Engl 530 vs Soldano SP77

[sambencuda]

I recently scored an Engl 530 preamp off of ebay(haven't goten it yet and was considering replacing my Soldano SP77 with it in my rack. I'm currently using my Vetta combo live, but I plan on using my rack setup live. Don't get me wrong, I love the Vetta, But I think I'd rather have the simplicity of the rack. It's basically the Soldano, Rane 5 band parametric EQ, G major and a Carvin T-100 power amp. This was Jgcables old setup and it screams. It's fairly simple to use and it has killer tone.

The reason for the Engl? I'm a gain freak. The Soldano has exceptional tone and coupled with the parametric eq, it gets pretty gritty in the gain department. The Soldano also has a pretty decent clean channel as well.

I simply want more gain. From what I've read about the Engl 530, it's pretty versitile in getting ultra high gain as well as gritty bluesy gain and decent cleans.

Has anyone here had both for an honest comparison? Even if you haven't had both, I'd like to hear from users of both preamps. I know what I like about the Soldano. I'm curious about what I should expect from the Engl

[jackson1]

I don't have much time right now (maybe later)... so i'll be short... I have the 530 driving a Peavey 50/50 power amp.

Good things about it:
-it's simple
-very versatile tone controls when you learn how to use them.
-high gain possible
-good metal sounds
-contour switch (mid-range boost) is good for eliminating scooped sound. Needs new tubes for that though.

Bad things from the top of my head:
-pretty dead sounding cleans
-pretty bad sounding direct out (who cares anyway)

Apart from that, ultra high gain settings will be noisy as in all/most amps out there.

It's a good unit and coupled with a warm and crunchy EL84 amp like the Peavey, it sounds pretty good. Lots of punch, tube tone and scream.

[jackson1]

Oh and read this if you're bored:

http://audiozone.dk/index-filer/tubes.htm

[jgcable]

Jim, if you want gain you need to come over and check out the TSL60 with an AMT Extreme 3 pedal in front of it. Holy moly.

[Twisteramps]

Am I the only one using LESS gain as I get older?

Pete

[markD]

nope. i use less now too. less gain and less effects. i find that the marshall 3203 i got from jgcable has TOO much gain!!! i like my riveras a lot because the gain channel can go from slight grit to roar....but lately i have been using the gain selector that gives me old plexi-style gain....kinda like the 70's hard rock sound.

i also find my self playing fender guitars a lot more as i get older. there is just something magical about making a stock stratocaster sing through a lower gain amp. add my wah and my phase 90 and i pretend to be uli jon roth!!!!

[jackson1]

The better i get as a player, the less gain i use.

It's not a planned thing - but reflecting back, i see that is what's happening.

[Adam]

I am not tooting my own horn as a player here, but:

I'll bet a number of you forum dudes would feel pretty naked (gainless) playing through my rig.

I don't think it reflects on how good/not good I am, just a preference thing.

[Inearthed]

I play death metal with my amp on the clean channel.

Samben, if you choose to stick with the SP77 and get rid of the 530, let me know, I've been wanting to try one of those 530's out.

[Misanthrope189]

Yeah, and if you feel like getting rid of the SP77, let me know, I've been interested in Soldano for a long time. I feel like precious gems exist out there that will crush my triaxis...why is that? It's almost like my relationships with girls...I'm happy, but I always think of what possibilities could exist.

Cheers,
Nick

[jgcable]

Am I the only one using LESS gain as I get older?

Pete

Pete, I play with more gain at home and alot less live.

[sambencuda]

For me, the gain thing has to do with being in a 1 guitar or two guitar band. I've always been in two guitar bands. Now that I'm the only guitar player I find myself wanting more gain. Look at all the great two guitar bands AC-DC, Def Leppard (early), Maiden, Early priest andthe Scorps. They all had such great tone that sounded like they had a tone of gain, but it wasn't gain, it was the two guitar thing. If you could duplicate that tone on a tube amp or create a patch on the Vetta, that would be worth a gold mine.

You know, I've been noodling around with the Soldano tonight and I have to say that the tone that rig has is unbeatable.

I need to play with the Engl when it gets here.

[Misanthrope189]

Have you thought about a delay unit? You could use a short delay patch to add thickness to your tone, almost like double tracking.

Cheers,
Nick

[horns666]

Pete, I play with more gain at home and alot less live.

I'm old..Uberschall with gained maxed..and it's staying there..again!!!

I'm having blasphemous thoughts of slamming the front with a "stomp"..for a boost and even more push for all my harmonic dips, divebombs and squeals..

When I go for a dip, and my strings flopping..I want that note to be there when I pull back on the bar..

My Marshall rig w/JMP-1 get's 'em like nuts, without effort..I just hit 'em at random and they just "ring" ..the Bogner is much more fussy with that kind of stuff..

But one amp can't do what the other does..so that's cool I guess..

[jjw]

Am I the only one using LESS gain as I get older?

Pete

I am with you broMy other guitarist in the band had to turn the gain up when he played my strat through my rock settings of one of my digitech preamps!
I will say that the soldano preamp does lack gain-you have to realy spank it for high gain and the tone suffers-backing away lets it breath more.The clean channel on that is GREAT.The best tones i have had out of that is to use the soldano with a healthy gain setting and front end that into a slighty dirty preamp with some room verb.Its a great unit,you just need to add extra drive for metal tones