Engl E660 Savage Special Edition Head

This amp has about everything. 4 channels, each with its own unique sound, different voicings, 2 masters, 2 presence with separate deep boost. I've not tried the SE E670, but if this amp had a modern/vintage switch to make it sound just a tiny bit more aggressive (witch I imagine that this switch does on the E670) it would have been the ultimate 10!

The 4 channels sound very different from each other. The clean channel is warm and clean, but with a high output mic it's easy to get the best crunch sound I've ever heard. Crunch 1 is a great crunch channel, but it has distortion enough to be a high-gain channel. Crunch 2 is a high-gain channel with tighter sound than the high-gain channel. If you can't get the amount of distortion you want from the high gain channel then you obviously got an acoustic gitar without a mic.

The bass is tight and heavy. The high frequenses have the right combination of sweetness and aggression. The midrange is the best I've ever heard in any amp. So raw, brutal and beautiful. The total sound is the best I've ever heard, and I've owned amps like Mesa Triple Rectifier, Peavey 5150, B-52 ST-60, Marshall JCM800 and JCM900. If I could choose I would have a fift channel with Rectifier modern distortion (with more bottom than the Mesa Rectifier), but I wouldn't change one of the 4 existing channels for it :-)

My second Engl amp. No problems so far.

I've only tried to send them one e-mail. I never got an answer.

The sound is clearly a 10. Best sounding high-gain beast I've ever tried. Would I get a new one if it where stolen??? I couldn't, because it's not made anymore sadly enough. I would try a SE E670. If that didn't satisfy me I would try my best to get a second hand E660. It would be an Engl no matter what...

!!!!!! Just an update of my previous review !!!!!!!

There have been several versions of the Savage SE, so you better take care. My SE was from the "bad" series, which had very much treble and prescence, so I had to take prescence back to 3, which didn't sound too good anymore...
The reverb problem could be solved directly at the "factory" (doesn't like one), where they built in a used, but working one.
They also had to replace one poweramp valve (6L6), which was blown, and a preamp valve as well (don't ask me why), altogether it cost me 50 $, which is in my opinion a fair price.
I found out that you'll never need all those Gimmicks, neither output switcher nor half power switch (sounds bad) nor the mid boost (sounds even worse). The spring reverb is also a bad solution, as I said, get a G-Force or Intellifex.

Please read my previous review, nothing has changed since that (except that I sold the amp now ;-]

In my case not very reliable, one poweramp valve blew after a couple of weeks and the main fuse kept blowing regularly after one week or so... glad I sold it. Also the spring reverb was a little bit crappy (read above!)

Well, they been kinda helpful and they seemed "experienced" in such things (looks I'm not the first one with problems...). The price for their work was ok. I even met Edmund Engl himself and had a chat with him. He's very convinced by his work and introduced the new preamp to me, which looks good but is much too expensive (bout 2000 bucks, for a preamp!!! reminds me heavily on Mesa Boogie Triaxis !?)

Played it / tried to do so maybe half a year, then sold it. I also had the savage 120, which was much better!!! I should have kept this one... well anyway, seems like I'll have to contact my bank and get me a VHT Pitbull Ultra Lead, maybe I'll give the Sav 120 another chance... dunno...
I only gave a 4 at the overall rating, 'cause even my Marshall Valvestate and my old Highes and Kettner ATS 60 sounded better!
I hope they've changed something in the mean time, so all in all, I recommend the Savage 120, it's cheaper and sounds better.

This amp is very (!!!) versatile, it has 4 cannels (Clean, Crunch 1, soft Lead, heavy Lead), 2 presence controls including bass boost , Triode/Pentode switch (Full/ half power), Rough/ Smooth switch in the Lead channels, Reverb... all switchable via the Custom footswitch.
It has two effects loops (one for Clean/ Crunch, one for soft/heavy Lead), a built-in cable-checker
The price is about 2100 $ (new), the custom footswitch (I recommend that)is about 130$
To be honest: I'd never need (and use) all the fetures, not only because some sound like ****, 'cause I simply hate dancing around on the footswitch

In short: 4 Channel head, 100/120 Watt (The manual says 100, the Amp says 120... 20 Watt more or less, who cares?)
Clean channel: Very warm sound, easy to overdrive, preshape switch
Crunch 1 : Don't be fooled by the name, it's the best distortion of all
Soft Lead: Well... not too bad
Heavy lead: Don't try this at home! Very !!! much distortion... bad to the bone
I use a LIMITED (that's important! :-) Fender Strat with Van Zandt Rock pickups in the front and a Seymour D. Hot Rails , a Wilkinson Convertible Trem, LSR tuning pegs.
I play Hendrix, ZZ Top, NO OASIS !!!, rock, R'n' B, blues...
It suits pretty well, it's not too noisy, I you have a little distance to the amp, the clean channel can be clean, but only if you want to... it can be crunchy as well, the other channels sound quite similiar, it's a little like the gain stacking of a VHT Pitbull Ultra Lead, the distortion sounds can be nasty (but good), I have to admit, it's not easy to get a good sound easily, but I guess you have time.
And here's one tip: throw the Accutronics delay out and get you a TC G-Forde or a Intellifex, the delay works as a mid and treble boost, once you activate it, you will never find a good sound, believe me!

Looks reliable (though I heard a few negative comments on other Engls)
I would use it without a backup, 'cause I can't afford another one (yet!!!)
It never broke down yet, but I'd always keep spare fuses guitar case (160 mA, quickblow, by the way)
It looks very solid...

Never dealt with 'em, BUT: the website is good and you can contact the master himself (Horst Langer), he'll always have time for you, well maybe not at 00.00, but at 3.30 am ;-]

Been playing it for about 2 weeks ( a long time if you play day and night)
It it was stolen, it would look for a dark-dressed man lying on the floor (Have you tried to run with 22kG?), OK, maybe I'd get me a VHT Pitbull UL, the effects loop is more silent than the Engl.
What I like most is the look... Mesa looks boring compared to this one... or can you see 10 beautiful valves glowing in the back?
I recommend buying an Engl 4x12 Box with Vintage 30's, it looks good, sounds better, weighs most (50kG)

This amp has 2 main channels with their own bass, mid, treble, treble balance and reverb (accutronics) controls. In main channel 1 you have the clean and crunch 1 channel, each with a gain & volume control. Main channel 2 contains crunch2 and lead, also with indepent gain & volume controls. It also has: 2 presence knobs(with deep switch), 2 master volumes, 2 speaker outputs (all switchable), a rough/smooth switch on the second main channel, triode/pentode switching and a lot more. It even has a cable check system built in.

I use a customized Gibson LTD explorer and an Ibanez JEM 777. This amp is the first I've ever heard that has 4 useful, great sounds. Most amps (almost ALL amps) have only one decent sound. I play in an alternative metalband (Uncle Meat), but this one is so allround that allmost every guitarist will be able to used it in his/her band. You can precisely choose distorting the input, preamp or poweramp and the rough/smooth and triode/pentode options enhance your sound possibilities. Last but not least, it goes extremely loud.

I think this one comes closest to the ULTIMATE amp of all I've tried (and that's a lot: marshall, mesa,... the whole shit)