Does the DT series actually sound better than running the HD500 into an amp?

I ask because I've got an Orange TH30 mini stack (2 x 112's) which I've just got back as it blew up just before NYE and I've just today setup the 4cm.

I'm running the 'real' tube preamps (clean/dirty) and using some patches from the HD500 (Recto, Deluxe reverb etc) as comparisons and so far I'm pretty impressed with the setup.

I've got the Recto and the DR sounding pretty solid (I'm a long tweaker with the HD series as this is my second HD500 and I've owned a HD300 before that) and whilst the modelled pre's/fx chains sound pretty bloody good, they don't sound as good as the real preamp; espec with some HD500 'magic' (EQ, Verb, Delay etc) thrown into the mix.

As I wouldn't be able to compare these rigs side by side, would the DT25 sound better than this current setup or does it essentially sound like a well tweaked HD500 running into a 'nice', well matched power section?

For reference, the TH30 has a great 4 tube 30 watt EL84 power section which is switchable to 2 tubes 15 watts, 4 tubes 15 watts and 2 tubes 7 watts so whilst it can't do Class A, it does that EL84 class A/B but it can do pentode/triode and also run with 4 and 2 tubes which is definitely a trick the DT can't do. Plus it should have more headroom than the DT as it uses 4 tubes and doesn't claim to be putting out 25 watts per pair of EL84s.

I liked the DT50 I test drove but if I'm not going to get better tones I'll sit tight and save myself $1200.

What are your experiences running this way?

Have any owners tried their DT's into good amps/poweramps and found they are similar to the HD+DT combination?

I have to admit to also being a little worried about the L6 depreciation factor. If I pay $1200, it'll be only worth $600 next year if I want to sell it where the Orange will still command ~$850 and I only paid $1050.

 

I guess I'm kinda fussy (though I'm not that bad as I shun the uber high end amps as it's a fair wank IMHO and I don't own anything too fancy - TBH the top of the range two rock didn't do anything for me personally) but I was actually very impressed with the Recto sim and the Vox sim on the DT50 I tried. Sounds pretty killer to me personally.

I'm not fussed about the Marshall tones as I couldn't get it in the ball park of my Jose Plexi but that is a pretty crazy amp so it wouldn't be fair to judge it against this.

Really it's Fender, Vox and Mesa and these were selling me about the DT.

I guess my hesitation (apart from the cash itself) is that this current setup actually sounds very impressive and I have 'nearly' the same functionality as the DT series but naturally I need my snake for the 4cm.

Trying this into my Plexi doesn't work as whilst it sounds freaking amazing through the loop's return, there is much too much preamp noise leaking through to do a 4cm and the Plexi and 4x12 is damn heavy so if I'm shipping this much iron, I might as well bring my analogue pedalboard.

The HD didn't sound so hot through some other FX loops and power amps I've tried but the Orange seems to sound really nice.

Essentially, it's for a smaller portable setup with one or two 1x12's.

Whiteop, I appreciate your candour. I talked to you in the past but was kinda scared off about some early reliability issues (I even saw you posted on the L6 forum about a problem) and now I'm really thinking about one I am again hesitating.

Do you really think they are overpriced?