball ...its fkn nice and you will probably regret selling it, get a nice marshall (personally i vote for splawn) since thats the tone your gassing for and enjoy both.

[Gibsonmac]

the Kerry King Sig kinda blows, Just get a DSL it has way more versatility, much cheaper and easy to track down used

A Dual/Triple Rec. kinda does everything very well, its one of the most versatile amps around, you can run either 6L6's or EL34's, try one out

[roodyrocker]

You mentioned possibly a Soldano. If you can score a SLO 100 thats a nice sounding amp! I have that as well as a Mesa Dual Recto and I like the Soldano better. I'd keep the Engl over a Krank or a Kerry King JCM800. the tone of the later two never thrilled me.

[toxikdeth]

Usually I would recommend a splawn. But I played out a marshall modded by dave friedman and it ripped.