Hey guys-
Has anybody tried out the Orange AD200B, 200W all-tube bass head? Just curious to hear anybody else's opinions on these. I tried one out a couple times at the Chicago Music Exchange in one of their little sound rooms, but its been a few months, and its hard for me to get a solid feel for an amp playing in a little sound room for 20 minutes.
Here's what I remember about it:
-It looks solid, well-built, and cool, front and back!
-The control layout couldn't be any more simple.
-It had a heck of a lot of pre-amp distortion when you roll on that Gain knob; maybe even too much if that's possible!
-It had nice warm clean tone if you wanted it, but possibly the Gain had to be adjusted so low that you might run out of headroom on the Master.
-It was lighter than my SVT CL, maybe around 60lbs?
-The guys at CME had it hooked up to Ampeg cabinets. They raved about the amp, but had negative opinions on the Orange speakers. When I went back about a month later and asked to see the Orange 4x10 they showed it to me. One of the cardboard rings had come off the front of one of the speakers, and it had one other problem that I can't remember. I was unimpressed and didn't want to bother bringing it into the sound room to hear it.
Overall, I thought it would be a good lower weight alternative to an SVT CL. Not as much headroom obviously, but I hardly ever get my master volume above 3 on my SVT anyway. The price at CME (which tends toward the high side) was around $2100 if I remember correctly.
So does anybody own one of these, or has anybody tried one?
Orange Bass Amps
Moderator: jingle_jangle
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rickaddict
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6163
- Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 7:46 am
Orange Bass Amps
Play what you love, love what you play!
I use this head through an Ampeg 610HLF. It's absolutely phenomenal and makes my Rick sound bloody amazing.
I thought about an SVT for a while, but I only have skinny arms so the AD200 seemed perfect.
I play in all kinds of venues and have never run out of headroom with this set up. I have the gain at about 10 O'clock and master at Noon, and it sounds amazing.
Obviously, this is only my second post, so you're more than welcome not to believe me, but I highly recommend this head.
I thought about an SVT for a while, but I only have skinny arms so the AD200 seemed perfect.
I play in all kinds of venues and have never run out of headroom with this set up. I have the gain at about 10 O'clock and master at Noon, and it sounds amazing.
Obviously, this is only my second post, so you're more than welcome not to believe me, but I highly recommend this head.
I used to own a pair of first generation Orange OR-120's which were made for me back in the early 70's. This was at the time when all the Orange amps were hand wired and almost literally hand built. I traded in a pair of Sound City 100's for them.
They were really well made and stood up to regular gig use, without flight cases for over 10 years. The case was made from two sets of 3/4 Baltic Birch glued together. The whole chassis could be easily removed from the case from the front by removing 4 screws from the front panel which made changing tubes and servicing very easy.
They had a great sound, and plenty of power and headroom, they were connected to a pair of Marshall 4x15's and a pair of Orange 4x12's which also stood up to regular gigging
In the end one was stolen from a club we were playing, so I cut back to one OR120 and the two 4x15's. I played through the remaining Orange till about 1988 when I sold it because I was leaving the UK.
During the whole time I had them all I did was occasionally change tubes.
They were really well made and stood up to regular gig use, without flight cases for over 10 years. The case was made from two sets of 3/4 Baltic Birch glued together. The whole chassis could be easily removed from the case from the front by removing 4 screws from the front panel which made changing tubes and servicing very easy.
They had a great sound, and plenty of power and headroom, they were connected to a pair of Marshall 4x15's and a pair of Orange 4x12's which also stood up to regular gigging
In the end one was stolen from a club we were playing, so I cut back to one OR120 and the two 4x15's. I played through the remaining Orange till about 1988 when I sold it because I was leaving the UK.
During the whole time I had them all I did was occasionally change tubes.
"It's Red Jim, but not as we know it...."
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rickaddict
- Senior Member
- Posts: 6163
- Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2004 7:46 am
Very interesting input, guys. Sounds like you had a long relationship with a dependable amp, Jim. And you must have liked the tone to keep it for so long.
And welcome, Mike. Your opinion is very valid to all of us here on the Forum. You might be a nube to the Forum, but that doesn't mean you're a nube when it comes to good bass tone.
And welcome, Mike. Your opinion is very valid to all of us here on the Forum. You might be a nube to the Forum, but that doesn't mean you're a nube when it comes to good bass tone.
Play what you love, love what you play!
Jeff,
The tone out of the amp along with my Ric was fantastic, looking back I wish I'd held on to the Amp, I'd still be using it now.
Initially when I bought mine I did it partly because I'd heard a great UK band (Wishbone Ash) playing through Orange systems, they also had an Orange PA system which had an amp called the "KillerWatt", one thousand watts of Tube power, their PA had 8-10 of these beasts, oh how I'd love to find one of those around. !!
The other reason was they were the new kid on the block back then, and were a welcome and refreshing change from the then run of the mill Marshall and Sound City amps. Bear in mind that back then the amp manufacturers did not build a separate amp for Bass or Guitar, they just built a common model for both.
A few years back when I was going back to gigging I looked to buy another, either a used OR-120 or a new Bass amp, the cost was a little too much for me. I'd also consider a Matamp which shares a common hereditary with the Orange systems.
For now my Ampeg B-25 does fine, although I'm looking at getting an Acoustic 408, heavy, but a fantastic sound.
The tone out of the amp along with my Ric was fantastic, looking back I wish I'd held on to the Amp, I'd still be using it now.
Initially when I bought mine I did it partly because I'd heard a great UK band (Wishbone Ash) playing through Orange systems, they also had an Orange PA system which had an amp called the "KillerWatt", one thousand watts of Tube power, their PA had 8-10 of these beasts, oh how I'd love to find one of those around. !!
The other reason was they were the new kid on the block back then, and were a welcome and refreshing change from the then run of the mill Marshall and Sound City amps. Bear in mind that back then the amp manufacturers did not build a separate amp for Bass or Guitar, they just built a common model for both.
A few years back when I was going back to gigging I looked to buy another, either a used OR-120 or a new Bass amp, the cost was a little too much for me. I'd also consider a Matamp which shares a common hereditary with the Orange systems.
For now my Ampeg B-25 does fine, although I'm looking at getting an Acoustic 408, heavy, but a fantastic sound.
"It's Red Jim, but not as we know it...."
Too Funny! Wishbone Ash had a tremendous influence on the bass community in Central Wisconsin after their appearance at the UW.
Within a month there were at a minimum 5 Orange Rigs in town.
FWIW Dave Reeves is building exact same specifications as his original HIWATT™ design with Partridge replica transformers, dual channel pre-amp with 4 Inputs (2 Normal, 2 Bright). Normal volume and bright volume, bass, middle, treble, presence and master volume controls.
Try this:
Reeves Amps
One of my friends in town still has his early 1970's Orange with an Orange 2x15 cabinet and another has a Reeves Custom 100 and Bag End Cabinets.
I've played both amps with the Bag Ends and find myself extremely hard pressed, even nit picking, to find any differences.
Finding an original hand wired Orange at a sane price? Good Luck.
A new Reeves Custom 100 will set you back $1995.00
Within a month there were at a minimum 5 Orange Rigs in town.
FWIW Dave Reeves is building exact same specifications as his original HIWATT™ design with Partridge replica transformers, dual channel pre-amp with 4 Inputs (2 Normal, 2 Bright). Normal volume and bright volume, bass, middle, treble, presence and master volume controls.
Try this:
Reeves Amps
One of my friends in town still has his early 1970's Orange with an Orange 2x15 cabinet and another has a Reeves Custom 100 and Bag End Cabinets.
I've played both amps with the Bag Ends and find myself extremely hard pressed, even nit picking, to find any differences.
Finding an original hand wired Orange at a sane price? Good Luck.
A new Reeves Custom 100 will set you back $1995.00