Orange AD140 review

[Cliff Fiscal]

traded for a Orange AD140, and it came in the mail today.

 

First off, the amp head weighs at least 65-68lbs.

I haven't pulled the chassis out of the headshell yet.....so I don't know how big the transformers are or what the guts look like.

 

Channel 1 has less gain, darker and fuller low end.

Channel 2 has more gain, brighter and tighter low end. (kind of like channel 1 with a boost into it)

 

I plug in and try to find a clean tone.

Ch. 1 back the preamp gain off and turned up the master ( )

The clean is really nice, kind of dry, but full. It's similar to a VOX type clean, in your face mids, and some chime. I was actually surprised, since it's got EL34s.

Bump up the gain a little and you can control the gain with pick dynamics or vol knob.

 

The amp seems very sensitive to input volume.

 

The 2nd channel leaves off where the 1st ends. More gain.

It's a little bit brighter and doesn't have as have a much low end.

I'd imagine this would benefit in a live mix. major cutting power.

Very vintage tone....like classic rock....zeppelin marshall-ish, queen AC30-ish, . Bold and raw.

 

This allows you to dial in each channel to your personal taste. clean and dirty, dirty and dirty, light and clean, etc.....

 

I can see why a lot of the younger kids don't jive with the AD140 or the AD30s. They see ORANGE and expect a certain tone. These amps deliver vintage tones. Crunch in the best way.

 

That's all I can say for only playing it for a short time.

[Dewysoss]

Loved the AD140 when we used it for cleans on our EP. I dicked around with the dirt channel a bit. I'm actually recording for my other band and I'm staring at it right now, but its broked so I unfortunately can't use it for this demo. I was planning on boosting it for a more modern tone.

[bass_n_drums]

I couldn't find any good clips of the AD140 on youtube. Or it didn't fully show it's potential. What did you trade the ad140 for?

[sam adams]

I used to have an AD140 before trading it for my RV100.

 

The amp seems designed more Channel 1/Channel 2 as opposed to Clean Channel/Drive Channel. Channel 1 can clean up very nicely or get pretty thick and overdriven with a turn of the gain knob. Channel 2 has a touch more gain and just a slightly tighter voicing which obviously makes it a better choice for your main drive channel.

 

It was ungodly loud. Very responsive to the guitar/pickups and playing dynamics.

 

I play in a hardcore/punk/experimental band and it handled very nicely. Don't be afraid to turn some of those knobs clear up to 10. That's where you get the interesting 3D textures.

 

I ultimately found the RV100 to be a better fit for me. But certainly wouldn't mind owning another AD140 at some point.

 

It also sounded great for bass(when ran into a bass cab of course) if you like raunchy glassy bass tone.

[Cliff Fiscal]

 

I couldn't find any good clips of the AD140 on youtube. Or it didn't fully show it's potential. What did you trade the ad140 for?

 

 

Yeah, they seem to be fairly rare in the USA....not one of a kind, but they don't pop up often.

 

It's a lot like the AD30 I once had....just to give you an idea of the tone.

 

I traded a Univalve and a Matamp Little Rock for it.

[Cliff Fiscal]

 

I used to have an AD140 before trading it for my RV100. The amp seems designed more Channel 1/Channel 2 as opposed to Clean Channel/Drive Channel. Channel 1 can clean up very nicely or get pretty thick and overdriven with a turn of the gain knob. Channel 2 has a touch more gain and just a slightly tighter voicing which obviously makes it a better choice for your main drive channel. It was ungodly loud. Very responsive to the guitar/pickups and playing dynamics. I play in a hardcore/punk/experimental band and it handled very nicely. Don't be afraid to turn some of those knobs clear up to 10. That's where you get the interesting 3D textures. I ultimately found the RV100 to be a better fit for me. But certainly wouldn't mind owning another AD140 at some point. It also sounded great for bass(when ran into a bass cab of course) if you like raunchy glassy bass tone.

 

 

+1

 

I tried it with bass....since I'm playing bass in a stoner band.....but it didn't sound like I needed it too. Didn't sound terrible, just not what I was looking for.

[CaViTaTioN]

I had one for a bit. LOUDER THAN HELL. great clean tone but the grit I did get out of it was not what I actually needed at the time so I ended up selling it.

[PurpleStain]

 

I can see why a lot of the younger kids don't jive with the AD140 or the AD30s. They see ORANGE and expect a certain tone. These amps deliver vintage tones. Crunch in the best way. That's all I can say for only playing it for a short time.

 

 

 

I'm not younger, and I love vintage tones. I don't think the AD30 delivers a vintage crunch tone. Its main character is a fuzzy mess. It doesn't sparkle or have the qualities of a crunchy vintage overdrive at all in my opinion. It is a vintagey tone, i suppose, but more of one of those torn speaker kind of sounds.

 

I was just expecting something with more harmonic content, i suppose, and the AD30 just does not deliver. It sounded far too square wave.

[Cliff Fiscal]

Yeah, it's a dry sounding vintage style amp with some hair on top.

That's the best I can describe it.

 

Very loud.

[Dewysoss]

 

It wouldn't be my first choice for sweet cleans, I'd go to Fender or a JTM first, but if the track needs a bold Voxy type clean. It sure can do that. It's broken? .

 

 

Power tubes are shot, I think. He said it kept blowing fuses.

 

We mixed it with a mark iv for cleans. lemme see if I can find the MP3 for you to check out.

[TruSlice]

I can see why a lot of the younger kids don't jive with the AD140 or the AD30s. They see ORANGE and expect a certain tone. These amps deliver vintage tones. Crunch in the best way. That's all I can say for only playing it for a short time.

 

Bought a 63" Skylark when I was 18 and have been hooked on the vintage crunch ever since.

 

 

I just don't jive with the honkiness in most oranges that I hear (and the Rocker 30 that I owned), and most British amps for that matter...:poke:

 

 

I absolutely love the look of them though

[Cliff Fiscal]

They are a bolder sounding amp.

 

like a modified and gained out AC30.

 

I bet you'd like an OR80/OR120.

[TruSlice]

At least it's not one of the Oranges that require you to slap V30's in front of them trying to make up for whatever pathetic lack of clarity, then I might.

 

God, I hate it when amp makers do that.

 

I can dig an amp that was meant to run on greenbacks'

[BlackHive]

At least it's not one of the Oranges that require you to slap V30's in front of them trying to make up for whatever pathetic lack of clarity, then I might. God, I hate it when amp makers do that. I can dig an amp that was meant to run on greenbacks'

 

Oh no not all amps are the same. They should all be the way I like.

[Cliff Fiscal]

AD140 on letterman right now!

[TruSlice]

tuned

[sam adams]

At least it's not one of the Oranges that require you to slap V30's in front of them trying to make up for whatever pathetic lack of clarity, then I might. God, I hate it when amp makers do that. I can dig an amp that was meant to run on greenbacks'

 

What Orange amp are you playing that has a "pathetic lack of clarity?"

 

One of my favorite things about the Orange amps I've played and owned is that even at higher gain settings they have a unique clear/clean like tonal quality behind the gain. Very responsive to you playing and your guitar. Very thick and 3D.

 

My old single channel AD30 got a little messy for higher gain stuff but that's because it's a tube rectified 30w Class A el84 amp. It's got no headroom and it's designed to be saggy in it's feel/response. Some people look for that in an amp.

[bass_n_drums]

I had the rockerverb 50 and I just couldn't get the sound from what i wanted from that amp. I was thinking maybe the ad140 sounds better either when it's cranked or in a band situation.

[jenksdrummer]

 

I used to have an AD140 before trading it for my RV100. The amp seems designed more Channel 1/Channel 2 as opposed to Clean Channel/Drive Channel. Channel 1 can clean up very nicely or get pretty thick and overdriven with a turn of the gain knob. Channel 2 has a touch more gain and just a slightly tighter voicing which obviously makes it a better choice for your main drive channel. It was ungodly loud. Very responsive to the guitar/pickups and playing dynamics. I play in a hardcore/punk/experimental band and it handled very nicely. Don't be afraid to turn some of those knobs clear up to 10. That's where you get the interesting 3D textures. I ultimately found the RV100 to be a better fit for me. But certainly wouldn't mind owning another AD140 at some point. It also sounded great for bass(when ran into a bass cab of course) if you like raunchy glassy bass tone.

 

 

Same here, wish I still had it though - seems they stopped making the AD140TC.

[Cliff Fiscal]

Same here, wish I still had it though - seems they stopped making the AD140TC.

 

I know I just got the amp and all that, but since I have sooooooo much gear......I'd let the AD140 go for the right price.

 

I'm a recent guitar player convert to bass. I really enjoy bass, and play in a band playing bass. So I really don't need the amp. I traded for it because it was a cool deal. PLUS, if someone buys the AD140....and with my Windsor and Single Recto selling....I can probably finally afford a decent tube bass amp!!!!!

 

PM me if you're interested.

[bass_n_drums]

What were you looking for in tone that you couldn't get?

Never played a Rockerverb?

 

The Rockerverb was too compressed for my taste. Even the dampen switched to get more saturated tone didn't help that much. Second was the clean, the clean broke up while dialing it half way and I needed more clean head room.

[orangekick]

What were you looking for in tone that you couldn't get? Never played a Rockerverb? The Rockerverb was too compressed for my taste. Even the dampen switched to get more saturated tone didn't help that much. Second was the clean, the clean broke up while dialing it half way and I needed more clean head room.

 

I do not dig the Rockerverb 50. Those 6V6's just get squishy when the amp is cranked. The Rockerverb 100 is pretty killer though. I prefer the RV100 with EH 6CA7's in the power section.

[bass_n_drums]

 

I do not dig the Rockerverb 50. Those 6V6's just get squishy when the amp is cranked. The Rockerverb 100 is pretty killer though. I prefer the RV100 with EH 6CA7's in the power section.

 

 

How would you compare the RV100 to your ex ad140?

[orangekick]

The RV100 is definitely more modern sounding than the AD140. The clean channel on the RV100 is also better, it stays clean at higher volumes. The gain sounds of the two amps is really where they separate. The gain on the AD140 has a woolly yet raspy quality to it where the RV100 can do thrash metal tones with a little tweaking of the EQ. (I'm sure some will disagree with that, but this is all just my opinion.) The RV100 also had excellent note separation. It wasn't VHT dry, but it was an amp that made me stand up and notice my mistakes, that's for sure. The AD140 sounded the best when the volume was past noon. That isn't an issue for me, but the overall tone of that amp just didn't sit well with me.

[Cliff Fiscal]

Hmmm.....I like the clean on the AD140, and with the preamp gain backed off.....it could stay clean up very loud. Almost a AC30 type clean.

With a little reverb, it's really nice.

 

I'm a clean snob too.....