All user reviews for the ENGL E530 Tube Preamp Modern Rock

Engl is a German company that has a distinct German metal tone in their amps. These amps are build pretty much for metal players and hard rock guitar guys. These amps say they are versatile but the voicing within these amps are without a doubt metal. They are very good at what they do though and the construction of them in phenomenal.

This is one fantastic preamp from the guys over at Engl. This is one rack space which is great for saving room on your rack gear. This allows you to keep from moving things around and in and out. Most preamps are much larger and take up at least two racks spaces and and can be extremely heavy to lug around from gig to gig night after night.

UTILIZATION

Specifications
Preamp:
4 channels, Clean, Crunch, Soft Lead, Heavy Lead, 3 band EQ for Clean/Crunch, 4 band EQ for Soft/Heavy Lead, separate channel
volumes, preamp defeat switch, Bright switch, Contour switch.

Power Amp:
2 x 1,5 watts solid state

Outputs:
Stereo fx loop, stereo outputs, stereo
recording outputs, 2 x dual footswitch jacks (Z-3, Z-4)

Dimensions & Weight:
48 x 4,4 x 26 cm, 4 kg

SOUNDS

This preamp is a four channel preamp that has a clean, crunch, lead one, and lead two. There isn't much in the tone spectrum that this preamp will not be able to achieve. If you have any desire to have a good clean tone then this amp will get you their in spades. If you want to have a decent crunch tone for classic rock or mild rock applications or if you even play in a cover band and the set list can change from genre to genre night after night then this crunch channel will be your ticket to staying in the groove. You can access AC/DC or Led Zeppelin type tones with this channel very quickly and easily. Next you have a soft lead which is anything but soft. You will get a great rock n roll tone good for 80's music all the way up to today's modern rock. Then the fourth channel will allow you to get the uber modern rock and metal tones from many of today's' leading metal bands.

OVERALL OPINION

At new these preamps come in right at around $599, which is a steal of a price for a solid sounding and user friendly rack preamp unit. This unit will have you exploring multiple tones with just the flick of the channel switch. I recommend this to anyone who has limited space on their rack and needs a versatile rack preamp.

The ENGL E530 is a 1U preamp made for people who need to save space but still want that signature ENGL sound. The preamp is a two channel preamp that features two 12AX7 tubes, independent EQs on both channels with a lo-mid and hi-mid knob on channel two, a bright switch, a contour switch to alter the mid frequency, hi/lo gain switch, clean lead switch, preamp defeat switch, effects loop, line out and even a headphone jack.

UTILIZATION

There's a ton of stuff crammed into this small 1U preamp. In some ways, it's great, but in others, I wish they would have added more. First of all, it's a very versatile preamp thanks to the various mini switches they implemented into its design. I'll help describe what they do later down the review. One big thing they're missing, however, is MIDI. MIDI is something that every preamp out there should have, in my opinion. It's one of the main reasons to go rack, and the lack of MIDI means you'll need to switch it with a separate MIDI switcher. I'd rather they took out the effects loop and added MIDI since effects loops aren't really needed with preamps.

SOUNDS

Most people want to know about how the gain sounds with this thing, and let me tell you, there's a ton of gain on tap. You can get brutal metal sounds no problem with this thing, and there's no need to boost it like certain other amps out there. The contour switch also gives it some extra versatility as it switches the mid frequency. This is great if you want a rhythm channel and lead channel all in channel two. The lo-mid and hi-mid knobs add additional tone shaping elements to really dial in the tone you're looking for without ever losing that signature ENGL sound. The clean on this thing is also really good. It's sparkles and blooms like a nice clean should.

OVERALL OPINION

If you're in the market for a high gain 1U preamp, this will probably be my number one recommendation. It's cheap enough to where you don't need to sell a left kidney to afford it, and it sounds good enough to where it'll probably be your main gigging rig. If you have a chance, check it out.

Tube preamp 19 "Stereo. Output 2 x 1.5 Watts on the headphone output with switch on the back. For only a saturation effect but what saturation !!!!!!!.
For footswich 2 pedals BOSS FS-6 for 4 commands, it works nickel.

UTILIZATION

very easy to use, no need to record and fortunately because it is in English. But it weighs heavy pig, he has added to my rack so that I think to regain muscle )))).

SOUNDS

Despite what some say is good for all styles. I play everything and I can do well with this fabulous pre-amp.
I plug an Ibanez SA 120 EX and I do not know if it's scratched or pre-amp but it sounds round, powerful and very accurate. HHOUUAAA !!!!!!!!!

OVERALL OPINION

I own this wonder for 1 week and I can already tell that this is a big beast, full of heat and light saturation big lead. Finally something that sounds even larger saturation of hard rock or metal is not clean drool. I fell in love with the cattle, a feast for the ears. To test urgently and I did not act in ENGL.

This is a tube preamp (2XECC83/12AX7) format 19 "reduced size (48 x 26 x 4.4 cm). It is a bit heavy (4 kg) but it's still okay.
There are 2 channels: clean and lead each of which can be boosted to be almost 4 channels into practice:
- The clean passes only through the first floor lamp in V1,
- The crunch passes through the two floors of the lamp in V1,
- Lead the software goes through two levels of the V1 and V2 of one floor,
- Lead the heavy through the two floors of the two lamps.

It was for the Clean / Crunch:
- Gain
- A switch "bright"
- A 3-band EQ
- Volume
For Soft / Heavy Lead:
- Gain
- A 4-band EQ
- A switch "contour"
- Volume
And the global:
- A switch "Gain Lo / Hi"
- A switch "clean / lead"
- A switch "preamp defeat"

The connection is fairly complete
Front:
- An input priority
- With a headphone amplifier and frequency correction 1.5 W
Rear panel:
- A secondary input
- Send a single
- Two send (loop stereo)
- Two return (stereo loop)
- An output volume knob
- Two line-level output
- Two output with frequency correction and 1.5 W amplifier
- A jack for stereo switch "Gain Lo / Hi" and switch "clean / lead"
- A jack for stereo switch "outline" and switch "preamp defeat"

The only thing that I blame him is not to be MIDI. Finally, for the price ...

UTILIZATION

Configuration is very simple even if the channel clean / crunch sounds much louder than the lead channel.
The manual is short, in English or German, but quite clear.
We obtain easily a big sound, whatever the settings, everything is a matter of taste.
The connections are simple and straightforward.
However, the trick is painful changes channels: two pedals to change channels Z4 type are necessary if we want to make the best of the beast. This defect is corrected fairly easily with a built-in that manages the channel changes as the G-Major.

SOUNDS

I have adopted in the following configurations:
ESP Eclipse II, Ibanez RG7321 -> E530 -> TC Electronics G-Major -> VHT Black Beauty 2562 -> OUR 4X12 V30
ESP Eclipse II, Ibanez RG7321 -> E530 -> Sound Card M-Audio Delta 44 (G-Major in loop)

The basic sound was very nice but a bit too bright for my taste. So change lamps for two ECC83 JJ Tesla.
And it is sending the heavy in heavy!
In clean, beautiful clear sound and balanced. It is not particularly hot but very punchy.
It is a bit cramped on the Ibanez but very large on the PSE, which proves that the violin is respected.
The crunch is as I love it that is clear and cold, just a little crispy. The huge class but it will not appeal to most people. Again the dynamics is the rendezvous.
The low lead is enormous rock. Very dynamic, rich sound and well balanced, very typical lamp and not a speck of metal, rather British in mind.
The heavy lead is a complete massacre. VHT on direct bury it everything I've tried before. Extra large, fully pierces the mix, very accurate and a lot of gain for the metal I do not exceed 2 / 3. The grain is tight but keeps the character. Ibanez on it is very dry and serious. ESP hard on it all.
Everything sounds direct, brief ecstasy with each stroke of the pick.

I play metal so it suits me perfectly preamp.

Only "defect", it sounds very special and it is very difficult to change without distorting everything that makes its qualities. Try before you buy.

For my part I put 10 because I can not turn 11.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a few months and I do not regret a thing: not to have bought before.
I tried quite a few heads before:
- Mesa Dual Rectifier (good) and Roadking (very good)
- ENGL Powerball (good)
- Peavey 5150 (bof)
- Line6 Spider Valve (medium)
- Laboga Mr Hector (good)
- Marshall JVM410H (very good), JCM900 (bof), JCM800 (good)

and I initially fell for the duo E570 E840/50 and a friend who is really great.

But there is really splayfooted complete. To test urgently but changing the original lamps.

Value for money unbeatable opportunity. I would do this choice two hundred times if necessary.

Everything has been said.

UTILIZATION

It is very easy to configure. Found''SOUND''in a very short time.
Not need the manual.

My only 'HIC'. It is a quality defect. There are several options that can be controlled with a footswitch. (There biensur orders before). But for the Live, it forces us to buy a footswitch. I already have a midi controller and I want to add me to switch to another board. A control by noon, would have been better.

SOUNDS

I'm in the Power / Heavey Metal. I have a Ltd F-400 and a Dean Razorback original. It's easy to release a sound of thunder! There to easily agree to the Death, Trash, anything that sounds modern, with a strong distortion.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had a few months and I can not do without.

1: All my friends are jealous. lol
2: The SOUND! WOW! What took me 2 years to finally find there.
3: ENGL all the same affordable $ 850 CA
4: Takes up little space. 1p rackmount.