Operator´s Manual
Please, first read this manual carefully!
Full Tube Guitar Preamp
with MIDI-Control
TUBE PREAMP 570
2
Tube
Amp
Technology
Tube
Amp
Technology
Table of Contents
page
Introduction
Features and Functionality at a Glance
Contents
Front Panel Features:
Rear Panel Features:
Practical Info and Tips
Glossary,
Troubleshooting
Technical Data,
Tube Map, Tube Exchange Service
Wiring of Principal Connectors
Remote Control Options
Front Panel Diagrams for Noting Settings
Note:
:
Handling and Care
Preamp Defeat; Clean and Crunch Channel Control Features
Input; Lead I and Lead II Channel Control Features
Noise Gate
Write/Copy
Power
Mains, Mains Fuse, Ground Lift Switch
Detailed Specifications and Ratings
You'll find an ancillary pamphlet accompanying this owner's manual entitled
Instructions for the Prevention of Fire, Electrical Shock and Injury.
Be sure to read it before you plug in and power up the amp!
Technical specifications are subject to change without notice.
Modern/Classic, Mega Lo Punch,Stereo FX Loop
Noise Gate: Mute Depth, Threshold Level
Stereo Output: Right & Left, Level
Stereo FX Loop: Send, Return Right & Left
Auxiliary Input
MIDI Section and Footswitch Ports
Balanced Line Out: Level, Overload LED, Line Out Status,
XLR Ground, Line Output Frequency Compensated
CAUTION! Please read and heed the following:
Status-LED: Indications
Front and Rear Panel Diagrams
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3
Congratulations! Preamp E570 most
advanced versatileGuitarpreamps
sophisticated guitar preamp all-tube technology
state-of-the-art
microchip circuitry a vast range of
great fundamental tones
controlledremotelyviaMIDI
switchable
Noise Gate
frequency-compensated stereo out 4x12" speaker cabinet
emulation
ease of use remarkably intuitive
handling
excellent sound-shaping options greatest flexibility
a gigging workhorse
studio home recording
finely-tweaked, MIDI controllable sound-shaping functions
wealth of disparate sounds
four basic sounds , , and
ultra-advanced tone-generating machine
playing pleasure value to boot
Four basic channels
Preamp Defeat Function:
Modern and Classic sound-shaping buttons
Two Gain variants
Two voicing sections
Various sound-shaping buttons
With the , you now own one of the
and availabletoday!
This marries the unrivalled tone of
tothe awesomesound-shaping mightof controlfeaturespowered by
. This elegant combination puts at your fingertips
and an all but inexhaustible reservoir of compelling
variationsallofwhichmay be .What'smore,thepreamp
boasts a host of hip &practical features: To mentionjust a few, you get a
forthe Crunch,LeadI andLeadII overdrivechannels.In addition,the amp
sports a featuring
.You can sendabalancedsignal toamixingconsole viatheXLRports, oran
unbalancedsignaltoarecordingdeviceviathestereojack.
1. a logical control feature array, utmost and
;
2. and courtesy of the many
voicing options and special features, and 128 MIDI presets offering a bevy of
programming options;
3. that also sports a speaker simulation system, making it
a handy tool for and ;
4. a combination of
providing instant access to a ;
5. the ; with two variable and
switchable Gain levels and two voicing options ( and )
for each basic sound, you actually have 16 fundamental sounds to choose from;
6. an that will give you years of
and .
-> : , , and with separate Gain,
Treble and Volume knobs.
-> This bypass circuit lets you combine the 570 preamp
with further preamps or multi-effect processors to extend the range of your
19" rack system's sound-shaping options.
-> : Determine the basic voicing of
all four channels, giving you a broader, deeper tonal spectrum to work with.
-> for each of the basic channels: and
let you activate directly two different gain settings for every channel.
> : one EQ for and (Main Channel 1),
and another for and (Main Channel 2).
As a special feature, every channel sports a dedicated Treble knob.
-> tuned to match the tonal requirements of
the given channels: and for and ,
and for the two Lead channels.
This affords you:
Features and Functionality at a Glance
Clean Crunch Lead I Lead II
Modern Classic
Clean Crunch Lead I Lead II
Gain Boost Hi Gain
Clean Crunch
Lead I Lead II
Bright Ultra Bright Clean Crunch
Contour Mid Edge
-
4
-> Use this circuit to insert stereo effect devices
into the signal chain.
Programmable stereo effect loop:
->
The preamp can also be muted via MIDI controller 7.
-> Use this circuit to insert stereo effect devices
into the signal chain.
-> A stereo jack offers an
signal for recording to tape deck or PC.
-> for routing
the preamp signals to mixers or recording gear.
-> serve to integrate the preamp into a MIDI system.
-> , accessible via 16 MIDI channels.
-> The Preamp E570
The Serial Amp Control Port accepts the Custom Z-9 Footswitch (optional); use it
as a conventional switcher to select channels and two sound-shaping functions
directly. Then there's the MIDI In, which accepts the Z-9 for use as a simple MIDI
footcontroller or any other MIDI footcontroller. Finally, the preamp is equipped
with a stereo jack that takes a dual footswitch, allowing you to switch the four
channels remotely.
-> for suppressing noise in the ,
and channels.
Among thehallmarks of this finepreamp are painstakingworkmanship and finishing
as well as rigorously tested and carefully selected quality components. You'll find
guidelineson care andmaintenanceoftube ampsonpage24. UndertheheadingTips
from the designer, you'll come across practical tips on the aforementioned features
throughout the manual. All critical information concerning the operation of this
preamp is preceded by "NOTE", "CAUTION", "Read and heed" or some other eyecatchingcomment. We'recallingyour attentiontothese remarksforreasons of safety
orothercompellingmotives,sopleasegivethemdueconsideration.
Everyone atENGL isconfident thatthe
and aresuretodelightyou:
Though thispreamp isrelatively easy tohandle andyou're probably raringto give it a
go, I recommend that you read the owner's manual thoroughly before you power it
up.
1. ENGL E570 Tube Preamp;
2. mains cord;
3. this manual;
4. a pamphlet entitled
.
Stereo Effects Loop:
unbalanced, frequency-compensated line out
Balanced, frequency-compensated XLR line stereo outputs
and ports
128 MIDI presets
offers three different remote interface ports:
Programmable Noise Gate
E570 tubepreamp's extraordinaryversatility
outstandingfeatures Simplyplugin,playandbeinspired
bythetubetoneofyourENGL570preamp!
Afewwordsofwisdomfromthedesigner:
MIDI In Thru
Crunch Lead I
Lead II
Instructions for the Prevention of Fire,
Electrical Shock and Injury
Contents:
Master knob: Overall output level control.Master knob: Overall output level control.
5
Front Panel Features
At the backof the manual, you'll find fold-outdiagrams of the front and rear panels.
As you're reading the descriptions of the preamp's features, you'll gain a better
understandingofthetopicofdiscussionifyouunfoldandrefertothemaswego!
This option comes in handy when you want to insert another preamp or an effect
processor into a serial loop along with the ENGL Preamp 570. If the other preamp can
also be bypassed, you can switch between the two preamps on the fly or even run
thembothat thesametime.If you wanttoconnecta secondpreamp,insertitinto the
stereo effectsloop and set the Preamp Defeat statusand FX Loopstatus active when
you wantactivate thesecond preamp.You couldeven daisychain severalpreamps or
effectprocessors.
Clean channel Gain control. This knob determines the preamp's input sensitivity in
Cleanmode;useittosetthedesiredinputlevel.
The amount of distortion depends on your guitar's pickups and the Gain Boost (3)
setting.In Cleanmode, single-coilpickupsmay beginsaturating thepreampwhen the
knob is set to about the two o'clock position; pickups with very high output levels
(humbuckersor activepickups)will evokemild overdrive ateven lowersettings.If you
wantsqueakycleantone,simplybackofftheGainknobaccordingly.
Boosts the input sensitivity ofMain Channel 1, and . The red LED above
this button lightsup to indicate is on. can alsobe switched via
MIDIprogramchangecommandortheCustomZ-9Footswitch.
As itsname would imply, servesprimarily to upClean and Crunch channel
input levels, extend both channels' gain ranges. In effect, this feature gives you two
additional variationson these two channels'basic sounds. Forexample, you could set
theClean channel Gainknobto the highestsettingat whichyourguitarsignal remains
distortion-free, just under the preamp clipping threshold. Then when you activate
, you will overdrive theClean preamp slightly, yielding a grittier tone wellsuitedforrockriffs.
AnotherClean channeloptionisto usethe asa volumebooster.Todo this,
activate and dialina CleanGain knobsetting,making surenot topushthe
preampinto clippingzone.Consider thisyourhigh-volumeclean tone,sayfor clucking
lead lines. Switching off gives you a softer clean tone for chord work.
Switchbackandforthbetweenthetwoasdesired.
A tip from the designer:
Atipfromthedesigner:
Atipfromthedesigner:
Clean Crunch
Gain Boost Gain Boost
Gain Boost
Gain Boost
GainBoost
GainBoost
Gain Boost
1 PREAMP DEFEAT
2CLEANGAIN
3GAINBOOST
Thisisabypassthatcutsthepreampoutofthesignalchain when you pressthebutton.
In thiscase, theinput signalis routeddirectly to the Send jack.The LEDlocated above
thebuttonilluminatestoindicatethepreampisbypassed.
6
4CRUNCHGAIN
5BASS
6MIDDLE
7TREBLECLEAN
8TREBLECRUNCH
Gain control for the Crunch channel. This knob determinesinput sensitivity in Crunch
mode;useittodialinthedesiredamountofpreampdistortion.
Extremely high gain and volume levels in Crunch mode can produce
powerfulfeedback.Avoidfeedback squeals; theycanleadtohearinglossanddamage
speakers! At higher volumes, back off the Gain and Treble levels in order to prevent
uncheckedfeedback!
Single-coil pickups will evoke mildly overdriven sounds at settings somewhere
between 10and 3 o'clock.Try settings between9 and 1 o'clock forpickups with highoutput humbuckers or activepickups. Bear in mind the Gain Boostfunction. You can
activateit viaanENGLCustom Z-9Footswitchora preprogrammedMIDIpresetto get
anevenbigger,beefiercrunchtoneonthefly.
This is the preamp voicing section's passive low-frequency EQ for Main Channel I's
CleanandCrunchmodes.
This is the preamp voicing section's passive midrange frequency EQ for Main
Channel I's Clean and Crunch modes.
This is the preamp voicing section's passive high-frequency EQ for Main Channel I's
Cleanmode.
This is the preamp voicing section's passive high-frequency EQ for Main Channel I's
Crunchmode.
Tohelpyouget acquainted withthepreamp'sfundamentalsounds,Irecommend that
youset alltone controlstoor slightlyhigher thanthecenter or12 o'clockposition.For
higher-gain Crunch sounds, your best bet is to turn the Treble Crunch knob down to
prevent thepickups and speakers fromgenerating feedback (asetting in the 10-to-1
o'clockrangeisrecommended).
The Cleanand Crunchchannels are equippedwith dedicatedTreble knobs soyou can
tweak the top end of each of the two channels separately to suit your taste and the
given sonic scenario. You will find that grittier tones generally sound better with a
touch less treble because preamp saturation makes higher frequencies figure more
prominently in the signal. Bear in mind thatyou also have the two Normal Bright (9)
and UltraBright (10) buttonsat your disposal for shapingthe high frequencyrange. I
suggest you get into the habit of dialing in lower Treble settings. That way, you can
program various MIDI presets with one or both Bright options, remotely and have
plentyoftonalvariationsatyourfingertips.
CAUTION:
Atipfromthedesigner:
Atipfromthedesigner:
7
9NORMALBRIGHT
10ULTRABRIGHT
11CLEANVOLUME
12CLEAN
This feature boosts the upper end of the high frequency range in Main Channel 1,
and . Its effectiveness decreases as Gain settings increase. The red LED
above this button lights up to indicate the Normal Bright function is on. This feature
canalsobeswitchedviaMIDIprogramchangeorCustomZ-9Footswitch.
For acrisp orglassy tone,activate the .This settingbrightens thesound
of humbucking or muddy pickups. Don't let the names confuse you:
actuallyaddresses ahigher frequencyrangethan .Notealso thatthe Gain
knob influencesthis sound-shaping function's intensity.Furthermore, its tonalimpact
varies slightly in Modern and Classic modes, particularly when you are driving the
preampintotheclippingzone.
Locatedin theClean andCrunch preampstageof MainChannel 1,this sound-shaping
function boosts slightly lower high frequencies. Unlike (9), its intensity
remains the same irrespective of the Gain knob setting. The LED above the button
lightsuptoindicate the UltraBrightfunction is on.Itcan also beactivatedremotely via
MIDIprogramchangeorCustomZ-9Footswitch.
Thisvoicingoptionupsthetwangfactorinherentincertaintypesofguitars,andletsyou
putasetofsoniccowhornsonthosethatlackit.Feelfreetocontrolthissound-shaping
functionremotelyvia MIDI.Butwhichever wayyou choosetouse it,I recommendthat
youdon'toverstatetop-endfrequencies.BackoffthetwoTrebleknobstoavoid harsh,
cuttingorover-the-topbrightness.InClassicmode,high-frequencypeaksaredampened
anywaywhen thepreampstarts clipping.In Modern mode,the tonecan becomevery
gritty andraw, particularlywhen Brightfunctions areactivated. That's notnecessarily
bad;forsomesounds,thiseffectcanbequitecompelling.Isuggestyouliterallyplayitby
earexperiment freelyand youare sure todiscover manyinteresting andinspiring topdrawertones.BesuretogivetheModern/Classicsound-shapingfunctionsagoodwork
out.Isuspect you'll bedelighted bythearray oftones,particularly asyou add different
guitarsandpickupstothemix.
Determines the Clean channel's level. Use this knob to adjust the Clean channel's
volume and dial in thedesired balance in comparison with the other channels' levels.
Because thisknob is located pre effectloop, it alsodetermines the effect send levelin
Clean mode. The green LED to the right of the knob lights up to indicate the Clean
channelison.
Pushthis buttonto activatethe preamp'sClean channel directly(in reciprocationwith
, , , and ). The green LED to theright of the Clean
Volume knob (11) lights up to indicatethe Clean channel isactive. The Clean channel
mayalsobeactivated viaMIDIprogram change,theENGL Custom Z-9Footswitch, or a
dualfootswitch.
Clean Crunch
Normal Bright
Normal Bright
UltraBright
Normal Bright
Crunch Lead I Lead II Preamp Defeat
Atipfromthedesigner:
Atipfromthedesigner:
8
13CRUNCHVOLUME
14CRUNCH
15MODERN/CLASSIC
16M.L.P.:MEGALOPUNCH
Determines the Crunch channel's level. Use this knob to adjust the Crunch channel's
volume and dial in the desired balance with the other channels' levels. Because this
knob is pre effect loop, it also determines the effect send level in Crunch mode. The
yellowLEDtotherightoftheknoblightsuptoindicatetheCrunchchannelison.
Press this button to activate the preamp's Crunch channel directly. (in reciprocation
with , , , ),The yellowLED tothe rightofthe Crunch
Volume knob (13) lights up to indicate the Crunch channel is active. The Crunch
channel may also be activated via MIDI program change, the ENGL Custom Z-9
Footswitchoradualfootswitch.
This sound-shapingfeature voices the basic tonalcharacter of thefour Clean,Crunch,
LeadI andLead II channels,the choicesbeinga morecontemporary sound orvintageapproved tone. The LED above the button lights up to indicate is activated.
and can also be activated via MIDI program change or the ENGL
CustomZ-9Footswitch.
When set to , the preamp's response is a touch less dynamic, with fewer
midrange frequencies in the mix. This voicing is particularly prominent when the
preamp stage ( , ) is overdriven, making the right choice for
heavier styles. Classic mode is the way to go for vintage tube tone. If you want your
lead lines to pack a mightier punch, I recommend that you activate in
Lead/Modern mode, or generally opt for Classic mode. When in Classic mode and at
higher Gain settings, deactivate for a more focused,tighter low end.
Thoughthe differencein thetwo voicings ismore subtlein theCleanchannel, youwill
notice that elicits a more dynamic response; this is attributable to the ECC 83
triode stage. The result is a slightly smoother, less edgy tone. Here's a hip
configurationforyou:Set upyourrig so thatthepreamp isrightat the
cusp of clipping that is, the point where the clean signal begins to break up and
transition to a dirtier tone and turn up the Treble knob. In Classic mode, higher
frequencies are dampened - an effect known as soft clipping yielding a more
homogenous, balanced tone. You can achieve this kind of tone by dialing in higher
Gain knob settings for theClean channel knobs or activating . The Crunch
channel also puts out mild, rock-approved grind: Activate and dial in lower
gainlevelsbysetting somewhereinthe9-1o'clockrange.
Whenactivated, thisfunctionboosts low-endfrequenciesin allfour preamp channels.
The red LED above the button lights up to indicate this function is on. It may also be
activatedremotelyviaMIDIprogramchangeorCustomZ-9Footswitch.
effects vary, particularly in Lead channel Modern and Classic
operating modes. When is on, it boosts the bottom-end meaning that it
audibly increasessound pressure. When Classicmode is activated, theeffect depends
Clean Lead I Lead II PreampDefeat
Classic
Modern Classic
Modern
Crunch Lead Modern
Contour
Mega Lo Punch
Classic
Classic/Modern
Gain Boost
Crunch
CrunchGain
Mega Lo Punch's
Modern
Atipfromthedesigner:
Atipfromthedesigner:
9
on the Gain knob setting and is not nearly as pronounced. Atvery high Gain settings
anddepending on thetypeof pickup, thesignal'slow end maybecomerather muddy.
When you configure the amp in Classic mode and dial in a high gain level, I strongly
suggestyoudeactivateMegaLoPunch.
Pressthisbuttontoactivateanddeactivatethe .TheredLEDabovethe button
lights upto indicate is activated.You can also switchthe on and off
viaMIDIprogramchangeorCustomZ-9Footswitch.
The integratedprogrammable stereoeffect loop offersyou the option of callingup a
connected outboardsignal processor's effect atwill via MIDIand assigning thiseffect
tothe preamp'sdifferent channelsasdesired. Asan alternative,youcan usethe effect
loop to integrate an additional preamp into the system. In this case, use
and to switch to and fro between the 570 preamp and the
connectedoutboardpreamporcombinethetwodevices.
¼"unbalancedinputjack.Plugyourguitarinhereusingashieldedcord.
Depending on the type of cord and its shielding, you may occasionally encounter
interference from sources such as radio stations or powerful magnetic fields. When
this occurs,try connecting yourguitar to theamp using differentcords. What's more,
to minimize signal degradation due to high-frequency loss, use the shortest cords
feasible (as a rule, the shorter the cord, the less susceptible it is to high-frequency
attenuation).
This knob determines the Lead I channel's input sensitivity and preamp saturation
level.
Extremelyhigh gainand volumelevelsin Leadmode canproducepowerful
feedback. Avoid feedback squeals; they can lead to hearing loss and damage
speakers!Athigher volumes,back offthe Gainand Treblelevels andpossibly Presence
levelsofaconnectedpowerampinordertopreventuncheckedfeedback!
Thetwo Leadchannels'fundamental tonesarenot worldsapart: boasts slightly
less gain and bottom end, but its speedier response makes it a great choice for brisk
riffingandlightningleadruns.
Pressing this button ups input sensitivity, thereby increasing the amplification factor
and theamount of distortion in both Main Channel2's Lead Iand Lead IImodes. The
LED above this button lights up to indicate is active. This feature can also be
switchedviaMIDIprogramchangeorCustomZ-9Footswitch.
When activated, supercharges the amplification factor, switching from
FXLoop
FX Loop FX Loop
Preamp
Defeat FX Active Loop
LeadI
Hi Gain
Hi Gain Soft
Atipfromthedesigner:
Atipfromthedesigner:
CAUTION:
Atipfromthedesigner:
Atipfromthedesigner:
17 FX LOOP ACTIVE
18INPUT
19LEADIGAIN
20HIGAIN
10
Lead Heavy Lead
Hi Gain
Soft Lead
HiGain
Lead II
Lead I
Lead I's
to and putting both Lead channels into high gear. This doubles the
number of basic sounds in Main Channel 2. The Soft Lead setting suffices for highoutput pickups - even for playing leads - so you can leave off if your guitar is
shred-approved. settings also work for chugging rhythm riffs or as
alternative crunchsounds, sogive 'ema try. Butby allmeans, forscorching ultra highgain lead sounds with truckloads of sustain or for power chords with a monster
bottom-end,gofortheHeavyLeadvariantwith activated.
This knob determines the Lead II channel's input sensitivity and preamp saturation
level.
Extremelyhigh gainand volumelevelsin Leadmode canproducepowerful
feedback. Avoid feedback squeals; they can lead to hearing loss and damage
speakers!Athigher volumes,back offthe Gainand Treblelevels andpossibly Presence
levelsofaconnectedpowerampinordertopreventuncheckedfeedback!
The two Lead channels' fundamental tones are not worlds apart: boasts a bit
more gainand bottomend than , andworks very wellfor fat,in-your-face solos
and chunky riffs with a big bottom end with plenty of low-frequency punch. Its
response is not quite as speedy as , and the low-end can turn muddy at high
Gainsettingsincombinationwithhigh-testosteronepickups.
This is the preamp voicing section's passive low-frequency EQ for Main Channel 2's
LeadIandLeadIImodes.
This is the preamp voicing section's passive midrange EQ for Main Channel 2's Lead I
andLeadIImodes.
Thisisthepreampvoicingsection'spassivehigh-frequencyEQforLeadImode.
Thisisthepreampvoicingsection'spassivehigh-frequencyEQforLeadIImode.
Tohelpyouget acquainted withthepreamp's fundamentalsounds,I recommend that
you set all tone controls to about the center or 12 o'clock position. For higher-gain,
high-volumeleadsounds, yourbest betis toturn theTreble knobdown toprevent the
pickupsandspeakers from generatingfeedback (asettingin the9-to-1 o'clock rangeis
recommended).
If your power amp - say, an ENGL tube power amp - features a Presence knob, you
could turn upthe preamp's Treble knob abit and back off thepower amp's Presence
knob when in Lead mode. If your power amp is not equipped with a Presence knob
(meaningthat thepoweramp's frequencyresponse isfairlylinear), itisrecommended
thatyousetthetwoTrebleknobstorelativelylow values inordertopreventfeedback.
Besides,over-the-topTreblesettingsresultinoverlyaggressive,piercingleadtones.
CAUTION:
Atipfromthedesigner:
Atipfromthedesigner:
21LEADIIGAIN
22BASS
23MIDDLE
24TREBLELEADI
25TREBLELEADII
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