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Published on 10/31/11 at 18:50The Orange RV100 MkI was the highest wattage version of the Rockerverb line of amps. The Rockerverb in general was meant to be a more modern high gain amp line designed to compete with the high gainers of today. Orange is typically known for their sludgier and meatier amps like the Thunderverbs and OR120s so the RV100 offers a smoother and crisper set of tones. It's a dual channel amp with onboard reverb and an effects loop. The EQ controls are fairly standard British fare. The amp is powered by EL34s and delivers 100 watts of tube glory.
UTILIZATION
Getting a good sound out of this amp can be a bit more difficult due to the narrow focus of the EQ bands. I find Orange amps to have a bit of an odd and narrow EQ range that can be a bit difficult and annoying to tweak, especially at higher volumes. There isn't a lot of ways to tweak the low end or high end to tighten up the tone... it's really all a variant of midrange tweaking to me, and that makes it a bit more difficult to really dial in effectively, which is frustrating. It's a common complaint I have with British voiced amps, but it's true with Orange to a strong extent.
SOUNDS
This amp seems to sound best with humbuckers or P90s. It has a tighter feel to it than the Thunderverbs but it still has a great tone for sludge/doom metal things. The clean channel has a typical British voice that works well for quasi clean tones with a bit of grit. The drive tones are pretty loose and heavy, but still very articulate. It's not a tight or dry amp, not really something I'd use for modern rock or metal, but for that vintage British voice it does a good job for sure.
OVERALL OPINION
All in all I think the Orange RV100 is a decent buy for anyone looking for a unique take on the British EL34 powered roar. It's priced kinda high at about $2,300 new but you can find them for less used if you are patient and look. It's not the most versatile amp but it does sound pretty cool for that British vibe. Worth a look if you want that kinda sludgy/doomy vibe but in a more modern package.
UTILIZATION
Getting a good sound out of this amp can be a bit more difficult due to the narrow focus of the EQ bands. I find Orange amps to have a bit of an odd and narrow EQ range that can be a bit difficult and annoying to tweak, especially at higher volumes. There isn't a lot of ways to tweak the low end or high end to tighten up the tone... it's really all a variant of midrange tweaking to me, and that makes it a bit more difficult to really dial in effectively, which is frustrating. It's a common complaint I have with British voiced amps, but it's true with Orange to a strong extent.
SOUNDS
This amp seems to sound best with humbuckers or P90s. It has a tighter feel to it than the Thunderverbs but it still has a great tone for sludge/doom metal things. The clean channel has a typical British voice that works well for quasi clean tones with a bit of grit. The drive tones are pretty loose and heavy, but still very articulate. It's not a tight or dry amp, not really something I'd use for modern rock or metal, but for that vintage British voice it does a good job for sure.
OVERALL OPINION
All in all I think the Orange RV100 is a decent buy for anyone looking for a unique take on the British EL34 powered roar. It's priced kinda high at about $2,300 new but you can find them for less used if you are patient and look. It's not the most versatile amp but it does sound pretty cool for that British vibe. Worth a look if you want that kinda sludgy/doomy vibe but in a more modern package.