Rockerverb 50 mkii head questions!

[Youngb4Old]

Hey all,

Glad to be a new member of the Orange Forums! I have had my eye on a Rockerverb 50 for quite some time now and once I gather the necessary funds I am finally going to get one of these amazing amps! While browsing the web a few days ago I learned that a MKii version will be released-although on a lot of the websites I've visited, there's been some confusion and arguing on a couple of specifications. I was hoping someone on the official Orange Forum could clear this up for me so when it comes time to finally make my purchase, I can be informed.

First- I know the Rockerverb 50 combo will now be running el34s - is the same true for the Rockerverb 50 head as well? I've been reading it as just the combo is getting el34s, but some say it's true for the head as well (which makes sense to me) On a side note- if that is true, what are peoples thoughts about switching from 6v6s to el34s??

Second- I really really hope this is a forum member playing a little prank but i read somewhere that there were clipping diodes added in the signal path?!?! No one on that forum ( i cant remember which ) seemed to like that too much and the poster never clarified! That would be a shame if it were true ( IMHO ).

I really can't wait to finally get one of these, I'm hoping it's not too far off. Im lookin forward to any responses-thanks in advance!

[Youngb4Old]

Alright- so i came across an official video on the forum that clearly stated the Rockerverb 50 head will get EL34s as well. I probably should have known that anyway and I would seriously doubt Orange would throw in clipping diodes

So the bigger question is: how do people feel about the switch to EL34s - i know alot of people feel that the 6v6s lend a certain mojo and character to the RV50. Every sound clip or in person demo ive seen has been with the 6v6 amp ( and the first time i heard it i was hooked ) though i couldn't really differentiate between the MKII sound in the new clip and the MKI's (maybe just my ears or the cameras mic ?? ) So what do people think? has anyone heard any other clips of the MKII? Should I hold out for the MKII or try and scramble the funds to get an MKI?!

Thanks - YB4

Also that thunder 30 seems pretty dang ballsy - that would be alot easier to afford!

[misterMagoo]

http://forum.orangeamps.com/viewtopic.p ... 50+MARK+II" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can find just about all the feedback and emotions in that thread, as well as the changes.

As for scrambling, I am willing to bet that you will be able to find a RV50 MKI still in stores for quite a while after the new one comes out, as they are not really a cheap amp.

Personally I love my amp the way it is. I'm happy with it, and I think the 6v6s are a unique aspect to the sound, especially when the clean channel is cranked.

Could you post a link to those sound clips you speak of?

[Youngb4Old]

Thanks for the forum link - a little searching of the forum today in my free time brought me to that exact same page - i probably should have searched harder first before starting a new topic!

heres the link for the MKII that I was referring to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-ejMCB3YYY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And as for all the MKI clips - I've just been mainly listening to Rob "Chappers" demos on Youtube and various other "related videos" that pop up. ( Just the daily obsessing! )

Like i said before - maybe its just my ears, but i cant seem to hear too much of a difference, the MKII gain maybe sounds a little more defined in the midrange and a little less wooly if you will - but thats just my way of describing it and I'm of course not really accounting for how the EQs are set up in each of the clips I've listened to.

Thanks again for your response!

[misterMagoo]

You have to remember that youtube compresses the quality of audio too. Your never going to be able to tell what the amp really sounds like. You might get the basic idea of the tone, or what it could do, but play a youtube vid and then play the real thing, and you will agree, theres no substitute.

Thats why I can't understand some of the comments on that site. You'll watch an amp demo and someone will say "This is pure bliss!!" or "I was going to buy an XXXX until I heard this video!!! I'm sold!!" Meanwhile I'm thinking I hope your extraterrestrial ears heard something that mine didn't because you should probably listen to it in person with YOUR guitar before you buy it.

[Youngb4Old]

Agreed- I would never buy something without playin it first! - I've heard a couple different oranges in person at my local music shop including the RV50 which is what got me hooked on the brand - I've just never been able to quite get my tone to what I heard when I was in the shop - oranges just seem to have something extra! Hopefully they'll get some floor demos of the MKII when it ships.

[thenetsux]

Yes, If you can wait for the MKii to hit the floors, then I would. If your gas gets to you, though, and you have played a MKi and liked it, trust your gut and get what you know. It's hard for a lot of us to get to stores that carry orange for any hands on experience, but there is definitely no substitute for it. I've never played the Rockerverb, myself, but I do know that Orange knows it's way around an el34, and that's no lie.

[Youngb4Old]

TNS - Is that your AD30TC stack in the background?? I might be a lil jealous... I've actually never heard an AD30 but I've heard they're just awesome - how would you describe some of the tones you can get?

[thenetsux]

It's my AD140 stack. I would describe it as huge, snarling doom. lol. There is absolutely no lack of clean headroom, if you want that. It can go anywhere from classic to sabbath. I use a couple boost pedals to send it into sludge/doom territory and it eats it up. I love that amp sooooo much. listen to the tracks on my band pages if you want to get an idea of the tone, i'm panned toward the right in both bands, i believe. It's got it's stock EH6CA7's on the systems recording, but I changed them out for JJ KT77's by the time MAKE recorded. Loving that sound.