Orange opinions needed!!

[Josh Burgess]

Just called the guy who was selling the Rockerverb and he decided not to sell it. (I guess he noticed it had a low price) I love the Rockerverb but I just can't get over the tubescreamer thing. I know it can sound good without a TS but I heard a comparison with and without it and I just don't like the fact that it sounded better with the TS. I know it's a mental game for me. F.ex. I love the Mesa Mark IV because it doesn't need a tubescreamer to be 100% ballsy awesome.

Hearing the TH30 clips was what gave me this GAS so I guess the TH30 will be what'll take it away. Tomorrow I'll order my TH30 combo. I never liked the AD30. Just not the kind of gain structure I like, I mean it's probably a very good amp and has that vintage Marshall thing going on, just not what scrathes my GAS itch.

Just read this..... Why don't you like the fact that it sounds better with a tubescreamer? You do realize the majority of this forum believes MOST amps sound better being boosted by a tubescreamer, right?

 

[Clark Kent]

Just read this..... Why don't you like the fact that it sounds better with a tubescreamer? You do realize the majority of this forum believes MOST amps sound better being boosted by a tubescreamer, right?

Yeah, I know many people use tubescreamers all the time. There are few reasons I don't like it.

I've got expensive guitars, all of them over $3k. If I'm using a proper expensive tube amp it just feels bad to have a $100 pedal in the chain that has such a huge affect on the tone. To me tubescreamers are like ketchup. Tastes good but it's not something I'd put on a fancy meal. Good for hamburgers though. Also I feel like a tubescreamer is always compensating for something like the amp not having enough gain or a creamy/smooth character. Also I feel like all my guitars sound the same if they are going through a tube screamer so I might aswell play a cheapo guitar instead... but I don't own a cheapo guitar.

Generally I just like amps that don't need a TS like Mesa Mark IV and Diezel VH4 because although you can get a lot of gain, you don't lose the character/color of your guitar. Mostly it's just a mental thing for me.

 

[Josh Burgess]

Yeah, I know many people use tubescreamers all the time. There are few reasons I don't like it.

I've got expensive guitars, all of them over $3k. If I'm using a proper expensive tube amp it just feels bad to have a $100 pedal in the chain that has such a huge affect on the tone. To me tubescreamers are like ketchup. Tastes good but it's not something I'd put on a fancy meal. Good for hamburgers though. Also I feel like a tubescreamer is always compensating for something like the amp not having enough gain or a creamy/smooth character. Also I feel like all my guitars sound the same if they are going through a tube screamer so I might aswell play a cheapo guitar instead... but I don't own a cheapo guitar.

Generally I just like amps that don't need a TS like Mesa Mark IV and Diezel VH4 because although you can get a lot of gain, you don't lose the character/color of your guitar. Mostly it's just a mental thing for me.

Sounds like you were spending too much time on Harmony Central...

It's not about having extra gain. It's about how tight/responsive/percussive the low cut/mid boost of a tubescreamer makes the overall tone of the amp.

 

[arv_foh]

FWIW both sylosis Orange rigs were boosted with a Maxon od808

 

[AEL89]

FWIW both sylosis Orange rigs were boosted with a Maxon od808

Yeh that's true. You can get away without it too. I never use a boost with mine.

 

[MindMunch]

I've got expensive guitars, all of them over $3k. If I'm using a proper expensive tube amp it just feels bad to have a $100 pedal in the chain that has such a huge affect on the tone.

Out of curiosity, which mic do you use on the cab?

 

[Uros]

^^
well played

 

[Clark Kent]

I predicted this would happen if I admitted I don't like tubescreamers. No offence guys but I have a right to have my own opinion. I have used tubescreamers for many years in my life. I'm not being noob about it. I know that many guitarists use tubescreamers on their tones. I happen to dislike pedals in general. I also know many guitarists use Ibanez guitars which I will never understand. These are both my opinions and we don't have to agree on this stuff.

I don't like the coloring of the tubescreamer and that's why I don't use it. It makes my guitars sound the same. F.ex. I had a single coil telecaster that sounded just like my EBMM JP6 when I used the tubescreamer with them.... well I guess that explains why some people use Ibanez guitars....

Sounds like you were spending too much time on Harmony Central...

It's not about having extra gain. It's about how tight/responsive/percussive the low cut/mid boost of a tubescreamer makes the overall tone of the amp.

I've used tubescreamers and I know the tightness factor. Still I don't understand why this tightness isn't built into the amp I'm using but I have to have a pedal on the floor to fix my amp that is not tight.

Out of curiosity, which mic do you use on the cab?

That's a different thing. I also have strings that cost $10, pickups that cost $100 and a cable that costs $30. Many parts inside my amp cost less than $100.

So yes, most of the time I mic my cab with an SM57 but you can make an SM57 sound different with changing the mic placement. A tubescreamer has three knobs that for me sound best when gain=0, tone=5, level=10, so for me there's no versatility there. It's just trying to make a bad amp sound good. I'd just rather buy an amp that's good as is, and I don't need to use a TS to make it sound right.

 

[drew_drummer]

FWIW, I don't like using a TS as a boost either. The reason people use them is precisely the reason I don't like them - it fucks up the low end, and what people call tightening, I call weak as piss. I don't like many of the tones around here, and that's precisely because they often have a very squared off low-end, due to the TS clipping stages. I'd rather let the amp have all the low-end, and EQ it out slightly during the mix.

For live performances, guitar low-end is lovely.

 

[thefalloftheheretic]

Has anyone looked at the DA15H Dark Terror?
How does it sound, would it be good for doom/black?

 

[Clark Kent]

The Dark Terror seems to be a 15W version of the Thunder dirty channel.

Orange provides pretty good video demonstrations:



I'd say it sounds something between a Tiny Terror and a Thunder. Not as massive as the Thunder? Doesn't sound as massive in this clip...

 

[Clark Kent]

Ahh... forgot to mention that I order the TH30 this morning. It'll be here on Thursday, so I'm pumped!! I'm most likely going to make a presentation video of it once I get used to the amp so stay tuned.

 

[rispsira]

congrats dude!

 

[Josh Burgess]

I predicted this would happen if I admitted I don't like tubescreamers. No offence guys but I have a right to have my own opinion. I have used tubescreamers for many years in my life. I'm not being noob about it. I know that many guitarists use tubescreamers on their tones. I happen to dislike pedals in general. I also know many guitarists use Ibanez guitars which I will never understand. These are both my opinions and we don't have to agree on this stuff.

I don't like the coloring of the tubescreamer and that's why I don't use it. It makes my guitars sound the same. F.ex. I had a single coil telecaster that sounded just like my EBMM JP6 when I used the tubescreamer with them.... well I guess that explains why some people use Ibanez guitars....



I've used tubescreamers and I know the tightness factor. Still I don't understand why this tightness isn't built into the amp I'm using but I have to have a pedal on the floor to fix my amp that is not tight.



That's a different thing. I also have strings that cost $10, pickups that cost $100 and a cable that costs $30. Many parts inside my amp cost less than $100.

So yes, most of the time I mic my cab with an SM57 but you can make an SM57 sound different with changing the mic placement. A tubescreamer has three knobs that for me sound best when gain=0, tone=5, level=10, so for me there's no versatility there. It's just trying to make a bad amp sound good. I'd just rather buy an amp that's good as is, and I don't need to use a TS to make it sound right.

What are some examples of your favorite sounding metal guitar tones? (just out of curiosity)

 

[Josh Burgess]

I don't like the coloring of the tubescreamer and that's why I don't use it. It makes my guitars sound the same. F.ex. I had a single coil telecaster that sounded just like my EBMM JP6 when I used the tubescreamer with them.... well I guess that explains why some people use Ibanez guitars....

I highly doubt a single coil telecaster would sound anything like a superstrat with humbuckers, with a tubescreamer in the chain or not.

I've used tubescreamers and I know the tightness factor. Still I don't understand why this tightness isn't built into the amp I'm using but I have to have a pedal on the floor to fix my amp that is not tight.

Most of us don't understand that either, but that's the whole point.... there are NO amps out there that sound like a boosted 5150 plugged straight in. If such amps existed, we'd be using them! It's not "fixing" the amps. It's improving the tonal structure of the amps that we already like. I can't help but wonder why people who claim to hate EMGs/tubescreamers/5150s/etc. are even on the ANDY SNEAP forum to begin with.

A tubescreamer has three knobs that for me sound best when gain=0, tone=5, level=10, so for me there's no versatility there. It's just trying to make a bad amp sound good. I'd just rather buy an amp that's good as is, and I don't need to use a TS to make it sound right.

Setting the level to 10 is misinformation spread by HCAF morons. It should be set at unity gain or slightly above if a gain boost is desired. Maxing it out is pointless. That just introduces a lot of unnecessary gain and noise.

 

[Clark Kent]

What are some examples of your favorite sounding metal guitar tones? (just out of curiosity)

So you could prove that my favorite tones use tubescreamers?

Well I like different kinds of tones. I like the tone Killswitch Engage have on "My Curse". I like John Petrucci's Recto tones on his solo album. Chevelle has cool tones. Underoath got cool tones. I love the high end Hughes & Kettner tones. I know Underoath used TS on vintage Marshalls and Oranges. KsE sure sounds like a tubescreamer.

I highly doubt a single coil telecaster would sound anything like a superstrat with humbuckers, with a tubescreamer in the chain or not.

Most of us don't understand that either, but that's the whole point.... there are NO amps out there that sound like a boosted 5150 plugged straight in. If such amps existed, we'd be using them! It's not "fixing" the amps. It's improving the tonal structure of the amps that we already like. I can't help but wonder why people who claim to hate EMGs/tubescreamers/5150s/etc. are even on the ANDY SNEAP forum to begin with.

Setting the level to 10 is misinformation spread by HCAF morons. It should be set at unity gain or slightly above if a gain boost is desired. Maxing it out is pointless. That just introduces a lot of unnecessary gain and noise.

Well the TS sure killed the telecaster character and made it sound like a humbucker guitar, no matter what setting I used on the TS.

But hey, we don't need to talk about this. It's off-topic and the amp I'm currently not in an active metal band. I'm playing modern rock ATM.