Best Orange Amp for 60s/70s rock/Vintage tone

[Lzwb]

For the longest time I've wanted a 1959SLP with a 4x12 cab to pair it with, but last night I had a realization that even with a great attenuator like the fryette power station or rockcrusher, that I will never truly be able to use the plexi to its full potential.

A used plexi head would cost me around $1500, a new 4x12 is like $800, and a FPS or a rockcrusher would cost me around $500, so a plexi with a 4x12 setup would cost me close to $3000.

I don't even gig or play with a band, I play in my bedroom, and can play pretty loud at times, but not enough to justify the purchase of a 3 grand amp setup when I already just spent 7k in the past 3 months on an r8 and r9 lol.

I was looking into orange amps and the AD30 stood out to me. The tones im going for are those low gain mid70s jimmy page tones and just in general classic rock tones. A lot of people say that the AD30 is the best orange for vintage tone, but Im not 100% sure. I'm not able to test one out in person so I'm going to have to blind buy, doesnt really matter because if I dont like it I could always just return it.

I plan on running whatever orange amp I get into an orange 2x12. The 2x12 is going to have v30s, which I hated when used in a 2x12 with my marshall, but maybe the tone wil be different with an AD30 or other orange amp.

Would the AD30 be the best choice for me? I would be buying used so I can get one for around $800. Are there any other oranges that do the vintage tone better? My budget is around $1500 and the 2x12 will cost me about around $400-500 so I'm only able to spend around $1000 on the head.

TLDR - Going for mid 70s low gain jimmy page tone and general classic rock tone, going to be using an orange 2x12, want the most vintage sounding orange available.

 

[cherrysunburst00]

Never played an AD30, but it sure seems to me that 30 watts tube is going to be A LOT for simply "at home playing" which is what I do exclusively as well. Even 1 watt is pretty darn loud at home.

I'll be watching your thread with interest for what others FAR more knowledgeable than I have to say.

Do you live anywhere near a Guitar Center or similar "big box" retailer where you could try an OR15 yourself? I really dig the OR15 (so much so that I got 1 even though the Friedman PT-20 is in many ways the perfect amp for me; I just dig the whole "Orange Persona/Mystique..."). There has been lots of talk about the OR15 around these parts. The gain is pretty amazing on that beastie and you can compensate (or not) for lower power amp usage by turning the gain up a bit.

There are other options available too, but I'm personally sold on the OR15. I had a Tiny Terror a few years back, but for me anyway, the OR15 is much more useful as an "at home amp"

 

[RustyNuts]

I have the AD30HTC (twin channel AD30 head) and it's really too much for bedroom playing, even loud bedroom playing.

I played through an OR15 a week ago at a local bar and loved it so much I came home and ordered one. It should have been here yesterday but FedEx dropped the ball. With the option of 15 or 7 watts, it will easily handle loud bedroom playing.

And the tone? Yeah....

I played through a closed back 2X12 Orange cabinet with V30s. Added bonus? Brand new, the OR15 is $699 everywhere.

 

[cherrysunburst00]

I have the AD30HTC (twin channel AD30 head) and it's really too much for bedroom playing, even loud bedroom playing.

I played through an OR15 a week ago at a local bar and loved it so much I came home and ordered one. It should have been here yesterday but FedEx dropped the ball. With the option of 15 or 7 watts, it will easily handle loud bedroom playing.

And the tone? Yeah....

I played through a closed back 2X12 Orange cabinet with V30s. Added bonus? Brand new, the OR15 is $699 everywhere.

Nothing like hearing from someone who actually owns (or owned) the AD30. The OR15 sounds great through a PPC112 as well.

 

[RustyW]

You really can't go wrong with an AD30 or an OR15. If you're really looking to save cash, I would recommend one of the Micro-Terrors. I got a Micro Dark when I moved into an apartment a few months ago and it slays.

 

[Kris Ford]

Might I suggest the Dual Terror?

Or just get an OR15 and be done with it.

 

[RustyNuts]

I'll take a Dual Terror. Have some money I can borrow?

 

[Mr. Satchmo]

Orange AD30 and a 2x12 OB or CB, is killer, it sounds so classic British Tone, love that British crunch

Don't hesitate, you'll love it

 

[Marshallow]

At home you can't really go wrong with the OR15, especially with the Vintage 30 speakers which work well with it. You'll never get the Master volume past noon probably. 30w sounds like a lot to handle unless you gig theaters.

 

[madryan]

If you've got that kind of money to throw around and you're playing at home, have you thought of just snagging a Kemper and a couple of nice PA speakers? I'm running my Kemper through a couple of Yamaha DXR8's and it sounds great. I downsized from QSC K12's because they sound just fine and didn't need that much speaker.

Great tones, any amp you want at any volume.

Just a thought... Because tube amps are loud...

 

[Lzwb]

Looks like I've decided on the AD30. I understand that it even though its not as loud as a plexi it is still a loud amp, but all my previous tubes amps have been around the same wattage, even higher, and bedroom playing was fine. I have a 40watt marshall combo, had a supro dual tone, and a 55w bugera, and was able to get great tones on all of those at bedroom levels.

 

[Lzwb]

Also how are the v30s in the orange 2x12 with the ad30? I hated the v30s in my avatar cab the mids sounded horrible. If the results are same with the orange, what would be a good speaker combo? alnico blue and g12h30 seems to be a common swap people make for their orange 2x12s

 

[RangerJay]

Either the OR15 or the AD30 will sound sweet through one of these:

5150III® 2x12 Cabinet | Amplifiers EVH Gear

Comes in black or ivory. No orange for some reason...so I got one in ivory. Celestion G12H 30W Anniversary Series speakers. If you don't care for V30s, these might work for you better.

 

[lunchbox]

Jimmy Page plays AD30's, if that matters to you.

Otherwise I'd suggest a 70's OR80 or OR120.

 

[tzd]

Also how are the v30s in the orange 2x12 with the ad30? I hated the v30s in my avatar cab the mids sounded horrible. If the results are same with the orange, what would be a good speaker combo? alnico blue and g12h30 seems to be a common swap people make for their orange 2x12s

I played an AD30 in a guitar store almost 10 years ago. I still remember it is a sweet sounding amp! Given that the combo version of the AD30TC actually has 2x Vintage 30 speakers in them, I think you will be fine with your V30 cab.

 

[Zarth]

I have an Orange Rocker 30 and a Orange 4x12 cab with V30's ofcourse and a 4x12 Badcat cab with their custom V30's .
I mainly use the Badcat cab, prefer it over the Orange cab

 

[Angus]

Maybe not of interest and you may already be aware but as a reference point for how a lot of legendary players sounded check out the Beat Club youtube clips. This German TV show got lots of key people to perform but generally (I believe) had them use the Orange amps they had installed in the studio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7lso-vgRvw

https://www.youtube.com/user/myBeatclub

 

[Kris Ford]

Maybe not of interest and you may already be aware but as a reference point for how a lot of legendary players sounded check out the Beat Club youtube clips. This German TV show got lots of key people to perform but generally (I believe) had them use the Orange amps they had installed in the studio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7lso-vgRvw

https://www.youtube.com/user/myBeatclub

Yes, along with a record label and recording studio, there was a rental line as well, and provided backlines and PAs for hire..(Orange provided the PA for the '72 Munich Olympics even) so the Musicladen/Beatclub folks had a full Orange Matamp backline and PA that everyone from Black Sabbath and Ike and Tina Turner played through.

 

[jbash]

I came very close to buying a used ad30. Tones are there. But it's easily as loud as my dsl, and with no starved plate voltage option I bought another or15. No regrets.

I like v30s with some amps, but not with el84 based amps. Too much high end grind and chime. I run a evh 2x12 with one 70th and a g12m25 Chinese greenback. Definitely a more classic sound than v30s.

 

[madryan]

I really like V30's alot once they're broken in. Especially the Mesa version. That said, until they're broken in they're a punishingly bright, ear fatiguing speaker lol.

I'd probably grab an empty 212 from Avatar or Mojotone and load it with 2 Scumbacks were I you. My Scumback loaded cab is consistently my favorite sounding cab. An M75 with the large dust cover mixed with a V30 sounds incredible, as does an M75 mixed with the H75. I get large dust covers with all of them usually.

I really like V30's though... They're actually the "least bright" speaker Celestion does. They've just got a mid hump that projects them out through the band din really well. I love mids.

The AD30 is easily my favorite current production Orange. I owned a couple of Oranges over the years and that one's the one I probably would like the best if I needed another tube amp (I'm currently selling tube gear lol... down to 8 amps)