Orange AD 30 HTC

Matt
January 31, 2007

Rating: 8/10

Over the course of playing guitar for nine years, I have had experience with numerous effect pedals and tone. Starting out, I didn\'t have a lot of money for an amp, so I went the route of digital modelers and digital effect packs. Since those days of stale, harsh distortion and mediocre dynamics, I have grown to appreciate pure, unadulterated guitar tone that accents my guitar’s pick-ups and finger dynamics.

My music style covers alternative/rock/Christian worship, so I need clear distortion that isn\'t scooped or \'squashed\' like a Mesa. I need distortion that allows individual and open notes to shine with texture and follows my playing/picking but can also cut through the mix and become raw and very full.

Enter the Orange AD30 TC head, which I play through the Orange 2x12 cab with Vintage Celestion 30’s. This head is great for me-it is extremely punchy and loud. Loud enough for gigging, don\'t worry about \'only\' 30 watts. The head has a feature that really helps control tone and volume as well: it contains a master and gain control.

Most people mistakenly see \'gain\' and crank it to try and achieve a heavy saturated distortion. Without the master open, the gain will add a lot of sparkle and presence, but the body won’t be there. The gain and master control work hand in hand: the master is like a valve that opens the amp’s main power tubes, allowing the tone and body to start building exponentially. Start there and then add some gain, and you have beautiful British crunch. Roll back your guitar pot (I use a Nashville Tele) and you have sparkling cleans. Cleans very different from a Fender (I also use a Fender HRD), but they sparkle with some dirt mixed in, adding texture. The eq’s actually make a difference you can hear and being a true two channel amp, the Orange allows for some great tone creations. However, you can go from clean to dirty just with a twist of your guitar pot.

The second channel is voiced a little darker with more gain on tap than the first. Again, we’re talking about two complete separate channels allowing you to sculpt some really great tones. I don’t even run any pedals through it yet and probably will only get a booster. Digital effects are banned from my Orange (except maybe a Line6 DL4). Don’t put modelers or cheap distortion boxes near this amp: you pay for its point-to-point soldering and unique voicing: why throw that tone away? Let the amp be your foundation instead of cheap pedals!

The Orange AD30 HTC overall is a dark, thick, punchy amp but also has a sparkly presence on top: I recommend getting the head with the closed back 2x12 cabinet. Those cabinets are solid birch, resonate extremely well and project with power. The closed back will tighten your low-end bass response, which creates punchier tone. An open back won’t be as directional and will have a softer low-end response—but whatever you prefer.

The Orange is a great amp with a wonderful history, offering you unique British tone. Use it and don’t try and make this amp sound like your buddy’s: let it be unique and people will notice!

Rob McGeown
November 30, 2006

Rating: 8/10

The Orange Tiny Terror will supprise you. Guarenteed.

7 or 15 watts of pure class A valve tone, compact, portable and rugedly built. There is no better value for money.

At first sight, the Tiny Terror is small and not beautiful. Minutes later, once the valves have wamred and the gentle orange glow oozes through the steel chassis vents, you realise the industrial simplicity is not that bad at all.

Since i bought this amp, many people have commented on the size of it, as if size matters. Some have said its \"cute\" some \"it\'s to small\". None have said its \"mean\" looking or aggresive, and if thats what your looking for in a head, this is not for you. The Tiny Terrors looks hide a sound some people search most of thier life for.

Simple controls mimic the simplicity of the amp. A single channel with Volume, tone and Gain controls. Theres an on/standby/off switch, and 7/15 watt power switch. All the controls feel reliable and sturdy, they will last a lifetime.
On the rear thers a 16ohm, and two 8ohm outs catering for multiple cabs.

The Tiny Terror packs a mighty punch even a 7watts. I ahve played it through a Marshall 1960 4x12, loaded with Celestion Vintage 30\'s, and it was loud. You could easily use this for small gigs and studio work, or mic it through a PA to equal effect.
I prefer the 7watt setting. You can have the volume maxed out for a gig and it pushes the valves to perfection.
Through a 4x12 cab, there was not much difference in volume at 15watts.

The tone control acts morel like a mid/trebble knob, giving a slight boost to the trebble at the top end, or mid at the bottom. Ultimately it makes little difference as the amp sounds so good anyway!

The gain control unleashes a side of the Tiny Terror to warrant its name. Crank the gain up and the rip-your-face-off drive is awesome. At mid gain is a warm and creamy crunch.

My prefered setting is to have the master volume at your desired level, the set the gain at about 3.5 or 4 and turn the tone up. This pushes the pre-amp valves, and the just begin to break up, giving you a subtle crunch that plays with you pick attack nicely. Then i use an overdrive pedal to push it that bit further for high gain sounds.

What this amp is designed to lack in features, it makes up for in pure valve tone. If your looking for a simple valve amp that wont break, or break the bank the Tiny Terror comes higly recommended.
For those who want monster wattage and multiple channels, look elsewhere. The Tiny Terror will give you a pleasnt clean and the bite your head off with drive. Be Warned.