Orange Amplification Owners Thread

[tonedover]

Hey everyone! I just dropped this, thought you guys might like it:

finally listened to the whole thing - was pleased to hear self-affirmation for my love of the rocker 15. — also pleased to hear how the ss micro dark sounded pretty dang good as i have always thought

 

[skiltrip]

Never had an Orange. Just got the Micro Dark hoping it'd be a good clean pedal platform and well as an opportunity to get a taste for some sludgy Orange gain. And it delivers all around. I can't believe how fantastic it sounds getting hit with low to high gain with my BE-OD or Wampler Pantheon. Tons of clarity and punch. Very pleased. $159 after AMS coupon. Like this for a clean pedal platform WAY more than the Quilter SuperBlock US I was using for a while. That thing had a muddy lower mid voice that I could not get rid of. Every one of it's voices was problematic in it's own way. The Micro Dark though is perfection. Gain at 10 o'clock, Shape at 2 o'clock, and volume set to where I need it. Crazy loud too. I always use it through my Two Notes Captor to get that 20db attenuation. This thing is amazing for the price, and it's definitely got me interested in some of the other sub-$1000 Orange offerings!

 

[classicplayer]

Never had an Orange. Just got the Micro Dark hoping it'd be a good clean pedal platform and well as an opportunity to get a taste for some sludgy Orange gain. And it delivers all around. I can't believe how fantastic it sounds getting hit with low to high gain with my BE-OD or Wampler Pantheon. Tons of clarity and punch. Very pleased. $159 after AMS coupon. Like this for a clean pedal platform WAY more than the Quilter SuperBlock US I was using for a while. That thing had a muddy lower mid voice that I could not get rid of. Every one of it's voices was problematic in it's own way. The Micro Dark though is perfection. Gain at 10 o'clock, Shape at 2 o'clock, and volume set to where I need it. Crazy loud too. I always use it through my Two Notes Captor to get that 20db attenuation. This thing is amazing for the price, and it's definitely got me interested in some of the other sub-$1000 Orange offerings!

I got into the Orange flavor first with a Micro Dark. I seldom drag it out, but it's a surprising little 20-watt beast of Orange tone. It influenced me to try the Dark Terror (after contemplating other Terror amps) and I have not been disappointed in picking that one because it can go from Zeppelin to Metal with a few knob turns and the right guitars.

My only criticism of the Micro Dark is that being a hybrid type of amplifier, it sounds a little bit too “immediate” and without much give to the sound. I think I could have got around that with some playing finesses and knob twiddling, but at the time I was using the matching Orange PPC108 cab. If well-cared for, Micro Dark should last you a long time and make a good recording type of amp.


classicplayer

 

[skiltrip]

I got into the Orange flavor first with a Micro Dark. I seldom drag it out, but it's a surprising little 20-watt beast of Orange tone. It influenced me to try the Dark Terror (after contemplating other Terror amps) and I have not been disappointed in picking that one because it can go from Zeppelin to Metal with a few knob turns and the right guitars.

My only criticism of the Micro Dark is that being a hybrid type of amplifier, it sounds a little bit too “immediate” and without much give to the sound. I think I could have got around that with some playing finesses and knob twiddling, but at the time I was using the matching Orange PPC108 cab. If well-cared for, Micro Dark should last you a long time and make a good recording type of amp.


classicplayer

Thanks for sharing your experience. Definitely interested in the Dark Terror. The price is pretty great. Also looking at the OR15, Dual Terror, and Rocker 15. I don't know much about the differences between them, but I've got a bit of learning to do.

 

[tonedover]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Definitely interested in the Dark Terror. The price is pretty great. Also looking at the OR15, Dual Terror, and Rocker 15. I don't know much about the differences between them, but I've got a bit of learning to do.

of those three, the rocker 15 for sure. 2 channels, takes pedals great on the natural channel, and the power scaling is fantastic 15, 7, 1 or 0.5 watts of output. amazingly versatile
buy an eq pedal and put it in the loop. infinite possibilities

 

[Beefeater]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Definitely interested in the Dark Terror. The price is pretty great. Also looking at the OR15, Dual Terror, and Rocker 15. I don't know much about the differences between them, but I've got a bit of learning to do.

I have both the Dark Terror and OR15. Both are phenomenal amps. Dark Terror is a bit tighter with higher gain and my go to for late night shreds but the OR15 just oozes thick classic tone and can tighten up with an OD pedal. I personally think set up clean the OR15 crushes the Dark and and 3 band EQ gives you more flexibility to shape your tone. The only downfall I see with them compared to the Rocker or Dual is that they are single channel amps BUT you can get around this if you get both.

There are lots of great comparisons videos out there on these if you can't find a shop to try one out yourself.

 

[someguyfromnc]

Dual Terror is my main amp. I use to gig with a micd Tiny Terror and everyone I play with still talk about how great that thing sounded. Nothing like a small amp cranked.

 

[Axe-Man]

I wonder when Orange starts incorporating the clean into their other heads?

OR20, Dual Dark Terror, Jim Root #4.2 etc

 

[Soot]

I put a 5751 in V1 of my OR15 a few weeks back and I love it. The gain doesn't come on as fast and cleans up better with the guitar volume, and it smoothed some harshness from the eq. There's still a ton of gain available, it's just easier to dial in on the lower end. I won't be putting the 12ax7 back.

If it had been available at the time I would have gone with a Rocker 15. They're sort of like a smaller TH30 and that's pretty much perfection in my book. So versatile.

 

[classicplayer]

i keep quality (read expensive) tubes in my Dark Terror. Just was checking current price on the last complete set and the price has risen by $42.00 U.S. since late summer!! Like buying a $100.00 printer with $62.00 worth of cartridges.

classicplayer

 

[Cosmo-D]

I put a 5751 in V1 of my OR15 a few weeks back and I love it. The gain doesn't come on as fast and cleans up better with the guitar volume, and it smoothed some harshness from the eq. There's still a ton of gain available, it's just easier to dial in on the lower end. I won't be putting the 12ax7 back.

If it had been available at the time I would have gone with a Rocker 15. They're sort of like a smaller TH30 and that's pretty much perfection in my book. So versatile.

I really need to try this tube in my OR15. I don't ever put the gain past 1:00 and could use a better clean up with the volume knob and smooth some of the graininess. Easy enough mod and also easy to reverse. What kind of 5751 did you go with?

 

[Soot]

I really need to try this tube in my OR15. I don't ever put the gain past 1:00 and could use a better clean up with the volume knob and smooth some of the graininess. Easy enough mod and also easy to reverse. What kind of 5751 did you go with?

I had 4 JJ 5751's gathering dust. It worked so well I did the same thing in my Reverend Hellhound amp, but I haven't played it much because I can't stop playing the OR15. I think it's going to work out well, though.

 

[hippieboy]

So, I'm thinking about the rocker 15 sounds great in paper, and in some demos as well, however a couple of people have mentiones that it's too dark in the clean channel and dirt can be easily lost in the mix, what do you say about that ? I use a american deluxe HSS strat that is a bit dark (for a strat) and Suhr modern custom HH with SSV and SSH that is more modern mid forward.

I have 3 amps 2 fenders and a two rock, I'm looking for more rock sounds, not interested in metal sounds though, classic rock 70s kinda hard rock sounds (zeppelin, deep purple, captain beyond, etc) alternative 90s is cool too (radiohead, oasis, blur, flaming lips, etc) I'm not interested at all in recreating specific sounds of any of those bands, I don't play covers just my own stuff but I like that overall sound, I want something with that kind of vibe.

I hope that makes sense!

 

[classicplayer]

So, I'm thinking about the rocker 15 sounds great in paper, and in some demos as well, however a couple of people have mentiones that it's too dark in the clean channel and dirt can be easily lost in the mix, what do you say about that ? I use a american deluxe HSS strat that is a bit dark (for a strat) and Suhr modern custom HH with SSV and SSH that is more modern mid forward.

I have 3 amps 2 fenders and a two rock, I'm looking for more rock sounds, not interested in metal sounds though, classic rock 70s kinda hard rock sounds (zeppelin, deep purple, captain beyond, etc) alternative 90s is cool too (radiohead, oasis, blur, flaming lips, etc) I'm not interested at all in recreating specific sounds of any of those bands, I don't play covers just my own stuff but I like that overall sound, I want something with that kind of vibe.

I hope that makes sense!

Can't speak to the Rocker 15, but the Dark Terror has 4 gain stages and there's enough gain to keep from getting lost in a mix. I think humbuckers help drive those stages over single coils. Even low to moderate humbuckers should bring out what the Dark Terror has to offer.

classicplayer

 

[stargazer747]

My only remaining Orange Terror of the 5x I had a one point is the Rocker 15. While its not considered a monster of high gain such as the Dark & Jim Root Terrors, it still has plenty of gain to go and with just a medium gain overdrive like a BOSS SD-1 or Ibanez TS9 you'll definitely land in high gain territory while tightening it up and adding more punch. Probably with a guitar that has really high output humbuckers or active pickups with a built-in battery powered preamp it can get there without an overdrive or boost. I use my overdrives as a"phantom" 3rd channel that I stomp on for solos of for thunderous power chords with the Rocker 15 Terror sounding amazing. Alone without any added dirt or boost it handles 70s & 80s Classic and Hard Rock easily which is my thing anyway.

As I was selling off the other Terrors (just downsizing for practicality purposes) I chose it even over my Dark Terror when it was down to just these 2 Orange amps and only because the Rocker 15 is a 2-channel amp did it stay, the reasoning being that the very last 2 amps I bought were the EVH 5150 III LBX-S and Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 both 2-channel amps, I have gotten so used to them having clean and crunch channels with selectable foot switch to bounce between, the Rocker 15 Terror was the obvious choice. But make no mistake about it, that was a hard decision for me as the Dark Terror was the 1st Orange I ever heard in person that sold me on Orange Amps in general igniting my interest to getting more of them. However, recently I've been thinking about going for another Dark Terror as I miss the lil monster of high gain, yet wanting to keep it at only 3x amp heads & 3x cabs with 3x small pedalboards is what's keeping me from ordering at the moment. Not really looking to build up again a collection like before when I truly have no need for it. But being human, I may easily falter and succumb to my weaknesses!

 

[Al Rose]

So, I'm thinking about the rocker 15 sounds great in paper, and in some demos as well, however a couple of people have mentiones that it's too dark in the clean channel and dirt can be easily lost in the mix, what do you say about that ? I use a american deluxe HSS strat that is a bit dark (for a strat) and Suhr modern custom HH with SSV and SSH that is more modern mid forward.

I have 3 amps 2 fenders and a two rock, I'm looking for more rock sounds, not interested in metal sounds though, classic rock 70s kinda hard rock sounds (zeppelin, deep purple, captain beyond, etc) alternative 90s is cool too (radiohead, oasis, blur, flaming lips, etc) I'm not interested at all in recreating specific sounds of any of those bands, I don't play covers just my own stuff but I like that overall sound, I want something with that kind of vibe.

I hope that makes sense!

I had a Rocker 15 combo for a while, and I did feel like it was a bit dark. So I added an MXR 7 band EQ to the loop and that took care of it. I sold the combo because I felt it sounded better into a 12" speaker, so at some point I'll be looking to buy the head version. I have been told the Bret Hindes Terror has more high end, so you might want to look at that as well.

Al

 

[hippieboy]

Can't speak to the Rocker 15, but the Dark Terror has 4 gain stages and there's enough gain to keep from getting lost in a mix. I think humbuckers help drive those stages over single coils. Even low to moderate humbuckers should bring out what the Dark Terror has to offer.

classicplayer

Thank !

My only remaining Orange Terror of the 5x I had a one point is the Rocker 15. While its not considered a monster of high gain such as the Dark & Jim Root Terrors, it still has plenty of gain to go and with just a medium gain overdrive like a BOSS SD-1 or Ibanez TS9 you'll definitely land in high gain territory while tightening it up and adding more punch. Probably with a guitar that has really high output humbuckers or active pickups with a built-in battery powered preamp it can get there without an overdrive or boost. I use my overdrives as a"phantom" 3rd channel that I stomp on for solos of for thunderous power chords with the Rocker 15 Terror sounding amazing. Alone without any added dirt or boost it handles 70s & 80s Classic and Hard Rock easily which is my thing anyway.

As I was selling off the other Terrors (just downsizing for practicality purposes) I chose it even over my Dark Terror when it was down to just these 2 Orange amps and only because the Rocker 15 is a 2-channel amp did it stay, the reasoning being that the very last 2 amps I bought were the EVH 5150 III LBX-S and Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 both 2-channel amps, I have gotten so used to them having clean and crunch channels with selectable foot switch to bounce between, the Rocker 15 Terror was the obvious choice. But make no mistake about it, that was a hard decision for me as the Dark Terror was the 1st Orange I ever heard in person that sold me on Orange Amps in general igniting my interest to getting more of them. However, recently I've been thinking about going for another Dark Terror as I miss the lil monster of high gain, yet wanting to keep it at only 3x amp heads & 3x cabs with 3x small pedalboards is what's keeping me from ordering at the moment. Not really looking to build up again a collection like before when I truly have no need for it. But being human, I may easily falter and succumb to my weaknesses!

Hey thanks for the detailed response, it sounds good, I'm not looking for metal, hard rock at the most, I don't use active guitars, I do use a lot of pedals though, I know the clean channel is super simple and doesn't have eq but I hope it plays nice too.

I had a Rocker 15 combo for a while, and I did feel like it was a bit dark. So I added an MXR 7 band EQ to the loop and that took care of it. I sold the combo because I felt it sounded better into a 12" speaker, so at some point I'll be looking to buy the head version. I have been told the Bret Hindes Terror has more high end, so you might want to look at that as well.

Al

Yes 12" speakers are definitely better I agree, that's also why I'm thinking on the head version.

you did feel it was dark, what guitar were you using with it? did you try different guitars? all of them felt too dark?

 

[tonedover]

Thank !



Hey thanks for the detailed response, it sounds good, I'm not looking for metal, hard rock at the most, I don't use active guitars, I do use a lot of pedals though, I know the clean channel is super simple and doesn't have eq but I hope it plays nice too.



Yes 12" speakers are definitely better I agree, that's also why I'm thinking on the head version.

you did feel it was dark, what guitar were you using with it? did you try different guitars? all of them felt too dark?

im on my second rocker 15 terror head. great amp! im thinking of selling btw - u in conus? i got one, went on an evh amp journey and came back to the rocker 15 bc the evh all lack the crunch / vintage rock options i want. however now im selling all my traditional amps as i have gone all in on a synergy system.

anyway, yeah it isnt a presence machine lol i too also used an eq in the loop for more modern metal tones
but if you want a 70s rock to sabbath-y vibe its great for that kind of music
the built in attenuation is great too.

 

[hippieboy]

im on my second rocker 15 terror head. great amp! im thinking of selling btw - u in conus? i got one, went on an evh amp journey and came back to the rocker 15 bc the evh all lack the crunch / vintage rock options i want. however now im selling all my traditional amps as i have gone all in on a synergy system.

anyway, yeah it isnt a presence machine lol i too also used an eq in the loop for more modern metal tones
but if you want a 70s rock to sabbath-y vibe its great for that kind of music
the built in attenuation is great too.

I live outside the US!

Sounds great, regarding the dark (lack of presence) did you use it live without an eq pedal? I don't play metal btw I'm looking for 70's rock/hard rock sound, crunch and lead, I use lots of pedals too.

 

[fos1]

I have the Rocker 15. I don't care for the clean channel. I get nice cleans and enough gain out of the just the gain channel. The amp itself if very well constructed. The transformers are large and heavy, suitable for a higher wattage amp. The amp should last forever with an occasional tube change in the final amp stage. The pre-amp tubes should last a very long time. I have had mine for over a year with no tube issues.