Engl Powerball

[Tetsuo]

Thinking about selling my Rack and my combo (well I am selling that regardless) and getting a Powerball. I know the HC guys love it. Any of you played one? IT seems to fit my bill of versatile but brutal. Seems more versatile than an Uber and it is actually priced pretty well new @ 1600. Any thoughts on this amp?

[DerekB]

Re: Engl Powerball

I have alot of soundclips of it on my site www.rocksolidamps.com check em out if you like.


Derek

[Tetsuo]

Re: Engl Powerball

Yeah I know your clips etc... I am an HC guy too... And I would buy from you (how is your stock?)

I just wanted to get my Evil Jackson Bretheren's opinion is [img]graemlins/band.gif[/img]

[Joe_Steeler]

Re: Engl Powerball

I have one and it is a damn fine amplifier, period.
The clean channel is pretty nice, as a matter of fact it is excellent amongst the high gain pack. It is not Rivera or Fender clean but it is nice.
The lead/crunch channel is where the money is at.

One word that get over used but IT does apply here... BRUTAL. Gobs of gain and the amazing part is note definition, it seems and has always been the norm that at high gain levels you had to give up note and string definition to get the chunk and rythym thing going. Not here is it very articulate and it is quiet (its got a variable clip noise gate, I don't use it much but it is there).
It can be considered as a four channel amp, but IMHO is it not really. You can jump from clean to crunch and there is some difference, between the lead channels there isn't that much difference. This is due to the fact that there is a shared eq for both channel pairs and after that the only thing to differentiate between lead/crunch & lead I/lead II is volume.
I will highly recommend getting the optional footswitch, it helps greatly.

Also, not to forget the bottom end is massive, by far the heaviest and thickest bottom of ANY of the high gain monsters out there (I've played Mesa DR and RK, VHT UL/CL, 5150, Soldano SLO and Rivera KHR).

Overall I consider the PB a keeper, very well designed, sturdy and very toneful.

Hope this helps.

Joe

[P I K A]

Re: Engl Powerball

100 % agreement with Joe Steeler. I have a powerball as well and its everything Joe said.I went thru at least 10 different heads including vht mesa you know the usual hi gainers and this is by far the best. A keeper for sure . The gain is there and the articulation is there and well built. The noise gate coupled with my emg equipped axes makes it HISS FREE. I couldn't believe it.

[Tetsuo]

Re: Engl Powerball

I have been through a bunch of stuff also looking for a keeper... My rack is but it is so heavy to haul around.... The powerball seems really good. I am also considering the Uber but the Powerball seems to be more versatile... How is the overdriven sound on the amp though. I know the distortion sound is awesome but is the overdriven sound stellar?

[Svart]

Re: Engl Powerball

it got me convinced, ordered mine tuesday. should be here in a few months (money issue [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img] ) [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Joe_Steeler]

Re: Engl Powerball

The overdriven sound is thick, ballsy and punchy as all heck with incredible note definition and clarity.
To me, it is the offspring of a Rivera Kuncklehead and a Mesa DR on steroids.

Joe

[DerekB]

Re: Engl Powerball

Originally posted by Tetsuo:
Yeah I know your clips etc... I am an HC guy too... And I would buy from you (how is your stock?)

I just wanted to get my Evil Jackson Bretheren's opinion is [img]graemlins/band.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Cool, Do you go by another name at HC? Anyway it's an amp I usually alway's have available.


Regards,
Derek