Orange Rockerverb 100 VS AD140. Advice?

[Santucci218]

So I currently have a rocker 30 and an open back 2x12. I know orange is the sound for me, but I'm looking for something a little meaner. I narrowed it down to these two and I'm having a hard time deciding. My tones I love are like, Fall Of Troy, Mars Volta. Post hardcore rock kind of sound. I don't need a mass amount of gain, but a good amount.

That being said, lets compare...

The AD140 is 2 channels. Both have the same controls and layouts. That's nice because I rarely play clean, so it would be cool to have 2 different distortion channels to switch between. Also, are they all handwired, or just some of them? I can't seem to find my answer on that..

The Rockerverb 100 is a nasty amp too. More features on the clean channel. Dirty channel has some good features. Reverb included which is nice also. That being said, I still dont use clean THAT much.

I wont have a chance to try either of these, so its based purely on what you guys tell me about these beasts. Give me your input please!

[Dark Helmet]

AD140 all day, but I NEVER use a clean channel...

[Icarus]

Thunderverb.

[David Verb]

Omar used the AD30's at one point.

I have an RV100, the distortion is very versatile, does gritty sounds with low gain, great tight gain sounds with moderate gain, and gets fat and mushy at the very top. If I want fuzz, I put a fuzz pedal in front of the dirt channel on moderate gain, and use my volume pot if I need to clean things up. NEVER put a fuzz in the clean channel. Clean doesn't work that way. The clean is clean... that's it!

[jojo68]

RV 100 ftw

[jason41224]

Thunderverb.

+1. and i'm not biased towards the TV either!

like the AD, the TV has two full-spectrum channels that can do clean-drive. they are also voiced differently and have varying degrees of control over them, which would get you two distinct sounds pretty easily. unlike the AD, it gets a lot heavier (the AD series is medium gain at the highest, really). i know that Omar from Mars used an AD, now an RV, but i'm almost positive he had pedals to help him get there with the AD.

so take a look at the TV. i think it sounds just about right for what you want.

[Les Paul Lover]

AD140 or thunderverb.


If you don't need cleans, those are the amp I'd look at.

[StratusX]

Omar used AD140s along with several pedals up until recently, when he switched to a Rockerverb combo. Premier Guitar did a rig rundown of him back in August showing his setup, including knob settings and all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSul_gvpCI4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thomas Erak played AD140s, switched to a Rockerverb for a bit, then returned to his AD140, saying he preferred it's sound. He also used SEVERAL pedals, mostly modulation, to create his tone. Photos and information about his setup are at UberProAudio.

http://www.uberproaudio.com/who-plays-w ... -equipment" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EDIT: It should be noted that the AD140 CAN be set clean, just don't expect spanky Fender cleans. It'll still have a slight bit of hair on it.

[Santucci218]

Hmm. Both bands I dig the tone of most are using the AD series. Nobody I listen to uses the Thunderverb though. Seems like its a more evil metel styled amp, which I do NOT want. I think I want to get the AD140. Does anybody have an answer on my wiring question? Are all the AD140's handwired? Also, anything you guys DIDN'T dig about the ad140? I know its not as modern sounding, but I dont necessarily need a modern tone.

[Santucci218]

Omar used AD140s along with several pedals up until recently, when he switched to a Rockerverb combo. Premier Guitar did a rig rundown of him back in August showing his setup, including knob settings and all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSul_gvpCI4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thomas Erak played AD140s, switched to a Rockerverb for a bit, then returned to his AD140, saying he preferred it's sound. He also used SEVERAL pedals, mostly modulation, to create his tone. Photos and information about his setup are at UberProAudio.

http://www.uberproaudio.com/who-plays-w ... -equipment" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EDIT: It should be noted that the AD140 CAN be set clean, just don't expect spanky Fender cleans. It'll still have a slight bit of hair on it.

Is the one in your avatar a 140 or a 30? Also, i dont dig really clean cleans line the fender has. warm cleans with some breakup if I do use them. Do you dig Thomas Erak?

[Icarus]

Hmm. Both bands I dig the tone of most are using the AD series. Nobody I listen to uses the Thunderverb though. Seems like its a more evil metel styled amp, which I do NOT want. I think I want to get the AD140. Does anybody have an answer on my wiring question? Are all the AD140's handwired? Also, anything you guys DIDN'T dig about the ad140? I know its not as modern sounding, but I dont necessarily need a modern tone.

The RV is more modern sounding than the TV and can get equally heavy, infact the RV probably has more gain. The dude from slipknot uses RV100's and you don't get much more metal than them. If I wanted to play some metal, I'd pull my RV out.
Like Jason said, if you don't need a clean channel then at least try the TV. It's an overall better amp IMO, not being biased because I have both. You also get the attenuator with the TV which is a great feature.

[StratusX]

Is the one in your avatar a 140 or a 30? Also, i dont dig really clean cleans line the fender has. warm cleans with some breakup if I do use them. Do you dig Thomas Erak?

I DO DIG THOMAS ERAK! Fall Of Troy is definitely one of the better bands I've had the pleasure of seeing!

It's an AD30. The AD140 was discontinued by the time I got mine. They can still be found online via eBay and the like. My local Guitar Center had one mint a couple months ago for $1500.

Both the AD30 and AD140 share the same preamp, so have the same basic sound. The 140 will obvious have more headroom, a little more bottom end, and a warmer, fuller, less compressed sound do to the higher power and different power tubes.

The AD30 is still one bitchin little amp though!

If you plan on going heavy metal with it, you might want to consider the Thunderverb or Rockerverb. The AD series won't get much hotter than "They're Only Chasing Safety" era under0ATH or The Used.

[myboss57]

Having never had an AD140 - I can't speak to those. But I used to own a RV100 and I think it may not be what you are looking for.

Not to throw a wrench in (but throwing a wrench in), but have you thought about an Overdrive 80/120? I have an OD120 and absolutely love it. One channel, and while there is a lot of gain on tap if you want it, it stays vintage sounding throughout the dial. Plus, it's only one channel - but using a boost, or volume pedal, or picking dynamics, etc can help you get a wide variety of tones out of it. It's a very responsive amp - as I think all Oranges really are, actually, but I feel like it's extra responsive to how you pick/strum.

That's my $.02 anyways. And that being said, if the Fall of Troy dude (killer band, btw) uses AD140s and that's the sound you want - well, that could be your answer! I don't think you'd go wrong with one in that case.

[Santucci218]

Od120 looks sick. They are all hand wired too? What's a good price on those? Just seen one for 1500 via google. Maybe you're right about that among? Any more info on it as I never played it? Compare to the others, what's it like?

[Randy Bass]

Od120 looks sick. They are all hand wired too?

No - all OD and OR amps from the 1970's and 1990's were PCB designs, and very well-made ones at that.