Framus vs. Engl vs. Marshall

[The ORIGINAL South Of Heaven]

I realise these amps are all pretty different from one another, and as much as I like the sound of the Mesa and Peavey stuff, just too many people have them and I'm looking for something different.

I was considering an Engl Fireball, due to the price and the fact that when I saw Stratovarius tour the US last year, Timo Tolkki was using one and he had the best tone I had ever heard at a live show, without a doubt. I was also considering a Marshall DSL100, due to the fact that I can get one for right around the same price as the Fireball. I have played out of them, like the sound when a Tubescreamer is in front, and it's a pretty uncommon amp as far as metal goes. Just recently, I have been offered the opportunity to pick up a Framus Cobra for a pretty good price, but I've yet to play out of it. I don't really know much about them aside from James Murphy loves his, and Killswitch Engage use them. I don't like Killswitch, but they do have pretty good tone. Could anybody with some more experience with these amps offer up any more information?

 

[xmarcelx]

These amps are much more expensive than the Mesa and Peavey stuff in the USA, right?
I think it's not worth! I never liked something I heard out of a Framus (though never played one) I don't like Marshalls for metal (pushed they can sound good) and can't hear Engls anymore coz everyone plays one in germany!

But maybe these amps sound more fresh to american ears !

 

[Carrier Flux]

personally I haven't been terribly impressed by the Framus samples I've heard. Engl I've been loving most of the samples I've heard. Marshall is a good standard, and easy to get service on in the US.

Personally between these I would go Engl. But I'd say it's a matter of taste as they are all good sounding brands.

btw, the best live tone I've ever heard was two guitarists both playing through 5150's, and I don't like 5150's I think with tube amps it has a lot to do with what you do with them. most are customizable in some way (different tubes, gain structures, booster pedals etc), so you can get unique tones out of them one way or another.

 

[zmetallica]

i use marshall now and its pretty standard to my ear, but nothing special. as i'm not familiar with framus i'd say go with Engl, i'm new to them and what i've heard i've loved. sure beats the hell out of peavy.

 

[Keiffer]

personally I haven't been terribly impressed by the Framus samples I've heard. Engl I've been loving most of the samples I've heard. Marshall is a good standard, and easy to get service on in the US.

Personally between these I would go Engl. But I'd say it's a matter of taste as they are all good sounding brands.

btw, the best live tone I've ever heard was two guitarists both playing through 5150's, and I don't like 5150's I think with tube amps it has a lot to do with what you do with them. most are customizable in some way (different tubes, gain structures, booster pedals etc), so you can get unique tones out of them one way or another.

the last thing I would do is make an amp judgement based on a clip posted anywhere. clips are solely someones opinion at the moment and are seldom representative of an amp's capacity in general.

sorry, but your post makes absolutely no sense at all.

kp-

 

[zmetallica]

also factor into account the production involved in that clip. sometimes they sound better than they will in real life.

 

[Tachy]

I have the framus cobra and I love it, two month ago I played with a guy that have the dsl100 Marshall, the cobra somke it in every sense, clarity, definition and power....at this time I use a mesa std recto cabinet with the v30 and I love it more!!

 

[LSD-Studio]

i've posessed basically every engl ('cept the special ed), they all are good in a way, but IMO don't come close to a soldano or 5150 or recto or VHT or....
in the us they're way too expensive (same thing for boogies over here).
the only ENGL i'd really recommend trying are the blackmore and the savage.

can't understand the hype all over the world.

would like to try the cobra, tho...

HATE marshalls (just my taste )

 

[Tachy]

I never had experience with engls, I'd like to try somthing....

 

[Where She Wept]

Dud, how could you get an Engl that cheap? the powerball is close to double what a DSL100 costs over here!? I looked up a DSL100 on musiciansfrend.com $1,649.99 USD and the powerball i priced at a dealler costs $2500 USD + tax. no quite double but close enough.

 

[Carrier Flux]

the last thing I would do is make an amp judgement based on a clip posted anywhere. clips are solely someones opinion at the moment and are seldom representative of an amp's capacity in general.

sorry, but your post makes absolutely no sense at all.

kp-

there are characteristics in different amplifiers tones that are recognizable through different speakers, mics, mic positions and gain stages. You start to notice aspects you do and don't like that bridge across different people's samples and you can start to get an idea.

it's pretty uncommon to have A/B/C amplifier comparisons created in a re-amping situation with all equipment and settings identical. once these comparisons are common place you can give me shit for making estimations based on mp3 samples I find online.

 

[The ORIGINAL South Of Heaven]

Dud, how could you get an Engl that cheap? the powerball is close to double what a DSL100 costs over here!? I looked up a DSL100 on musiciansfrend.com $1,649.99 USD and the powerball i priced at a dealler costs $2500 USD + tax. no quite double but close enough.

The Fireball is only about $1,200, and I can get Marshalls cheap because I work at Guitar Center

 

[Salvation 13]

Well, a few (biased) words of the Cobra:

The clean channel, very bight, chimey, almost sterile sounding. Breaks up only when gain is dimed.

Crunch channel, dry, tight, great for thrash. Low mid voicing. (Mids at about 700-800 Hz). Very articulate, the chords ring out nicely and don't turn into mush.

Lead channel, more compressed, more sag and bloom. Darker sounding than the crunch ch. When the crunch ch. is my favourite for thight metal rhythm, this one is great for that "wall of sound".

The Cobra has it's unique voicing, you'll either love it or hate it, I strongly recommed trying before buying. (But remember that it took me almost a year to get *the* sound out of it. This amp needs to be biased above 30 mA and I hated the stock EH power tubes).

This amp sounds best IMO with TAD (Ruby) EL34B-STR and a mix of Tung-sol, Shuguang and EH pres.

 

[Keiffer]

Well, a few (biased) words of the Cobra:

The clean channel, very bight, chimey, almost sterile sounding. Breaks up only when gain is dimed.

Crunch channel, dry, tight, great for thrash. Low mid voicing. (Mids at about 700-800 Hz). Very articulate, the chords ring out nicely and don't turn into mush.

Lead channel, more compressed, more sag and bloom. Darker sounding than the crunch ch. When the crunch ch. is my favourite for thight metal rhythm, this one is great for that "wall of sound".

The Cobra has it's unique voicing, you'll either love it or hate it, I strongly recommed trying before buying. (But remember that it took me almost a year to get *the* sound out of it. This amp needs to be biased above 30 mA and I hated the stock EH power tubes).

+1... but Ch 1 for me is more Fenderish than Sterile.

 

[Hexer]

for some reason I've never been a big Marshall fan. I've hear really good tones out of marshalls, but never anything that made me want to get one.

from Framus I have only tried the Dragon (have yet to find a Cobra) which I though sounded pretty damn cool

what I play myself is an ENGL Powerball and I really love the sound of it. the Fireball sounds pretty similar, but not exactly the same. also keep in mind, that the used cabinet plays a pretty big role in the sound you'll get out of these amps!

its true though: ENGLs seem to be pretty overpriced in the US, just as Mesas are really overpriced over here

 

[Torniojaws]

and the powerball i priced at a dealler costs $2500 USD + tax.

That is pretty bad, but not as bad as Mesa/Boogie in Europe :zombie:

I bought my Powerball and an Engl Vintage 2x12" cab for 1770 euros total, or about 2100 $USD.

But for example Mesa Dual Rectifier costs 2550 euros here (that's 3060 $USD).

 

[Jacob Hansen]

I would avoid Engl. They wont cut it, I think. Framus is indeed special. But why not a Krank?

 

[xmarcelx]

Hey Jacob what was used on the "Heaven Shall Burn - Deaf to our Prayers"? I really like the tone on this record!
I was wondering coz afaik they play Powerball and Cobra live!

 

[sorceron]

i recently did extensive recording shootouts with a krankenstein, 5150, and a engl powerball. the 5150 being the cheapest sounded the best with the engl a close second.

 

[Tachy]

The cobra sound is awesome, the clean channel for me is superb not sterire.
With the right setting the cobra will cut trought any mix and with is raw tone is perfect to play metal.
And don't forget that the caobra have a very functional midi implementation...