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Orange AD30H
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Orange AD30H

Tube Guitar Amp Head from Orange belonging to the AD series

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iamqman iamqman

« Perfect »

Published on 03/30/11 at 11:33
This is the flagship amplifier that reminds me of how amazing Orange amp sound. They continue that line and tone of British grind and do it very well. I have played every single Orange amp thet they make and this one by an inch or two is my favorite.

The coolest thing about this amp is the two completely different signal paths for the two channels. This is great if you need to EQ the channels differently for gigging or live uses. Plus it essentially makes it two amps in one.

The first channel is more of lower gain channel and it can get crunch when the gain is increased. You will get a great classic rock tone ala AC/DC or Led Zeppelin.

This amp is similar to the Tiny Terror with the El84 power tubes, but this has a tube rectifier which gives a solid tube grinding tone.


UTILIZATION

The first channel is going to have a little more low end thump and a bit more low mids in the circuit. Where as the second channel gets a little more hairy in the mids which gets more saturation and higher mid focus.

Controls:

Channel 1: Gain / Volume / Bass / Middle / Treble
Channel 2: Gain / Volume / Bass / Middle / Treble
Configuration: Channel 1 / Channel 2 – Clean thru Distortion
Output:

30 Watts Class A
Valves:

Preamp: 4 X 12AX7, Output: 4 X EL84, Rectifier: 1 X GZ34
Speaker Out:

(1) 16 Ohm, (2) 8 Ohm
Dimensions:

(W x H x D) 55×25.5×24cm, 21.5×10x9.5in
Weight:

18kgs/40lbs


SOUNDS

The tone from this amp is sensational. Two independent channels gives the user an assortment of tonal variations. I like channel one for a bluesy classic rock tone that sounds great with a Strat as it is increased in the bottom end. So having a nice bright guitar in this channel gives a creamy warm tone fitting for some Cream or the Who tones.

If you are in channel two try it out with a solid Les Paul guitar and a either a Marshall 4x12 or an Orange 4x12, but make sure either use a nice greenback Celestion type speaker or a Celestion Vintage 30 type speaker. I how found that the V30's sound a bit better with the Orange Amps but a nice greenback will get a little more high end focus and a little more sizzle on the gain structure.

OVERALL OPINION

I'm a fan of the tube rectifier options in class A amplifiers. I think it adds a nice chewy gain that El34's don't or can't really accomplish. I love El34's but sometimes it is nice to add this type power tube distortion in a mix. It adds a bit of depth to the tone and gives a 3D element to the sound. I find it to be a little fatter in sound but not as focused. The sound is not as aggressive but seems to be a bit fuller in structure.

I would recommend this amp to anyone looking for a solid amp that will not give you any problems and will sound great every time you click it on. If you need an amp with a great tone and great features this is one to look at. Priced at around $1600 for a new one. This is great price for an amp of this caliber.