ENGL Steve Morse 20 Signature amp

IMG_2016.jpegThe Steve Morse Sig 20 is back ordered everywhere so I ordered an Ironball SE.

I noticed the manuals show less cc# midi controls for the reverb on the Ironball and I reached out to engl for a possible firmware update. Here is their response:

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Ironball midi:
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Steve Morse 20 midi :

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It appears the only major design difference is that the presence control is on the gain channel instead of the clean channel.

This is a cool bridge between modern modeling rig functionality and midi control ..and ol school tubes.

Ironball SE inbound this week. 🙂
 
WKSmith said:
Ironball SE inbound this week. 🙂
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Same here. Found a Marshall 2x12 with V30’s really cheap a month ago and my plan was to get a basic power amp to run my FM9 through it. But started research lunchbox heads… and then Reverb had a good Ironball SE deal… and my wife is very forgiving…. So it’s on its way and should be here Wednesday.
Just gotta sell my Origin 20 combo to make room.
 
WKSmith said:
It's not here yet 🤣 the cab is back ordered and the gig bag too till sometime in September. The head just shipped today.
We shall find out all of her secrets very soon.
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👍 - Love the features on that amp. My H+K 20W has similar load box features but no onboard fx or bypassable fx loop. The midi bypassable fx loop is a great tool for use with Axfx in 4CM as it facilitates getting pre only or pre+p.a. into Axefx without recabling or using multiple Axfx loops. I bought one of these to make my H+K loop midi bypassable but would be great to have it built in. I have 5W Blackstar paired with the H+K for stereo power amp home use but would love to ditch the Blackstar for one of these Engl 20 watters.
 
I have been a BadCat dude for most of 10 years. This is the first tube amp I have been excited about in a long time. I am really looking forward to playing the ENGL.

They hold their value well, and I bought the 606SE for a great price. If it sucks .. I will pass it on. I am pretty sure though, that it will do a great job with just a compressor and a midi controller.
 
I put a little while in on the Ironball SE today. That is a gained up beast! The expanded midi controls do work. And while the delay sounds great, the reverb is not doing it for me. .. even with the decay, dampening, and pre delay hidden settings.

I found something quirky that I am talking to ENGL about. The FX loop return has a lower level and the highs are eq'd lower when the drive channel switch is engaged. It is louder and brighter with the clean channel switched on instead. Using this just as a tube power amp and cab works well if the clean channel is selected.

The noise gate chops up reverb tails in the loop too. ... which only works on the drive channel.

The amount of gain is insane! But dialed back a bit.. it cops some righteous big hair tones. The clean channel is nice and warm. The boost switches make it a sustaining fire breathing monster. The gain side gets a little nasally in the mids (kinda like a tube screamer) but it cuts through.

Haven't decided on keeping it just yet. It's very cool though.
 
WKSmith said:
I put a little while in on the Ironball SE today. That is a gained up beast! The expanded midi controls do work. And while the delay sounds great, the reverb is not doing it for me. .. even with the decay, dampening, and pre delay hidden settings.

I found something quirky that I am talking to ENGL about. The FX loop return has a lower level and the highs are eq'd lower when the drive channel switch is engaged. It is louder and brighter with the clean channel switched on instead. Using this just as a tube power amp and cab works well if the clean channel is selected.

The noise gate chops up reverb tails in the loop too. ... which only works on the drive channel.

The amount of gain is insane! But dialed back a bit.. it cops some righteous big hair tones. The clean channel is nice and warm. The boost switches make it a sustaining fire breathing monster. The gain side gets a little nasally in the mids (kinda like a tube screamer) but it cuts through.

Haven't decided on keeping it just yet. It's very cool though.
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Would be interesting to get your thoughts on how it is with Axefx in 4cm wrt any ground loops / level of added noise (if you might be hooking it up that way by chance)
 
I a returning it. 🫤
ENGL says the loop behavior is a function of the presence control. So it wonky on the drive channel of the Ironball SE and wonky on the clean channel of the Steve Morse.

So.. I bought a Matchless HC-30 and matching ESD212. That should do it 🤣
 
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