Even with the previous firmware, I dialed in a symphony x sound (most popular band to use them on their albums pretty much) I think I nailed it completely. The opening riffs for iconoclast I had completely nailed.
All I did was, raise bass to about 6. Gain was around there. Mids at 4 or so. Treble at 5-6. Boost with a tube screamer in the input boost with 12db.
The fireball is not exactly the same as a powerball but they are close in character. The fireball gain channel has a tighter low end. (be aware we are talking generation one ENGL here, both the fireball and powerball amps were completely overhauled)
It is very important to know the change, the powerball and fireball in their current versions sound quite different to the way they sounded before.
People hated the extreme scooped character of the amps, for me it is what makes them unique. Listen to symphony x and you really hear that character. They changed both the fireball and powerballs to have more mids and a different feel.
You either like the tone or you dont. Most people never liked the amps but seem to love symphony x when they hear it.
Important to understand all that because people seem to think the amps are supposed to sound like a 6505 or something.
Oh and I used a engl cab in my patch with the amp. Ownhammer 4x12 with V30's most likely.
And I was going to say like unix, you need to understand a guitar sound in a mix can be totally different to what you expect. The powerball model is/was very accurate, imo people who dont like the model would have the same experience playing the real amp.
With the new firmware, the model once its updated though, will sound better. The powerball model has a very compressed feel and the more attack you feel/hear in Cygnus should make that model much better feeling to play.
