Which amp for extreme high gain? Help me make a decision please!!!

[AD Chaos]

Hello all

So, been saving up my pennies for more than two years.. wanting to buy a head for extreme gain/black metal-not raw stuff (clean channel, a little secondary, at least atm)
..Up until a few days ago I was pretty much sure about my choice, the ENGL E670 with 6L6s.. That's what I´ve been saving for.

But now the time comes when I'm supposed to make a decision (next week, or else my pennies saved will just start sitting there doing nothing at the bank).
I don't have a way to test boutique amps -damn music stores for children here just carry on different brands of 15w transistors so really all I have to decide with so far is price tags and sound/vid clips.

I started looking into this forum again about a month ago and there's all this talk about 5150s, 6505+, Rectos, and more recently I see Earsound, EVH, Fortin, etc etc etc

I am going out of my mind here. My limit for a head is 4k, because that's the price of the SE in the States, and so that's what I saved up for from the get go.
To complicate things further, I see the ENGLs have to be biased manually, whereas others such as Mark V or a Natas have much more options for different tubes? (also Diezel, but that goes even higher, so that's a no no)

Also, I don't see practically anyone endorsed by ENGL using the SE670.. Lots of talk about the Invader and Powerballs (Savage mentioned here and there) but almost not a word about the 670.. I don't get it

I asked for Ola's kind help and he was very cool and gave me some advice, but I'm still very confused.
I'm not asking anyone to make a decision for me, but I sure could use some opinions

Thanks much

 

[AntonioPetrole]

Hello all

So, been saving up my pennies for more than two years.. wanting to buy a head for extreme gain/black metal-not raw stuff (clean channel, a little secondary, at least atm)
..Up until a few days ago I was pretty much sure about my choice, the ENGL E670 with 6L6s.. That's what I´ve been saving for.

But now the time comes when I'm supposed to make a decision (next week, or else my pennies saved will just start sitting there doing nothing at the bank).
I don't have a way to test boutique amps -damn music stores for children here just carry on different brands of 15w transistors so really all I have to decide with so far is price tags and sound/vid clips.

I started looking into this forum again about a month ago and there's all this talk about 5150s, 6505+, Rectos, and more recently I see Earsound, EVH, Fortin, etc etc etc

I am going out of my mind here. My limit for a head is 4k, because that's the price of the SE in the States, and so that's what I saved up for from the get go.
To complicate things further, I see the ENGLs have to be biased manually, whereas others such as Mark V or a Natas have much more options for different tubes? (also Diezel, but that goes even higher, so that's a no no)

Also, I don't see practically anyone endorsed by ENGL using the SE670.. Lots of talk about the Invader and Powerballs (Savage mentioned here and there) but almost not a word about the 670.. I don't get it

I asked for Ola's kind help and he was very cool and gave me some advice, but I'm still very confused.
I'm not asking anyone to make a decision for me, but I sure could use some opinions

Thanks much

My three choices would be EVH 5150III HD, Mesa Triple Rectifier or an Engl Savage. IMO these three are the most distinct from eachother. Is this for live use or studio? What kind of cab and speakers do you have?

 

[derfbonker]

with that kind of money, i'd get a 5150/6505 and get it modded.

 

[AD Chaos]

I'm set for an ENGL Pro 4x12 cab w/v30s.
Home studio or even studio rec.

I don't have stores that sell them- let alone mod them.

 

[lolzgreg]

Baron K2 or 5150 III

 

[AD Chaos]

Aw fuck - not more options!

You own the 5150III and the Natas already, I assume?

 

[Josh Burgess]

5150 III and a mesa oversized cab.

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

What kind of black metal sound are you talking about here? Are you talking about Darkthrone-style three-chord mayhem, or slightly more technical/prog stuff ala later DsO or Enslaved?

 

[AD Chaos]

None of those. The classic Emperor sounds to me very much like Rectifiers, which is good but not what I'm after. I like Reinkaos by Dissection (I already was told the late Jon used ENGLs there) and The Arrival by Hypocrisy, to name a few. Dimmu also has some good tones but they're always changing gear.

I want to get my own sound of course. Much people in here talk a lot about 5150's many number of improvements on other brands, but I think that's too much mids or high mids for me -for a first amp at least. I guess americans prefer that

 

[Omega_Void]

...I don't see practically anyone endorsed by ENGL using the SE670.. Lots of talk about the Invader and Powerballs (Savage mentioned here and there) but almost not a word about the 670.. I don't get it

670 is pretty new out isn't it? That's probably the reason.

Samoth from Emperor uses Engl of some kind, I believe. The sound on "IX Equilibium" and on Zyklon's "World ov Worms" has for me that Engl thing about it.

Honestly my advice is to take a daytrip out to a place where you can try some amps yourself, if at all possible. Even if it costs a wad of cash, it's still not much compared to what you could lose buying an amp and then selling it on 'cos you're not really happy with it.

 

[AD Chaos]

That's a pretty good idea.. And where would that be? (that they have all these great amps to fiddle around with?)

Would have to cross half@the world probably, though.

 

[Ola Englund]

just get the 5150iii already

 

[AD Chaos]

just get the 5150iii already

jajaja

Would it make angry sex to your old Savage?
Because at least the looks on that amp scream Eddie -not BM

Coming from anyone else, I would disregard the opinion.. But I feel temped for the 5150iii and the Roadster 2x12.. Half the price of the SE/4x12

 

[Omega_Void]

That's a pretty good idea.. And where would that be? (that they have all these great amps to fiddle around with?)

Would have to cross half@the world probably, though.

Depends where you are. Your location is listed as "In a mental institution" -- I can't derive from that how realistic a proposition it is.

Locate large music stores in the nearest cities. Determine travel links. Phone stores to confirm which amps are in stock where. Draw up itinerary allowing you to try as many of the amps you expect to like as possible.

Remember also, the sales dudes only get paid commission on what they sell. Make it clear you have money to spend -- and try to look like you do. If I go in a music shop in my normal scuzzy clothes I get less helpful attitude on average than I get if I shave, wear my suit and tie my hair back all slick.

And take your Tube Screamer with you.

 

[AD Chaos]

I guess I could fly to NY - a friend of mine went there last year and said I've would have gone berzek over there

But the trip alone would be around $2000-2500.. I can get an amp for that money

 

[Omega_Void]

I guess I could fly to NY - a friend of mine went there last year and said I've would have gone berzek over there

But the trip alone would be around $2000-2500.. I can get an amp for that money

Okay, scratch that idea then.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

earforce
6505
rectifier

 

[RiF]

I don't think that you'll be happy with a 5150/6505 type of amp. For BM, I'd stay in the Engl or Mesa domain.
Here in Europe, we can order stuff and send it back without reason if we don't like it.

 

[AD Chaos]

That has always been my impression.
5150s would take up much more space IMHO and maybe that wouldn't be good for some strings or orchestral arrangements.

I always thought the sound of Behemoth was weird for bm (not for other subs of course)

 

[amarshism]

hahaha, i srsly thought your thread title said 'help me make a distortion please.'