Powerball-2 Full Tube Guitar Amplifier Operator´s Manual Please, first read this manual carefully!
Tube Amp Technology
Table of Contents Introduction Features and Functionality at a Glance Contents Front Panel Features: Input; Channel 1 - Clean & Channel 2 - Crunch Control Features Power Amp section: P.T.M. Display, Presence, Depth Punch Channel 3 - Lead (3) & Channel 4 - Lead (4) Control Features Middle-boosted (button), Channel selection Power Amp section: Master A/B Stand By, Power page: 4 5 6 6-8 8, 9 9 - 11 11, 12 12, 13 13 Rear Panel Features: Mains, Mains Fuse S.A.C.
Congratulations, ENGL Amp user to your new Powerball-2 amplifier! The second generation of the approved and extremely popular, 4-channel, all-tube powered amp head appears in an absolutely ingenious revised model; the successor is loaded with some additional, very meaningful features for guitarists: in addition to an optical facelift the new amp model is equipped with four gain control knobs making individual sensitivity adjustment and precise saturation tuning in the preamp section a piece of cake! Designe
Your ENGL Powerball-2 Amp puts at your disposal: 1. a logical control feature array, utmost ease of use and remarkably intuitive handling; 2. Top-shelf sound-shaping options and remarkable versatility with four channels and different midrange voicings. Channel 3 and 4 feature the separate mid control "Mid-boosted" for a precise sound tuning of lead sounds. 3.
Among the hallmarks of this fine amp are painstaking workmanship and finishing as well as rigorously tested and carefully selected quality components. You'll find guidelines on care and maintenance of tube amps on page 18 and 19. Under the heading Tips from the designer, you'll come across practical tips on the aforementioned features throughout the manual. All critical information concerning the operation of this amp is preceded by "NOTE", "CAUTION", "Read and heed" or some other eye-catching comment.
A tip from the designer: In Clean mode, single-coil pickups may begin saturating the preamp when the knob is set to approximately the two o'clock position. Pickups with very high output levels (humbuckers or active pickups) will evoke mild overdrive at even lower settings. If you want squeaky clean tone (a pure guitar tone without preamp distortion, that is), simply back off the Gain control knob accordingly. 3 Crunch Gain-2 Gain control for the Channel 2, Crunch.
Treble-Clean This is the preamp voicing section's passive high-frequency EQ for Channel 1 (Clean mode). 9 Treble-Crunch This is the preamp voicing section's passive high-frequency EQ for Channel 2 (Crunch mode). A tip from the designer: To help you get acquainted with the amp's fundamental sounds, I recommend that you set all tone controls to the center or 12 o'clock position.
14PowerTubeMonitorV3 This LED lights up when the current flowing through the V3 power amp tube was too high and the power tube monitor system has switched that tube off. To learn more about this crucial protection feature,read the paragraph that follows section 15. See the tube layout chart on page 22 to locate V3's position on the amp chassis.
speakers! At higher volumes, back off the Gain, Treble and Presence levels in order to prevent unchecked feedback! 19 Lead Gain-4 Gain control for the Channel 4, Lead (4). This Control knob determines input sensitivity when Channel 3 is active. Use it to dial in the desired amount of preamp saturation level. A tip from the designer: The two Lead channels offers distinctive tonal characteristics; thus they are suited for different playing styles and techniques.
Middle gives you a more expansive sound that is excellent for grinding out heavy-duty riffs or mid-scooped Lead sounds, while Middle-boosted brings up the low mids, making it a great choice for very warm and creamy leads. This tone control switching option is remotely controllable via footswitch, so you can adapt the two fundamental Lead sounds on the fly, say to better support rhythm guitar work, singing leads, and slashing power chords.
is remotely controllable via footswitch, so you can adapt the two fundamental Lead sounds of Channel 3 and Channel 4 on the fly, say to better support rhythm guitar work, singing leads, and slashing power chords.
You can switch between Master A and Master B using a Z-9 Custom Footswitch (S.A.C. F1-1, page26) connected to the S.A.C. Port (37) or a footswitch connected to jack (39). For more details see the chapter 37 and 39 on page 14 and 15! A tip from the designer: If you want to experience real remote control convenience, try an ENGL Z-9 foot controller.
Rear Panel Features At the back of the manual you'll find a folded page offering diagrams of the front and rear panels. Please unfold and refer to it as you read through the descriptions of features and functions! 35 Mains Connector (AC Power Inlet; IEC - C14 connector) Plug the mains cord in here. For European models, use a standard non-heating equipment connector cable.
connects to the amp via an easily obtained, standard stereo cord. But that's not the last of the Z-9's advantages: At some point, you may decide to ramp up or connect to a MIDI system. This won't render the Z-9 obsolete because it also serves as a simple MIDI footboard with a MIDI OUT (5-pin DIN connector) that selects 10 MIDI patches (or presets, if you prefer).
Up/Down switching, while the stereo terminal controls Clean/Crunch and Lead (3)/ Lead (4) feature (for pin assignments, see page 23). 41 NOISE GATE THRESHOLD LEVEL This control knob activates an onboard Noise Gate serving to suppress excess noise in the two Lead channels Lead (3) and Lead (4) when you twist it to the right, near or just beyond the 9 o'clock position.
42 FX Loop Send Connect the FX Loop output to a signal processor's input/return jack using the shortest possible shielded cord equipped with 1/4" plugs. The FX Loop can be controlled remotely (: on/off) via a footswitch connected to jack 38 (for details refer to chapter 38) or via the ENGL Custom Footswitch Z-9 (refer to chapter 37 for details). In the signal path, the FX Loop is located post preamp and pre the two power amp Master knobs.
Cabinet options 1. One 4-ohm cabinet connected to a 4-ohm jack; Summary: 4 Z, -> connected to 4-ohm output. 2. Two 8-ohm cabinets connected to the 4-ohm jacks; Summary: 8 Z + 8 Z, -> connected to 4-ohm + 4-ohm output. 3. One 8-ohm cabinet connected to an 8-ohm jack; Summary: 8 Z, -> connected to 8-ohm output. 4. Two 16-ohm cabinets connected to the 8-ohm jacks; Summary: 16 Z + 16 Z -> connected to 8-ohm + 8-ohm output. 5.
* High ambient temperatures place an additional strain on diverse components; so if at all possible, avoid operating the amp at temperatures far higher than 30°C for longer periods. Running the amp at mains voltages exceeding the nominal mains input voltage over longer periods can also shorten component life. * Replace tubes with selected tubes that satisfy ENGL selection criteria to forestall microphonic properties, undesirable noise and unbalanced power amp signals.
* The amp is not providing an output signal / no sound is emanating from the speaker. -> Is at least one speaker connected to the speaker outputs 4 ohms, 8 ohms or 16 ohms (45, 46, 47, 48, 49) ? -> Is the power amp activated (Standby switch to ON) ? -> Are all cords (guitar, effect, and speaker) connected properly and are they functional ? -> Unplug connected effectors and see if the preamp works fine without these peripheral devices.
Technical Data Output power: Input sensitivity levels Input: Effect Return: Output levels SEND, level range: Power consumption: Fuses: at 220/230/240 mains voltage at 100/115/120 mains voltage Important: Tubes: V1, V2, V3, V4: V5: V6, V7: V8: Consult Tube Map to view tube array Logic control system: Processor, software: approx. 100 watts; adjusted accordingly to 4, 8 and 16 ohms; range: --40 dB to -10 dB (Clean), max. 0 dB range: -20 dB to -10 dB, max. 0 dB -20 dB to -10 dB, max. 0 dB approx.
Tube Map: Electrolytic Capacitor: Anode Supply smoothing V1 V2 Output Transformer V3 V4 Power Transformer V5 V6 Input V7 V8 amp chassis as viewed from above; Front panel the tubes and their function: V 5 - ECC83 (12AX7): input stage, 2. gain stage; grade: FQ selected V 6 - ECC83 (12AX7): Lead driver stage, 4.
Your Options for controlling the ENGL Powerball-2 amp remotely: (37) (38) S.A.C. Port (39) Serial Amp FX LoopControl Port off/on CAUTION: Noise Gate Connect Custom Footswitch Z-9 Only! #1 (40) Footswitch #2 Master A/B Middleboosted #2 Channel Up/Down 1/2 - 3/4 Footswitch connectors (4 x stereo jack sockets) located at the rear panel of the amp. #1 #2 MIDI Out R Serial Amp Power Supply In 7-14 Volts AC Control Out 9-20 Volts DC Caution ! approx.
R Powerball-2: Noting Settings Clean Gain-1 Crunch Gain-2 Bass Middle Treble-Clean Treble-Crunch Clean Vol.-1 Crunch Vol.-2 Presence Depth Punch Powerball II Power Tube Monitor Bright Bottom V1 Input Lead Gain-3 Lead Gain-4 Bass Middle Middle-boosted Treble Lead Vol.-3 V2 V3 V4 Lead Vol.
R Powerball-2: Noting Settings Clean Gain-1 Crunch Gain-2 Bass Middle Treble-Clean Treble-Crunch Clean Vol.-1 Crunch Vol.-2 Presence Depth Punch Powerball II Power Tube Monitor Bright Bottom V1 Input Lead Gain-3 Lead Gain-4 Bass Middle Middle-boosted Treble Lead Vol.-3 V2 V3 V4 Lead Vol.
Configuration table for assigning the Powerball-2's sound-shaping and special functions to the Z-9 Custom Footswitch's Functions 1 and 2 : Button Function 1 Function 1 Function 1 Function 1 Function 1 Function 1 Function 1 Function 1 Function 2 Function 2 Function 2 Function 2 Function 2 Function 2 Function 2 Function 2 Functions P.B.
Tube Amp Technology
page: <----- 6 -----> <--------------------- 7 ---------------------> 1 2 3 Clean Gain-1 Crunch Gain-2 4 5 Bright Bottom <---------------------------------- 8 ----------------------------------> 6 7 8 9 10 11 Bass Middle Treble-Clean Treble-Crunch Clean Vol.-1 Crunch Vol.-2 <-------------- 9 --------------> 12 14 13 15 16 17 Presence Depth Punch Powerball II Power Tube Monitor V1 Input Lead Gain-3 Lead Gain-4 Bass Middle Middle-boosted Treble Lead Vol.
R Tube Amp Technology Gerätebau GmbH Germany Internet: http://www.engl-amps.
