Used SE e670

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dazzl1113

New member
I am in a classic/modern rock/metal coverband, I'm interested in the most versatile amp I can get that is midi programmable/switchable.

Clearly there are some significant differences across the list I'm considering below: However, there is a Special Edition e670 (6L6) available to me (USA) for $2400, virtually mint condition. I have not had the chance to play it but have watched every YT video I can and Engls site.

Most of the amps below are significantly less $$ than the SE e670 but would welcome your thoughts...I'd hate to pass on "the amp" if the SE might be it, frankly the idea of an ENGL (being a bit more exotic and not what everyone else has is cool too). I've also read people claiming ENGL's are overpriced in the US due to the German pedigree but that everywhere but the US they are the "peavey" of amps...build quality suspect. $2400 is the most money I have/likely will ever spend on an amp so this concerns me as well.


H/K Switchblade/coreblade
JVM 410h

Non-midi that look interesting but would require midi switcher to interface in my rig:

Mesa Roadster
Mark V
 
The new JVM Joe Satriani is the most versatile amp for the money I have come across in a long time. Sounds killer too.
 
Thanks for the fast reply.

In your opinion is it worth the additional $1200/$1400 over used JVM410H?

Appears to have replaced the reverb with noise gates and modded the clean and crunch channels a bit.
 
I had an SE670 for several years. Everytime I put it side by side with any amp in any price range that I thought might sound better, it was either able to approximate the other amp by about 90% or it sounded better. it also recorded much better than any other amp I've ever owned but I never could get on with it in a live band situation. My needs changed and I wanted something a lot less modern so I let it go and moved on to Camerons. My 2cents...
 
The ENGL SE is killer, just expensive.

I think the JS JVM is a much better amp than the original, the gates work well, the clean is the clean from the 6100, the red crunch channel is the AFD circuit and the heavy channels are the same but a little less compressed. I also really like the EVH 5150III 100 watt as well if your on more of a budget.

JVM JS = $2600
5150III 100 Watt = $2000
 
This SE is $2400 before negotiations as its used, though from his descriptions and detailed pictures it looks great.

As for the vintage/modern bent of which I need both types of sounds there is the vintage/modern switches and it has the tube driver circuit which is very vintage sounding. I had always thought of ENGL being surgically precise metal amps but I've seen some fantastic videos of its versatility...I've seen it do reasonable jazz, country and rock sounds w/o any effects.

I have been pretty interested in the JVM's....I only tried one once, for literally less than 15min...and it was a combo I recall it sounding thin but that may have been due to not having time to tweak it adequately. How is the bottom end on the JS? The cab I presently have is 1960B Lead with GT12/75W speakers.
 
As you can see that is one on my list is well. There is guy with 90min who has one and the matching 4x12 w/V30's in great shape for $1200 total. Not the TSC version but that's ok.

Intriguing because the EQ can even be saved to the midi pedal as they have "smart" encoders on the eq.
 
The vintage settings sounded awful in the SE, IMO. The power sction is way too precise to give that warm fuzzy sound that you probably perceive as vintage so it just sounded flubby and scratchy to my ears in that setting. I didn't find it did low gain plexi type sounds that well because of that but it did do great JCM800 type sounds on channel 2 (of the 4 channels) especially well.
 
I have an E670 EL34.

I love it.

The cleans are very very jazzy fat cleans.
The channel I use most is Lead 1.
I'd bargain with the guy a bit more, but the price is in the regular range.

It sounds nothing at all like the Mesa amps whatsoever.
Definitely majorly compressed. However, it works in these amps.
I think the thing with a lot of ENGL amps is that they seems scooped live, because of the compression.
But damn, they do sound good.
The SE is one of my favorite amps that I own.
you will NOT use all the options, but will use quite a bit.
not all modes and sounds are amazing, but the ones that are, are awesome bar none.

I dunno about the 6L6 version, but I quite like my EL34. Perhaps mine is not as scooped since it has more mids from the EL34.
Look through my videos, you will find one or two live ones using the ENGL.

Good luck with your decision.
 
Thanks all for the assist and feedback. I ultimately decided to go with a Mesa Boogie Mark V. Overall I love the tones and the flexibility, I had to sacrifice a native MIDI integration so I'll have to get an ampgizmo or similar in order to control it via my Boss GT-100 effect processor but I think I may be done amp shopping.
 
I also owned a Engl SE670 (6l6 version )but only for eight weeks or so.
I bought it blind becourse I played a lot of Engl amps before, that I thought were great.
I liked the Engl 530 preamp and the Sovereign 1x12 e360 combo a lot ( but only the older version )
The Engl ES670 specs were promising but I really didnt like the sound of this amp.
For me it sounded cold and digital and this lesson costed me a lot of money .
I had it checked and totaly retubed but I still wasn't happy with it.
I should have tried it before I bought it, and I can only blame myself for it.
Afther that I tried a new Engl Sovereign 2x12 e368 amp, but had the same problem again.
For me the older Sovereign E360 sounder warmer and better than the new E 365 and e368 types.
This is just my personal opinion so don't shoot the messenger

Greatings
Dorrus
 
^ I really dug the mechanical nature of the SE. Expect some compression, expect it to be tight as fuck and not need a boost.
 
I played Mightywarlock's ENGL. If I had the money I would buy one without hesitation. That said, money being a factor, my second ENGL choice is the Steve Morse model, but they're so good you almost NEVER find them used.

The Hughes & Kettner Switchblade gets a very bad rep, but in truth is a great and versatile amp. I would probably pick it over the Coreblade.
 
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