Orange Dark Terror quick review - I really like it!

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Axe-Man

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Just picked up a DT today and I have to say, it's an angry little guy...and it is quite tiny...perfect for grab and go jams and for going away.

I don't think it quite does the Norwegian black metal thing as it loses a little clarity with the gain really wound up but if you scoop it 'just' enough (prob about 3.30pm-4pm just before it scoops out too much), run the gain at about 3/4 it can do a really awesome modded Marshall metal tone with V30s. Works for a great amount of metal styles. Actives prob do help here though.

I found I got the tightest sound running a Kingsley Minstrel into it with the gain at about half way and man does it roar then.

Surprisingly loud through a 4x12 but (naturally) not a huge amount of clean headroom; even running into the poweramp via the FX return doesn't provide any more volume for cleans as the EL84s start breaking up.

It can produce a fair bit of high end which can't really be dialed out without pushing the mids way up (it really needs some experimentation with an EQ in the loop) and once the preamp is pushed you can get a fair bit (alot at some settings) of fizzy preamp tube tone (that hairy fizz) going on but once the master goes over 2pm it just opens up and sounds great. At lower volume I liked the Kingsley much more than just pushing the preamp on the DT (it just sounded and felt better and was less dry/sterile to play) but alone the DT can bark nicely like the original TT at lower gain settings and wound up it really roars.

I really like it! I'd been wanting a useful little high gain amp (the JCA20H and 22H interested me but the JCA22 isn't available in Aus yet and TBH if possible I wanted something a little smaller like the TT or Night Train - I just today sold my JCA20H) and this looks like it should do the job really well. :thumbsup:
 
Yea I also was eyeing that head myself. Does it really sound as good as the videos?
 
mckinneyr":24whawl1 said:
Yea I also was eyeing that head myself. Does it really sound as good as the videos?

IMHO it sounds better. I ran it through a 1x12 with a v30 and an Orange 4x12 with v30's and the Orange sounded better and tighter even though it is darker and larger.

My first setting (low shape) sounded like crap with higher gain and the 1x12 (wooly) but when dialed in for the amount of gain (match the shape, master and gain) or when pushed with the OD, it really kicked arse.

I love that I can get a full on modded Marshall sound out of this tiny little amp.

Depending on the settings it can sound average but when you attempt to tighten it up and dial it in for the best sound it can produce (not necessarily what you want), it sounds really good.

I really do like it. It just roars and has a feral aggressiveness that I really like with the shape around half and the gain and master pushed pretty hard.

Killer little amp IMHO.
 
Here's a pic on my 1x12

IMG_6582.jpg
 
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