# Engl Savage vs Invader



## Tulu (Jul 22, 2009)

Which one of these do you guys prefer?
I'm having a hard time choosing.

I'm looking for a metalcore / death tone.
Which head sounds more modern?

Thanks!




This is probably my last thread about amp help, so thanks for the help guys!


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## Marlon (Jul 23, 2009)

Tulu said:


> Which one of these do you guys prefer?
> I'm having a hard time choosing.
> 
> I'm looking for a metalcore / death tone.
> ...



I have an Invader 100 and I love it. But I love it because it is less "modern" sounding.

Have you looked into buying a used SE, you could find one just at the limit of you price range. They fucking crush with modern tone! I would offer you mine but I am already in the process of trading it. 

I liked the SE EL34 much better than the 6L6. Has more cut and definition.


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## Arsis (Jul 23, 2009)

I would really like to know how you guys compare the two amps since they are some of my most wanted amps.


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## Marlon (Jul 23, 2009)

Arsis said:


> I would really like to know how you guys compare the two amps since they are some of my most wanted amps.



Which two? The Invader vs Savage or the Invader vs SE?

I have not played the Savage, so I can't give any advice. But I own an Invader 100 and a SE EL34. So I naturally I have compared them side by side. I also owned the SE 6L6, so I can give the difference between both SE's


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## stuh84 (Jul 23, 2009)

I've played both (own the Invader, played the Savage on numerous occassions), and my personal preference is the Invader, hence why I own it, but the Savage is a great amp.

In terms of rawness, I think the Invader is the most raw of the two, it seems to have more aggression to it, whereas the find the Savage a slightly, I don't know, rounder tone I guess? The Savage would fit for slightly smoother tones than the Invader, but the Invader I find quite versatile compared to the Savage, so the Invader can do more than the Savage.

Cleans the Invader wins for me, the Invader can get the Vox-y kind of clean I love, the Savage is just a generic high gain amp clean tone really.


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## kayman121 (Jul 23, 2009)

I had the Savage, got the Invader 100, and promptly returned the Savage. The savage had a nice cutting rhythm sound, but when it came to leads, I just couldn't get over just a tad of brittleness and even slightly fizzy high end. And when I did get rid of it, it sounded muffled. The Invader is fucking just as brutal, more saturated to my ears, and the top end is smooth as a baby ass if you want it to be. Invader can sound more classic than the Savage, but it can sound just as modern too IMO.


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## daos_27 (Sep 14, 2010)

Marlon said:


> Which two? The Invader vs Savage or the Invader vs SE?
> 
> I have not played the Savage, so I can't give any advice. But I own an Invader 100 and a SE EL34. So I naturally I have compared them side by side. I also owned the SE 6L6, so I can give the difference between both SE's


 
Ok well how does the SE compare to the Invader and the Savage? I really would like something in between the liquid modern sound of the Invader and the Edgy ripping brutal chunk of the Savage or Fireball is the SE the answer to this? If not how does it sound compared to the others for Brutality and modern metal 

Also which would you choose out of the EL34 SE or the 6L6 SE and why? 
Thank you!


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## goherpsNderp (Sep 14, 2010)

there's already a thread for this a handful down...

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/gear-and-equipment/130179-engl-clash.html

EDIT: not pertaining SPECIFICALLY to the Savage 120 but it's pretty much a general ENGL comparison thread overall.


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## EdgeCrusher (Sep 14, 2010)

If you haven't heard Within the ruins, check them out. They use the Savage 120 + Maxon OD808 and they sound fucking sick! So tight, clear and brutal; definitely one of my favorite tones of all time. They used the Savage on the CD Creature, as well as on the new upcoming album.


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## Sacha (Sep 15, 2010)

I've owned both but not at the same time. To me they are pretty different for the basic heavy rhythm tone. The Savage is a lot more grindy, more raw with tons of mids. The Invader is a lot smoother, more compressed and way more scooped on the 3rd channel. Both great but tastes differ! I'd say overall the Invader is a lot more versatile but can't do the Savage tone.


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## Peteus (Sep 17, 2010)

I found the invader and absolute beast more in your face tone it literally invades everything. However I own a savage I personally prefer the cleans on the savage to the invader as far as high gain stuff the invader was a bit fuller and very powering however the savage felt a bit more gritty but in a good way has a feeling of being a bit more focused and therefore the tone feels like it has more clarity but still completely mental. In my band me and the other guitarist have a savage and and invader and I would say it pretty much just works!


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## Acatalepsy (Sep 18, 2010)

I vote Savage. Both amps are very high quality, but the Invader didn't have the same aggression I was looking for as the Savage. I would try and play both if at all possible- it's the only way to know for sure.


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## StefanWest (Sep 24, 2010)

EdgeCrusher said:


> If you haven't heard Within the ruins, check them out. They use the Savage 120 + Maxon OD808 and they sound fucking sick! So tight, clear and brutal; definitely one of my favorite tones of all time. They used the Savage on the CD Creature, as well as on the new upcoming album.



This I didn't know.... I coulda swore they were using Cobras.
This is just what my ear was telling me.

Thanks for the insight.... they do have one of the tightest "loose" feeling sounds besides PWD on horizons


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## daos_27 (Nov 27, 2010)

Tulu said:


> Which one of these do you guys prefer?
> I'm having a hard time choosing.
> 
> I'm looking for a metalcore / death tone.
> ...


 

There is no compitition it would be the Savage hands down. The Invader is not a high gain metal monter like many believe trust me! I have owned every ENGL tube head bar the SE. 

I would personally choose the ENGL Screamer over the Invader for metal even if they were the same price! And yes I have played both the Invader 100 and the 150 they sound exactly the same the Invader 150 actually moves more air so it's probably that little bit better for high gain metal but would still chose any other ENGL bar the Thunder (and the classic of course) for high gain modern metal. The bright switch for all channels is the only difference between the 2 tonally and in my opininion it is not needed and it is one less thing you need to fiddle with. 

Though again I would never own either of the Invader 100 or the 150 the Savage the Savage SE and the ENGL SE are the 3 best ENGL amps followed by the Fireball 100 and the new Powerball 2 then the Screamer then the Invader and the Thunder but they are the only 2 ENGL's I don't like but at least with the Thunder you know what your getting and you get what you paid for so the Invader is really their only disappointing amp 

If you really want metalcore I would go the Peavey 5150/6505 or the old Ultra Plus for a third the price and just as good if all you wanna is metalcore. The Dual Recto is a really good one but at that price you could almost get a Savage and you should be able to get a Fireball 100 for the same price depending on where you live. 

The Fireball 100 is a bit more modern and a tiny bit more brutal the the Dual Recto so if you wanna spend a bit more than what you can get a 6505 for get the Fireball 100 but if you want really low tuning anything below B I would highly recommend the Dual Recto it is the only tube amp I have found to play 8 strings with enough clarity to come through in a mix.

The Savage is definately one of my favourite amps I just wish they would give it a modern overhaul with more bottom end and a noise gate. It could also really use a smooth knob to get a more liquidy tone as apposed to the big crunchy gain. Also a wet/ dry knob would be killer as I am finally starting to get a bit tired of the overly wet sound that ENGL's are famous for I wish they could get more dry like a Mesa Mark or a Soldano etc but then of course come back to a saturated monster. 

Yes I own a Mark V as well anyway but if an amp could do both the Dry and Wet brutal distortions well it would be the best amp in the world


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