Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

[Chuckracer]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Flo, do you not care for the Engls?

Used pricing (used is where I live, folks!) is looking like around $1200 for the powerball and just a tad more for the Savage.

[eaeolian]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

I'd have to go with Matt on saying not to forget the Road King - it's a killer amp, with a very good sounding clean, and all the usual Mesa tones, plus the 6L6/EL34 swtiching gives you some new ones, too.

If the Engl Powerball is a four-channel version of the Fireball, though, it probably kicks ass - we played with Seven Witches not too long ago, and Jack Frost was using two Fireballs. They sounded friggin' awesome.

Of couse, I use a three-channel Recto, but the clean is nothing to write home about.

Mike

[Chuckracer]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

You guys have been a big help...thank you!!!

[Infernal Death]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Chuck, i really like Engls. It's just that i like the Rectifier a little bit more. But this little bit more doesn't justify the $1000 which the Rectifier is more expensive.
So if i would have bought new it would have been a Engl.

Wow $2000 for a savage ? That's a great price. Here in germany those things cost around $1800. But i guess it depends on the brand. I heard that Diezel amps are really expensive in america. Like the Mesas in germany.

Flo

[rstites]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Yeah, on lots of imported things we do pretty well in the US. Frequently, they end up costing the same, or even less, than they do in their country of origin. I think the Diezel's are actually the exception rather than the rule there, and aren't they still very expensive there?

Chuck, one other amp worth checking out would be the H&K Triamp. I haven't played one, but have read many good things about them.

I really think most of the amps on the list will offer some form of what you want. All of them are 3-4 channels, and many have boost options and voicing options in addition that will give them many more options (flexability) than a SLO. I suspect most will also have a bit more bottom and lower mids than the SLO. The Egnater and VHTs do.

A quick comparison on the two models I have access too. Pete pretty well nailed it. The VHT is about as tight and precise as the SLO. It's a perfect metal amp and works well for any of the heavier modern rock: lots of definition for chording and soloing. I think the SLO keeps a bit more of an organic sound about it and has slightly more cut with that tightness. (Aside: the UL and the CL have identical circuits for two channels [whichever two they share: is the CL clean or more crunch?] according to VHT, so I'm very skeptical of their being any major tonal difference between the two.)

The Egnater is warmer and thicker on the 4th channel and a little more Marshallesque on the 3rd channel than the SLO. It is not as high gain as either the SLO or the VHT UL, but gets enough for me. I just end up with the gain nearly maxed on it to compete with the gain on 2-3 o'clock on the others. It's not as tight as the other two, but more organic and rich. It does benefit from a BBE unit in the loop for tight, heavy rhythm work. (The BBE just sucks tone on the VHT and Soldano.)

I think you'll be hard pressed to find as good of lead tone anywhere else as the SLO has, but you can get 90-95% of the way there on some of these other amps and I'm still debating which I prefer for heavy rhythms. Sometimes I prefer the cut of the Soldano. Sometimes I prefer the thicker Egnater sound.

Ross

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Ross you and Pete have almost got me sold on one of these Egnaters...I just don't want a rig exactly like you guys have now though!!

[OklaStrat]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Originally posted by Boxcar Willie 84:
Ross you and Pete have almost got me sold on one of these Egnaters...I just don't want a rig exactly like you guys have now though!!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Dude, you're going to have to a rig like someone's... [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I have to admit, I shot Ross several emails regarding TOLs, and had heard great things about em. But my bottom line is if an amp does what *I* need it to do... and right now, I'm happy as hell with my tone.

If you're playing with a band, the TOL has *plenty* of gain - last rehearsal we had, I used the 3rd channel most of the time for leads, and had controllable feedback, nice compression AND great rhythms.

Pete

[rstites]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Yeah, no one should take the above to mean the TOL lead channels aren't high gain. I've just learned that around here, my idea of what's "enough gain for anyone" isn't necessarily so. It's still high enough gain on both channels for hard rock and metal; just not quite as much as the VHT or Soldano.

There're several real selling points on the TOLs, but the number one is definitely bang-for-buck. You get an amp with Bogner/Soldano/VHT sound quality and build quality (well, the Soldano SLO is in a league of it's own here, but the Egnater is up with the rest of the pack) but on the used market at about 50% of the price. The Rocktron ones go for $800-1000. I have one of the pre-Rocktron ones and they typically go for $1200. (The jury is still out on whether there's really any difference in anything between the two. Mine does lack reverb and the parallel effects loop.) Compare that to $1800+ for a SLO, Ecstacy, Uberschall, VHT UL, etc. The four channels are a nice additional selling point for anyone needing that many sounds. The good/bad thing is that it really isn't a two channel amp with boosts. The channels do have difference sounds. I think someone could argue that channel 2 sounds like a boosted channel 1, but channels 3 and 4 are distinctly different.

From what I've read, the Egnl amps may well be in the same boat of price/performance. I'd love to get some time with the Powerball or Savage. I still don't get what the difference between the two is. They sound like they have very similar features to the TOL and apparenlty are similarly priced. I don't have a feel for the reviewers I've read talking these up, so I really don't have a baseline for how to judge them. Alas, there are no dealers around here. I'd have to sell one of my current amps to afford one to try out to, and that isn't going to happen.

Boxcar, come to the dark side. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Pete copied my rig and loves it. He's a well respected high-end boutique amp builder! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Well, I have the Intellifex sitting here and haven't gotten motivated enough to program it. I'm actually halfway leaning towards ditching it and just carrying a couple of pedals.

Ross

[OklaStrat]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

here's a clip of my TOL on the third channel... this was recorded with a friggin' CAMCORDER mic, so I massaged it a bit. Yeah, it sounds boxy, but you can tell how much gain I have. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

http://members.cox.net/twisteramps/s...istablecut.mp3

Pete

[Chuckracer]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Damn, that thing sounds good! It sounds as if it has that open, airy ring the SLO has that I love so much.
Gears, they be a churnin...

[Wayniac]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

I must have lucked out... my ENGL Savage was just over $1000.
It is TOTALLY flexible - 4 channels with 2 presence and master volumes for each. All MIDI switchable with their additional MIDI interface and rackmount(easliy programmed). Nice clean sound(though not as good as my IIC+), as well as a nice bluesy crunch, a marshally gain, and the ENGL lead tone... all with 2 choices of presence and master volume.
You can either go with their footswitch, which allows you to switch the "deep" switch, gain boost, etc in real time, or get a real time expression pedal that allows you to control most of the same things.
Check out Harmony Central user reviews. I've had mine since December, and it gets 6-8 hrs of full volume practice each week on it (I only have to play teh master at 2-3), and I have had "0" problems with it.
I understand that the Powerball is supposed to be "crazier" and has a built-in noise gate.
The compnay gives great support via e-mail.. they've been very helpful and responsive.

[rstites]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Wow! That's a total of 8 presence controls and 8 master volumes! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Seriously, are there four independent channels on these or more like two channels with boosts on each?

I'm really wanting to try one of the Engls from everything I've read.

Ross

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Ross when you and Pete get done shopping around for amps, let me know so I can buy whatever you guys conclude to be the best!

[rstites]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

I'm completetly done for the time being. I really want to try the Egnls for my own curiosity. However, I'm not willing to sell either my Soldano or Egnater to finance one, so it won't happen (no local dealers). The same is true of the H&K Triamp. However, I doubt either will be better than what I have now. Different, definitely. As good, possibly.

I do think between everyone around here, that you can definitely get some good advice, if you know what you're after. I've pretty much concluded that between the Egnater, Soldano, and VHT there's no 'best', but each does something better than the others.

Ross

[ScarredDollFace]

Re: Multi Channel Amp Opinions...

Wasn't the ENGL Savage 120 (and some of the other amps we have been talking about) on that Ampfest page that was posted on here a while back? Could somebody please post that link here again? I wanted to hear one of those amps. The fact that they are MIDI controlable and it has four channels makes me very interested in hearing one. Also does anyone know of a store that sells them online or in the Cleveland, OH area?

thanks,
Nek