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Topic: Engl 530 pre |
Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 10 May 2017 10:58 am |
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Know anything about this pre? I'm going to need something to replace my old Blue Tube II in my big MosValve rack mount rig. I changed out all the pots in it and now I don't have a Clean channel and no gain on the OD channel.
Anyway, I'm looking for something that has a good pedal steel preamp, kind of hard to find with these rock preamps, plus a good lead channel for guitar, laps, slide etc. Need a 2 channel unit ala the old Blue Tube II.
I'd be interested to hear anything about these Engl pre's that someone has experienced. Thanks. JO.
http://engl-amps.com/cms/uploads/tx_ddfproducts/OM_E530_Tube_Preamp.pdf |
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Greg Lambert
From:
Illinois, USA
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 10 May 2017 2:55 pm
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That looks like a nice unit, but I need a 2 channel switching unit with stereo ins and outs. Dedicated 2 ch. stand alone preamp only. Have all the fx etc. in processor. Thanks.
I'm interested to see if this Engl has a usable clean channel for pedal steel or if it's a Marshall clone or just what it is and what other people have experienced with it.
I've just started investigating what's current out there. I may find an old 9002 or another 924 that's had the pots changed out...or perhaps something other than.... |
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Brad Sarno
From:
St. Louis, MO USA
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Posted 11 May 2017 5:45 am
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Or consider a good clean all-tube steel guitar preamp and some type of pedal for the overdrive effect when you want it.
B |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 11 May 2017 11:24 am
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Points taken, but it's already wired and configured. I'm just looking to replace the preamp. I have other stuff, but I have specific requirements for this rig.
There's about $2K worth of stuff here, so I need to either replace the pre or decommission the entire thing and sell off the pcs. You know how that goes, the 500 & the Reverb unit will sell for a decent price, but the rest of the stuff would bring peanuts.
I don't have the funds to complete it right now anyway, I'm just looking ahead for ideas. Probably something like the out of stock Mesa rack mount V-Twin, Lee Jackson etc. or the other units I mentioned earlier with 2 channels or something current like the Engl or something similar.
This rig is my benchmark since about '92, against which I judge everything else so it will be hard to give up.
I realize most of you have abandoned rack rigs, but not me. There's too much versatility programming multiple sounds for multiple situations and instruments so I'm not ready to dump it all just yet.
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 30 Jun 2017 6:06 pm
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Well, this is what I found. An old Boss GL100 unit from the 80's? for less than a C note. Actually, I ended up with 2 of them and on the trail for another one for backup. I never knew of these, but I like it a lot.
2 channel analog SS preamp with 5 stages of gain from Fender clean to hard distortion plus a second channel with 4 settings including flat, cutting, drive and distortion. Got XLR's balanced outs, speaker sim, loop, dry input for tuners etc.
Along with the existing SX700 studio processor and the Boss Parametric PQ50, plus 2 sides of eq on the TubeWorks 921 Reverb unit, the tone shaping possibilities are nearly endless.
Working great with a nice clean fat sound for pedal steel + a myriad of sounds for straight guitar, slides and lap steels...also for acoustic electric guitars and resonators by switching channels and/or kicking in the parametric eq.
I sort of robbed the big MosValve 500 to use with just the GP100, and used this MV962 80w x 2 for this rig, but it's plenty powerful and reduces the weight just a tad.
All analog and mosfet technology rig except for the SX700 processor. Basically old school stuff, but then again, so am I. Still living in the 20th Century, but me happy.
I think I'm set until this Boss pre blows up...and hopefully it's more reliable than the Blue Tube II with all the pot issues.
I still think a 2 channel preamp by one of our steel guitar electronics wizards is a hole that needs filling for players that play multiple instruments, but the old Boss works just fine for my purposes and will hopefully last out my remaining years playing these rigs.
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ajm
From:
Los Angeles
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Posted 1 Jul 2017 5:59 am
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Jerry: Just a comment about that set up of yours.
I'm probably being a paranoid worry wart, but there doesn't seem to be much room for air circulation. This always worries me.
I know that solid state stuff is supposed to run much cooler, but there was a topic on here recently about someone having problems with a SS amp overheating due to being backed up against a wall, hence not giving it enough air flow.
It appears that the Mos Valve 500 has some vents on the front, so I'm assuming that it may have a fan inside (I don't know for sure).
Unless you really like the Real Tube Reverb, you could free up a space by removing it.
Even so, it would still be kind of tight. I know that the trend is to go with fewer and smaller and lighter pieces, but maybe getting two smaller racks would be an alternative.
You may have squirreled away a fan in the back that isn't visible. If not. maybe that is an option also.
Like I said, I may be worrying about nothing. Just my $0.02 worth. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 1 Jul 2017 6:21 am
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Yes, the MV amps have circulating fans and the case has a big door opening and venting at the bottom. No problems related to heat that I've been aware of using it since the early 90's. It does get a little warm sometimes, but I'm not at all concerned about that.
I wouldn't be without the Reverb unit. It's more than just reverb effects...there's stereo eq and 2 preamp tubes in there. It's the heart of the whole system. You can really tell it when that unit is bypassed.
With a pair of speakers, it can be a lot to tote but I'll keep dragging it around 'til I'm not able to play out anymore.
I have other gear too, but this is the one. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2017 7:58 am
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Jerry,
Your original rack setup reminds me a lot of mine.
I love the Tube Works stuff, including the Blue Tube II.
I have used that unit for years and never had a lick of trouble.
I haven't done business with Genz Benz for quite a few years but I used to be able to get parts for the Tube Works units from them.
Pull up their site and they have a section for discontinued models. |
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