TEST: Engl Powerball Distortion

 Anyone who brings a new distortion pedal onto the market these days really needs balls of steel. The music store Thomann alone lists well over 700 distortion pedals from a wide variety of categories in their portfolio, although the majority of the boutique pedals available for direct sales are not listed at all. Good for those who have already managed to make a name for themselves with other products in the guitar sector. This is what happened with the German company Engl from Tittmoning, which has enjoyed a very high status nationally and internationally in the hard and heavy sector for decades and is one of the last representatives in German amplifier production to rely on consistent production in Germany. Sometimes you can feel really sorry that some of Engl's products go unnoticed beyond metal, such as the company's excellent acoustic amp at the time. Nevertheless, you should consider yourself lucky to be associated with a classic sound as a unique selling point these days. However, the latest offspring from in-house production is from the pedal area and goes by the name Engl Powerball Distortion.

The concept of the Engl Powerball Distortion

At Engl a lot revolves around balls. Whether Fireball, Powerball or Ironball, a large part of the company's amplifier portfolio has the ball in its name, including the new distortion pedal. To get back to the unique selling point of a distortion pedal, every guitarist's wet dream is of course to be able to pack the sound of a top that costs around 1600 euros and weighs over 20 kilograms into a small, handy metal box that can be carried in your trouser pocket and in terms of sound it represents a 1 to 1 representation of the great role model. You don't have to be a trained electrical engineer to be able to tell in advance that this is absolutely not possible. You might also be surprised that a riding lawn mower doesn't have the acceleration of a Tesla.

But what if you manage to pack the core and cornerstones of the typical Engl Powerball sound as much as possible into a compact version and, in conjunction with other components such as loudspeaker simulation, separate power amplifiers or other heads / combos, get as close to the sound as possible? possible to come. This is precisely the approach of this pedal, which, for example in conjunction with the Engel Cabloader, should represent a very space-saving and interesting solution. In general, the Engl Powerball Distortion should initially be viewed as a completely regular distortion pedal that has been equipped with a few special features.

The construction of the Engl Powerball Distortion

With dimensions of 11.8 cm x 6.3 cm x 4 cm, the Engl Powerball Distortion fits on any floorboard, no matter how small it is. Even the Nano section should offer enough space for the pedal, even when placed upright. The anthracite/black colored metal housing is extremely robust and should be able to easily withstand even massive kicks. Four strong rubber feet, which cannot offer much grip on a smooth surface, support the pedal without any problems.

Five pleasantly sluggish controls labeled Volume, Gain, Bass, Middle and Treble are located on the top of the housing. A special feature that should be noted is that the sound control is extremely intensive with ±7.5 dB on all three bands as an active sound control. In this way, drastic sound settings can sometimes be achieved. The look of the controller is extremely simple with a white line on a black background. It is also very pleasant that, although the three tone controls are quite cramped next to each other on the panel, the individual controls can be easily turned due to the casing's shape, which tapers towards the top, without coming into the effective range of the other bands.

The status display of the Engl Powerball Distortion is visually displayed via a clearly visible red LED. A true bypass footswitch ensures that the signal passes through the pedal when deactivated without being sent through the electronics. Sometimes it's just small detailed solutions, which always give me great pleasure personally, because you can tell from such little things that the engineers have thought about the design of the product and have dealt with practical experience. The pedal has two input sockets and output sockets on the front for the 9 volt operating voltage. You can use the pedal in the same way that some tuners already offer it, i.e. you feed the operating voltage into the product using a power supply and pass it on to another product using the daisy chain process.

Anyone who works with multi-power supplies knows how annoying it is to have to pull a separate cable for each pedal on your pedalboard. Anyone who is now wondering whether the power supply has enough output voltage to power two or perhaps even several pedals in a daisy chain process can safely sit back. The pedal has an extremely low power consumption of just 18 mA, which in my opinion is right at the top of the list when it comes to crowning the current pedal that has the lowest power consumption. According to Engl, the company intentionally decided not to use a battery for operating voltage for ecological reasons. If you still want to play without a power cable, you can opt for using a battery-operated power supply, which also has advantages in countries with poorer operating voltages.

The Engl Powerball Distortion Pedal in practice

There are a few points that immediately jump out at you when you first use the Engl Powerball Distortion Pedal. On the one hand, the pedal is very, very quiet. Even at maximum gain level, the level of noise or hum that a distortion pedal inevitably produces is almost imperceptible, which speaks for the very good construction of the pedal and for the components used.

On the other hand, the pedal actually has no boost function. While the active tone control massively boosts the frequencies up or cuts them down, the volume control ultimately acts like the volume control on a guitar that is turned to 10, i.e. if you turn the volume control all the way up, you have exactly the same volume as if you had Pedal is not activated. Using the pedal as a booster to make an amp run a little hotter is therefore not possible.

What is also very pleasantly noticeable is the fact that the pedal hangs very well on the guitar's volume control, which means that by turning down the volume control you can use the same trick as Jeff Beck, who also turned his amp to full gain and all distortion levels were controlled using the volume control on his guitar. In this case, this is possible via the pedal, so that you actually turn the gain control all the way up. Mind you, the pedal makes almost no noise at all and you can easily access even comparatively subtle crunch settings using the volume control.

When it comes to the three-band tone control, a tasteful gradation has been made, with the bass and treble controls working comparatively discreetly, while the mid control has a significantly greater impact on the overall sound. Anyone who is worried that the sound control might not be effective enough can sit back and relax. Rather, Engl once again looked into practice and designed the sound control in such a way that it does not ignore the musician or his sound ideas.

How often have we noticed that from a certain point onwards the treble controls only scratch, bite and hurt your ears, while the bass control at full stop produces nothing other than a low-frequency rumble, which is cut off by a high-pass filter with every sound recording anyway must become. With the Engl design, you can calmly turn the controls all the way to the limit without later incurring the displeasure of sound engineers or front-of-house mixers.

I also find it interesting that the pedal already has very powerful gain reserves, but for me personally it is primarily at home in the very powerful lead range and only releases its “real” high gain reserves with a proper scoop setting. This is not to be seen as a judgment, but rather has the advantage that this pedal is still very easy to use even in front of a slightly distorted amp, depending on which amp, which guitar, which speaker, which speaker and so on.
The sound files were created with a clean SoundCity Master One Hundred, which works very well with external pedals. A Marshall 412 with Celestion G75 T speakers was used as a cabinet.

In summary, I have to say, do you get a very good, flexible distortion pedal? Yes! Can you get the lead channel of an Engel Powerball Head for 189 euros? No! This statement may not really come as a surprise, but I still think it's important to remind you that no matter how good this pedal actually is, it obviously can't handle the complexity of a large all-tube amp. Nevertheless, just because the two share the same name, the Powerball pedal is for me a very good distortion pedal with a few features that positively distinguish it from the big competition.

Conclusion

With the Engl Powerball Distortion Pedal, the manufacturer has a pedal in its ranks that has many positive features. The sound is unique, the concept is practical, the background noise is extremely low and the workmanship is outstanding. If you are looking for a very flexible distortion pedal made in Germany, you should definitely give the pedal a try.

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Additional Informations:

Distortion pedals stand as pillars of modern guitar tone, offering a gateway to a world of aggressive, saturated, and harmonically rich sounds. Since their inception, distortion pedals have played a pivotal role in shaping the sonic landscape of various music genres, from rock and metal to punk and beyond. In this in-depth exploration, we'll unravel the intricacies of distortion pedals, examining their history, types, circuitry, applications, and notable examples, while shedding light on their enduring appeal and creative potential.

**A Historical Overview:**

The roots of distortion can be traced back to the early days of electric guitar amplification, where overdriven tube amplifiers produced natural, harmonically rich saturation as they were pushed to their limits. However, as musicians sought to replicate and enhance these gritty tones at lower volumes, the first distortion pedals emerged.

One of the earliest commercially available distortion pedals was the Maestro Fuzz-Tone, introduced in the early 1960s. This pedal, famously used by Keith Richards on the iconic riff of "Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones, ushered in a new era of guitar tone, inspiring countless musicians to explore the possibilities of controlled sonic aggression.

**Types of Distortion Pedals:**

Distortion pedals come in various forms, each offering its own unique sonic characteristics and tonal palette. Some common types of distortion pedals include:

1. **Fuzz Pedals:** Fuzz pedals produce a thick, saturated distortion characterized by its buzzy, velcro-like texture. Originally derived from malfunctioning transistor circuits, fuzz pedals became synonymous with the raw, primal tones of 1960s rock and psychedelia. Notable examples include the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi and the Fuzz Face by Dallas Arbiter.

2. **Overdrive Pedals:** Overdrive pedals emulate the warm, natural distortion produced by overdriven tube amplifiers. They are prized for their dynamic response and touch-sensitive feel, making them ideal for blues, rock, and classic rock styles. Iconic overdrive pedals include the Ibanez Tube Screamer and the Boss Blues Driver.

3. **Distortion Pedals:** Distortion pedals offer a more aggressive and saturated form of distortion compared to overdrive pedals. They are characterized by their compressed, heavily distorted tones, making them well-suited for hard rock, metal, and punk music. Popular distortion pedals include the Pro Co RAT and the Boss DS-1.

4. **High-Gain Pedals:** High-gain pedals push distortion to its extremes, delivering massive amounts of gain and saturation for modern metal and hard rock styles. These pedals often feature multiple gain stages, built-in EQ controls, and tight low-end response for maximum sonic aggression. Examples include the Metal Zone by Boss and the MXR Fullbore Metal.

**Circuitry and Design:**

Distortion pedals employ various circuit designs to achieve their signature tones, ranging from simple transistor-based circuits to complex multi-stage designs. Some common circuit topologies found in distortion pedals include:

1. **Op-Amp Distortion:** Op-amp (operational amplifier) distortion pedals use integrated circuits to amplify and shape the guitar signal, offering a versatile range of tones with a smooth, compressed character. These pedals are prized for their clarity and consistency across different playing styles.

2. **FET Distortion:** Field-effect transistor (FET) distortion pedals utilize FET transistors to achieve warm, tube-like distortion with a touch-sensitive response. FET pedals often exhibit a natural, organic feel that responds dynamically to changes in picking dynamics and guitar volume.

3. **Diode Clipping Distortion:** Diode clipping distortion pedals employ diode circuits to clip and shape the guitar signal, resulting in aggressive, harmonically rich distortion with a raw, gritty character. These pedals are favored by players seeking classic rock and hard rock tones with plenty of sustain and bite.

4. **Multi-Stage Distortion:** Multi-stage distortion pedals feature multiple gain stages that cascade and interact with each other to produce complex, high-gain tones with exceptional sustain and saturation. These pedals are commonly used in heavy metal and modern rock genres, where maximum distortion and aggression are desired.

**Applications and Creative Uses:**

Distortion pedals offer guitarists a wide range of creative possibilities, allowing them to shape their tone, express themselves, and stand out in the mix. Some common applications and creative uses of distortion pedals include:

1. **Rhythm and Lead Tones:** Distortion pedals are essential tools for crafting both rhythm and lead tones, providing the foundation for powerful, aggressive guitar sounds that cut through the mix. Whether it's chunky power chords or searing solos, distortion pedals add depth, dimension, and intensity to the guitar's sound.

2. **Tonal Shaping:** Distortion pedals can be used to shape the guitar's tone, emphasizing certain frequencies and sculpting its sonic character. With onboard EQ controls and tone shaping options, players can tailor their distortion sound to suit their playing style and musical preferences.

3. **Dynamic Expression:** Distortion pedals respond dynamically to changes in playing technique, allowing guitarists to explore a wide range of expressive techniques, from subtle dynamics to aggressive palm muting and pick attacks. By varying their playing dynamics, musicians can evoke different emotions and moods through their distortion tones.

4. **Stacking and Layering:** Distortion pedals can be stacked and layered with other effects pedals to create unique textures and sonic landscapes. By combining distortion with modulation, delay, and reverb effects, guitarists can create rich, immersive sounds that transcend traditional guitar tones.

**Notable Examples and Innovations:**

Over the years, numerous distortion pedals have left their mark on the world of music, becoming iconic symbols of sonic aggression and creativity. Some notable examples include:

1. **The Pro Co RAT:** Introduced in the late 1970s, the Pro Co RAT quickly gained popularity for its aggressive, raw distortion and rugged build quality. It has been used by artists ranging from Kurt Cobain to James Hetfield, earning a reputation as one of the most versatile and reliable distortion pedals on the market.

2. **The Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi:** A staple of rock and psychedelic music since the 1960s, the Big Muff Pi is revered for its thick, saturated fuzz tones and distinctive scooped midrange. It has been used by guitarists like David Gilmour, Billy Corgan, and Jack White to achieve massive, wall-of-sound distortion.

3. **The Boss DS-1:** Introduced in 1978, the Boss DS-1 Distortion became one of the best-selling distortion pedals of all time, thanks to its affordable price, rugged construction, and versatile sound. It has been a mainstay on pedalboards worldwide, favored by players seeking a classic, no-nonsense distortion sound.

4. **The Ibanez Tube Screamer:** Launched in the late 1970s, the Ibanez Tube Screamer has become synonymous with warm, smooth overdrive tones and creamy midrange boost. It has been used by legendary guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, and Gary Moore, earning a reputation as one of the most iconic and influential overdrive pedals ever made.

**Conclusion:**

Distortion pedals occupy a central role in the world of guitar tone, offering a gateway to a world of sonic aggression, expression, and creativity. From classic fuzz and overdrive tones to high-gain distortion.