Members Willyguitar Posted April 2, 2011 Members Share Posted April 2, 2011 Tried out a few lower powered combos today (and one head), although actually most around the 40w - today it was Fender Blues deluxe, blues junior and Blackstar HT club 40 or something like that, and then finally the Orange Dual Terror through some 1 by 12 cheapish marshall cab. Stupidly, I didn't have time to check what it was, but I think it was just something that came with the Haze range. The Fenders were reasonably nice clean, but really fizzy on overdrive (especially the blues deluxe), very bright, and with almost no taper (again in the case of the deluxe) on teh volume. The Blackstar was also pretty nice clean, but not such a good reverb... but to be honest sounded completely artificial on the drive channel - just couldn't get to like it. Maybe I didn't dial it right, but I messed with it for about half an hour. Finally, the Orange was just really really nice and MUCH more natural sounding - wonderful tones even up to quite high gain (and I am not normally much of a fan of a lot of gain), and good at all stages in between. A really great sounding head I thought... so now I am wondered about getting one, or maybe just the tiny terror, since I can just take it to our rehearsal studio and link it up with cabs they have there... the advantage of the dual terror is the extra channel of course, but they don't seem to come up on ebay. So, what do others think about the terrors? Did I just like it because it was easy to dial in? My only reservation is having something with 'Orange' written on it, which reminds me of a thieving telephone company! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted April 2, 2011 Members Share Posted April 2, 2011 For gain tones, I think the Orange is pretty killer. I might eve succumb to a Dual Terror in the next year or two, but if you like complex sparkly cleans, I've personally never heard an Orange at any price that can compare to a $250 used Hot Rod Deluxe... In my opinion anyway. So yeah... for gain, the Orange stuff is awesome... ALL of it. If you like complex, dimensional cleans... I couldn't live with any of the Orange stuff. Of course, you can always add the right dirt with the gain turned down low that might give you great cleans. I've been using a Wampler Ecstacy lately that I'm sure would help the Orange produce killer cleans. The only Blackstar I've spent much time with is the 20W. It is what it is... the cleans are comparable to Voxes and Fenders in my opinion, but not quite there. And the gain, for offering such a range of gain, sounds pretty good to my ears. I think of the 20W Blackstar as an improved but imported version of the Peavey Classic 30... Very good cleans, but not the best and very usable gain, but not the best. For a single amp option for a gigging guitarist, I think you could do a lot worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willyguitar Posted April 2, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 2, 2011 ^^ I thought the Blackstar was pretty poor actually. The OD channel sounding like modelling software to me - in other words, completely swamped the sound of the guitar itself. The Dual Terror cleans were also as good, at least to me (but without reverb), as I got them entirely by turning down the volume on the guitar itself (this was using a gibson junior in the shop, which tend to have quite hot pickups). The Orange just blew the others away by a very long shot - sounded solid, rich, warm, whatever - just nicer. Maybe I would need to make sure the clean really WAS clean enough though. the Fender Blues Deluxe was really tinny, spikey and just not good even with a bit of a break up. It was the first thing I played. I guess I just don't quite get the fascination with them at all. The clean channel was OK, but no better (probably not as good) as my AC30, even though Fenders are meant to excel in the clean dept. The OD channel seemed pretty useless to me, and I couldn't wait to plug a guitar into something else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 the Fender Blues Deluxe was really tinny, spikey and just not good even with a bit of a break up. It was the first thing I played. I guess I just don't quite get the fascination with them at all. The clean channel was OK, but no better (probably not as good) as my AC30, even though Fenders are meant to excel in the clean dept. The OD channel seemed pretty useless to me, and I couldn't wait to plug a guitar into something else! That's where the blues and hot rod deluxe's really suck IMO. I've heard plenty of people get great tones by using pedals through a totally clean one though. If you want break up from the amp look elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willyguitar Posted April 3, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 ^^ The trouble is, I have yet to find an overdrive or distortion pedal that is anywhere near as good as the drive you can get on a good valve amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MackieJ Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 I have a Orange Rocker 30 and really like the tones I can get from it. IMO the clean channel is pretty remarkable for what it doesn't do. With the clean channel, what you put in is what you get out. From my POV it doesn't color the sound and is exactly what I want. Fender amps rule too, but I like a different tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Willyguitar Posted April 3, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 ^^ I wasn't really into Orange amps until yesterday, but that may have been because I didn't give them a chance. I am completely surprised by how good they are. A bit on the pricey side, but I will have to try one of those too. They look SO odd though to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fluttershy Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 I love Oranges, but as people have said the cleans aren't always the best. I prefer to go with an amp with good cleans as there are just so many different stomps out these days. Of course the amp still has to be voiced right as that's the main thing that gives it the final sound. Of course, if you want authentic t00b sound a clean amp with pedals isn't going to cut it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MackieJ Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 ^^ I wasn't really into Orange amps until yesterday, but that may have been because I didn't give them a chance. I am completely surprised by how good they are. A bit on the pricey side, but I will have to try one of those too. They look SO odd though to me. They are different looking, but the color has grown on me. They also make some of their heads in white. I originally wanted a Marshall, but they were even mire expensive than the Orange amps. I was hooked when I heard mine this first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Philfixit Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 I love Oranges, but, unless I win the lottery, it's not likely that I'll ever own one. The Dual Terror would be just about all I could want out of an amplifier.And, I have seen an Orange done in black, but it's entirely possible that it had been recovered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 If it were me: Fender Pro Jr, Fender Blues Jr, or Fender Hot Rod Deluxe+ Overdrive pedal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jrockbridge Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 My main amp is a Vox clone, Valvetech Amplifier Company Hayseed 15. Your main amp is an AC30 which sounds different than a 15 (even different 15's sound different). Yet, I do think the 15 and 30 share some tonal characteristics. So, I'll be interested to see how all this works out. I've heard a few Orange amps over the years. I've liked much of what I've heard, but I've never tried an Orange amp myself. I wonder if some people say that Orange amps don't have great cleans because the clean doesn't sound like the better Fender cleans. Maybe, Orange clean is simply different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesnapper Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 I really rate Orange amps - a couple of my friends have them and they sound great. The OD is really great, the cleans are pretty nice too. I prefer a Fender for cleans, but as I play with a touch of gain most of the time then an Orange does the job for me. Have you thought about a Cornford? One of these might do the trick - pretty pricey - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 Yeah, like I said, the Blackstar 20W isn't the last word in great tone, but like the Classic 30, it does a lot of things very well in a band setting. Playing it alone in a room where you can hear every last detail, neither is my favorite at all, but I don't think I've ever heard one sound bad in a bad setting ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 My main amp is a Vox clone, Valvetech Amplifier Company Hayseed 15. Your main amp is an AC30 which sounds different than a 15 (even different 15's sound different). Yet, I do think the 15 and 30 share some tonal characteristics. So, I'll be interested to see how all this works out. I've heard a few Orange amps over the years. I've liked much of what I've heard, but I've never tried an Orange amp myself. I wonder if some people say that Orange amps don't have great cleans because the clean doesn't sound like the better Fender cleans. Maybe, Orange clean is simply different. And I definitely don't mean Orange cleans can't be good, just as someone used to Fender cleans and Vox cleans, Orange cleans, at least from their modern amps, don't sound as... flavorful, I suppose. I play clean almost all the time so I like some spice to my cleans. My two main amps right now are an AC15H1TV that I play on the EF86 channel and I just use a reverb and a trem pedal... no dirt pedal as I think the Vox sounds spectacular. The amp I've been playing the most lately is a Dr Z Carmen Ghia which a lot of folks love the clean on and I do too, but I run a Wampler Ecstacy pedal with the gain down low all the time. It just adds more pop and dimension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PrawnHeed Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 If you like the Orange, try a HiWatt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Special J Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 My main amp is a Vox clone, Valvetech Amplifier Company Hayseed 15. Your main amp is an AC30 which sounds different than a 15 (even different 15's sound different). Yet, I do think the 15 and 30 share some tonal characteristics. So, I'll be interested to see how all this works out. I've heard a few Orange amps over the years. I've liked much of what I've heard, but I've never tried an Orange amp myself. I wonder if some people say that Orange amps don't have great cleans because the clean doesn't sound like the better Fender cleans. Maybe, Orange clean is simply different. Same here. I play a Hayseed 30. Love it, but I'm also looking for a small giggable combo, so I'm interested to see what the OP ends up with. Orange amps, from what little experience I have, seem to sound a lot better in general when they're cranked up, even when playing clean. But I think your theory holds a lot of truth. People are very used to hearing Fender and Vox clean tones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Verne Andru Posted April 3, 2011 Members Share Posted April 3, 2011 How about the Mesa Transatlantic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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