EN Hardball

Name: EN Hardball
Price: 137 USD
Author: Nembrini Audio

by Nembrini Audio · Amp Sim · Four-channel metal amp sim

Not rated yet

A four-channel guitar amp plugin from Nembrini Audio modeled on the ENGL Powerball II, covering clean to metal tones.

It includes six cabinets, filters, a noise gate and an IR loader, and is on sale for $29.99 (regular $137).

Best for: Guitars. Genres: Metal, Rock & Indie.

Keywords: electric guitar, impulse-response based, hardware emulation, tight, aggressive, clean, smooth, corrective, crunchy, simple.

What it does

EN Hardball (EN Hardball Metal Head Guitar Amplifier) models the ENGL Powerball II, a four-channel high-gain head. The developer calls it a "pure, uncompromising metal amp plugin", with cabinets, microphones and an IR loader built in.

Four channels: matched channels with smooth gain steps, from clean through crunch to dense solo and metal tones.
Filters: Tight cuts low end for 7- and 8-string guitars, Rumbling gives a general low cut, and Harsh tames the high frequencies.
Noise gate: Threshold sets when it opens, Range sets how much noise it removes, and a speed control sets how fast it acts.
Cabinets and mics: six cabinets and four microphone models, with on/off-axis choice and continuous position and distance controls.
Mic mixer: solo, mute, pan and faders to blend two microphones with ambience.
IR loader: load up to three third-party impulse responses and blend them with volume, pan, phase, solo and mute.

The current version is 1.0.6. It is on sale, and a demo is available.

Source: Nembrini Audio product page

When to use it

EN Hardball is a focused, low-cost pick for tight modern metal rhythm tones from one well-known head. Compared with Archetype: Gojira X or Archetype: Nolly X, it has no pedals or effects and only one amp, but it costs far less and still includes cabinets, mics and an IR loader. Unlike Neural Amp Modeler, it needs no captured profiles and gives you real amp controls and a gate. AmpliTube 5 MAX and Guitar Rig 7 Pro offer far more amps and effects, while EN Hardball goes deeper on one Powerball-style voice.

Best for: tight, high-gain metal rhythm guitar in drop tunings and on 7- and 8-string guitars, plus usable cleans.
Genres: metal, modern metal, djent, hard rock.
Look elsewhere if: you want built-in effects or many amps (Archetype: Gojira X, AmpliTube 5 MAX) or a quiet, low-noise rig.
Tip: a KVR reviewer keeps preamp Gain, Treble and Presence restrained and uses a mono-to-stereo widener to smooth its sharp edge.

What producers say

Reviewers rate it as a strong, good-value metal amp, with noise and a sharp mono tone as the caveats.

Guitarbomb praised the four channels, the simple interface, "very useable" presets and the complete cab and mic section, calling it "great value for money".
KVR users rate it 5 out of 5 from 1 review, praising pick-attack response and treble that is "never too shrill, scratchy or too digital".
Criticisms: the KVR reviewer found it noisier than rivals at high gain, needing careful gate settings, and overly sharp in mono; "not an amp (plugin) for everybody".

Where to buy

Nembrini Audio: $137

Tutorials and reviews

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