Powerball V.2.......Tell me about it?

[crwnedblasphemy]

The goods and bads? Stiff? Not stiff? Fluid? Not fluid...?

and FEEL? Good?

Loop? Good/bad?

Give it to me....Used market price as well with footswitch?

Kage said Ralphie's was pretty cool. I don't know what version it was though? Most of you guys know the style music I like. Not really the detuned stuff, but 80's guy. Whitesnake/Savatage/ stuff.

 

[gibson5413]

I owned one for a little over a year before I upgraded to an SE. I'm mixed with the amp.

Pros:
Tons of gain and low end
Plug 'n play
4 channels
Looks pretty cool
Lots of features
Easy to play
Good for bedroom players

Cons:
Sounds sterile
Plays stiff
Only played on Channels 1 & 3 (I'll explain why)
Some features are gimmicky
Sounds best with low tuned guitars

In all, the amp was cool but I just didn't jive with it. I would typically keep my gain at 11 o'clock. I mainly played on channels 1 & 3. Channel 2 was a crunch but didn't work well. I would need to dime the gain to get it to sound just ok. Perhaps a boost would have helped. Channel 4 was channel 3 with more gain and compression. I didn't like the way it felt or sounded. The amp had a ton of cool features like a built in noise gate. There were some other features like boosting the low end that was just not real world at all. Kind of fun when you wanted to shake the walls but my guitar would completely disappear with it engaged. For me, the amp sounded a bit lifeless. The tone was ok but there was just no complexity to the tone. It is quite simply a high gain monster. I thought it sounded best with a detuned guitar. My guitars tuned to standard E just sounded sterile to me.

I didn't dislike the amp. In the end, it just wasn't for me. The SE was a major upgrade over the Powerball.

Just my $.02. BTW, it was a version 1.

 

[Bash_Man]

A friend of mine has one and I've jammed with his band couple of times now. While it sounds tight, aggressive and has tons of gain.. I find it to have a real hard time cutting through in a band situation. specially when you add a 2nd guitarist.

I dont know how exactly he has it setup. But when I jam with his band, my Splawn Nitro cuts through much better.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Thanks guys.....I play mostly in standard, or standard Eb, so that is what I was afraid of. Every clip I hear is of some kid detuned playing Behemoth riffs which is fine, but I play more Oliva/Lynch stuff?

 

[duodecim]

Thanks guys.....I play mostly in standard, or standard Eb, so that is what I was afraid of. Every clip I hear is of some kid detuned playing Behemoth riffs which is fine, but I play more Oliva/Lynch stuff?

I believe German industrial metal band Rammstein has made several records with the Powerball. It suits that kind of music really well, but if you want a more 80's sort of sound – like an organic hot-rodded Marshall – I think that's rather on the other side of the spectrum. I think the Powerball sounds punchy, smooth, dark, modern and to my ears not very warm or organic. While a typical hot-rodded Marshall would be warmer and brighter, more organic and rather crunchy than punchy and smooth. Almost the opposite in a way...

The Blackmore and Invader sound more organic. The new Kreator CD has ENGL Invader all over it, and I think Enslaved used them too for their last record (as far as anyone is really using what they say they do in the studio...). The Invader is rather dark though to my ears... Too dark for 80's metal perhaps, you'd have to try and see.

Given your criteria, I'd try the Blackmore first (if you want an ENGL).

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Thanks guys.....I play mostly in standard, or standard Eb, so that is what I was afraid of. Every clip I hear is of some kid detuned playing Behemoth riffs which is fine, but I play more Oliva/Lynch stuff?

I believe German industrial metal band Rammstein has made several records with the Powerball. It suits that kind of music really well, but if you want a more 80's sort of sound – like an organic hot-rodded Marshall – I think that's rather on the other side of the spectrum. I think the Powerball sounds punchy, smooth, dark, modern and to my ears not very warm or organic. While a typical hot-rodded Marshall would be warmer and brighter, more organic and rather crunchy than punchy and smooth. Almost the opposite in a way...

The Blackmore and Invader sound more organic. The new Kreator CD has ENGL Invader all over it, and I think Enslaved used them too for their last record (as far as anyone is really using what they say they do in the studio...). The Invader is rather dark though to my ears... Too dark for 80's metal perhaps, you'd have to try and see.

Given your criteria, I'd try the Blackmore first (if you want an ENGL).

Thanks man!! Well put! Organic, Non Hi Fi, yet smooth feel with the Marshall bite is all i ask for!

 

[gibson5413]

Thanks guys.....I play mostly in standard, or standard Eb, so that is what I was afraid of. Every clip I hear is of some kid detuned playing Behemoth riffs which is fine, but I play more Oliva/Lynch stuff?

I believe German industrial metal band Rammstein has made several records with the Powerball. It suits that kind of music really well, but if you want a more 80's sort of sound – like an organic hot-rodded Marshall – I think that's rather on the other side of the spectrum. I think the Powerball sounds punchy, smooth, dark, modern and to my ears not very warm or organic. While a typical hot-rodded Marshall would be warmer and brighter, more organic and rather crunchy than punchy and smooth. Almost the opposite in a way...

The Blackmore and Invader sound more organic. The new Kreator CD has ENGL Invader all over it, and I think Enslaved used them too for their last record (as far as anyone is really using what they say they do in the studio...). The Invader is rather dark though to my ears... Too dark for 80's metal perhaps, you'd have to try and see.

Given your criteria, I'd try the Blackmore first (if you want an ENGL).

Thanks man!! Well put! Organic, Non Hi Fi, yet smooth feel with the Marshall bite is all i ask for!

I hear the Morse signature Engl is more tailored to lead playing. I would give that one a shot too. I believe he used the Invader as an initial guide and added tons of mid shaping options. Might be worth a look.