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iamqman « Gold version of the the Blackmore »
Published on 09/14/11 at 16:34ENGL amplification makes some of the best metal amplifiers in the industry. They are very good to building highly saturated in loaded distortion type of amplifiers. This amplifier is a bit of a departure from that norm of their style. This amp was on a limited run and it is basically a signature Ritchie Blackmore amplifier without the signatures logo and the blue faceplate. This one doesn't have his name and it's basically a gold looking face plate. All of the features and all the tone is pretty much the exact same. It's only a cosmetic change for someone who doesn't really like owning or buying signature equipment.
UTILIZATION
Specifications
Preamp:
4 channels: Clean, Crunch, Lead, heavy Lead, Bright switch, 3 band EQ, Contour switch, Hi/Low Gain switch,
Lead Presence Control. 3 x ECC 83 preamp tubes.
Master Section:
Master A/B, 100 watts
(1 x ECC 83, 4 x 5881 power amp tubes)
Outputs:
Speaker Outs, (2 x 4, 2 x 8, 1 x 16 Ohms)
fx loop (parallel to serial adjustable), footswitch jacks,
Z-3/Z-4 or custom Z-5.
Dimensions & Weight:
71 x 27 x 27 cm, 20 kg
SOUNDS
This amplifier features four channels. However it is really not for channels but rather two channels with four different modes of operation. You basically have a clean and lead channel with four modes between those two channels. So your clean channel can get a crunch and then your lead channel can get a heavier lead. It's not really four channels because all shared EQ, so this is a little bit of a marketing switch for ENGL amplification. You have a bright switch that will brighten up the highs if you have at hiicker warmer guitar. You also have a contour switch that will shape the mid range a little bit better. And you also have a high low gain switch.
This is not Uber metal amplifier that ENGL makes but more the classic rock/ modern amplifier. It does have a lot of modern tweak- ability and features and the overall voicing and tone is more towards classic rock in modern tones but not modern metal tones if that makes sense.
OVERALL OPINION
If you get lucky to find one of these amplifier's then you're in good shape because they're very hard to find. If you do you find one then I'm not even sure what the going rate or price of them can be. But if you want the tone of this amplifier and you don't mind owning a signature amplifier you can just go with the Ritchie Blackmore signature amplifier instead.
UTILIZATION
Specifications
Preamp:
4 channels: Clean, Crunch, Lead, heavy Lead, Bright switch, 3 band EQ, Contour switch, Hi/Low Gain switch,
Lead Presence Control. 3 x ECC 83 preamp tubes.
Master Section:
Master A/B, 100 watts
(1 x ECC 83, 4 x 5881 power amp tubes)
Outputs:
Speaker Outs, (2 x 4, 2 x 8, 1 x 16 Ohms)
fx loop (parallel to serial adjustable), footswitch jacks,
Z-3/Z-4 or custom Z-5.
Dimensions & Weight:
71 x 27 x 27 cm, 20 kg
SOUNDS
This amplifier features four channels. However it is really not for channels but rather two channels with four different modes of operation. You basically have a clean and lead channel with four modes between those two channels. So your clean channel can get a crunch and then your lead channel can get a heavier lead. It's not really four channels because all shared EQ, so this is a little bit of a marketing switch for ENGL amplification. You have a bright switch that will brighten up the highs if you have at hiicker warmer guitar. You also have a contour switch that will shape the mid range a little bit better. And you also have a high low gain switch.
This is not Uber metal amplifier that ENGL makes but more the classic rock/ modern amplifier. It does have a lot of modern tweak- ability and features and the overall voicing and tone is more towards classic rock in modern tones but not modern metal tones if that makes sense.
OVERALL OPINION
If you get lucky to find one of these amplifier's then you're in good shape because they're very hard to find. If you do you find one then I'm not even sure what the going rate or price of them can be. But if you want the tone of this amplifier and you don't mind owning a signature amplifier you can just go with the Ritchie Blackmore signature amplifier instead.