Engl Savage sounds bad..

[lekteri]

..or my tubes are worn.
So I sold my Powerball II and got used Engl Savage 120.
I had Engl Blackmore few years back and it sounded great. I thought that the savage would be pretty close to blackmore by it's tonality. But it sounded very similar to powerball with the muddy low mids with no beef it the 80hz area. Top end was not good at all.

Maybe it is the tubes? When tapping right TAD 6550 power tube i got somekind of a thumb and rattling noise from the speakers.

 

[jipchen]

Sounds like you should replace the tubes because at least one went microphonic imho. Obviously there are other factors, like the guitar, pickup, cabinet, and settings but personally I find the Savage sounds good even with everything set to 12 o'clock as a starting point. I see you saw the thread with the Blackmore / Savage comparison, that's what the Savage sounds like pretty much I have a sample I recorded a while ago aswell, with less gain but I think you still get the idea: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3245929/jipchen_reamp.mp3

 

[lekteri]

Yeah. One of the 6550 powertubes is microphonic. Got low pitch hum feedback also when pushed the depth boost on.
Is the savage thin sounding without depth boost swich pushed? I remember that the blackmore had much beefier low end and it doesn't have any low boost swiches. I think your sample is little thin and box sounding too.

 

[lekteri]

Here is my raw blackmore clip.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29117493/blackmore.mp3
I am trying to get similar tones with the savage.

 

[ArthurD]

The Savage is insane! Sounds in the ballpark of the blackmore.
Here is my Savage Tone:

 

[lekteri]

Sounds like the blackmore is what i am looking for.

 

[schwinginbatman]

The Blackmore is an incredible amp, though I thought it was a bit undergained (admittedly I didn't have up too loud when I played it). The clarity on it was immense, a perfect power metal tone. With a tubescreamer it would have been exactly what I look for in a thrash metal tone. I don't know about the Savage, but it produced my favorite guitar tone ever (Exhibit B), so I know it's got the potential.

 

[varobinson]

I have a savage 120. Playing it right now heh. Of course, everyone has varying tastes. I don't have an ear like that re: 80hz and all. I'm happy with it. I will say it took me a while to dial it in due to the high number of options especially around gain staging, as channels 3 and 4 (lead) stage as far as I understand. Playing on lead channel I have bass at 12 oclock or 1, mids at 3 oclock, with treble at 2 oclock. Presence at 1 oclock. Most importantly, I went with gain at 12 oclock on channel 3 and maxed out on lead channel. Iead boost on. So it's pretty saturated.

Interestingly, a preamp tube was microphonic almost right away once I got mine as well.

 

[lekteri]

I have a savage 120. Playing it right now heh. Of course, everyone has varying tastes. I don't have an ear like that re: 80hz and all. I'm happy with it. I will say it took me a while to dial it in due to the high number of options especially around gain staging, as channels 3 and 4 (lead) stage as far as I understand. Playing on lead channel I have bass at 12 oclock or 1, mids at 3 oclock, with treble at 2 oclock. Presence at 1 oclock. Most importantly, I went with gain at 12 oclock on channel 3 and maxed out on lead channel. Iead boost on. So it's pretty saturated.

Interestingly, a preamp tube was microphonic almost right away once I got mine as well.

How about depth boost? Feels like if i leave depth boost off there is no low end at all compared to blackmore. And when i push the depth boost on the amp will be muddy and the low pitch feedback can occur.

 

[varobinson]

How about depth boost? Feels like if i leave depth boost off there is no low end at all compared to blackmore. And when i push the depth boost on the amp will be muddy and the low pitch feedback can occur.

I am at work but pretty sure I have depth boost on and I think that mid-boost setting off. I don't feel it's muddy at all even playing through a 4x12 Orange cab (2x Lead 80s though), but again its pretty subjective. My overall impression around the Savage is that if anything it is maybe a bit sterile sounding compared to say an Uberschall which to me has a great organic, slightly loser high gain. But I do really like the tone now with gain staged as it is.

All that being said, lead playing does sound a little better with a 'bright' pickup somewhat high on treble like the Kiesel k12 pickup I have on one guitar. Could be the Blackmore is better overall in any case to your ears!

 

[lekteri]

Changed the preamp tubes but it did not affected the tone. Maybe the highs are little better now.
One of the power tubes are microphonic. Going to take the amp to the tech to change and bias them.

Here is the comparison clip:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29117493/savage_bm.mp3
Same guitar, cabinet and microphone position(sm57).
First comes the savage with the honky/muddy mids.

 

[lekteri]

When gently tapping one of the power tubes by pencil this sound comes out from the speaker.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29117493/savage_powertube tap.mp3
Master and preamp volumes at 10 o'clock

 

[varobinson]

Changed the preamp tubes but it did not affected the tone. Maybe the highs are little better now.
One of the power tubes are microphonic. Going to take the amp to the tech to change and bias them.

Here is the comparison clip:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29117493/savage_bm.mp3
Same guitar, cabinet and microphone position(sm57).
First comes the savage with the honky/muddy mids.

I hear the difference of course. If I get motivated I'll record my own and send out a sample .Suppose once it's been biased and such and you still can't tweak it to your liking time to move the amp?