Hi, I got an Engl E570 preamp that I run through a VHT 2/90/2. Even though it's tight I can't help to think it is somewhat too thin sounding, will it get more brutal lower end if I pair it with an Engl 6L6 power amp? I was thinking the E840/50 or the Engl E850/100, the latter is really overkill but has the additional depth controls. So basically this is a VHT vs Engl power amp question. Does the Engl PA colour the sound more and will it help me get a "heavier" "riffing" sound? The VHT has KT88 which is supposed to have the bottom end of 6L6:s but feel there is something missing - more than my ability as a guitar player.. Hope this subject has not been beaten to death, did some searching but could not find too much info about this.
i'm no expert on the gear you ae talking about but the thin sound of the engl is a known issue with these preamps. i have heard some people put a graphic equalizer in their racks to get over this issue.
You'll probably be better off sticking with the VHT. People praise those on here and they are almost definitely more reliable than Engl power amps. I've heard of the 530 sounding thin but never the 570. Have you tried changing tubes?
This. The 2/90/2 is a standard and has been for years. It sounds better, and is built way better than either the E840 or E850. Switching to an Engl Power Amp would be a downgrade IMHO.
yea, the thin(ness) definitely shouldn't have anything to do with the VHT. VHT make incredible power amps. I own the 2/90/2 myself, and will never get rid of it.
+1. I've always used a graphic to shape my tone because I've never found an amp that had the exact character I'm looking for. Since everyone seems to agree that the VHT is basically the shit, I would get a nice 15 band graphic (I use an Ashly GQX1502 and I think it sounds great) and experiment. To me, it seems like graphic equalizers sound the best when you use them the least, if that makes sense. A slight bump here and a slight cut there can make a huge impact on your tone.
I ran the same combo for years, 570 + 2/90/2 and for my needs it nailed the exact tone I desired. I kept the bass ~9 o clock on the Engl and the depth almost off on the VHT so I'm especially surprised to hear someone say it's lacking low end. What cab are you running? The thinness you may be hearing might just be the 570, since the 2/90/2 does more to affect the feel (percussive as shit) than to alter the tone. The 570 is rather tight and focused sounding, so maybe you would prefer a preamp that is more even sounding across the frequency spectrum than it actually being a problem with the "low end".
Thanks for the replies, very valuable input so far!! I'm also really concerned about the build quality of the Engl and I don't want to have too many maintenance issues down the road. The vht is supposed to be very transparent which I have to agree with, so I wonder if the Engl pre only makes up half of the equation..I mean that the Engl PA colours the tone in some major way. I think I recall someone stating that ENGLs get more girth from their power sections. Really my head says stick with the VHT, my heart says GAS Anyone directly compared a VHT with an Engl power amp???
BTW I'm using two Bogner cube 1x12 cabs, they've gotten the job done in the past despite their size..
