Moving on...

[lordoflax]

Unfortunately it looks like it has come time for me to move onto a different amplifier. I regret it as i'm loosing money but my Rocker 30 really isn't providing me the tone I desire at the moment.

My problem is... i'm stuck for choice. I'm aware that many of you have tried and tested most amps on the market so I thought that it would be a good choice to ask for some guidance as a start.

To cut the story short, I feel my rocker just doesn't give me the ballsy, heavy rock sound that i'm after. At the time it was great but with times changing it seems wise to rearrange my gear. Instantly I considered Marshall. However, i'm very open to other ideas. My music has progressed to be alot heavier than before and has moved more towards a rather rocky category. In general I like alot of umph to my sound and also need something to do justice to my heavy rocker/blues lead sections.

I understand that this is rather vague but wouldn't mind somebody giving me some advice on which way to look.

Many thanks.

[Taronja]

ballsy, heavy rock sound

50 watt JCM800 single channel (2204)

let me put it this way, its hard not to get a "ballsy, heavy rock sound" out of it, even if you try. just flip the big OL red switch and go....

think AC/DC and the such with ease

Jon

[kittenface]

sounds like my AD30H with the gain at 3 o'clock

heavy

[mmsb13]

ballsy, heavy rock sound

50 watt JCM800 single channel (2204)

let me put it this way, its hard not to get a "ballsy, heavy rock sound" out of it, even if you try. just flip the big OL red switch and go....

think AC/DC and the such with ease

Jon

sorry to go OT. . . but I luv that sig pic, Jon. . . could be an Orange mascot. . .

[Randy Bass]

...To cut the story short, I feel my rocker just doesn't give me the ballsy, heavy rock sound that i'm after. At the time it was great but with times changing it seems wise to rearrange my gear. Instantly I considered Marshall. However, i'm very open to other ideas. My music has progressed to be alot heavier than before and has moved more towards a rather rocky category. In general I like alot of umph to my sound and also need something to do justice to my heavy rocker/blues lead sections...

I know exactly what you mean. If I had to choose to keep only one amp, the Rocker 30 would not be the one because it cannot get heavy enough "like a M*rshall". I do like it for a lot of things, especially playing older stuff like Black Sabbath, but my original stuff is usually more heavy blues that needs a tighter, punchier sound.

My OR50 does the job pretty well and is similar to a JCM800 sound. My JCM900 is a huge disappointment with respect to low end (with 6L6s!?), but still has nice, tight mids. I even like my Valvestates a lot. I haven't tried any newer M*rshalls, but I would think that some of them (like the Vintage Modern) would have to be at least decent. I think I would look at the Rockerverb 50 and/or 100 first to see if you can get the sound you like. They might cost a little more than a Vintage Modern (I don't know), but there should be no doubt that the Oranges will be better-built and will sound more distinctive and toneful. I am under the impression that the RV50 is one of the most versatile amps on the planet, although I have only tried one briefly at low volumes.

[Wendigo]

...and in a year you will be in a different mood. There is no such thing as one amp for all purposes. I have a 1974 Musicman HD130, an Orange RV50C, a marshall JCM800 combo, and a '59 Fender Bassman and there are still times when I think, "hmmm....not really what I'm after". The orange is the best (most flexible) of the lot though.
My recommendation: get a really good flexible distortion pedal like a fulltone fulldrive 2 mosfet or something, and add an eq pedal in front of the amp....you will be amazed how the whole character of the amp changes and you will have practically infinite possibilities. That will also work with any and every amp you have, not just one.

[Mono]

+1 on the EQ pedal - an absolute MUST for me.
I can get Fender cleans out of my RV50 by using my Boss GE-7. No joke.
Yes, I sold a Hot Rod DX (fine, not a CLASSIC Fender, but the cleans were still incredible) to fund my RV50 purchase.

I can't recommend one enough but be warned, the Boss GE-7 sounds like crap out of the box, asthough someone has dropped a blanket over your amp. I had to order a mod it from http://www.monteallums.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and once I installed that it became transparent and very VERY useful.

[irish_admiral]

Danny

I agree with Wendigo's comment about the overdrive pedal, though i'm not too sure about the EQ pedal. If you have to have one on all the time, either you've got the wrong amp or you're not using your amp settings correctly.

In terms of other amps, an old Marshall might be a good option. Some of the Matamps might interest you... my 1224 can definitely get more aggressive than my AD30, and has got some phat rock sounds in there when you wind it up.

HOWEVER!

A couple of other questions first... what do you want? More gain? More volume? More bass, mids or treble? A different sort of tone? Use the R30 as a reference point and be really descriptive in how you want the sound to be different.

How loud (on the master volume) have you wound up your Rocker 30? What sort of cabs have you tried it through?

Let's not sell the amp until we've ruled out some other things first. I seem to remember when you got the R30 a couple of years ago I wasn't sure it was the right choice for you...

[lordoflax]

Im using a phone for this so it could be quite hard. Ok I currently use my rocker through a homemade 2 x 12 but I have also gigged with a ad30 combo and a some other orange head through an orange 4 x12 cab ( was last minute and dint say attention to the model ). I have found that the overdrive on all at high levels is a little to fizzy for my liking. I realise ill upset alot by saying that! To add to this I also would like to change to a combo. This is a brief reply because im using a phone ill try to go into more depth when I get to a computer.

[irish_admiral]

No worries, i'll wait on a more in depth response!

[dmraco]

If $$ is no concern and you want balls...BOGNER and Mesa Boggie are good choices. The BOGNERS just ROCK..think Alice in Chains THUD! The Boggies also have a great overdirve and clean up nice too.

[a.hun]

If $$ is no concern and you want balls...BOGNER and Mesa Boggie are good choices. The BOGNERS just ROCK..think Alice in Chains THUD! The Boggies also have a great overdirve and clean up nice too.

Don't you mean Boogners and Mesa Boggies?

I take it you've been through the trying different preamp valves thing lordoflax? Or different speakers?


Andy.

[Le Chat Noir]

sounds like my AD30H with the gain at 3 o'clock

heavy

With all due respect, if he can't find the sound he describes with the Rocker 30, it's silly to suggest he'll find it in the AD30. The modern Orange tone certainly isn't for everyone, that dark, muscular midrange isn't what everyone has in their head when they imagine a classic rock tone. It sounds like he wants something with tighter bass, more gain and a more conventional rock sound - the AD30TC is probably even further away from his goal than the R30.

[lordoflax]

sounds like my AD30H with the gain at 3 o'clock

heavy

With all due respect, if he can't find the sound he describes with the Rocker 30, it's silly to suggest he'll find it in the AD30. The modern Orange tone certainly isn't for everyone, that dark, muscular midrange isn't what everyone has in their head when they imagine a classic rock tone. It sounds like he wants something with tighter bass, more gain and a more conventional rock sound - the AD30TC is probably even further away from his goal than the R30.

Seems like you hit the nail right on the head there.

To answer questions, No, I havn't tried different speakers and I have changed the valves a couple of times but to me this is more fine tuning an overall tone? A tighter bass and more gain for a more conventional rock sound, does to me, sound like what i'm looking for.

The reason this was sparked up is because I have been given a quick sale offer for my amp and need something to work with to get a new one. I gig very frequently and I need to try and get my funds together during the sale of this amp.

[Le Chat Noir]

Dang it, I just typed this message twice and lost it all twice.

Here's the short version of the long ones I just wrote If you're not happy with the basic sound of the R30, I don't think modern Orange is for you. They have a sonic signature that is harder to mould than some other amps.

Why not tell us some of your influences and the tones you like on record, then it'll be much easier to make more specific suggestions. 'Rock' is a pretty large category...