Orange Guitar amplification

A single channel hybrid mini amp head with a single preamp tube, a 20W solid state poweramp, a headphone out, mono effect loop and 8-ohm output. I needed a amp with a headphone out, at least one tube and an effect loop which was compatible with the speakers I already owned, so considering all amp heads on the market the Micro Dark was the obvious choice for me (all-tube models with a headphone out are very scarce, except fot a Bugera model which costs 3 to 4 times as much). Oh, and the sound of course: this one goes from blues to metal in a breeze. I’ve owned it for a week as of writing this review, and haven’t tried any of its competitors. Please note that this amp has a rather warm sound in my opinion, it might be powerful enough in rehearsal, especially in overdriven sound or maybe even in a jazz band with a not-so-violent sound. So, I’ve only used it at home, most often with headphones and the rest of the time plugged into one of the two speakers of my Carlsbro GLX 150 combo – Celestion 12"s, which I consider better for the lower range than the cab which comes with the Micro Dark which is only a 10”. Soundwise finally, this head certainly gives its all with a cab. The sound of its preamp tube is not a mere myth, having only used solid state amps so far I can clearly tell the difference. However, my headphones are awful, so it would be worth trying with quality headphones. As for its controls, except for an on/off switch, you only have 3 knobs left to do the job. Left from right, you have Volume, Shape and Gain. No introduction necessary for the first one, the Shape knob controls the tone from the lows on the left to the highs on the right, and the Gain control really rocks as hard as it gets past half its course with the volume cranked up. The way the contrôle interact with each other is very important with this amp, and those used just like me to put several od/dist pedals in front of it will often have to change the gain depending on whether you use a pedal or not. Another point to notice it that until half its course, the Gain control works as a volume/boost with the sound remaining clean. The drive sounds beautiful, with a simple-yet-efficient 70s-rock British sound that reminds of Vox, so it would be a pity to only consider the Micro Dark as a mere base for using pedals, which was how I originally intended to use it. In the end, I have diminished my number of overdrive/distortion pedals after getting it. The effect loop beautifully mixes the modulation and delay effects in, which is what I was after. A little cons though with the lack of compatibility of some pedals, for instance the Voodoo Lab GIGGITY which doesn’t come out well, I still have to figure out why. In the end, I recommend this excellent Orange Amps product, which features an excellent value for money. I’m happy to have discovered it.

* The most practical thing about this head are its size and weight. Perfect to rehearse without breaking your back. The speaker that comes with it, the orange 2X12 celestion vintage 30, is also very light (after having used a 2x12 Engl, so I know what I'm talking about!). * It features a switch to select the power: 7 or 15 watts, up to you. The 7-watt mode is enough to play with my band, more than enough to play along with a drummer and the rest of the band. It's worth noting that you need to really crank the volume on a tube amp to get its best sound: 7 watts with the volume halfway or 3/4 up (distortion 3/4 up as well, it increases the volume) and you can make yourself heard. The 15-watt mode is better to play clean and use overdrives/distortion from a pedalboard. * Effects loop for modulation effects (chorus, delay, reverb and whatnot). UTILIZATION * Dialing it in couldn't be easier. One volume, one tone (for the mids) and one gain control. * The famous switch to toggle between 7 and 15 watts output power. Enough to play in a band. Live, amps are usually miked so there's no need for excessive output power. Anyway, this head delivers enough power for small gigs. * There's a manual for people who have no intuition ;) SOUNDS * With the gain cranked all the way up or set to 3/4, you get a nice distortion. The Orange sound remains fat, it's a matter of taste and colors. It can be a bit muddy, not very precise nor well-defined. If you use a pedalboard, it will be easier to get a biting distortion with more precision. * With an EMG 81/85 (standard tuning or down-tuned a whole step or even in drop C) it sounds good. With Dimarzios and drop B (which starts to be low) it sounds fine, too, but it has less the Orange spirit, less adapted to the amp's style because it turns into a mush when it's too low ;) * The clean distorts pretty fast, it crunches as soon as you touch the gain. * The tone control acts on the mids. At the center, it has no impact on sound, I think. Turning it left you get a rock sound, a "British" sound. On the contrary, to the right it's an "American" sound with scooped mids, it's resolutely metal. My favorite setting is to turn this pot to 10/11. I think you can find this type of controls on Blackstar gear! OVERALL OPINION * One year of loyal service, always with its orange 2x12 speaker. I used to play with line6 valve combos, which are a good compromise between "tube" and modeling sounds, all-in-one gear. I chose this head to avoid electronic problems (the motherboard on the line6 breaks down once a year, so even if they are versatile, the constant repairs make them a real pain). Switching to the Orange forced me to get a pedalboard, going from digital to analog you have more pro gear and customization :) * I tested the Jim Root (Slipknot) signature model. I didn't like it as much and, strangely enough, the distortion seemed less vicious. + : Reduced size and weight, transportation ease, its looks, the brand, the simplicity! - : I would've loved to have classic EQ controls, bass/mids/treble, which work really well! Note: There is the Orange dual terror for people who want two channels. But a two-channel Dark terror would be awesome (just in case the guys at Orange read this review!) !

The Ad30 is a brilliantly simple el84 design from Orange. Sporting 2 channels with separate master volumes and tone stacks. No reverb. No effects loop. This thing is an enormous amount of fun. The amp is running a quad of 12ax7's in the preamp and comes with a rather minimalist footswitch. UTILIZATION The amp is very easy to dial in and sounds crystal clear even at loud volumes. Surprising amount of versatility in both channels. I felt the amp outperformed the rockerverb mkii I tested in terms of sound quality, but reverb would be greatly welcomed here to compliment the cleans in the Ad30. As far as the lack of an effects loop is concerned, I found the Ad30 worked very well with pedals out front and didn't mangle time based effects too much. The build quality is very solid and the amp help up in a gigging environment for months. Bravo to Orange. SOUNDS The clean sounds are very warm and full bodied. Notes have a very "round" feeling to them on both channels. Rolling back the gain on the second channel gives you a perfect impersonation of bands such as The Darkness, and Led Zeppelin. Winding up the gain brings you very well into the modern realm. I could very easily cop the tones from Coheed and Cambria's --'Gravemakers and Gunslingers'. Pushing the gain past 3 o' clock on the dial can get you Mastodon rhythm sounds. OVERALL OPINION The Orange Ad30 is the kind of amp you really enjoy to play through. It sounds so reminiscent of many recorded tones without having to tweak for hours or add any additional pieces--very inspiring in this regard. I do feel, however, that the feature set of the AD30 does not justify the going list price of $1659. If you are willing to compromise features, the amp can be purchased for a typical sum between $8-1200 on the secondhand market.

Let me begin first by saying I hate amp modelers. They don't sound natural or authentic in any way. This is the general opinion that I have for the majority of the ones that have come out onto the market. However, this is one of the most impressive amp modeling units I have ever seen. It sounds very real and articulate much like a real tube amp would respond. The built in effects are solid and the distortion sounds much like the distortion you would hear from real Orange amps. Orange has a distinct tube distortion that crosses the lines throughout all of their products. It is British voiced but distinctly Orange. Orange Crush PiX CR35LDX Combo Guitar Amplifier Features at a Glance: * 35W RMS * 10" speaker * Wood cabinet with picture-frame corners * Footswitchable overdrive (also switchable from front panel) * 3-band EQ * Built-in tuner * Onboard digital effects processor with 16 reverb and delay effects * 1/4" headphone out, 1/4" line output, 1/8" line (iPod/MP3 player) input UTILIZATION Specification Detail Type Solid State Number of Channels 1 Power 35W Speakers 1 x 10" Effects Yes Reverb Yes EQ Low, Mid, High Amp Modeling No Amp Modeling Number of Models 0 Number of Tubes 0 Preamp Tubes No Tubes Power Tubes No Tubes Inputs 1 x Instrument, 1 x Aux (1/8") Outputs 1 x Line (1/4"), 1 x Headphones (1/4") Footswitch I/O Yes Effects Loop No Height 14.5" Width 10.9" Depth 8.9" Weight 25.3 lbs. SOUNDS This is definitely a practice amp. You wouldn't record with this ting most likely and you wouldn't go on stage with it either, but holy cow this thing sounds great for bedroom or office jamming. It comes with a headphone out so you can quietly jam by yourself at home or in the office. I like this amp with just about any guitar application. I especially like it with a Strat or a Les Paul or other humbucking style pickup. Or even a Superstrat of some kind. Any guitar you throw at it will sound amazing! The amp is voiced quite well to be a solid state amp and that is the best part. OVERALL OPINION With on board effects and a built in tuner this amp has it all for on the go jamming or just light bedroom playing. Just grab your guitar and amp and you are off. You have a built in tuner so no need to bring that along or any effects. Any probably best of all it has a line out for direct recording or going straight into a PA system. I haven't tried that but I can imagine that it does quite well if comparison to the rest of the amp. At new these amps come in at around $240 which is a steal for the what it does and how good it sounds. I recommend anyone who needs a nice practice amp or something to jam quietly while you baby is sleeping.

FEATURES: If looking for a small floor/pedalboard style amplifier, measuring only 6.1 (D) x 13.4 (W) x 9.9 (H) cm (2.4 x 5.4 x 3.9 inches) and weighing .38 kg (.84 pounds), the Orange Terror Stamp is a viable option. Able to pump out 20 watts of power, it consists of a hybrid platform, combining a valve (ECC83) preamp with a solid state power amp. Tones vary from very clean to biting and edgy – that classic Orange sound, together with a Shape control that helps you to achieve Micro Terror and Dark Terror characteristics. The footswitch controls two channels (both share the same Shape and Gain settings), allowing you, for example, to increase or boost the volume higher on the second channel for lead solos. The rear panel on the Terror Stamp includes the input and two types of output. There is a speaker output to a cabinet (1 x 8 ohm, 1 x 16 ohm or 2x 16 ohm), whereas the other is a headphone/PA-mixer/computer interface output. The latter includes a cab sim that emulates a mic’d Orange 4x12. There also is a buffered FX Loop to add effects pedals, such as delays, modulations, etc. For those who do not want the built-in cab sim, thereby using a different device for different IRs or speaker emulations, whether through software or something like the Line 6 Powercab (FRFR), you would run your cable from the Effects Out and into the appropriate device. Of course, you can go from the Terror Stamp’s speaker out and into an IR, etc., thus necessitating a load box as an interface between the amp and other device. SOUND: Compared to those big 100-watt heads (which few people require unless playing arenas) the Orange Terror Stamp may not ‘seem’ loud, but this thing is powerful and more than enough for small to medium sized venues. The sound, no matter the settings is exceptionally clear with a good punch. The ECC83 tube and internal circuits produce a tight low end and rich mids with highs that are clear, but not overly pronounced (definitely not shrill). The Shape control allows you to add in more mids while reducing highs when turned counter-clockwise, whereas turning the Shape clockwise scoops the mids. How well the Shape works seems to be affected by how clean or driven the tone is, via the Gain knob. For example, with the Gain down to about 9-o’clock the sound is very clean, yet full. I find that no matter the guitar pickup (neck, middle or bridge) you can use the entire scope of the Shape and find some great tones. As the Gain increases to a solid crunch (close to 12-noon) the Shape knob sounds best when dialed in around 10-o’clock and 2-o’clock, although a bit more in either direction still sounds good. When pushing the Gain beyond 12-o’clock, and particularly when Gain approaches full throttle, the tone sounds best with the Shape dialed in between 11-o’clock and 1-o’clock. Certainly your speaker cab and guitar pickups will determine an ideal range that may differ. The built-in Cab Sim (ideal for private practice or going direct to a mixer/PA or computer interface for recording) is very decent – not all effects units or amplifiers can claim this – and the overall tone remains clear, punchy and cuts through the mix rather easily. The buffered FX Loop certainly helps in maintaining a quality tone. OVERALL IMPRESSION: There is a lot of Orange aggression in this tiny amp, although with Gain dialed back it offers very thick and rich cleans (very full in response when compared to a classic Fender clean that is thinner and sparkly); this makes for an exceptional pedal platform, whether using overdrives/distortions, modulations or some other effect. The Gain produces very well-defined dirt that cuts through the mix exceptionally well and once dialed around 10-o’clock or higher, and power chords are very punchy to say the least once at 12-noon. Tonal shaping is both quite extensive and provides a host of options that literally make this tiny amp sound very different as you rotate the knob in either direct from the middle 12-noon position. And not only is the FX Loop buffered to maintain clear tones, you can use the FX Loop for modelers while driving the signal through the Terror Stamp’s power amp. Its compact size cannot be over-stated – the Orange Terror Stamp is the size of a typical pedal, small enough to pack in your guitar gig bag. Overall, its size, sound and price ($199 USD) make it winner and likely one of the best NAMM 2020 releases. The Terror Stamp also comes with its own 3.3+ meter (11+ foot) 15VDC/2A cable adapter. There is one limitation, although for what you get for the price (great sound quality in a tiny and super portable package) addressing this would increase production costs and certainly size. Now, although the second Volume allows you to boost your signal for solos, you are limited to the same tone (Shape and Gain settings); if you wanted a different tone and drive for rhythm vs. lead, you would need to set those manually each time. Another option would be to have an overdrive or distortion pedal for additional gain/boost, although this would eliminate the need for Volume 2.

Controls: 3-band EQ, switchable overdrive, master volume Digital Effects, including reverb, delay, chorus and tremelo Aux input for MP3 player Headphone out Output: 20W RMS UTILIZATION Orange! The original loud guitar huge amp company from the 70s is back in full force now, with a much larger array of products. This Crush PiX amp is a neat little 20 watt powerhouse. It is very easy to plug in and get a good sound from it, and it is a lot louder than the 20 solid state watts would suggest! I love how amp companies now are offering inputs for auxillary devices like MP3 players and iPods, and this Orange is no exception. It's great to be able to plug in a playlist and jam with your favorite artists, all in one box! SOUNDS This amp rages! It gets a very nice modern hi-gain sound for the size - it is full of saturation, yet still clear. The clean is decent - nothing to write home about, but still good. And the effects aren't bad! The reverb and delay are especially good for something like this. I'm not a big fan of chorus or tremolo in general, unless they are just super high-quality, which these aren't. But it's enough variety of sounds to keep the average kid busy playing around with the knobs, which keeps the guitar in their hands! That's a good thing! OVERALL OPINION Overall, this is a good choice in a cool practice amp. This gets louder than comparable models from Line 6 or Fender, and it has a much nicer look. However, that look does come with a price premium - some people might think it is worth it. It certainly is a great look, and I love that they offer it in both orange and black models now. This amp is not that much more expensive than its closest competitors, and it offers a great tone and must-have features, so it's worth checking out. Recommended.

The Orange Rocker 30 combo is one of the more stripped down amps that they've built recently. It features two channels, natural and dirty. The natural channel has just a volume control, whereas the drive channel features gain and volume controls. They share a very simple EQ setup of bass, middle, and treble. There's no onboard reverb or effects to add to the equation, just pure and simple tone. It puts out 30 watts of power and is run on a pair of EL34 tubes. Simple, yet effective. The combo version of this amp features a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker, the industry standard when it comes to many amps. UTILIZATION Getting a good sound out of this amp is pretty easy. I've been using one of these to record my solo album, and it's really quite interesting how good it sounds. I owned a Rockerverb 50 for a while and never did gel with it, but this Rocker 30 sounds fantastic. Both channels are pretty simple to get good tones out of. Sure it doesn't have the flexibility of some of the other multi-channel amps on the market, but that's a minor sacrifice when you consider that each channel seems to have a great sound without much tweaking. SOUNDS This amp is definitely akin to a fireball when it comes to tone. Everything about this amp tonally has a certain fire to it... lots of power and tone even for such a small and simple package. The natural (clean) channel sounds pretty good, but even considering that, it does have bit of dirt lurking within the sound spectrum which serves perfect for grittier bluesy or rocky tones. The drive channel is pure raunch heaven. It's quite high gain, but the overall vibe is very vintage and clear even with the gain dimed. In that respect it's a little more like a vintage amp that's being hit (overloaded) with gain stages. The tones are cool overall, and if you want a vintage voiced high gainer that has gobs of saturation but still has a loose and raunchy British vibe, check this one out! OVERALL OPINION All in all I think the Orange Rocker 30 is a great amp for anyone looking for something in a reasonable package that combines simplicity with great hard rock tones in the loose and killer British vibe. This amp is now discontinued but can be had in the combo form for under $1,000 if you look, which is definitely a great deal. Grab one today!

I play a Framus cobra 100 watt tube amp and occasionally use a peavey 5150 or Hughes & Kettner triamp. I mostly play heavier music but also dabble in ambient looping and classic rock tunes. This is an absolute beast of a cab. The standard orange 4x12 has Celestion vintage 30 speakers while this cab has Celestion g12h30 speakers, a center beam, and some different tolex pipping. I have previously used a Carvin legacy 4x12 with vinatage 30 speakers, Mesa Boogie oversized recto 4x13 with v30's, Hughes & Ketnner triamp cab with green backs, Carvin v412 with carvin british speakers, and a madison 4x12 with some sort of eminence speakers. The Orange killed them all by a mile. I would describe the g12h30 speakers as being the middle ground between Celestion green backs and vintage 30s. They are lower wattage which might turn some people away but I have not had any issues with volume and my band is loud. They have that a bit of that great green back speaker breakup but handle bass like a v30 without getting harsh. Vintage 30 speakers can fizz out quite easily in a live setting but these g12h30s just sound great at all volumes. The legacy was my previous favorite but I always struggled to maintain a balance between cutting through a mix and keeping the treble under control. Sometimes I would run it together with the triamp cab and it sounded great but dragging two large cabs is not something I like to do all the time. The orange cab gives me a similar sound in half the space. The construction of this cab is just amazing and you can tell how it's built when trying to lift it. This thing is easily the heaviest cabinet I have ever had the (dis)pleasure of lifting. They do not come with wheels either but I love the feeling of the stage shacking when palm muting through this cab. The only thing that is a bit cheap are the corner protectors. Mine are already coming off but I plan on installing some of the larger metal kind you see on road cases.

The Orange Amps AD1510 is a tube based guitar combo amplifier that is on the smaller side of the Orange Amps collection. It has 15 watts of power and has a 1/4 inch input on it to plug your instrument in. It has a single speaker and is easy to carry around with you. UTILIZATION The configuration of the Orange Amps AD1510 is really basic and is quite easy to learn. It has all of the basic parameters you would expect with a guitar amp, including knobs for master volume, gain, bass, mid, and treble. Getting a good sound is really easy as the inherent tone on the Orange Amps AD1510 is really full and rich sounding. I don't have the manual for the Orange Amps AD1510, but it is very easy to use and you definitely shouldn't need the manual if you don't have it already. SOUNDS The sounds from the Orange Amps AD1510 are pretty awesome considering this only outputs 15 watts of power. While the clean sound is great, the overdrive is where this amp really excels, as the overdrive is extremely crunchy, warm, and full bodied in tone. While there aren't a ton of parameters to control your tone, since it does have the basic ones there is certainly enough here to dial in a variety of different tones for different genres and applications. While this doesn't have the punch and rip to some of the bigger Orange amps, the Orange Amps AD1510 is a great sounding model when you take in to consideration its small size. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the Orange Amps AD1510 for about two years and it is one of my favorite smaller combo amps out there, as it really exceeded my expectations in terms of tone for such a small amp. I wasn't expecting to be able to crank this amp as loud as I am able to, and it really just has an extremely impressive tone to it. This amp isn't too expensive and you know you are getting a good amp because it is made by Orange. I've come to trust Orange Amps wholeheartedly, and I would highly recommend the AD1510 to those looking for a small combo amp to practice on that has a lot of punch for its size.

The Orange Amps OR 120 is a tube based guitar amp head that is delivers 120 watts of power, as the name states. It has both a high and low 1/4 inch input in the front, with a speaker cable output in the back for sending this amp to a cabinet. It also has send and return 1/4 inch connections in the front for echo if you choose to use it. It also has handles on it so you can easily bring it around. UTILIZATION The configuration of the Orange Amps OR 120 is really easy to follow, as it does not have an exurbanite amount of parameters. It does have knobs for master, gain, presence, treble, bass, and FAC, from the right to left and definitely provides a good amount of control over your tone. Getting a good sound is extremely easy as the inherent tone is very rich and the overdrive is outstanding. I don't have a manual for the Orange Amps OR 120, but it is easy enough to use that you don't need it if you don't already have one. SOUNDS The sounds that you can get from the Orange Amps OR 120 are really awesome. While it excels mostly for its overdrive tones, the clean tone is great as well. I have only used this amp with guitar, as that is what it is designed for - usually a Fender Strat or a Gibson SG, always with results I'm happy with. The overdrive tone is crunchy and quite full, while the clean sound is vibrant and nice sounding. This amp is perfect for rock music, especially for harder rock, but will work great for a variety of genres. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the Orange Amps OR 120 for about two years, and I have found it to be yet another great amplifier from Orange Amps. When it comes to built in overdrive, no one makes better amps than Orange, and the Orange Amps OR 120 is one of their best in terms of overdrive. This amp isn't cheap, but whether you are a professional or an amateur it is worth the price because you will be getting a high end guitar amp that you can use for years to come. All in all, I highly recommend the Orange Amps OR 120 to all guitar players.

The Orange Amps Thunderverb 50 is a tube based guitar amp head that, like the name states, delivers 50 watts of power. It has a 1/4 inch input the front and has a speaker cable output in the back. The amp has two channels and has separate setting controls for each. On channel A, there are parameters for volume, treble, middle, bass, and gain, and on channel B there are knobs for volume, shape, and gain. There are then knobs for reverb and attenuation that apply to both channels. UTILIZATION Using the Orange Amps Thunderverb 50 amp is very easy and if you understand what basic parameters on guitar amps do, you will have no troubles with this amp. The inherent tone is great, and both channels have a good amount of parameters to control your tone. The manual for the Orange Amps Thunderverb 50 is thorough, but it is easy enough to use that you don't need it if you don't have one. SOUNDS The sound quality of the Orange Amps Thunderverb 50 amp head is top notch for both clean and overdrive sounds. I have only used this amp for recording, and always get awesome results when I track with this. I usually use this amp with a Fender Strat or a Gibson SG, depending on what type of sound I am going for. While I love the clean sound, the overdrive on this is what really makes this a great amp head. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the Orange Amps Thunderverb 50 for recording for about a year and have found it to be a truly great amp. It is extremely easy to use, and has a very unique look to it, with symbols above each of the knobs. I have come to love just about every Orange amp that I have used, and this is one of the best they have to offer. Even though it isn't cheap, it is a high end amp that is probably priced right. If you are looking for a great amp for rock music, you absolutely can't go wrong with this amp.

The Orange Rockerverb 50 mkii is a twin channeled, el34 based design with a great classic sound. Featuring a redesigned, tube driven reverb unit and effects loop. The amp also possesses a bias switch on the rear panel if you want to swap out the el34 tubes for kt88's. Classic Orange tolex gives the definitive look. UTILIZATION Having the ability to engage the reverb via footswitch is a great feature. The Rockerverb is a very simple amp and as such, is not difficult to dial in. Unlike Mesa boogie amps that take lot of time to find a sweet spot, Orange's sound proper just about anywhere on the dial. The tone controls are very responsive, with low and high-mid eq controls attached to the treble and bass. Build quality is rugged, as to be expected from Orange. I know many people out on the road with Orange amps and I've never heard a complaint regarding reliability. SOUNDS I played through the Rockerverb with a 70s Gibson Les Paul Standard. Orange 4x12. No pedals. The clean channel just sparkles. Of all the Orange's I've played, the Rockerverb mkii's clean channel is my favorite. It is a warm, full sound that's very signature to Orange amps and seemingly refined in this particular model. Conversely, I was less than impressed with the Rockerverb's dirty channel. Compared to the AD30, it just sounded dull. The onboard reverb was tasteful but lesser in sound quality to other amp's in the price point. OVERALL OPINION The Orange Rockerverb mkii retails at $2149 new. In this price point the Orange is weak competitively. Amps like the Bogner Goldfinger and the Reeves Super '78 dominate it. Even Orange's own AD30 faired more favorably in terms of rock tones. Is it a decent design? Yes. Is it worth the price of admission? In my own opinion, no.