... well just one actually haha

Thanks for all the help in my previous thread about amps. http://metaltabs.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36617 I recieved my Engl Powerball today from Derek at http://www.rocksolidamps.com and I love it. Definately a killer amp and it IS much more articulate than the Mesa I was going to get. Thanks again for helping me find my sound.

Engl Powerball = $1954
Custom Avatar Cab = $500
Tone of the Gods = Priceless

lol

After I get some time with the amp Ill post a review

Awesome man! I just got my Engl Thunder a couple of days ago and I'm loving it too. Engl seem to be taking over metal left, right and centre. I just saw a studio picture where In Flames are recording their new album and it seems that they are using a Powerball instead of the 5150 for some stuff.

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Sweet setup

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Yes, it's a great amp! Not worth what they go for in the US though.. i mean, 2000$ for a powerball? Man, here (in Soviet Norway) it's like 1600$, and that's with VAT and customs (which is 25%), through both the dealer and importer! You're going directly through the importer, and paying nearly 2000$.. insane..

I really want to spend a couple hours with one. I want the fireball though, i don't need a versatile amp and i def. don't need medium-gain channels and four power tubes to replace (i replace power tubes like 4 times a year, I'm a total lunatic).. Would be nice with a dark and deep scooped sounding amp for crushing rhythm.

BTW, do you find it bright or dark sounding? Scooped or roaring with mids? Fizzy or gritty? This amp really reacts to different guitars and cabs, just wondering how it sounds for you

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My experience with the Powerball is its very similar to a 5150 as far as the amount of gain goes. In this case this isnt such a great thing, the gain knob on the Lead channels is unusable above 11 o'clock, it just has so much gain. Channel 1 is a great clean, very surprising for a high gain head. Channel 2 by itself is a little weak, but works great with boosts. This channel with my Keeley SD-1 as a boost was my favorite channel, very chunky and percussive. Channels 3 and 4 are pretty much the same, Channel 4 just has a little more gain, is a little darker and a little more compressed. The idea of the two different midrange voicings is cool, but I just couldnt get a long with the super high amounts of gain. I prefer more organic sounding amps. Also I think amp is a bit heavy on the low end, can easily get muddy if you arent careful.

FWIW, I played the Powerball through 3 different cabs, all 4x12's loaded with either a combo of V30's/G12T-75's, V30's/G12H-30's, or V30's/Classic Lead 80's. My least favorite was the V30/75 combo, the Powerball already has a certain voicing about it that makes it difficult to cut through and when you add the scooped mids of the 75's, it just gets totally lost.

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I think they're worth it. sure, they're marked up a bit from being overseas. but in the market for high end tube amps they hold their worth against the competition.

people have the same to say about mesa. in the u.s. they're a little on the pricey side. go overseas and the mark up is so high I think it's amazing that anyone in europe plays them.

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I feel for 2000$ you should really get an amp that is constructed like a tank. Engl's are no better than current peaveys, crate etc. and go for way more. Amps like Mesa/Boogie are constructed very decently and for example Rivera are overengineered to hell and back (you can use their cabs as jack stands for a 60 ton trailer, I'm sure), so i can understand the price premium on these to a degree. But 2000$ for an averagely constructed amp (using glue, tape, etc.) with basic features like two channels with a boost switch on each + selectable mid voicing and a built-in noise gate? IMO the 2000$ price tag is unjustified. The amp doesn't cost even 1000$ to make, so 2000$ is too much to pay, IMO.

But, if you really like the tone, fuck the price! As mentioned, godly tone is priceless!!
Playing earlier today sitting a little bit on the side of my cab (so the treble wasn't so piercing.. damn i want that tone on record) playing some old thrash riffs and whatnot it sounded so damn good my whole body got numb, i was shaking all over and i had problems seeing clearly (got blackouts) due to the tone being so awesome. I would pay ANYTHING to get that feeling all the time, 2000$, 4000$, 8000$, 20000$.. all worth it IMO. (For the record, total $$$ used on the guitar, pickups, hardware, cable, amp, cab and speakers i played today = roughly 2500$).

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