miker2c
04-18-2003, 09:28 AM
Hey everyone! I have just jumped into the rack realm! I traded an absolutely wonderful VHT 50cl for a six space rack containing an Engl 530 preamp and Mesa 20/20 poweramp. It also has a TC Electronics M300 effects processor--but that seems to suck for guitar use, but the rest just rocks!
I really want to thank all you rack-o-philes since I have been doing a lot of research on gear though forum here, as well as HC reviews and multiple websites, but you guys give so much useful info that I can't thank you enough!!
I must say that I was totally pleased with the VHT, and since I do original prog rock/metal material, I wanted to go to a rack system for maximum versatility. I was going to save up for the VHT GP3, but then this Engl setup came along. I must admit that I did the trade sight unheard, so-to-speak, but I have read a lot about Engl stuff, and really wanted to try. Of course, ideally the E580 would be perfect, but I don't have those kinds of funds at the moment! I was expecting good tone from this thing, but I didn't realize how much I would absolutely love it!
The two mid controls and the Engl 530 are awesome. And, if you haven't tried this preamp for high gain, I highly recommend it--especially since even new ones are not too expensive. Just to give a short review:
It has two main channels, and each channel has switchable boost to make it sort of a 4 channel preamp. The clean has standard gain, bass, mid, treb, volume and bright switch. It does not seem to get as bright and chimey as the Mesa MkIV that I used to have, but it is a very decent clean, none-the-less. The crunch channel has gain, low mid, high mid, treb, volume, and there is a contour switch for a mid boost. That makes about four different footswitchable sounds on the gain channel: low gain (which is by no means low!), low gain w/ contour, high gain and high w/ contour. I have always been leary of mid boost. Quite often I really hate that sound, but this one is very usable. It almost acts as if it is filling in frequencies that have been left out within the original setting, making it more robust and able to cut through better--but not necessarily changing the overall character of the distortion.
With the low mid and high mid controls, the possibilities for tone shaping are enormous! The key to gain in this preamp is in these two controls, if you turn them both down, even with the gain all the up there won't be too much overdrive. But, boost the high mid, and you get a real scooped, modern, crushing distortion--friggin' incredible. With the high mid down and the low mid up, you get a much more mid-voiced, fat, almost vintage-y type tone. The combinations between the two are fantastic.
The preamp also has a bypass feature for linking other preamps in the chain.
I would have to say that this setup doesn't have the bottom end that my VHT did, but I also don't believe that the deep mod was done to my 20/20. The other thing I am very surprised at is that this combination sounds MUCH louder than my VHT. Oh, and the cabs are a Mesa Recto 2X12 with V30's and an ADA 2X12 with VHT P75E's.
In the future, I will get rid of the M300 for a G-Major, add the Engl Z-11 midi switcher and connect the ART X-15 that I have, so the possibilities of different sounds will be nearly endless!
I can't wait to gig with this setup--we should be playing out by the end of June!
I really want to thank all you rack-o-philes since I have been doing a lot of research on gear though forum here, as well as HC reviews and multiple websites, but you guys give so much useful info that I can't thank you enough!!
I must say that I was totally pleased with the VHT, and since I do original prog rock/metal material, I wanted to go to a rack system for maximum versatility. I was going to save up for the VHT GP3, but then this Engl setup came along. I must admit that I did the trade sight unheard, so-to-speak, but I have read a lot about Engl stuff, and really wanted to try. Of course, ideally the E580 would be perfect, but I don't have those kinds of funds at the moment! I was expecting good tone from this thing, but I didn't realize how much I would absolutely love it!
The two mid controls and the Engl 530 are awesome. And, if you haven't tried this preamp for high gain, I highly recommend it--especially since even new ones are not too expensive. Just to give a short review:
It has two main channels, and each channel has switchable boost to make it sort of a 4 channel preamp. The clean has standard gain, bass, mid, treb, volume and bright switch. It does not seem to get as bright and chimey as the Mesa MkIV that I used to have, but it is a very decent clean, none-the-less. The crunch channel has gain, low mid, high mid, treb, volume, and there is a contour switch for a mid boost. That makes about four different footswitchable sounds on the gain channel: low gain (which is by no means low!), low gain w/ contour, high gain and high w/ contour. I have always been leary of mid boost. Quite often I really hate that sound, but this one is very usable. It almost acts as if it is filling in frequencies that have been left out within the original setting, making it more robust and able to cut through better--but not necessarily changing the overall character of the distortion.
With the low mid and high mid controls, the possibilities for tone shaping are enormous! The key to gain in this preamp is in these two controls, if you turn them both down, even with the gain all the up there won't be too much overdrive. But, boost the high mid, and you get a real scooped, modern, crushing distortion--friggin' incredible. With the high mid down and the low mid up, you get a much more mid-voiced, fat, almost vintage-y type tone. The combinations between the two are fantastic.
The preamp also has a bypass feature for linking other preamps in the chain.
I would have to say that this setup doesn't have the bottom end that my VHT did, but I also don't believe that the deep mod was done to my 20/20. The other thing I am very surprised at is that this combination sounds MUCH louder than my VHT. Oh, and the cabs are a Mesa Recto 2X12 with V30's and an ADA 2X12 with VHT P75E's.
In the future, I will get rid of the M300 for a G-Major, add the Engl Z-11 midi switcher and connect the ART X-15 that I have, so the possibilities of different sounds will be nearly endless!
I can't wait to gig with this setup--we should be playing out by the end of June!