I haven't played an ENGL personally, but all the clips I've heard have sounded somewhat... unmusical? I dig the tightness and definition, but as with active vs. passive pickups, I think there's a compromise made. There was a thread on Harmony Central Amps Forum a while back about popular amps you don't like and you could see engls there pretty often. On the other hand, there are like 60 members who own a Powerball, so go figure.
And dude, they're no way that expensive. Just like 2000. if you're interested in the specific prices go to www.rocksolidamps.com and see for yourself.