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ENGL E530 Tube Preamp Modern Rock
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ENGL E530 Tube Preamp Modern Rock
Lonewolf Lonewolf
Published on 07/25/05 at 14:11
All Tube preamp
2 channels with
High Gain swicth that give 4 channels
2 12AX7 tubes, stereo effects loop, two line outputs, output level knob
1.5 W power amp built to play with headphones or stereo

Mine is back from the tech. He fixed a lot of welding. That means a build quality not at the top, I lower my note a bit.
Switch functionnality are not convenient. You have to switch twice if you want to switch from crunch to lead or clean to high gain.

UTILIZATION

Simple.
the equalization is very effective.
The connection is fairly complete (apart from the footswitch system)
the manual is not really necessary.
Not too heavy and strong.

Anyway the switches trick starts to get tired (if we add that I'm getting a lot of effects pedals)

SOUNDS

Metal, ideal for metal, death / black modern, old school, the doom ...
The clean is not bad but a little slam.
Like any ENGL is very loaded down medium, lacks a little low ... bah it's not for the neo either.
accuracy is to go, ca not bleed a bit.

I changed the tubes to put an Electro Harmonix 12AX7 in V1 and a Sovtek 12ax7lps in V2, this and the weldings redone properly, the preamp is transformed, more punch , more gain (due to the EHX), even sharper , an even tighter grain, it becomes very, very metal, against the light are almost too slamming now see is not too much treble mattres meds and pain of sore ears
I remain a fan

OVERALL OPINION

For me it's all good, it is precisely this type of sound I wanted.
Coupled to a 2x50 or 2x60 ENGL ca be hellish.
In short I found my preamp.
With the small passage in the techno and new loupiotte is a weapon for metalheads, but hey I'm tired of rack system, bulky clumsy, expensive.
Been sold to buy a head Screamer is when members more convenient.
A very good product for its price