[InTheRavensName]

...I miss the way tubes cut through. There, I said it. My HD147 sounds very cool, but I miss that clarity I get from tubes for cutting through a mix. Now...here's what I'm thinking of doing:

1) Sell HD147...no brainer really, it's a solid amp but it'd just become a glorified practice amp
2) Buy a new amp...here are my ideas (One band plays sortof a mix of megadeth/early helloween thrashy speed metal, one band (that I'm going to be jamming with in the next few weeks) sounds like the bastard child of Behemoth and Nile. Drop A, fast as shit off a shovel blackened death.)

Rocktron Piranna/Mesa 50/50. This is available on ebay now, and I figure on using my XT live as a midi switcher/FX processor. Apparently this will bring me pretty close to a recto for about £500 (Single Recs normally fetch £800ish over here)

ENGL Fireball. Slghtly more expensive. No midi, and less versatility. Also no option to change preamps etc. But I do really like the ENGL sound.

Peavey 5150. Cheaper (~£4-500), built to last, and worked well enough for Carcass, Keep of Kalessin and Metal Church. Less versatile than the rack, and I prefer the Fireball sound to it. But it's cheaper.

Any thoughts? In particular, any thoughts on the Piranna rig, as I may pull the trigger. Any presets would also be very much appreciated, both classic heavy metal and modern clinical death especially

(Axes are all EMG'd ESP Ltd series made from Mahogany right now, cab is a Marshall 1960A. Max budget ideally is £600. and that's a push.)

[Apophis]

buy ENGL

[HamBungler]

The Piranna's a badass preamp, and its pretty cost effective from the sounds of it. I'd go for it!

[Jagw]

I love my Engl through and through, but for what you want, i'd be inclined to head for the 5150/6505's.

Although that rack stuff does sound tempting, cause you've got an XT Live as another pre-amp just incase you fancy mucking about with sounds. I expect you could easily get what tone you're after with that setup. For £500, it does sound like a good deal and leaves you with a lot of versatility.

But it's your call, the Fireball is definately nothing to be sniffed at.

[budda]

get the most versatile rig you can.

[InTheRavensName]

Sodding Piranha sold about 10 mins after I posted this...not best pleased haha. Thanks for the advice guys, I'm not going to do anything really until I've sorted myself financially in April, but I want to try and weigh up which direction I'm going to go in soonish

[Drew]

Originally Posted by budda

get the most versatile rig you can.

Not at all. Get the rig that sounds exactly what you want your rig to. How well an amp cuts it for woody jazz clean sounds may be a measure of versatility, but for a dude into Behemoth/Nile, it'll get you nowhere.

Engl's are very popular around here these days, but for a guy in the UK with the tones you've referenced in mind, have you played a Marshall DSL? A DSL50 or 100 might get you close. The TSL is technically the "higher end" amp, but the DSL's have more gain, are more affordable, and there was a slight "fading" into the channel whenever you used the footswitch on the TSL which I believe isn't there on the DSL.

Of course, the emulated output on the TSL absolutely kicks ass, and you don't get that on the DSL's...

[7StringofAblicK]

DSLs rule

[Nick]

for what your wanting to play id say get the fireball. it may not have the versatility but it has the tone of an amp twice its price.

If you are generally jumping between clean and rythm you can do that, and you WILL get a good clean tone even with the shared EQ. If you are switching to leand there are 2 mastervolumes so you can boost your volume for solos rather than changing you EQ.

Obviously im biased because i own one and love it but its really not as much of a 'one trick pony' as it looks or is made out to be.

[loktide]

i agree with drew. you only need as much versatility on amp as you'll actually use.

You already said you prefer the Fireball's tone to the 5150.
So go for it! The fireball is a really great amp. I love mine