I remember the first time I got to play a real ENGL for the first time during a vacation in Japan. Let me tell you, it freaking blew the place down. The power, the clarity, the saturation, it was all there. It was the modern sound in my head. And this video captures that sound in spades! Now I'm dead set on saving up for one!
What I like about your reviews is that you do not smoother whatever amp you're demoing in FX(reverb, delay,chorus) and that you turn those knobs and push them buttons, also you don't just go straight into a Mesa full of V30's. Creambacks ! I mean it opens up a whole new spectrum of sound and you also play the shit out Les Pauls and do all of so well. I salute you. This is how to do a proper demo.Thank You so much. Yes, I always thought this amp(ENGL Powerball) is a great sounding Metal/Heavy Rock?Djent (lol) Djent. I used that word again. Peace-
For me it was very good, because with a certain piece of audio I was able to create an impulse response that was identical, not all videos can do this, it depends a lot on the audio quality of the video, this one was excellent for this purpose .⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love my Powerball. I run the 4/12 V30's under a 2/12 set of Greenbacks for the 3/4 stack arrangement, and the tone is incredible for my Slayer tribute, my Iron Maiden tribute, and my Grateful Dead tribute. There is nothing that this amp can't accomplish.
of course, It has more wiggling room to dial in your tone, it's more brutal in your face tone, if you can find one used they are a great deal! You can always play with the preamp tubes to get more of a smooth texture and reduce fizziness if you like!
I have the 1 and getting the 2 tomorrow. Cant wait to hear the difference. The 1 is more buzzy, mid spike ‘quacky’ im told…BUT i found by throwing the mxr 10 band eq and cutting the volume there(-db), that it smooths out the amp. 300$ more for the pb2 than my pb1 so i’ll see which one I keep and if its worth the ‘upgrade’
I'm curious about how the 1 and 2 compare. I've had my Powerball 1.2 since about 2006 and love it, but I've always wondered if it's worth it to get a 2. I really like channel 2 for some great sounding 80s rock and hair metal tones, and channel 3 for all of the more modern stuff. With an OD in front of both channels.
I like how the tube elements fluctuate.. hahaha THe lead sound is phenom but, to be all snobby ole rocker on its ass.. I'm hearing a slight lack of brights in the upper mid that didn't seem to want to dial in.. which as descibed by the reza makes it a METAl BEAST! Its just most of the time I'm a 90's rock beast.... Although the new SH record is our heaviest.. If we ever finish it!!!
Did you do any particular EQing in your daw? I like how it has a lot of bite without sounding fizzy. don't know if it's from the speaker or EQ in the DAW.
Sounds tight and mean like a boost or OD pedal was used, but I assume you didn't use one. Like lots of your demos that seems to be the case. Is this amp just designed that way, or do your pickups push things that much?
@@techdeathhippie6319 I know I’m a bit late but what I understood is that they upgraded the transformers so you will get a bit better headroom and some more mids in the voicing so it cuts better. I liked the v1 a lot when using a boost and not a lot of gain
@@vanespedals1023 I have wizards and diezels that I use constantly. But if I’m practicing and songwriting quietly I absolutely always go to my powerball 1 . I enjoy it’s super processed sound . But ya I’m live setting it fails . But i always got a soft spot for it
I love the tone its killer ! I also have this head bought 2 months ago and I use my pod hd500x 4 cable method and disabled all amp and cab sims, plus I got a engl z11 midi switcher to change the channels fx loop signal dialed fully wet the natural tone the amp is a beast! Would it be possible if you still got the engl powerball head to do a comparison to the mk2? Because I've been trying to find videos and found nothing. Thanks 🤟😝🤟
Killer demo dude. I have this amp (v1 mkii) and I’m having a little trouble keeping the fizz out of the high end. Any recommendations aside from boosting?I tried backing off the presence a ton (at like 25%) but there’s so much bass it comes out a little muddy.
@@PRP-YT not sure if i said that, but i wouldn't remember now. been out of the engl game for a while. I would get a Savage Mk2 over anything at this point if i was to give advice
Your chaga-chaga playing fucking tight,awesome attack which is rare actually,so much amateurs out there viewing this angry amps with "lady" right hand with no attack,so every amp sounds like shit under their hands.
Depends on what you're looking for and how much you want to drop. You can get a version 1 Powerball for $800-1000 used compared to $3500 for the Maxwatt. The Powerball has 4 channels so there's versatility there although I hear the Maxwatt cleans up well on the lower gain stage from someone who has played it. I imagine in the room though the Maxwatt would crush the Engl in terms of tone though. I want to play a Maxwatt so bad. Haha!
How useful are the clean tones? Could you dial up a Gilmour-ish tone with a Strat? How about bluesy tones? Could you dial up a Blackmore “Rainbow Rising” era tone with a Strat? I’m looking for an app that will go from Gilmour to Blackmore to that lead tone you had at the end. When I find that total amp/cab package, I’ll never buy another amp! Thanks.
i don't think anyone buys ENGL's for their clean tone to be honest. you can get everything you want with a great pedal platform amp and some pedals. Try a Diezel Big Max or something with a great lead tone and build your drive pedals to get the lead tone you want.
RezaMatix Steve Morse raves about his ENGL clean channel. Says it’s the best he’s heard (it’s based on a Powerball) . I generally don’t use pedals (some delay and compression). I like all the tone from the hands, guitar and amp. If I can get a sweet full Fender clean out of channel 1, I may sell my Ecstasy and buy a Powerball and get that full range I’ve been looking for. I’ve thought about a Diezel V4.
RezaMatix Thanks for telling me about your amp. I would hope ENGL makes an amp with both a good clean and lead channel. If the 20th ani Shiva had the 4th channel of the Powerball as a 3rd channel, that would be an amp I’d love. I realize the tone stack and circuitry are different. Somebody has to make that amp! 👍🏼
they don't sound very different, the powerball 2 has a gain pot for each channel and is just easier to dial in.. basically with the original powerball, you reached full on high gain with the gain pot set to 4/10 in either lead channel. after that not that much happens. it gets a bit more compressed, but that's basically it. on the powerball 2 they made the lead channel's gain pots much more useable. it's a very minor update imo, if you find an original powerball for cheaper than you can find a powerball 2 get it, if both are similarly priced get the PB2. i personally think the original looks a bit better.
@@rec99cts27 i have both and liked my pb1 so much better that i sent the pb2 off for mods for easier more input signal more low end and more gain. I told the tech it was close but i wanted everything to go to 12 not 10 and that it sound have more than my pb1. Coulda just sold it but the look of the pb2 is what made me what a engl so bad after finding a fireball 60 in a pawnshop. Now i have 2 special editions and the pb 1and2 and would love to sale 1 se and get a retro or savage.
@@padraig88 Just posted a Savage 120 video, check it out for yourself. The Powerball is more 80's hair metal to my ears, the Savage is more Industrial sounding, much more evil.
@@RezaMatix Price is definitely a factor in my case though. I did play live a few times on some Mesas but couldnt properly take time to test the settings. I guess the extra 1000$ is worth it?
I don’t get it. A long time ago I came across a shop that had sound demos of the powerball and they sounded very close to this. I realize your pickups and cabinet can make such a big difference that sometimes you don’t realize what you have until later but the engl powerball ii on two different guitars with two different cabinets I have sounds *nothing* like this. I’m actually glad it doesn’t because I’ve never heard someone producing the tones I have from my set up. These sounds are totally dapper though. Mine does not have that sizzle tone. In fact I used to be annoyed because it sounded so flat (that’s the only word I can think to describe it). Thankfully it wasn’t like how I’ve heard some mesas or amps having that under the blanket effect. My sovereign model was the same actually BUT when I used a USA dean that I owned in the past the amp was just a whole different amplifier. There was no comparison. The problem I’ve had with my powerball before I accepted it for what it is and found methods to bypass literally any issues was that it didn’t have enough gain. You’d get it to the point that it just had enough to do what you wanted it to (the bare minimum of perfect) and you’d feel like oh I’m finally there now if I can get the gain up it would be perfect but at that point there is what I would describe as the last remaining number on the scale of 1 to 10 to increase the gain. Meaning once your feeing that it can work you only have a hair of extra gain which isn’t the gain you want but enough to make it work. It’s a weird thing.
I got one for 400 euros in second hand. Boy, what an amp! Super powerfull, yet with a lot of clarity! The only downside is that now I can't play like an ass anymore because of the amp super precision :D Everybody hears my mistakes now
If it was you who came a few years earlier Ola would still be stucked at home doing trial balance for small companies. But I gotta give him credit as SATAN is absolutely killer.
im not sure I understand this comment but I will say Ola is in another league compared to me, and he is a super nice guy. nothing but total respect to him. Also, Mike Fortin designed the Satan amp.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best review I've ever seen of this amplifier, excellent audio, thank you, Auccess Brother....
I remember the first time I got to play a real ENGL for the first time during a vacation in Japan. Let me tell you, it freaking blew the place down. The power, the clarity, the saturation, it was all there. It was the modern sound in my head. And this video captures that sound in spades!
Now I'm dead set on saving up for one!
best sounding review of this amp that i have heard so far.thumbs up brotha
big mike thanks for watching sir! I could definitely use a share and a subscribe!
The Powerball is a serious metal beast, but it also creates some of the most beautiful, glassiest clean tones I've ever heard!
This video helped with deciding whether I wanted the Powerball or not, I went and bought one a few days later. Thanks 👍
What I like about your reviews is that you do not smoother whatever amp you're demoing in FX(reverb, delay,chorus) and that you turn those knobs and push them buttons, also you don't just go straight into a Mesa full of V30's. Creambacks ! I mean it opens up a whole new spectrum of sound and you also play the shit out Les Pauls and do all of so well. I salute you. This is how to do a proper demo.Thank You so much. Yes, I always thought this amp(ENGL Powerball) is a great sounding Metal/Heavy Rock?Djent (lol) Djent. I used that word again. Peace-
What a sound, glad i picked one up today. Nice video
By far.. the best Video to present the Powerball 1 🤙
For me it was very good, because with a certain piece of audio I was able to create an impulse response that was identical, not all videos can do this, it depends a lot on the audio quality of the video, this one was excellent for this purpose .⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Its really nice to see a review on the AMP and the guitarist skills! Nice sound you have sir👊 definitely saving for one
Killer sounding amp! Great demo's Reza, tones are always excellent \m/
I just wish your videos were like 10 mins longer... I can listen to em all day long dude... Love and respect from Athens Greece
ios4ever check out SoundCloud.con/audioninja
RezaMatix Been a follower for a long time dude ;) Keep it up
I love my Powerball.
I run the 4/12 V30's under a 2/12 set of Greenbacks for the 3/4 stack arrangement, and the tone is incredible for my Slayer tribute, my Iron Maiden tribute, and my Grateful Dead tribute.
There is nothing that this amp can't accomplish.
Reza is back! Thank goodness
Ralphie Leonard thanks for watching, im transitioning all gear demos over to Advanced Guitars & Gear channel here on RUclips, you should check it out
ruclips.net/channel/UCG2cqWMCnVfm3YhgVCDBA5A
Which Arcane pickup do you use? Is it the Phil X one?
Ralphie Leonard no, but similar. When you order ask for the Reza spec
The power of beard is beheld in the chrome!
Bill Hesse hahahaha
Very very cool more gain metal sound ,,,, Your review more played very better than other clip more speak ,,,,,
Thanks for such a great demo!!!
Fantastic video and playing man!!! I’m eyeing one for $1,250.. whatcha think?
Hey Reza, is a Powerball worth the buy now that the powerball II is a thing?
meh
of course, It has more wiggling room to dial in your tone, it's more brutal in your face tone, if you can find one used they are a great deal! You can always play with the preamp tubes to get more of a smooth texture and reduce fizziness if you like!
Best amp ever!
Powerball is the engl my collection is still lacking. It's one of the meanest thrash amps out there
Okay, great sound.
What are the differences between Powerball 1 versus Powerball 2?
I have the 1 and getting the 2 tomorrow. Cant wait to hear the difference. The 1 is more buzzy, mid spike ‘quacky’ im told…BUT i found by throwing the mxr 10 band eq and cutting the volume there(-db), that it smooths out the amp. 300$ more for the pb2 than my pb1 so i’ll see which one I keep and if its worth the ‘upgrade’
I'm curious about how the 1 and 2 compare. I've had my Powerball 1.2 since about 2006 and love it, but I've always wondered if it's worth it to get a 2. I really like channel 2 for some great sounding 80s rock and hair metal tones, and channel 3 for all of the more modern stuff. With an OD in front of both channels.
Amazing sound man!!! Buying one immediately :)
Great demo! I have fireball 60
This video kicks ass!!! Sounds fuckin' awesome Reza!!! Thanks man! Cheers!
Outstanding!
I already am a subscriber ,you rock
You can almost feel the early Rammstein coming out of it
It sounds awesome, but where is the clean channel?! 🤣
I like how the tube elements fluctuate.. hahaha THe lead sound is phenom but, to be all snobby ole rocker on its ass.. I'm hearing a slight lack of brights in the upper mid that didn't seem to want to dial in.. which as descibed by the reza makes it a METAl BEAST! Its just most of the time I'm a 90's rock beast.... Although the new SH record is our heaviest.. If we ever finish it!!!
Did you ever play fireball 60 or 100? I am wondering how are they different in sound comparing to Powerball?
Hey man, have you ever tried the fireball 60watt? Heard a lot of good comments about It but never had the opportunity to try one
Sounds wicked Reza!
You think you'll be getting Diezel Herbert mk3? If you do, please make a demo of it!
never played one of these before today, its totally brutal!
no, its the same as the MK2. there is a MK2 on Guitar center used right now for 1900 bucks!
RezaMatix hell yeah man, I tried the powerball 2 once and it slayed! Tried it against the twin jet and couldn't pick a favorite
That's some serious fucking anger in that amp. I'm getting chills.
that riff is stuck inside my head ever since you play the fortin gainmaster jmp 100
Did you do any particular EQing in your daw?
I like how it has a lot of bite without sounding fizzy.
don't know if it's from the speaker or EQ in the DAW.
no post eq
It has the growl. Nice amp!
Sounds tight and mean like a boost or OD pedal was used, but I assume you didn't use one. Like lots of your demos that seems to be the case. Is this amp just designed that way, or do your pickups push things that much?
Shane Woodman this amp has more gain than anyone needs
I thought you don't like the ENGL. But, sounds awsome Reza.
I have the ENGL MetalMaster 20 Combo and these amps are the best in the world !!
Itay Waser are they the best because YOU have one? Hehe
@@RezaMatix yes !
Itay Waser hahaha
This amp is so insanely good I cant wait to get it. The Powerball 2, that is.
thats one better than this one!! congrats!
@@RezaMatix I have thus amp , so powerball 2 is better than 1 ? Give me your opinion
@@techdeathhippie6319 I know I’m a bit late but what I understood is that they upgraded the transformers so you will get a bit better headroom and some more mids in the voicing so it cuts better.
I liked the v1 a lot when using a boost and not a lot of gain
@@vanespedals1023 I have wizards and diezels that I use constantly. But if I’m practicing and songwriting quietly I absolutely always go to my powerball 1 . I enjoy it’s super processed sound . But ya I’m live setting it fails . But i always got a soft spot for it
killer sounds (should I add "as usual" ?)
Have you heard of Revv amps? I would love to see one of their amps such as the Generator 120 or the 100p on your channel!
if they send me one, I will demo it. Ask them for me :)
I love the tone its killer ! I also have this head bought 2 months ago and I use my pod hd500x 4 cable method and disabled all amp and cab sims, plus I got a engl z11 midi switcher to change the channels fx loop signal dialed fully wet the natural tone the amp is a beast! Would it be possible if you still got the engl powerball head to do a comparison to the mk2? Because I've been trying to find videos and found nothing. Thanks 🤟😝🤟
hola rezamatix. que cabina usas 2 x 12 o 4 x 12 Gracias 👍
4x12
@@RezaMatix suena muy bien.
Yo tengo un cabinet Marshall MF400 Y no me termina de gustar. el amplificador ENGL pawerball.
Its so hard to believe this videos 12 years old now
2 years old! hahaha
Do you know if this powerball 1 is v1 or v2?? Not referring to the powerball ll, just the 2 versions of the original powerball .
Killer demo dude. I have this amp (v1 mkii) and I’m having a little trouble keeping the fizz out of the high end. Any recommendations aside from boosting?I tried backing off the presence a ton (at like 25%) but there’s so much bass it comes out a little muddy.
speakers are critical in this regard
I probably need something with more wattage than v30s right?
Joseph McCoy no, they tend to have some brightness tho. my demo was done with Alnico Cream 90w
I will look into those, cuz yours sounds awesome. Thanks for the sage advice good sir!
Nice amp and great review but is that a Submariner ??
lol. yes. it's a Hulk.
@@RezaMatix i recognized those lugs and bezel, tell me something, why do you say the Powerball mk2 is better than this one ?
cheers
@@PRP-YT not sure if i said that, but i wouldn't remember now. been out of the engl game for a while. I would get a Savage Mk2 over anything at this point if i was to give advice
Please do a demo of the ENGL Inferno 🤘
if they send me one, I will demo it. Ask them for me :)
Sounds mega 🤘
What pickup are you using in the bridge exactly? Very nice full tone.
it's in the description
@@RezaMatix Arcane Inc. pickups, they have many different pickups
Your chaga-chaga playing fucking tight,awesome attack which is rare actually,so much amateurs out there viewing this angry amps with "lady" right hand with no attack,so every amp sounds like shit under their hands.
What model Arcane Inc. pickups are you using?
"13"'s
Someday........... this will be mine!
Engl Powerball or Maxwatt Super-Hi?
Depends on what you're looking for and how much you want to drop. You can get a version 1 Powerball for $800-1000 used compared to $3500 for the Maxwatt. The Powerball has 4 channels so there's versatility there although I hear the Maxwatt cleans up well on the lower gain stage from someone who has played it. I imagine in the room though the Maxwatt would crush the Engl in terms of tone though. I want to play a Maxwatt so bad. Haha!
How useful are the clean tones? Could you dial up a Gilmour-ish tone with a Strat? How about bluesy tones? Could you dial up a Blackmore “Rainbow Rising” era tone with a Strat? I’m looking for an app that will go from Gilmour to Blackmore to that lead tone you had at the end. When I find that total amp/cab package, I’ll never buy another amp! Thanks.
i don't think anyone buys ENGL's for their clean tone to be honest. you can get everything you want with a great pedal platform amp and some pedals. Try a Diezel Big Max or something with a great lead tone and build your drive pedals to get the lead tone you want.
RezaMatix Steve Morse raves about his ENGL clean channel. Says it’s the best he’s heard (it’s based on a Powerball) . I generally don’t use pedals (some delay and compression). I like all the tone from the hands, guitar and amp. If I can get a sweet full Fender clean out of channel 1, I may sell my Ecstasy and buy a Powerball and get that full range I’ve been looking for. I’ve thought about a Diezel V4.
Steve Steele his sig amp is highly modified. He may indeed have a great clean channel. But this amp is average.
RezaMatix Thanks for telling me about your amp. I would hope ENGL makes an amp with both a good clean and lead channel. If the 20th ani Shiva had the 4th channel of the Powerball as a 3rd channel, that would be an amp I’d love. I realize the tone stack and circuitry are different. Somebody has to make that amp! 👍🏼
Steve Steele contact Kyle at KsR amps, he can take care of you.
Killer amp
What’s the difference between Powerball 1 and 2?
In term of sound
I love that amp!
they don't sound very different, the powerball 2 has a gain pot for each channel and is just easier to dial in.. basically with the original powerball, you reached full on high gain with the gain pot set to 4/10 in either lead channel. after that not that much happens. it gets a bit more compressed, but that's basically it. on the powerball 2 they made the lead channel's gain pots much more useable. it's a very minor update imo, if you find an original powerball for cheaper than you can find a powerball 2 get it, if both are similarly priced get the PB2. i personally think the original looks a bit better.
givemeajackson Thanks for the info. Appreciated
Reminds me of my PB1 that belonged to Gary Holt of Slayer. Great tone Reza!
@@rec99cts27 i have both and liked my pb1 so much better that i sent the pb2 off for mods for easier more input signal more low end and more gain.
I told the tech it was close but i wanted everything to go to 12 not 10 and that it sound have more than my pb1.
Coulda just sold it but the look of the pb2 is what made me what a engl so bad after finding a fireball 60 in a pawnshop.
Now i have 2 special editions and the pb 1and2 and would love to sale 1 se and get a retro or savage.
Such a common question but Dual Rectifier vs Powerball for downtuned (A standard) death metal/grindcore?
Savage 120 over all.
@@RezaMatix Thanks! Any specific reasons?
@@padraig88 Just posted a Savage 120 video, check it out for yourself. The Powerball is more 80's hair metal to my ears, the Savage is more Industrial sounding, much more evil.
@@padraig88 ruclips.net/video/XOssyI8wOuA/видео.html
@@RezaMatix Price is definitely a factor in my case though. I did play live a few times on some Mesas but couldnt properly take time to test the settings. I guess the extra 1000$ is worth it?
did you use a boost pedal?
TheSoulflytriber this amp doesn’t need any boosts
This or ENGL Savage? Thanks 🤘🏻
Savage of course.
they are just different, Savage is EL34 powered amp
I don’t get it. A long time ago I came across a shop that had sound demos of the powerball and they sounded very close to this. I realize your pickups and cabinet can make such a big difference that sometimes you don’t realize what you have until later but the engl powerball ii on two different guitars with two different cabinets I have sounds *nothing* like this. I’m actually glad it doesn’t because I’ve never heard someone producing the tones I have from my set up. These sounds are totally dapper though. Mine does not have that sizzle tone. In fact I used to be annoyed because it sounded so flat (that’s the only word I can think to describe it). Thankfully it wasn’t like how I’ve heard some mesas or amps having that under the blanket effect. My sovereign model was the same actually BUT when I used a USA dean that I owned in the past the amp was just a whole different amplifier. There was no comparison. The problem I’ve had with my powerball before I accepted it for what it is and found methods to bypass literally any issues was that it didn’t have enough gain. You’d get it to the point that it just had enough to do what you wanted it to (the bare minimum of perfect) and you’d feel like oh I’m finally there now if I can get the gain up it would be perfect but at that point there is what I would describe as the last remaining number on the scale of 1 to 10 to increase the gain. Meaning once your feeing that it can work you only have a hair of extra gain which isn’t the gain you want but enough to make it work. It’s a weird thing.
Is this straight amp? ENGL is on my top list
Of course it is, why wouldn't it be.
powerball vs powerball 2......what is better?
2
Which arcane pickups are those?
Ask for the Reza model.
Have you ever paired the cream backs in an X pattern with V30's?
Arch Druid yes, great blend.
I got one for 400 euros in second hand. Boy, what an amp! Super powerfull, yet with a lot of clarity! The only downside is that now I can't play like an ass anymore because of the amp super precision :D Everybody hears my mistakes now
it's a freaking steal at this price!!! good buy!
That’s a deal! Enjoy.
This or Framus Cobra?
Framus cobra,, but. ,,,,,Fryette! OMG,, brutal AF!
Prefer the Savage, but this amp’s a beast too!
I know most engls destroy, but I've yet to hear or play a retro tube in person. whats your thoughts if you've got one
Doesn't sound thin to me LOL \m/
5:20
ohh i see an engl nice!
Wow, sounds brooothal.
fucking brutal
I got a name for that amp Engelbert Humper beast 😂 brutal distortion
If it was you who came a few years earlier Ola would still be stucked at home doing trial balance for small companies. But I gotta give him credit as SATAN is absolutely killer.
im not sure I understand this comment but I will say Ola is in another league compared to me, and he is a super nice guy. nothing but total respect to him. Also, Mike Fortin designed the Satan amp.
your videos are way better demonstrating sound of the actual amp, Ola’s amp videos make the amps sound similar one to another, for some reason.
+Daniel Belensky yes, I usually avoid Ola's amp reviews.
“bUt iT nO cUT iN tEh mIX..”