Engl Invader 100

The ENGL Invader 100, is a 4 channel all tube amp that has a vast array of extremely usable tones on tap. It comes stock with EL34 tubes, and is ENGL's first dedicated EL34 amp.

Each of the 4 channels have their own dedicated 3 band EQ section, with gain and volume controls, as well as 2 master volumes and master prescence and depth controls. This is addresses a common issue with previous ENGL amps that had controls that were shared between multiple channels. There's also high and low gain settings for all channels, which can be extremely useful, and opens up the amp for even more versatility, as you can easily dial a channel in to be useful on both gain settings, going from a clean to mild breakup, or crunch to a heavier rythm sound. The voicing of the high and low gain modes on each channel are quite different, in effect making the Invader an 8 channel amp.

Personally, there are 6 different sounds I switch between, clean, crunch, 2 rythms and 2 leads. The sheer versatility on offer is nothing short of staggering. I mainly play Rock, Metal and Jazz, so the ability to switch between and save the different tones I need, rather than having to re-EQ everything certainly takes a lot of the effort out of it.

A great triumph is the fact that all the functions of the amp are MIDI switchable, from channel switching to master volume, mute, and switching between 2 effects loops. The only flaw here is that you can't switch both loops off, only switch between them, so effectively I use one loop dry as a bypass. This isn't a problem for me, as I only use minimal effects, but it is worth noting if the idea of two loops intices you. I use a Pod XT Live as a MIDI controller as well as an effects unit, and setting up and saving the various patches was extremely easy.

Pretty much all of the functions are extremely usable, with the noise gate being the only one that I don't use, but that's due to the fact that I own an ISP decimator than any shortcoming on ENGL's side.

A great criticism of ENGL has been that some of their amps sound extremely compressed, sometimes even processed, or digital. This certainly isn't the case with the Invader, it's a much more open sounding, organic, and dynamic sounding amp.

The compressed sound isn't evident here at all, it's extremely lively in response, and the way it responds to your picking really puts to bed the idea that all ENGL amps are digital sounding. You can vary the sound quite easily just by the strength of your pickstoke, going from clean to breakup to full on crunch without even touching the volume on your guitar, or the gain knob on the amp. The preamp here is certainly nowhere near as saturated as on the Powerball, for example. There's a hell of a lot more mids on tap as well, so there's no problems dialing in a fat lead tone.

Overall it's a more classic sounding amp, and more well rounded than you might expect a high gain multi-channeled amp to sound. Lately I've been greatly influenced by Dave Fiuczynski, and I've no problem dialing in a gorgeous tone like he had on Hiromi's Sonicbloom, in fact, the Invader has gotten me closer to his tone than any other amp I've used before. The sheer quality of low-gain sounds from this amp is really astonishing, which is certainly not what you'd expect from a manufacturer who seems to be the first port of call for Death Metal players.

Metal tones are of course incredible on the Invader. It's nowhere near as high gain as the other ENGLs I've used and owned, but they've got stupid amounts of gain on tap as it is. Here I've only got the gain knob up half way on channel 3 in high gain mode, which is the heaviest distortion I use and it's certainly more than enough for playing extremely heavy Meshuggah style music. To my ears, it's got a very Mesa Rectifier or Soldano SLO kind of sound to it, without being muddy like a Rectifier. Channel 2 in high gain mode delivers a fantastic, more classic sounding distortion, perhaps the most Marshall sounding setting, it gets very close to the sound of the distortion on Megadeth's Rust In Peace album.

Channel 4 is what I'll use for lead work most of the time, as it has the most midrange of all the channels. It really is a gorgeous lead sound, I'd be hesitant to compare it to anything, although some people have likened it to a Mesa Mark IV lead tone.

Overall, it's just an incredible sounding package. Much more prominent mids across the board, and one big criticism I've had with ENGL in the past is that the prescence was far too harsh, but they've addressed that complaint as well with the Invader, because it's a much brighter sounding amp, but the whole top-end sounds like it's been smoothed off. No more ice-pick highs. Extremely good job.

While I've only had this amp about 6 months now, I've been using ENGL amps for over 2 years in band situations, and so far, not a single hiccup from any of their products.

Never had any ENGL product fail on me, so I've never had to deal with them directly.

I can't really say enough good things about the Invader 100.

I've been playing over a decade, and in that time played and owned many amps, from Mesa Boogies such as a Dual Rectifier, Mark IV and Nomad, Peavey 5150, and previous to this amp, an ENGL Fireball, I feel I've now got the most consistant, versatile, and best sounding amp I could possibly get for my money.