ENGL Fireball 100 vs Powerball II Comparison!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

What do you guys think, which one would you choose and why? Let me know!

[@TheOtherJohnBrowne]

I prefer the Powerball II. Love the feel of that amp. The Fireball is tons of fun too though. Ya can't really go wrong

[@guitashmurtz4772]

I love the one million switches of the powerball, you can get any tone!

[@ttbean9491]

Clean and Heavy - Fireball: Push and lead - Powerball. There is a 3D quality that, to my ears, sounds wonderful in the Fireball. Both great sounding amps!

[@chickenbeek]

That last riff sounds amazeballs through the Powerball. I Like them both, but i'd probably go for the power ball for the glassy sizzle. Man this is why, i avoided Digital for 35 years. And i have fractal now for convenience, and it's definitely killer. But that right there brings me back to why tube amps just rule. It's not the same, it's just not. It's so much more breathing and alive and also the unpredictability. Sometimes you just get wow moments out of them where you'll never hear it again the same which makes the joy of jamming or improvising and seeing what happens between you your guitar and the amp tone wise. Those happy little tree moments. >D

[@kokica777]

I had Fireball 60W 10 years ago, that amp destroyed mine triple rectifire, so that's good enough to choose Fireball. So, yesterday I bought again Fireball 60W but with black front panel. I'm interested in comparison 60W with 100W, because 100W has mid boost. Can someone describe difference because that mud boost on 100W. And is it possible to make video comparison with smartphone because I will hear how actualy sounds. The produced sound is not what we hear when we play, it is not the sound coming out of the cabinet.

[@M3atbucket]

I love the Fireball's "less is more" approach, plus the lower price tag really helps too.

[@TheStinkyDinkyBand]

There’s a shootout between the 100 and 25. I personally have the 25 and prefer it over the 100. But I’m a fan of less is more as well!

[@orphanuprising]

@@TheStinkyDinkyBand Probably cuz you can push the 25 to its limits more easily without shaking your building apart. I prefer lower wattage amps as well.

[@8Seven65]

I appreciate the options, because for amps I'm a more is more guy. Anything that I can have to amp can do, that saves me from using a pedal, gimmie, because less is more in the pedal chain.

[@TheStinkyDinkyBand]

Love that little diddy at 7:00! My dog recently passed away and I’m trying to write a song for him and that just touched my soul!

[@darthgibsonlp6631]

Powerball is probably the better amp overall in terms of functionality but the Fireball just has that secret sauce in the tone. And tone is everything. I'll have the FB please.

[@ChannelForty2]

Through the years Engl has become my all time favorite. Your description of a musical high gain is so spot on! They just sound all the way around perfect for me! I honestly think they are making the best amps around!

[@ChannelForty2]

Also your demos are always top notch, great playing and sound, you do excellent work man

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Thank you!

[@X9Eric]

Thank you Jon, great video! IMHO the Fireball has more dynamics, very cool, but the Powerball II sounds more "Hi-Fi". Both sound awesome,

[@tiagoramalhais5493]

I liked the Fireball more, overall more dark and ballsy. I honestly didn't expect them to sound that different.

[@davidcastonguay2927]

Good job man! I really love the Fireball 100, I sold mine 2 years ago and still cry every night. I saw you set the Fireball with a lower gain on the lead channel with mids and high cranked up. This EQ settings may seem a bit extreme, but this is where this amplifier really shines. I used it with an overdrive in front of it with gain set even lower, it's was quite Djenty!

[@smeemusic]

I fell in love with the powerball a few years back when the band Riksha came through the club I was running sound at. It was like a Tuesday and they wanted to setup and play (they were supposed to just be passing through). So we let them setup and I called a couple friends to come be an audience with me. And these guys played for me and 3 friends. They absolutely slayed! I became an instant fan. Bought all their merch i could and listened to the album for months after. The tone on the album is not the same as the live tone. But yeah he was using a powerball on top of 2 engl 412 cabs. It sounded just incredible. I can say it is the reason I now own a 2003 engl 412 pro with the original v30's. I'm running an evh but I wouldn't turn away from a good deal on an engl powerball.

[@JosephCee]

Both amazing amps, I wish I could afford either but honestly the simplicity of the Fireball really appeals to me and I keep hearing how the Fireball tends to have a more crushing lead channel.

[@SonicSoundofDoom]

Great demo brother! I just got the Fireball 100, doesn’t seem as big, tight and percussive as my Artist Edition 100 however! I didn’t even think to crank the clean gain and try that. Will have to try that tomorrow and also with my Plumes engaged. Thanks!

[@rinatdautbaev1065]

hi. so Artist 100w its more better? more better sounding?

[@kadestorm]

This comparison was long needed, not just for the sake of comparing the two amps directly and tackling the notion that the Fireball 100 is just a simplified Powerball II, which it certainly isn’t, but also to show the versatility of the Powerball II. I think it held up very nicely against the Fireball 100, even if the latter is specifically designed with the beastly uncompromising high gain voicing. One could really not go wrong with the Powerball II for the high gain stuff, but if it’s just straight up brutal tones with a raw edge, then the Fireball 100 is the no frills ticket. I always felt that the Fireball would be even better if it had the Powerball’s tone-shaping options, or at the very least, a depth/density/resonance dial for the power amp section. On that note, I very recently got a hold of the ENGL Victor Smolski. On the surface, it is a notably modified Powerball II, but when it comes to the details there’s quite a bit to consider. The gain on both the lead channels is much higher, right there with the Fireball 100, with perhaps even a touch more thickness and saturation. In terms of midrange, it seems to have some aspects of the Blackmore and Savage, which is always welcome. Excellent amp all around and almost a perfect blend, for my requirements, of some of ENGLs offerings.

[@rinatdautbaev1065]

hi. can we order Smolski from Engl site or not?

[@kadestorm]

@@rinatdautbaev1065 Not to my knowledge. Thomann retails many of their amps but the Smolski no longer appears on the website.

[@rinatdautbaev1065]

@@kadestorm okay. btw bro, really in some moments when I hear Powerball 2 I can hear Smolski tone/charachter. and since both of them a bit old amps and maybe they was created in same period, so PB2 have some similar scheme in preamp section :)

[@kadestorm]

@@rinatdautbaev1065 Sure. There’s definitely quite a bit of overlap between these amps. My point was just that it’s also noticeably different in terms of gain saturation threshold and mid voicing/EQ curve. With certain speaker, mic, IR or EQ combinations, one can make many of these ENGL amps sounds like one another, which I think is great. Cheers.

[@rinatdautbaev1065]

@@kadestorm thanks! bro, what you like more In Smolski, or how Smolski sounds different from other Engl amps? can you explain you opinion and experience with it please?

[@-jk-2580]

I think you did accurate and really good comparison. I have owned both amps, as well all other Fireball and Powerball versions. PB 2 is my favourite Engl, it’s so versatile and has really great tones in every channel.

[@mabixxx9390]

Thank you my man ! Im in the spot where i can afford my dream amp and your video helped me a lot to decide. Gonna go for the powerball cause its so versatile but both are indeed absolutely amazing sounding amps, if you ask me. Love your content Grz from Austria

[@Djunnnn]

Great comparison as usual Jon. Since you talked about how EQ range is different compared to JCM800, here's a video series idea for you. You could do playthrough videos with pre recorded loops and play with gain, EQ controls and switching channels to show the range of each amp.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I have a similar idea for a video series. Should be fun

[@crispyjalapenobread6345]

Fireball has such a loose low-end it just hits way harder on the high gain setting. Like you said versatility wise, the powerball is great, but the fireball wins in terms of overall sound capability for me. Edit: I said tight instead of loose. 🙃

[@meatsmudge5349]

It definitely has a growl to it that the Powerball doesn't have. Interesting.

[@WildChildMcCloud]

​More lower mids

[@vladimirshevyakov]

The Engl Amps is my favorite now, they can do all what I need! And this two amps is sounds amazing! I'm using the Artist Edition 100, and it's sounds awesome, love it!

[@Middlestepofficial]

I have the Powerball II for quite a while now. It served me well for playing my own metal music but also gigs involving blues, rock and other genres. The versatility for the price of the amp is insanely great value. And the sound... The video speaks of it. You can get also a footswitch pedal (midi) to change things on-the-fly.

[@daysbeforetomorrow]

Overall, fantastic comparative demo. I play the Powerball II in my primary rig, and have owned or played through multiple other ENGL rigs as well. My only concern with this demo is that you had the master volume way too low on both amps, so this comparison was really all about the preamp section and didn't really show how those preamp circuits might hit the power section differently. Since you were running into a reactive load, if you would have had the master volume for both amps at around 10:00, I think you would have noticed more differentiation between the two amps tonewise. But still, this was a fantastic comparative demo.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I'm not a fan of driving powertubes too hard with modern amps. It squishes the sound and attenuates the top end too much. Just my opinion of course. I did a video about it btw

[@sudeephembrom325]

Love the lows of fireball

[@crustophiles]

Fireball 100 owner. The "Bottom" switch actually affects both channels. Thanks for the great video!

[@markuso1862]

I have a FB100, but now I need PB2’s lead 4! 😬 in my opinion and personal experience, a Tube Screamer can help focusing the midrange and get that bouncy tone you egregiously demonstrated with the 8 string “even” with the Fireball. So I’d say the FB can sound somewhat like a PB. And 4 channels are really overkill for my needs, I’m a fan of different amps for different stuff I’m a bit of an ENGL collector myself, and I’d love to see you review/compare the Retro Tube and the Artist Edition. They’re both amazing amps, if you haven’t already I suggest you to try them!

[@n.e.e.n.official6639]

Both sounds GREAT ❤

[@techforge-Nate]

Makes me so happy to see your settings on the PB2 are almost identical to mine, great taste! I still can't get rid of that ENGL angry bees though. Wonder if I have a dodgey preamp tube...

[@SonicDriveStudio]

You mean hiss? Hmm mine isn't noisy tbh

[@techforge-Nate]

@@SonicDriveStudio it's in the gain structure, sounds like the Swedish chainsaw death metal- sounds like a swarm of bees. It did have to get shipped from Germany to Australia so who knows. Funiy enough if I run my Mooer 016 Pheonix pedal in the FX loop, with the pedal in clean no gain with the cab sim on, it cleans the gain structure right up. Odd.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

@@techforge-Nate weird indeed. Maybe have it looked at by a tech?

[@techforge-Nate]

@@SonicDriveStudio Have certainly thought about it- finding one nearby that I trust is the challenge. Most instrument shops in my town cant even get a neck straighten and intonation correct :D

[@kadestorm]

I think I understand what you're referring to, and it's something that I've found to be the case with various ENGL amps, including the Fireball 100, the Powerball II and the Victor Smolski. Personally, I somewhat like that upper midrange and top end character as -- depending on the cabinet speaker and microphone selection, or impulse response -- it can deliver that raw and enraged voicing. Yet I have found that at least with certain impulse responses, the same character can begin to sound a bit like your "angry bees" analogy. Have you tried it with a variety of different speaker and microphone combinations, or impulse responses?

[@CharlySahona]

OMG This Powerball II sounds sooo so good

[@SonicDriveStudio]

It's amazing!

[@Left_Hand_Path]

So weird! I was literally just looking at both of these and wondering about a shootout yesterday haha. Great video as always

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Awesome! Glad to be of service!

[@MotoMatt418]

Really cool stuff. I’m gaining so much more respect and appreciation for Engl. Hard to beat that blacked out look with the chrome logo.

[@steves12strings]

Powerball II for me overall; however, the raw/open chug power of the Fireball was my favorite tone.

[@ianlahaye9476]

Fight Fire with POWER! Can't ever go wrong with any Engl, but when it comes to these two I think it mostly breaks down to feature set, and versatility. I personally enjoy the slightly more raw tone of the Fireball, but the Powerball could really be an all in one amp! And those CLEANS! Need me one in the collection.

[@zackmonk3054]

Great work as usual!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Cheers!

[@devon9068]

Excellent video, always enjoy your videos. Would you consider making a tutorial video on the ENGL Z-9 foot switch that works with these 2 amps you just compared ? I have looked for video tutorials about the z-9 but I haven’t found a single one on KZbin or the internet, Thanks.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I don't have one of those unfortunately

[@megalodon2875]

I’ve got a PB-II with the Z-9 footswitch. It works very well. No delay between channels, can selectively mute channels by stepping on the current channel switch, engage the second master volume, etc. it does have an extra switch that does something….not sure what, though. Pedal is very sturdy. Metal construction with a noticeable “click” when engaging the switches.

[@TBREW]

Awesome comparison! While both are killer. I would pick the Fireball 100, just for it’s simplicity.

[@NecrosisTerminal]

You should compare the old ENGL Gig Master 30 vs the new ENGL Fireball 25. I love your tones and your videos, I'm a Gig Master 30 user, it's a very underated amp, and I really want to hear the comparison to the new Fireball 25!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I don't have the Gigmaster...

[@NecrosisTerminal]

@@SonicDriveStudio but it's never too late to add one to the collection 👀👀

[@NecrosisTerminal]

@@AtTheSourceStudios I really prefer the Gigmaster 30, the gain boost really helps to get High Gain tones on its own

[@FenianBreed]

Great comparison, thanks for this! I prefer the Fireball. It has a noticeably fatter sound. I have one and was thinking of getting a Powerball too, but not so sure after this. Powerball does sounds good, though.

[@johnsguitarmusicanddemos]

*I think the Powerball has a similar tone but sounds fuller on the crunch channel. 🎶🎵 Great comparison!*

[@ras1988]

The fireball hits so hard. It has a much deeper mid characteristic than the PB. Worked incredibly well everything until you went to the ERG comparison. The broader/higher focused mids and drier characteristic of the PB really shone there.

[@WildChildMcCloud]

I like the lower mids of the Fireball. Probably my favorite amp.

[@lukevontajikistan3929]

I found the differences between the lead channel (fireball) and Lead 3 (powerball) to be not that relevant. But the lead vs the lead 4 did make a difference to me. The low end sounded way more defined and the mid cut appeared to be different. I liked the Powerball better in that comparisson since a definde high gain tone is what I am going for. Thanks for this video, I have been waiting for this to happen :)

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Glad to be of service! :)

[@williamcharnley5558]

Those crunch tone comparisons sound exactly like Foo Fighters it’s fantastic

[@TheOtherJohnBrowne]

LOL. I had planned on doing this but I don't think it makes sense now because your comparison is awesome!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Sorry ;)

[@crustophiles]

I prefer the FB100, which I own. Tonally they're very close, but the FB is a bit fatter and more raw, as you noted, and I'm all about simplicity. I definitely don't need four channels. I barely need two. As is, I'm not using all the FB100 features. I don't use the mid boost, second volume, noise gate, or FX loop at all, and if they weren't there I wouldn't miss 'em. The bright and bottom switches have been good to have at times. Love the separate Gain controls and the Lead Volume. Don't mind shared EQ. That's pretty much it. It gets the job done and sounds badass doing it. Great, great amp.

[@Shadowsreach1]

both sound amazing, great video!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Thanks!

[@PeterMoore350]

Good to see you back in 2023. Greetings from NZ 😎🎸🤘

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Greetings!

[@PeterMoore350]

@@SonicDriveStudio i would be interested to see you try a Solar guitar. I have 5 😎 but yeah got a Sun Dew Gold Ibanez Pia, PRS Tremonti etc etc but i love my Solar’s. For me? The necks are perfect and are the same no matter if you get a single cut, an E (explorerish) etc Cheers

[@SonicDriveStudio]

@@PeterMoore350 I did reach out to them last year but it led to nothing. Sometimes it helps if you guys (the viewers) reach out to the brands to let them know you'd like to see me use a product on the channel. It's worth a shot!

[@PeterMoore350]

@@SonicDriveStudio consider it done.

[@PeterMoore350]

@@SonicDriveStudio emailed them. Also recommended they send Trogly a single cut too 😎🎸🤘

[@pooferson5991]

Dude, your riffs are so bad ass! Full album coming out anytime soon?

[@groopuskul]

the powerball has those high frequencies that I like so much!

[@Mani_Cash]

I love you for your videos! Thx man!!!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Thanks!

[@georgeeagle183]

Amazing test!!! Awesome sound, can i get a link for the backing tracks??

[@nobodyhere4860]

Roughly 9 months ago I was at Diablo Guitars😈 my local spot for buying/trading gear, I was testing a poweball ll, savage120, and a vintage jcm800. Honestly we all have pre conceived notions of our "favorite" amps and tones, that being said I exspected to leave with the Jcm800 or the Savage! To my surprise the Powerball ll was the one that blew me away! I usually go for single channel less is more amps but the Powerball is so easy to use and litterally does it all. It does clean to plexi to crunch to the sickest high gain metal ive ever heard on person. Not saying the savage and 800 werent great, it's just the Powerball did a bit more but did it better IMHO. Since then I have tried the ENGL Fireball and the Invader both killer! However im still keeping my Powerball🤘

[@ShrkBiT]

The Powerball in the clean sounds more compressed and a bit more clinical, sterile, the Fireball has a bit more character and smoothness.0-1. In Crunch, the Powerball is a bit punchier and direct with a bit more gain the Fireball is a bit more creamy but looser in the low-end. 1-1. High gain: they are extremely close but the PB is a bit more open in the mids, and the fireball is a bit more gritty, and I prefer that to a more open tone so FB wins for me. Awesome comparison video, thank you!!!

[@tom_bout]

Fireball 100 for me the Powerball 2 has a nice tone for post rock it would sound good blended with effects and the fireball 100 is more focused and dark for guitar heavy genres like punk or metalcore

[@jonahcombs451]

Man that powerball sounds incredible

[@borjasanmartin4375]

Hi there, your riffs are amazing!!!!In terms of Hi gain sounding, the fireball gain is dialed at 4 while thePowerball II is at 9. Is worth to dial fireball to 9 in gain? or is just too much? I know your taste is not objective but I would like to know your opinion. I miss in the video the fireball gain capacity!!!!Cheers

[@bradhill935]

the stage is where the rubber meets the road...so it's the powerball for me. I need a clean, rythm & lead...My other guitarist has the Fireball & he gets frustrated with compromise needed when playing live. In the studio tho, we get all our tones easily from the Fireball...shared EQ's are a pain in the a$$...i'd be keen to hear the Powerbal go up against the Invader

[@soundhealer8661]

For the clean sounds I honestly didn't hear much difference between the 2. But for crunch and lead sounds I tend to prefer powerball 2. There is a tad more highs and hi mids wich make the sound clearer and more precise. Especially in a mix it will fit better with the bass.

[@Buica-4]

Hell yes bro thanks for the vídeo. Both really good but I ended buying the fireball 100 because of my setup. Can make my fireball songs even more which I love.

[@chrismsantos]

Hey Bro!!!! my request... match these 2 ENGL amps inside the TONEX of these Crunchs/ LEAD tones of course... ENGL my second favorite... first is mesa boogie... great video comparison as always....so the your channel is my favorite for comparison of higain amps

[@TanoArchuleta]

The PBII is still my favorite, I like the Fireball but PBII works for me with my extended range guitars.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Amazing amp for ERGs!

[@robbah9939]

Soundwise I prefered the fireball. Liked the mids more, both sounded great

[@DarioGrillo]

I love engl sound... amazing ! 🤘

[@musb8122]

Both are amazing

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Indeed

[@Chugs4Serotonin]

The Powerball 2's low end is so perfect for palm mutes and low tunings. I hope one day you'll be able to compare it to the Savage Mk2

[@SonicDriveStudio]

In fact, maybe I will be able to do that soon ;)

[@Chugs4Serotonin]

@@SonicDriveStudio oh man, that's great news! I love this channel. Been a fan of your videos for a while, and always wondered when it would happen, haha. I know you'll do the amp justice when it does.

[@picksalot1]

Both great sounding Amps. I generally preferred the more open/less compressed sound of the Powereball II. Would turning up the Presence Setting on the Fireball make it sound more similar?

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I'm not sure, I dialed them in pretty closely I'd say

[@danomnihility2453]

Great comparison! The Powerball was surprisingly better than the mk1 version which was very dark. I think the Fireball with mid boost engaged might have the edge over the Powerball 2. The mid boost makes the entire amp more full.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I dig the mid boost for leads and classic rock!

[@ordohereticus3427]

Yeah, but the Powerball II has a mid boost as well, and unlike the Fireball 100, it has a whole knob for adjusting how much of that mid boost can be used. So that edge wouldn’t work as it can do the same mid boost with more adjustment options as well. The real advantage of the Fireball is in its raw and higher gain.

[@KipCount]

As an owner and big fan of the Fireball 25, I'm biased here. Fireball 100 for the win!

[@jeremytang5202]

I can't find a video of Engl Savage from your channel. Have you used one? What‘s your thought about it?

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Nope, would be cool though!

[@AmishMutantPower]

Great Video dude!!! I love ENGL!!! In fact I use my Kemper ( ENGL profiles) with an ENGL cab with Celestion V30 and sounds really AMAZING!!!

[@Chrizzy169]

Which Engl profiles do you use? I never found entirely satisfying ones either on the rig exchange nor purchased ones

[@AmishMutantPower]

@@Chrizzy169 this was my experience too until I found Jevo's profiles. IMHO are the best ones 💪😉

[@Chrizzy169]

@@AmishMutantPower thanks a bunch for the reply. Will check them out🤞

[@AmishMutantPower]

@@Chrizzy169 💪😉

[@dougb3854]

engage that mid boost on the fireball and it cuts hard .Love the FB

[@vladymlr8566]

What about steve morse engl? Or...Which is the best choice for sm style sounds?(between fireball and Powerball?)

[@ordohereticus3427]

Hey Jon. Great shootout. I think the Fireball edges out but the Powerball II is a solid contender. A question for you given that you mentioned these being in your top 5. How do you find them compared to the Invective, which is also very feature rich?

[@SonicDriveStudio]

The Invective is awesome! Amazing 5150 style amp and very versatile! I just prefer the ENGLs because of how they are voiced but that doesn't mean the Incentive isn't awesome!

[@ordohereticus3427]

@@SonicDriveStudio Hell yeah. All your high gain amps are unique keepers and the Invective is a feature rich improvement over the proven 5150 design. But we all have our favourites and I’d say your ENGLs and the JVM410 win out.

[@mrcl_]

i absolutelay love the Powerballs Lead Channels, thats exactly why i bought one :D but isn't it getting a bit warm for the top amp if you put them on top of each other? my Pwoerball gets quite warm when i play it so i don't dare to put another amp on top :X

[@ricklesshorse8159]

Do you prefer it or JVM 4 MARSHALL

[@nafis6668]

Fireball

[@necroticpoison]

Hey Jon! How many amps do you think you'd be able to get down to, in a hypothetical of absolutely having to minimise? And which ones would you keep? I'd personally go with something like a 5150III EL34, a DSL, and maybe an Archon or H&K.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Don't make me choooosseeeee

[@BaritoneGoatStudio]

I’ll take em both. But the Powerball has the edge on versatility. Damn. I need to invest in some amp power!

[@gab.lab.martins]

I always prefer fully independent EQs between channels. But if it has shared EQ controls except for one frequency, that one frequency should always be mids, not treble. Sometimes I think amp designers don't actually play guitar. Well, Jim Marshall and Randall Smith didn't/doesn't.

[@richarddwjensen]

What drum samples are you using in this video? The quality of your drum sound/programming is often overlooked while everyone is complimenting your guitar tones

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Thanks! I almost always use Steven Slate Drums

[@bradarndts6582]

Great video jon, love that you're showing more ENGL amps. Question, do you have plans to demo friedman amps in the future?

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I have my JJ JR but I have no plans for buying more Friedman amps

[@zleepyjan]

starts at @4:33

[@WillVRam]

15:00 vs 15:07 almost identical tone? Too hard for me to distinguish

[@jd5393]

ah, that lead 4 channel with a boost would be amazing

[@gravelrocks5588]

John should I upgrade my Fireball 25 to the fireball 100 is there really that much of a difference? Thanks

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I actually did a comparison between the 25 and the 100 and I recommend watching that

[@ExiLeZH]

The fireball low end is massive, the darker mid grind is also a bit more pleasant to my ears, just less fatiguing. @Sonic Drive Studio, I'm currently in contact with someone who's interested in trading his PWII for my Savage MK1, but I'm not sure yet. Savage is a beast but a little too aggressive/metal(lic) for my music taste these days. If I don't make the trade I will just sell it and perhaps get a FB100? What would your advice be? It's all just taste isn't it?

[@SonicDriveStudio]

So hard to say... so subjective :)

[@mikemitchell7529]

Hi Jon, great video as always! Liked them both but I think my wallet likes the Fireball more. Do you find it's pretty user friendly to dial in a high gain tone ? Eg I like Mesa Rectifiers too but can easily make them sound bad. While I think EVH is pretty easy to sound great from the get go

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Can't go wrong with an ENGL. You can always look up my videos for settings

[@darkpheonix69008]

Not a huge fan of hose if I'm honest, the only engl product I've tried and liked (and own) so far is the E520 preamp, pretty old school, very versatile and awesome sounding.

[@j-rod166]

Fire, because the word fire makes everything better!

[@NinecoreNeil]

At last waited a while for this in fact it was long enough to spend the grand I saved up for it 😂

[@AygisMusic]

Are you interested in trying a 120 savage? I feel like you would do that amp Justice. The level of attack and clarity is intense.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I wouldn't mind ;)

[@AygisMusic]

@@SonicDriveStudio If I had one, I would def let you borrow it. This is my most sought after amp. Only one year of saving to go! lol

[@big_hat_logan]

The Savage is awesome. It sounds way different than the powerball/fireball. Less compressed for sure, lot less “tight” but super aggressive

[@Ed_Kaye]

I've been wanting an Engl and at first wanted a Fireball 100, but I can't find them locally. The only used ones online are in Europe, so it will need to be rewired to 110V. With shipping and taxes, I'd be looking at $2200 CAD; new would be $3100. Alternatively, I could get a used Savage 120 MK2 for $2800 or Powerball 1 used for $1500. The Powerball is looking tempting. I've heard the Savage II is a bit too smooth. Hmmm.

[@metalvisionsongcontest7055]

Yeah, sounds like you have the opposite issue that Europeans have when they’re looking to by a Mesa Boogie Rectifier. Now, I for one never liked the Rectifier sound, so I’m lucky my top candidates - Marshall and Engl - are cheaper here. But then again, I’m obviously biased to *want* to find negative things about Mesa amps 😅. Even though I wouldn’t call them “bad”, just “overhyped”, due to the American bands that play them (since they get them cheaper), and because of the nimbus that the price tag adds to them. I’m curious, though, are there any American amp manufacturers that sound more like Engl amps do? Mesa definitely ain’t it. 😉 Olli from the German store session music (famous for their extensive gear demonstrations here on KZbin) said that Engl amps have a clear contrast between palm mute and open power chords, whereas Mesa amps have a more similar level of constant sound pressure for palm mute and open power chords. This makes the Mesa Rectifiers good for stuff with lots of open power chords - be it punk / alternative, or the way that Nightwish’s guitarist Emppu Vuorinen plays (usually open power chords, but staccato, instead of galloping palm-mute riffs). In short, if your playing style requires that frequent change between palm mute and open - as a lot of metal riffs do - what manufacturer would you turn to if you’re restricted to looking within North America?

[@grnmindead]

egnater tourmaster, vengeance, or armageddon next amplifier video? 😁

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I'm up for trying any ENGL!

[@KodyXXVll]

Actually the Bright and Bottom switches also affect the Lead channel, not just the Clean channel.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

On the Fireball? Yeah you're right... Oops!

[@cutoffguitar]

I liked the Powerball II better, to me it sounds tighter and clearer.

[@brianspoelhof]

These both sound huge. I actually like the fireball more! If you have already done it now I need a Fireball 100 vs 25 comparison. I love little lunch box amps!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I already did that video! Look it up! :)

[@brianspoelhof]

@@SonicDriveStudio thanks, man! Why I love this channel. Fuels my amp addictions!

[@prometheusrising8767]

fireball for me, its just sound so full and massive .

[@TimeCrisis1990]

although they sound similar i preferd the fireball in these clips

[@Demonik44]

i had both and still prefer the fireball 100

[@gravelrocks5588]

Are there any other engl amps that are three channels or less?

[@Sticky_Tea]

The blackmore, artist, ironball, savage? From the top of my head

[@Sticky_Tea]

Some, like the blackmore, may be two channels with two modes So basically still 4 channels? Sorry, this probably didn't help much 😂

[@TheOtherJohnBrowne]

Engl Retro Tube

[@AtifMetal]

The non SE Ironball is 2 channel just clean and dirty

[@HarbingerOfAnarchy]

You said they are top 5. What is your top 1 amp?

[@SonicDriveStudio]

There is no top 1. If I had to choose 5 it would be these ENGLs, my RedSeven, my Dual Rectifier and my Rockerverb.... Aaaaand my Kraken. Lol

[@jindrapekny448]

That Fireball sounds like boosted 800 with scooped mids

[@SonicDriveStudio]

It can sound however you like :)

[@MXP250]

Lead 4 is cool riff.