Marshall + Orange

[shibbdude89]

Hello all!

I have looked and looked for an answer to this question and find it difficult to find: We all know that Marshall and Orange fans have a friendly "feud" (for a lack of a better term) going on between them, but I find myself in the neutral zone. Currently, I am playing through an Orange TH30 and have been playing with the idea of adding a Marshall DSL100H to my setup. The most likely scenario would be using both heads and a single cab (via the Tonebone Headbone) and switching between the two when desired. Simply put, how would these compliment each other tone wise? Has anyone played with both and noticed an advantage (or disadvantage) to anything similar to this? It sounds like a fun idea, but seeing as it would be a nice little blow to the wallet, I'm weary about trying something just because it sounds like a nifty idea.

Thanks in advance.

 

[usablefiber]

This is all from info from my ears so if an expert knows otherwise please correct me.

To my ears the difference is really in the mid range. They are both mid rangy british amps but the oranges are more pronounced in the lower mids which gives it a bit of a darker growl. Marshalls have more pronounced upper mid sound so they have a sweeter distortion. The marshalls are my preference as they seem more articulate and rich. Again my ears might just pick up the higher harmonics better so you won't know until you play one.

 

[shibbdude89]

Thanks! I stumbled across the JVM205 and noticed it had a "power amp insert." Now, this may be a ludicrous question, but is that a slave loop? It's a little more than I was originally intending on paying, but if so, it might be worth the cost to avoid all the ABY and "buying an extra cab" stuff. (sorry for taking a tangent here, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to slave two heads together. Hell, I didn't even know it was an option until today)

 

[MonstersOfTheMidway]

Thanks! I stumbled across the JVM205 and noticed it had a "power amp insert." Now, this may be a ludicrous question, but is that a slave loop? It's a little more than I was originally intending on paying, but if so, it might be worth the cost to avoid all the ABY and "buying an extra cab" stuff. (sorry for taking a tangent here, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to slave two heads together. Hell, I didn't even know it was an option until today)

The "power amp insert/serial loop" is a feature available on all JVM series amps that can have a variety of uses, such as slaving. You can use another amp's preamp section with the JVM's power amp section, or vice versa.

 

[paul-e-mann]

Hello all!

I have looked and looked for an answer to this question and find it difficult to find: We all know that Marshall and Orange fans have a friendly "feud" (for a lack of a better term) going on between them, but I find myself in the neutral zone. Currently, I am playing through an Orange TH30 and have been playing with the idea of adding a Marshall DSL100H to my setup. The most likely scenario would be using both heads and a single cab (via the Tonebone Headbone) and switching between the two when desired. Simply put, how would these compliment each other tone wise? Has anyone played with both and noticed an advantage (or disadvantage) to anything similar to this? It sounds like a fun idea, but seeing as it would be a nice little blow to the wallet, I'm weary about trying something just because it sounds like a nifty idea.

Thanks in advance.

Buy a used Marshall and play around with it for awhile, the JVM as you suggest is a good one. Orange and Marshall definitely have tonal differences
but if in a few months you come to the conclusion that the tonal differences are not great enough and the amps are redundant then get rid of one and keep the one you like best. In the end it will be a good first hand experience that wont cost you much as long as you buy used and you can make your own conclusions. With that said, I will own an Orange some day.

 

[iron broadsword]

I've only played through a couple different orange heads, but without knowing anything about them before trying I found they were very marshally sounding. I wouldn't hesitate to plug in and crank up at a gig, but because they are similar I probably wouldn't go looking for one. Plus they just make me hungry.

 

[BrentD]

I'll have to take a picture some time for you, but I'm currently running a TH30 and DSL100H. Not at the same time, but I love them both.

Oranges are distinct from Marshalls in the midrange, but my experience isn't so much that Oranges have big low mids like Mesas. Instead, the Orange mids are plain old midrange while the Marshall mids have a mid-high spike that "bites" instead of "barks". Crappy words, I guess, but the two amps are distinct enough to be fun but close enough that I could do with either. Maybe it's better to say I think that the Orange distorts more in the real mids while the Marshall distorts more in the upper mids. There's a great video on YouTube where a guy switches between an EVH and a DSL and you can hear that upper-mid bite that's classic Marshall IMO. The Orange has more character in the mid-mids.

Both of mine are running through 1960X cabs (the DSL through an AX and the TH through a BX). The Orange will just pummel through a mix with Greenbacks, but sits better with the Orange V30s. It does NOT like 75s in my experience. I think the Marshall gets along OK with all of those speakers. Speculation, perhaps, but I think this is because the Orange character is right where those 75s are scooped and right where those Greenbacks have that nice crunch. The Marshall character sits above that just enough to make the 75s perfectly acceptable speakers.

By the way, the TH excels where the DSL doesn't and vice-versa. The TH clean channel does a great Fender thing if you turn up the bass and treble, and if you crank that clean channel you're in NMV kind of tone territory. The Marshall has great mid-gain for that AC/DC or JCM800 kind of stuff, and boosted 80s metal tones. Beyond that, the TH takes over again with the super gain on the dirty channel.

 

[BrentD]

Alright, here you go. Fun rigs!

 

[mott555]

I like both. To my ear Orange and Marshall are very similar, much more so than say Marshall and any other big brand. You can't go wrong either way. Give me either and I'll be quite happy. I can't say that about any other big brand. I'd love to own a Mesa or a Fender or an EVH, but not for my main amp.

They are a bit different but I think with good EQ'ing you could make either sound like the other. Michael RT did some comparisons between his Orange and his Marshalls, and I could only tell the difference by jumping between the two. Without the ability to instantly jump from one point in the video to another for comparison, I'd say they sound identical.

Some of the biggest rhythm tones I've discovered so far, using only my equipment, was my 2204 and my Micro Terror in stereo using a slight stereo chorus effect. I can only imagine how good it would sound if I had a "real" Orange. Slightly different amp voicing really improves a stereo situation versus having two identical amps.

 

[BrentD]

Some of the biggest rhythm tones I've discovered so far, using only my equipment, was my 2204 and my Micro Terror in stereo using a slight stereo chorus effect. I can only imagine how good it would sound if I had a "real" Orange. Slightly different amp voicing really improves a stereo situation versus having two identical amps.

"'[R]eal' Orange"? Bullshit! Even Micro Terrors have that sound and they are cool amps. FWIW both of my Oranges are imports and other than snobbery I have no reason to want a British one. I've owned British and Asian cars, too, and I know which of the two of those is more reliable! (Knock on wood.)

I'd love to pick up a Micro Terror some time.

 

[mott555]

"'[R]eal' Orange"? Bullshit! Even Micro Terrors have that sound and they are cool amps. FWIW both of my Oranges are imports and other than snobbery I have no reason to want a British one. I've owned British and Asian cars, too, and I know which of the two of those is more reliable! (Knock on wood.)

I'd love to pick up a Micro Terror some time.

If I could figure out how to mod in an FX loop for some reverb and a graphic EQ, I'd be perfectly happy with the Micro Terror. I know it's supposed to be a cheap little head with few features, but its two main flaws are the lack of a loop and the single tone control.

 

[The Ozzk]

Marshall + Orange = Mastodon

 

[BrentD]

If I could figure out how to mod in an FX loop for some reverb and a graphic EQ, I'd be perfectly happy with the Micro Terror. I know it's supposed to be a cheap little head with few features, but its two main flaws are the lack of a loop and the single tone control.

The minimalist tone controls are the limitations on my Tiny Terror and, honestly, the TH30. It'd be ideal with a 3-band EQ. I GAS sometimes for an OR50 because of that (and EL34s!), but it's balanced by the easy maintenance of the normal Orange EL84 cathode-biased architecture. It's nice to not have to bias amps.

 

[paul-e-mann]

If I could figure out how to mod in an FX loop for some reverb and a graphic EQ, I'd be perfectly happy with the Micro Terror. I know it's supposed to be a cheap little head with few features, but its two main flaws are the lack of a loop and the single tone control.

The minimalist tone controls are the limitations on my Tiny Terror and, honestly, the TH30. It'd be ideal with a 3-band EQ. I GAS sometimes for an OR50 because of that (and EL34s!), but it's balanced by the easy maintenance of the normal Orange EL84 cathode-biased architecture. It's nice to not have to bias amps.

Orange OR15 = 3 band eq, fx loop. This amp is better than all the other small Oranges for these reasons.

 

[JohnH]

yes an OR15 is very tempting indeed - great value too

 

[BrentD]

Orange OR15 = 3 band eq, fx loop. This amp is better than all the other small Oranges for these reasons.

That's certainly a great feature, but I think the TH30 is in its own kind of niche. It's a "big" Orange and so probably doesn't compete with the OR15. That in no way detracts from the OR15's awesomeness.

Anyone know if the Orange's tone stacks are post gain? I imagine they are, but I don't know for sure. If so, then an EQ in the loop might be handy.

If I were paying full street price, I'd take a hard look at the ORs or the AD30.

 

[Codyjohns]

Here's a couple tone comparison videos I made using my '68 Plexi, '76 Super Bass and Orange Rocker 30.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeBEomHljpU]Lay It Down amp comparison shootout.(part 2) - YouTube[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P22XqWxr4gQ]'68 Major vs '76 JMP Super Bass vs Orange Rocker 30 Shootout. - YouTube[/ame]

 

[paul-e-mann]

That's certainly a great feature, but I think the TH30 is in its own kind of niche. It's a "big" Orange and so probably doesn't compete with the OR15. That in no way detracts from the OR15's awesomeness.

Anyone know if the Orange's tone stacks are post gain? I imagine they are, but I don't know for sure. If so, then an EQ in the loop might be handy.

If I were paying full street price, I'd take a hard look at the ORs or the AD30.

If the TH30 dirty channel had a full eq (even 2 knobs like the clean channel) rather than a shape knob I'd be an owner of one.

 

[BrentD]

If the TH30 dirty channel had a full eq (even 2 knobs like the clean channel) rather than a shape knob I'd be an owner of one.

The shape knob is useful, but honestly any extreme settings are wacky. I probably only use it between 10:00 and 2:00, and that's pushing it.

I'm not sure it's a cost-cutting thing, either.

 

[SteveGangi]

"'[R]eal' Orange"? Bullshit! Even Micro Terrors have that sound and they are cool amps. FWIW both of my Oranges are imports and other than snobbery I have no reason to want a British one. I've owned British and Asian cars, too, and I know which of the two of those is more reliable! (Knock on wood.)

I'd love to pick up a Micro Terror some time.

I have a Micro, and it's a FUN amp.