Engl E570 Preamp

The features are pretty extensive: 4 channels with two shared EQ, individual Treble controls, different switchable tone options that can be recalled by MIDI. My main complaint: Just a single FX loop.

I bought this preamp mainly for distortion. My guitars are mostly equipped with EMGs. I am very satisfied with the E570, currently using it with a Marshall 9005 poweramp. The Cleans are totally clean when using a single coils, which is the sound I prefer. However it is the Engl focused tight distortion sound I bought this amp for. In Modern Lead Channel 1 it is great for metal. Modern Crunch has the same focus and by itself is a nice convincing hard rock sound. I found that in combination with overdrive pedals I was able to get multiple usable metal sounds with these two channels alone. Modern Crunch combined with a Marshall Govnor is a real hot thrash sound. Modern Lead 1 is good like it is or combined with the Mid Edge Option activated. Using a Tube Screamer with this channel in Lo Gain Mode is another great option. Great. Lead 2 is more soft but can be tweaked to make a nice fluid leadsound that cuts through.
What dd not impress me at all was the MLP Bass Extension which made the sound muddy to my ears. Also the Classic mode was not my flavour, it also drops in volume significantly which makes it almost unusable as a switchable channel option.
Summarized, this amp has lots of options and a great sound. In combination with a switching system and boost/overdrive pedals, it turn into a very versaitile unit that can hold up with any other product on the product on the market - if you generally like the modern Engl sound.

No problems yet.

I contacted Engl about model advice before I bought this amp and about another technical question with one of their older preamps. I never recevied an answer, which really turned me off. Also their website is not very up to date most of the times.
However, this must have changed because earlier this year I tried again, getting their opinion about the E570 and the difference to a head possibly and they came back to me.

Very recommendable product.

2004.
You bet. I play top 100 and my own material, little sympho.
All tube 19" 2HE Preamp
2 x 2 channels. Clean/Crunch + Lead I / Lead II
Stereo FX loop
Frequency compensated stereo XLR out +4dB balanced
Frequency compensated stereo out TRS -10db unbalanced
Stereo output balanced for amplification
Ground lift on freq comp and non freq comp output.
Noise gate
Switches : Bright, Ultra Bright, Contour, Mid Edge, Gain Boost, FX-loop on/off, Mega Low Punch, modern/classic, noise gate on/off
MIDI control over the switches and channel selecting.
Phantom power over MIDI cable when used with Engl Z-12
Clean and crunch share bass and middle, lead I and II share their own bass and middle.
All 4 channels have their own dedicated gain, volume and treble.
Total mastervolume.

I use it with a Fender American Pewter Grey 1991 Maple Neck left-handed Strat, stock pick-ups and a little HPF.
My style is semi sympho (Rush, Marillion, The Fixx, Yes), but also top 100 (from Lionel Richie, Eagles, Van Halen, Stones, Steppenwolf)
This suits my "style" very well because it is so versatile.
This amp will suprise you, it's that noiseless. I encounter some hiss if I play on the Lead channel with Gain Boost activated. You can really shred and trash it. The hiss is hardly disturbing and still less than your average hi gain channel.
The clean channel can distort at any desired volume because it has it's own gain. The level thereof depends on your pick-up output. With my Strat it is easy to avoid distrotion. If you have high output humbuckers it will be harder to have it squeaky clean.
The distortion can be anything from blues (low gain - high volume), rock, to heavy duty shredding (gain boost).
The overall sound is very sophisticated, like Mutt Lange or Ted Templeman was already tweaking your sound through a console. The gain responds very well to the position of your guitar volume knob. I can play crunched appregios like on Red Barchetta on the crunch channel with the guitar volume on 5.

The SKB rack it is built in fell over during transport on my way to rehearsal the first time. I feared the worst, but it worked like it should. I have only done one gig so far and two rehearsals. I will have this amp serviced regularly like my previous amps. It is the only way to go.
I can't afford a back-up. That's just too much. I don't tour that intensive either. If I was a professional I'd consider a backup. Since it is made in Germany I trust the manufacturer to do his job well.

Didn't need it. The Manual is great, with a lot of notes and tips from Horst Langer who conceived the entire concept of the preamp.
Dunno about the warranty, should be at least 1 year.
No authorized service center within 30 kilometers. Whatever! I have already found a tube guru. Maybe Engl can appoint him as authorized.

I play since 1977.
My gearlist: Engl Z-9 footswitch, Fender Strat, TC G-major, Behringer FCB 1010, Shure EUT 14 UHF wireless for guitar, dB Technologies IEM 2200 UHF wireless in ear, Sennheiser e865, Behringer UB-802, Yamaha 01V96v2 // Roland JD-800, Alesis QS 6.1, Korg Wave SR, Roland R8m, Koch Powertone, Koch Loadbox 120 II 16ohm. Everything until the // go with me on stage. The rest stays at home. The Koch is for sale.

I love the versatality, the double lead channel and its weight (4kg).
I dislike the controlknobs, they are not "readable" even with a racklight on and also a little slippery. They look great though. The switches all have their own red LED, so they are great. The clean channel has a green led, crunch yellow, lead I blue, lead II red. Bigger LEDs would be nice, keep the colours. Violet on lead II?.

I compared this unit to my old Koch Powertone, the Engl 530, Vox Tonelab, Line6 Pro XT, Voodou Valve
One wish would be a controlable gain boost, so you can also influence the amount of extra gain.
I use this preamp with no poweramp. I go straight into the board like our keyboardplayer. At home I plug into my 01v96 and hear myself through studio monitors. It's like someone playing guitar on the radio.
I use this together with a TC-G major that is a perfect companion and gives me just about any sound I need. Wilder things are possible. Some might not like the sophistication of the sound, like it should be rougher 'round the edges. I like this just fine. The sound engineer we played with last time applied no eq on my signal. I thought the Koch Powertone sounded good, but this works much better for me.
The big plusses for me in comparison with my old setup:
Less items, less weight, less setup time, less maintenance cost (no power tubes), less heat, less powerconsumption.
Better sound, better sound quality, easier to mix in.
2 lead channels instead of 1, extra switches, more sounds on call.
No more fondling on my controls during a gig: One setting goes a long way.
Happy, happy, happy, happy, wow!!!!