Orange Amps Forum

I just bought an Orange AD30HTC and I'm running it through a carvin 4x12. It sounds great, but I was wondering if I could get a different/better sound out of an Orange or Marshall 4x12. The carvin sounds a tad harsh.

Thanks

Well, it depends on what speakers are in the Carvin cab, and what cab you'd want to switch to.

Some Carvin cabs are loaded with Vintage 30's...so if you're looking to switch to a Marshall 4x12 loaded with V30's and it's the same kind of box...well, there won't be a huge difference. The Carvin cab is pretty much a Marshall copy anyways. The Orange box will sound very different though, even with the same speakers. It'll be much darker, with more bottom end and less projection to the sides.

If you've got the Carvin "British series" speakers in there, then i'd recommend a cab with V30's...either a Marshall or Orange (or if you're in that kind of price range; Bogner, VHT, Mojave, Bad Cat, Tone Tubby...). The British series speakers are more contoured, and less efficient.

Celestion G12H30's are also many peoples' favorites with Oranges...and Celestion Classic lead 80's. Check out www.avatarspeakers.com for some nicely made cabs at great prices.

-Nick

I'm also starting to think it may be my guitar. It's a Washburn USA Custom Shop. Mahagony body, pao ferro fretboard, and an SH-5 in the bridge. Possibly a combination

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I'm also starting to think it may be my guitar. It's a Washburn USA Custom Shop. Mahagony body, pao ferro fretboard, and an SH-5 in the bridge. Possibly a combination <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Hi Adam123. Possibly, but the SH5 on a good mahogany bodied guitar should be a hottish 'warm and biting' sound rather then harsh I'd have thought. If the sound is a bit toppy at times you can always roll a little off the guitars tone control (if it have one.)

A lot of people do underestimate the difference that speakers / cabs can make to the overall sound. Since you are asking about that I guess you know their importance though. And as Nick says it depends a lot on which speakers are actually in your Carvin cab.

Also a big contribution to the overall sound will be the type of valves in the amp. If they are the originals then you might find you prefer trying different valves first. Something like JJ EL84 power valves might well fill the sound out to your liking too. That's where I'd tend to start. Do see if you can try your head with other cabs too to see what they can do for your sound, but first things first - no point in changing cabs until you have tried the easier options.

I agree with Nick saying that V.30 or G12-H speakers are good bets with Orange amps.

Andy.

The amp sounds great, but I'm finding that the cranked sound is a bit too top-heavy. I think I'll just bring her down to my local music shop with my guitar and plug her into some cabs. If that isn't the problem, then I'll grab a les paul off the wall and see what that does. I have heard what these amps are capable of and I haven't lost an ounce of faith in it. It really does sound great.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">If the sound is a bit toppy at times you can always roll a little off the guitars tone control (if it have one.)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Adam, you might also simply want to try lowering the top end of the pickup as that will ease off on some of the treble harshness at that end, without losing the higher end tone across the other strings.

You mean lower the bridge pickup so that it sinks into the guitar a bit more?

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Adam123</i>
<br />You mean lower the bridge pickup so that it sinks into the guitar a bit more?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Lower the treble side of the pickup so the treble strings are farther away than the bass strings...it eases of the highs and makes it sound fatter. Don't go crazy with it though, a little space goes a long way.

-Nick