orange tiny terror or OR15?

mulekicker · April 12, 2013, 12:18:11 PM

Anybody have experience with both? I was gonna go pick up a used TT combo but that OR15 looks pretty sweet. I've played through some tiny terrors and I really dig em, just wondering if the OR15 warrants the extra hundred or so bucks. Opinions?

Jake · April 12, 2013, 03:29:14 PM

Sorry, I can't help you besides to usher in the "new" Orange shitstorm in t-minus 5... 4... 3... 2...

... something something CIRCUIT BOARDS!!!... something something BUILD QUALITY!!!... something something QUALITY CONTROL!!!

jibberish · April 12, 2013, 04:00:32 PM

ok, i'll start:

the orange rockerverb 50 preamp looks like a real riot to clone.

there. next.

mulekicker · April 12, 2013, 05:19:23 PM

I know the new oranges get a lot of hate around here, but I think the tiny terror sounds pretty fuckin good. I don't wanna debate new vs. vintage as my minds already made up on the matter. I guess I'll just track down an OR15 and do a little testing. Unfortunately, that means I'm most likely gonna have to go to Guitar Center and try and here myself over the blues lawyers and juggalos playin Pantera riffs through a scooped out line 6. Sigh.

Cursed71 · April 12, 2013, 05:54:00 PM

Why not get a hovercraft dwarvenaut for around the same price?

mulekicker · April 12, 2013, 06:15:46 PM

I'm actually really interested in the Hovercraft stuff. I'm just not good at pulling the trigger on stuff unless I can check it out first. I've never seen one of those amps in person so I'm not sure what to think about em. I should seriously consider them though.

jibberish · April 12, 2013, 06:41:15 PM

srsly you people are way too picky NOT to audition this stuff first. so ya, your ears are the final say, everything else is superfluous.

Cursed71 · April 12, 2013, 07:11:37 PM

Fuck! Well said.

everdrone · April 12, 2013, 10:32:25 PM

make sure to turn it up LOUD

Orange needs to be loud to sound good, they are very dynamic. I would go with a nice new amp over one that may need a major tuneup.

I love my orange thunderverb 50, and it has a built in attenuator, so it sounds CRANKED all the time! cant say that for any other amp except Orange!

no probs with the build quality that I know of for the weekend warrior musician

everdrone · April 12, 2013, 10:35:14 PM

Quote from: jibberish on April 12, 2013, 06:41:15 PM
srsly you people are way too picky NOT to audition this stuff first. so ya, your ears are the final say, everything else is superfluous.

yes! most of the tone is your fingers. amps are just tools, each tool for a different job. a carpenter does not attribute a masterpiece to his tools!

VOLVO))) · April 12, 2013, 10:41:46 PM

Blackheart or Valve Jr for low wattagr applications. Not scary to take out of the house, sounds just as good, and surprises everyone.

clockwork green · April 13, 2013, 01:47:08 AM

Quote from: everdrone on April 12, 2013, 10:32:25 PM
make sure to turn it up LOUD

Orange needs to be loud to sound good, they are very dynamic. I would go with a nice new amp over one that may need a major tuneup.

I love my orange thunderverb 50, and it has a built in attenuator, so it sounds CRANKED all the time! cant say that for any other amp except Orange!

no probs with the build quality that I know of for the weekend warrior musician

This was true 40 years ago but there's nothing good in cranking high preamp gain amps unless you're some damaged art-rock/noise sound.

eoin_not_ian · April 13, 2013, 10:05:37 AM

Between the two I'd probably take the OR15. Just a bit more flexible in terms of tone. That said last summer I tried the Dual Terror, TH30, Tiny Terror and OR15. Ended up buying a Peavey.

VOLVO))) · April 13, 2013, 10:22:03 AM

Also, that Thunderverb 50 doesn't have an attenuator, it is a cleverly labeled post-phase master volume...

dunwichamps · April 13, 2013, 11:17:34 AM

Quote from: SunnO))) on April 13, 2013, 10:22:03 AM
Also, that Thunderverb 50 doesn't have an attenuator, it is a cleverly labeled post-phase master volume...

wired backwards. Deception!!!

Jake · April 13, 2013, 11:29:50 AM

Well, a PPIMV does "attenuate" volume, so technically it is an attenuator. However, it does not attenuate at speaker level, which is what we're used to seeing when that phrase is used.

And I think clockwork is assuming that since it has high gain capabilities, one will always crank the gain. But luckily, Orange had enough foresight to put a round rotary dial knob type thingee that can control the preamp gain level from 0-10. So if you think it's not possible to get a humongous, rich power tube distortion from the Thunderverb 50 (which has the same massive transformers as the TV 200, btw), then you clearly have not tinkered with one.

Also, aren't most of you people slamming your amps with gobs of gain from various du jour fuzz pedals? Sounds good with the amp wide open, yah? Same exact principle as everdrone mentioned, but without the little boxes on the floor.

dunwichamps · April 13, 2013, 12:08:28 PM

that definition of an attenuator is too broad, if that was the definition then any volume control would be an attenuator but in the context of an amp, that phrase means a power OT volume reduction. Does not mean that the PPIMV in the Orange does not sound good (PPIMVs can sound good or bad depending upon the design) just that its deceptive, and misleading.

I have heard the TV200, Tom in Sea of Bones uses it for 1 half of his rig. Its not bad but he did tank the OT quickly in it and had Merc replace it

everdrone · April 13, 2013, 06:06:10 PM

thanks for the Orange props bruthas

I readily admit that I am not an amp tech or mechanically inclined, so thanks for the info

that ORANGE THUNDERVERB sounds MONSTEROUS in sea of bones, cheers

http://seaofbones.bandcamp.com/

VOLVO))) · April 13, 2013, 09:02:09 PM

Quote from: Jake on April 13, 2013, 11:29:50 AM
Also, aren't most of you people slamming your amps with gobs of gain from various du jour fuzz pedals? Sounds good with the amp wide open, yah? Same exact principle as everdrone mentioned, but without the little boxes on the floor.

Not the 800

I just run it hard, and with the volume on a Caitlinbread SCOD cranked, gain at 9oclock...

The two channel Dual Rec that lives with me permanently gets the same treatment on the "vintage" channel (no shit, the Dual rec "clean" channel is fat, and shimmery and gorgeous, it just falls on it's nuts when metalcore kids play them and scoop the mids.)

heytrid · April 13, 2013, 10:02:56 PM

out fo those 2 OR15 as it has a (to me) a better eq, I don't really like single band EQ's, they work really good in ways but in others they can limit you.. Really depends on the cab you use I find.

clockwork green · April 13, 2013, 10:16:09 PM

Quote from: Jake on April 13, 2013, 11:29:50 AM
Well, a PPIMV does "attenuate" volume, so technically it is an attenuator. However, it does not attenuate at speaker level, which is what we're used to seeing when that phrase is used.

And I think clockwork is assuming that since it has high gain capabilities, one will always crank the gain. But luckily, Orange had enough foresight to put a round rotary dial knob type thingee that can control the preamp gain level from 0-10. So if you think it's not possible to get a humongous, rich power tube distortion from the Thunderverb 50 (which has the same massive transformers as the TV 200, btw), then you clearly have not tinkered with one.

Also, aren't most of you people slamming your amps with gobs of gain from various du jour fuzz pedals? Sounds good with the amp wide open, yah? Same exact principle as everdrone mentioned, but without the little boxes on the floor.

This is absurd. I get it. You like your modern Orange. Maybe you're just better than me and everyone else I've heard use one live and have gotten better tone out it. Saying that a high gain amp with the gain turned down is the same as a low gain amp is like saying a Ferrari stuck in rush hour traffic is the same driving experience as driving a Honda Civic during the same traffic. They're not at all the same. I've yet to play a high gain amp that really sounds right with the power amp cranked. They're just built to be high headroom amps and those tubes are meant to run clean. That's vastly different from the old Orange/Matamp design that just bloomed and roared when it got turned up. Besides, the flavor of gain is radically different just like the gain in a Muff is vastly different in all of the important musical and qualitive features of tone from a Metal Zone. Speaking of pedals. The only pedals I run in front of my amps are either low gain or I'll crank their volume and back off of their gain so I can get some of that texture of a clipping fuzz before it turns to mush but even still...that's radically different than turning up the gain on a high gain head that has power tubes running clean. Plus for me personally...dirt pedals are usually a bit of a compromise so I can have a nice clean tone live when I back off my guitars volume. When I record I usually went direct and when with my amp cranked even more for the rhythm tones and for the clean stuff I did a different track of cleaner settings and even cleaner amps.

When someone is asking about a specific amp you're going to get people's opinions and experiences. You must think some of us have a personal vendetta against the new Orange lines. I personally find it annoying and bad for business that they don't have a single amp that is faithful to the old amps (Fender, Marshall, Vox and countless boutique companies seem to be doing well with vintage designs) but it's just a tool for working musicians. I didn't build them and I don't know care about anyone involved so I really don't have a dog in the fight. If you like your amp then great...more power to you for getting something out of it where I was unable. I you want to defend something then defend yourself...let Orange and Jimmy Page's new live rig defend themselves.

I,Galactus · April 13, 2013, 10:51:09 PM

Quote from: clockwork green on April 13, 2013, 10:16:09 PM
I really don't have a dog in the fight.

Then why you fightin', bro?

@ OP, try before you buy. Maybe you'll like it. Maybe you won't. No butthurt required.

mulekicker · April 13, 2013, 11:45:47 PM

Jesus, I'm not trying to start a war here. I was specifically asking about low wattage Orange comparisons. It's for my living room, something I can play through in front of my 19 month old daughter and not blow her eardrums out (that'll come later). I personally dig the tiny terror line, just wanted to know how the OR 15 compares to that. Don't need to argue about new vs old, pre amp vs power amp, headroom, blah, blah. Come on now, most of us here are professionals that know what we're talkin about. We're dudes that have been doin this for awhile and we all have our opinions based on experience. It's not amateur night at the Apollo, no one needs to get tap danced off stage for diggin a newer Orange.

fallen · April 14, 2013, 12:35:57 AM

I have a 5w Valve Jr. and a 20w Hovercraft but the best, QUIET, living room amp is the Yamaha THR10. Put it on the coffee table in front of the sofa and it sounds great at those volumes. Hates pedals though. Valve Jr. loves pedals but has to be loud to sound good. Hovercraft can get really low volumes and still sound good but it's bigger than a Tiny Terror.

I liked the Tiny Terror when I tried it but I'd probably buy the OR15 for the headshell, or I'd go the other way and would get a Micro Terror which has a similar pre but with SS power which shouldn't matter at low volumes.

VOLVO))) · April 14, 2013, 12:50:13 AM

The Micro is LOUD. FUCKING LOUD. It is ridiculous, It is literally the size of my wallet. for 150? I'd have one if I had 150...