The AMAZING ENGL Savage 120 MKII! (Mother Of All ENGLs)
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- Thanks for watching my in-depth review and demo of the amazing ENGL Savage 120 MKII all-tube amplifier! The amp definitely speaks for itself but this thing can do it all and it can do it so well! Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Cheers!
ENGL Amps: www.engl-amps.com/
Gear used in this video:
- Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s (Seymour Duncan JB)
- Gibson Les Paul Custom
- ESP LTD Phoenix Deluxe 1000 QM (Duncans)
- ESP LTD NW-44
- ESP LTD Phoenix Deluxe 1000 (Fishmans)
- ESP LTD EC1000T
- PRS SE Mike Mushok Baritone (Dimarzio D Activator)
- Ibanez M80M Meshuggah 8-string
- Schecter Damien Platinum 9 9-string
- ENGL Savage 120 MKII
- RedSeven Amplification Amp Central reactive load
- OwnHammer Essentials Cab IRs
- Cubase 12 Pro
- Steven Slate Drums 5.5
Thanks for watching! Please subscribe along with the bell and follow SDS at:
/ sonicdrivestudio
/ sonicdrivestudio_official
/ jon_symons
#engl #savage120mkii #metal
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
01:06 Passive Metal Demo (LTD NW-44)
02:45 Signal Chain Details
03:22 About The ENGL Savage 120 MKII
04:24 The Main Controls & Features
05:49 Unique Controls Of Channels 1 & 2
06:59 Details On The Clean Tones
07:28 Clean Tone Demo (Gibson Les Paul Custom)
09:37 Dialing In / Tweaking The Clean Channel
11:55 Details On The Crunch I Tone
12:30 Crunch I Demo (Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s)
14:24 Dialing In / Tweaking The Crunch I Channel
16:34 Unique Controls Of Channels 3 & 4
18:34 Crunch II Demo (Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s)
20:06 Thoughts On Crunch II
20:31 Dialing In / Tweaking The Crunch II Channel
22:25 Discussing The Lead Channel
23:40 Heavy Rock Demo (LTD Phoenix Deluxe QM)
25:05 Talking About The Active Metal Demo
25:56 Active Metal Demo (LTD EC1000T)
27:50 Baritone Metal (PRS SE Mike Mushok)
30:02 8-String Metal Demo (Ibanez M80M Meshuggah)
32:03 9-String Metal Demo (Schecter Damien 9)
33:50 Dialing In / Tweaking The Lead Channel
36:24 Conclusion
Disclaimer: this amp was sent to me by ENGL and I get to keep it, I'm not getting paid any money. As always all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own!
It's savage time! What do you think of this beastly amp?
Note: DOH! Someone pointed out to me that I was tweaking the wrong gain control in the crunch 1 dialing in section. I didn't even notice that so that was an oopsie! 😅 (I actually did that on purpose to see if anyone would notice ;) )
Oh we noticed, that will haunt you forever🙁, but we still love you just the same.
John you work with IR's right? I personally like it more when you pick up the straight RAW sound directly from a real box using different mics, just like Ola Englund did in his "In the room" series and use it instead of IR's. Gives me a more natural feeling instead of those fabricated IR's. What do you think? Otherwise I NEED this amp it's such a beast.
@kinglord5163 that's just not going to happen for a multitude of reasons. I also don't think that IRs sound "fabricated". They simply sound like a properly mic'ed up cab. That is all
You should sell t-shirts saying "Clean is the new Crunch 1".
I love the 5150. But the Savage MKII is the best amp ever made. No contest.
You have the best amp demos on CZcams. The point of a demo is to see how the amp changes when dialing in the tone. You do it slow enough to actually understand the amp. If I were to buy the amp now, I would probably already know 90% of what I am getting just by watching this video. Thank you and fantastic job.
Really appreciate your comment, thanks! :)
It’s also the only video that has any demonstration at all of what the Tone Balance knob actually does.
Savage is a pretty accurate name for this beast.
Wow. Thanks for the killer demo of this beast. Tone for days!
Nice! About time you got a Savage and you did it justice! Second best amp in the world to me!
finally a fully featured demo showing what this amp can do...thanks!. I would love to see all the Engls go head to head so we can really see the tonal differences
I feel like you dial in the Engl amps better than any other amp. Bravo on another killer tone
Hey Jon, I would love to see a video on your writing process. Drums, guitar, bass the whole thing! I think all here agree you're a very inspiring musician.
My favorite amp since I was a kid. The 5150/6505 and Mesa runs a close second. I might try and pick up the Savage 60 next year. Excellent walk through as usual brother 💯
Waoh ! The ENGL is amazing as you said and i love the way you play. Great video ; again !
Absolutely love the tones dude! I come here for the demo but I’m always equally blown away by your awesome riffs!!
Thanks! That means a lot!
Just one of the sickest amps ever made! Absolutely awesome tones!
Dankje!
You got me hooked on my first ENGL. Now you might get me hooked on my second ;). Awesome video!
Wow man, when you do a review, it's a full commitment.
It is by far the best demo of the Savage a saw so far.
I really love the amount the details you mention prior to your sound clips.
There is no need to read the manual once we saw your videos.
Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
I love seeing how popular your channel has become, Jon. I've been subbed since I think 2017 or so, and you've been one of my favs ever since.
Thanks for sticking around!
As always, great review. Thanks a lot, it's nice to have a full walk through before going to a shop to try out gear.
Thanks!
🎉 Been waiting a long time for this. No more bugging you about this amp! Now I’ll bug you about an ENGL Amp comparison video 😂
Wow you did do a test with Dimarzios ! So cool, you're awesome, Thanks a lot ! Dimarzio / PRS sounded by far the best to me followed by EMG / LTD
Sounds killer! Engl just has YOUR sound although you make everything sound rock solid!
Excellent methodology for reviewing this amp.
That 9 string demo, holy shit that's awesome!!
Haha thanks! The 9 never disappoints!
My favorite amp ever. I got mine (Mark 1) in 2014 and I'm still in love with it. I've never played any other amp with such a fast and articulate sounding. Unlike many other youtubers, you digged into it and and understood its complexity Jon, congrats 👏👏👏. Mix it with some Strymon effects and won't come back to any other amp in a long time 🤘
It's that Engl thing, my first tube amp was a 1994 Engl Savage 60 which i bought from a local band in 2006, i still have it today. When i play on another amp brand i'm looking forward to go back to an Engl so i sold my other Marshall and bought an Invader100 and a Powerball25 aswell. Engl all the way, favourite amp brand.
best metal sound channel ever!
Was looking forward to this one 😎
I hope you enjoy it!
Amazing top quality video as always !
Thanks! :)
All the Engls sound so good, I can't decide which one to get lmao. Great vid, subbed
They are all awesome! I would recommend starting by looking at what sort of features you want, how many channels etc
Favorite amp of all time
Undeniably ENGL! If I only had one amp to cover so many wide ranges of genres and needed a feature laden setup, I'd be hard pressed to not get SAVAGE. ENGL does right by allowing you to showcase their best amps, because nobody makes them sound better! Amazing video, Jon.🤘
Thanks so much buddy!
Wow. That's a big, bold and brutal amp 🤘
Great amp! I think Engl improved their low gain crunch sounds by a lot in their new models compared to the older ones from the 90s and 2000s.
Also i want to mention that Engl amps have the best FX-Loop i know, when odd pedals cause problems in some Marshall's FX-Loop they still work issue-free with Engls of all sort and age.
I fell in love with these amps thanks to Gary Holt’s tone on Funeral Hymn. Always wanted one. Although it obviously excels with heavier detuned riffage you showed that it’s more versatile than that. Well done!
Cheers! Gary is a legend!
but later he betrayed Engl for some Marshalls!
Outstanding video as always ❤❤😊
Thanks very much!
Thank you for uploading this video🤘I play savage 120 and artist edition 100.Never disapointed with that amps that with ease replaced 99% of other amps in my collection.For this amp the name „Savage“ is programm-This amp does his name justice.Its a wild raw and brutal monster of high gain.But can also do much more than metal.
Greetings from germany🤘😎
I have the Artist. Do you prefer the mk2?
the savage and the special edition founders edition are probably my favourite high gain amp
Most versatile amp I've heard maybe ever. I almost wish it didn't exist, because now I have to buy it.
Amazing!❤
Thanks Jon!!
Tha Savage is a sick amp and one of the most underrated Clean tones in tha Game…great amp ENGL! Great review S.D.S! 2X12 OB alnico cab IR’z would have been nice for the clean demo part though.
Finally! Thanks, Jon!
I hope you enjoy it!
I have always want this exact guitar and amp!! And even better together, great tone man!
Thanks! Which guitar?
@@SonicDriveStudio That Neil Westfall 🤤 My favorite guitar I have right now is a les paul with a bareknuckle in the bridge, so I know that NW44 would be awesome as well
@@highsocietyskate it's an amazing guitar! One of my workhorses
Super video, man!
Thank you!
28:55 very nice reference to that cool bridge riff in Meshuggah’s Bleed and sick AF tone!
32:26 Mick Gordon has entered the chat
Pure savagery! The very last clip with the 9 stringer could be a good way to test the tightness and articulation of many of your other tighter amps like the Fireball, Powerball, 6505, Invective, Diavlo, etc.
It is one of the best amps for me!!!!!!
Great video as always.
Quad recorded guitars with Lead Channel (gain around 11 o'clock) is like a wall!!!!!! (Try it!!!🤩 )
Thanks for this. Amazing how your mixes are so punchy.
Cheers!
Hey man been watching your content for a few years now and always love your videos sound and playing.
I have a video request for getting deeper into the ownhammer IRs. Would you ever consider making a video on the sounds of the different mics by themselves and then a few samples of them blended that way we can hear all the difference? It doesn’t need to be every single combo imaginable, just a brief explanation of what each mic is good for and what they may be best mixed with. And could the same be done for each type of speaker? For instance the 4x12 rect essentials would be a helpful starter.
I understand how the mixes work and what 0-10 does for each I’m just new to mics and all the different speakers that come in IRs.
Thanks again
i have the old savage 120 with 2 kt88 power tubes, most insane and unique sounding metal amp ever created imo, the v2 is also just a dream of an amp, you know your stuff dude! 🎸🙏
Awesome! That's a modern classic ;)
This is the most thorough and in-depth playthrough/review on the tube by far, awesome tone and playing too! Well done and cheers! Also have you had a chance to play though the EVH 5150 III Stealth 100? I think you'd knock it out of the park 🤘
Thanks! Never tried one of those
I absolutely love the sound of the lead channel. Have since Gary Holt used it to record. KT88/6550 are my favourite valves for power amps. The only two issues I have with this amp are: 1) feature-wise, I’d much prefer a Mesa-style 3-channel amp with separate EQs. I need two high gain channels with independent EQ, one for rhythm, one for leads. 2) The price 😩 ENGLs are so fucking expensive. I currently use a JVM, and you can literally buy two JVMs for the price of one Savage. I mean, it’s even more expensive than a Triple Rec. I can’t justify spending that amount of money on a “4-channel” amp of which I’d only use one.
I don't know why but that Crunch II demo song made me instantly think of Billy Talent XD Brought me back to my teens and World of Warcraft! Haha :D
im surprised to hear how amazing the clean channel is, I wonder if I can tweak it to nail some James Burton style country pickin. It seems to do that very well but also it sits well with Wishbone Ash, Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden style leads. this amp does EVERYTHING!
Awesome video man! Do you have a band? If not, you need to make one cause your riffs are absolutely awesome! 💪
Great!! now please test vs fireball and powerball and every ENGL amp that you have
What’s amazing about this amp is the lead channel doesn’t need any extra boost pedal. Extremely powerfull and tight on its own
Absolutely! That's usually the case with ENGL amps though. Very tight if you need them to be but still organic!
No ENGL needs an overdrive - but they all still sound and respond better with one
@@markuso1862 highly subjective
I fired up my engl se yesterday. I think a boost might even ruin the tone. Sounds killer straight in.
@@SonicDriveStudio I'm with you on that as a fellow engl owner for over 12 years. I think a boost saturates it to much,thins out the full tone it otherwise has.
Very refined like studio quality. Very balanced great sounding amp. Super versitle. I'm wondering if its bc of the tube difference from the fireball.
this amp sound very similair to my engl se. settings and tone. great stuff by engl.
Thank you for the video, yet another great review. Just one question, dont know if anyone has already mentioned this, but why were you turning the clean channel gain knob when playing the crunch 1 channel?
The only ENGL amp i fell in love so much was Powerball for some reason. Ironball sounds pretty similar just in smaller package and less low end. The rest were always bit too much for me.
I still use an Engl Savage Special Edition 120 💪🏻💪🏻killer!
I also have a Savage II, for a couple of years, and while I love the other channels, all this time I've been wondering if there's something in mine broken with Crunch channel II. I just sounds "wrong" somehow to my ears, and turning back and forth the "Tone Balance" control seems to do pretty much nothing. After watching your excellent in-depth video I'm glad to see there's nothing broken in my amp, it's simply like this by design :D
Tonal balance only work in « smooth » mode as is indicated in the manual :)
If it takes me 3 years to save up for one of these ..so be it. I will have one. A new one. And i can finally be happy. Haha
One of the best amps ever made! If you want even more balls, run the preamp section into the power amp section of a 5150 Blockletter! You'll be pretty surprised!
u should do more videos dialing the amps :) specially the powerball 2 because thats the one i want to buy:) but i dont know how it behaves:(
Great job Jon! Your mixes really are top notch. I swear if you ever decide to make a course on mixing and home recording I would be first in line.
Had a question for you, have you ever had the chance to play anything by Splawn? Would love to hear your opinion on the QuickRod or especially the Nitro considering your affinity for heavy music. If you ever get the chance to try one would love to see it on the channel.
Thanks man!
Never tried a Splawn
This was Savage
YOU are savage
Engl and Diezel are kickass amps !
German engineering at its best.
Holy carp! when did PRS make a black Mushok signature? I think in the states we only got a silver and tobacco burst version.
Sick as always!
It's modded
Savage vs. Mesa DR? Go!
The badist amp in the land. bro you should due a live video.
In regards to chunkier metal tone, what would you prefer? The Diezel VH2 or Engl Savage 120? Thanks dude!
Sounds a lot better to me than the Engl SE I owned for a while. For some reason, the mids in that amp seemed really strange to me.
Yes finally! Great video of the Savage MKII.
Sounds a lot like my Savage SE still!
I am looking for a smaller (ENGL?) head that does the same sound as Crunch 1. What would get me closest? The small Fireball of Ironball? Or do you have a different recommendation?
Can't go wrong with a Fireball 25 or Ironball. They won't do that exact same crunch tone though
@@SonicDriveStudio Ah too bad. I love that crunch. However, close enough is also great! I guess I’ll just have to try both somewhere in a store 😉 annoying problem to have. 😌
Edit: Whoops almost forgot to say thanks for the reply! Very helpful!
I know they are in different leagues, but I was also looking at a gm40 from h&k. Does it make sense to own both of them? Are they even comparable? I would use the gm for on the go jam session when I don't want to pull out the big iron.
Awesome demo man! As always. The Mike Baritone, what bridge did you put on that?! I have one and a black bridge would make it look even better.
The previous owner did that
I'd love to hear this amp with Strat and Tele style guitars. And, why not, with a Gretsch or a P90s LP?
I always wanted one .
Playing mainly metal .
It's worth saving up for!
You will be hard pressed to convince me that this isn't the absolute best metal amp out there. Many others will compete, but this one is just "IT" for me. Great tones, riffs and demo Jon. Where would you rank this amp on your top amps list?
Ranking is hard but quite high!
With enough studio love any amp can sound like this.
I wanna get the nw44 but it’s like 1499 now and I’m not paying that unfortunately
Ik heb een vraagje. Jij gebruikt altijd ir. Maar hoe werkt dat dan? Je sluit je amps aan op een bv torpedo ir loader. Speel je dan af over bv studio monitoren? Ik ben altijd gewend amp plus cab. Maar dan ben je gelimiteerd aan je setup. Ik heb bv de helix enz gehad maar mis toch de oomph zeg maar. Ik zit te denken om een engl amp aan te schaffen. Maar op zolder heeft een 4x12 cab weinig nut😅. Wat raad je aan?
Ah vond al een vid over je red7. Maar speel je dan af over studio speakers?
Ik speel altijd over mijn studio monitoren ja
So,, which one do you think is better or you like better,, the Savage or the Powerball?
Is that tape between the bridge and tailpiece? I need to give that a try for recording 🤘
I usually do that with either tape or foam. Above the nut always but by the bridge only when the noise bothers me
Isn`t the mother of Engls the Straight? btw can you make Nam profile of RedSeven?
Panama Inferno Amp from Panamá?
I would love this amp however it’s a little out of my price range. I think I’ll stick with the fireball
Hey i'm kind of scared of 120 watts! Lol Would you say this thing is super loud? I want it for bed room use and have a fryette power station to attenuate it but still nervous its too much power.
Most ENGLs can do bedroom levels really well, including this one
the best amp engl makes.
It sure as heck is amazing!
@@SonicDriveStudio i've had a blackmore for over 10 years now, and i'll never let it go. it's basically a simplified savage. that contour button is magic.
@@givemeajackson great for leads and classic rock!
I knew this one was going to be great. Anyway, if you could only keep one, is it the Savage or the Powerball II? Lol
Haha!
said it before this and the badlander are the baddest amps out
Does this amp sound better than the PBII for high gain rhythm tones iyo?
Depends on your taste
Engl is a great company but their amps always have been a bit hit or miss for me: the Savage series and the SE are insanely good amps and the Straight is probably the one of my favorite amps ever and can be heard on a lot of legendary records: Helloween, Blind Guardian and a lot of other old school Speed Metal albums!
I never liked the Power- and Fireball series, tho: the silverface ones were outright unusable and the newer blackface ones - even though better are just not my taste… which may be due to every one here in Germany buying a Fireball as their first tube amp and it just feels overused and associates a lot with the sound of young local bands who still need some time to learn how to actually dial them in 😅
Great video as always, tho!
I will make you love the Fireball and Powerball if you let me :) They have such a wide range of tones that you can dial them in to sound good for everyone imho
lol i’m still trying to use kazrog damage 120
2 crunch channels gawt me pretty hard but went totally soft when it's kind of a shared eq..... I'm so prejudiced against shared eq....
Do You Like It Better Than The :INVADER"? TY!
Invader MK 1 is a thicker soumding Amp.
KT88's. The way of the Samurai. I prefer the ENGL Savage 60w. Head.
What guage strings are you using on the NW?
11s
soo many buttons! ive been debating an amplifier i want to spend some serious cash on. mezzabarba soldano but everytime i hear the engls and their versatility.. i am becoming decided// youve certainly molded that opinion!
Honestly didn't like the clean and crunch channels on this one, maybe cause I like a more Plexi or JCM style crunch. The lead channel though.. that growl is chef's kiss.
*Off Topic* What does that tattoo say on your right forearm?
It's latin for "to be happy"
@@SonicDriveStudio Awesome! Great in-depth video, by the way. 🙂
I thought you were dialing in the crunch 1 channel why are you messing with the gain on the clean channel? Lol
Yeah that was a mistake. Can't fix it anymore :)
@@SonicDriveStudioalso don’t think the bright switch is attached to the crunch II/lead channels lol