NAD! ....CR120

[lunchbox]

Well, not today, but last week. I was just giving it a try to make sure it will fit the bill.

I had an OR15 a few months back. While the tone was great for low-mid volume playing, it didn't push a lot of air and have enough balls for playing loud, hard rock with a heavy hitting drummer. So I sold it to pay some bills.

I finally convinced wifey that I need a new amp (and guitar; had to sell that too for bill $$) so that I can start playing again. While I would LOVE to buy an OR50, RV50, etc., I just can't afford it. I was on a budget of <$500. And while there are some tube amps in this price range, none of them made me gasm over their tone, since I'm an Orange tone fanboi. I checked out the old Marshall Lead 100 MOSFET, some of the new Randall SS amps, and a few other misc. amps, but the CR120 blew away everything I tried in it's price range. It wasn't even close, imo.

I haven't had a chance to really crank it, but the tones I'm getting at bedroom level on the dirty channel (which is what I play 95% of the time) are glorious. I actually like the tone of this CR120 better than I did on my OR15; it's a little smoother and seems to have more 'thickness'. It has all that great Orange bite in the pick attack that I love, the swirly distortion decay, and really, really great punch, clarity and articulation in the upper strings for leads.

Overall, I'm really blown away by how well this amp is designed. It's definitely a keeper for me! (But that also has a lot to do with my budget and the fact that I can't find people around me that want to play stoner rock with a 45 year old guy. So this is probably the last amp I'll ever buy.) And my stock pups and Eminence speakers seem to be a really good match for it, though I'm always wondering if Celestion G10 Vintages or the Orange VOTW speakers would make a difference in tone.

So here's my current rig/setup: 1979 Peavey T-60 (all stock), Orange CR120, and a Marshall 1965A with Eminence Ramrods.

[Les Paul Lover]

Congrats!!!!

This amp consistently receives very high praise. I'd like to try one out one day.

Did you have no guitars at all for some time??? Glad to hear you're back in the fold mate!!!!
The peavey looks sweet too!!!

[Bensnake]

Congrats. Fine amp. I've had two of them; one head and one combo. Liked them a lot. So much bang for the bucks. Enjoy.

[lunchbox]

Congrats!!!!

This amp consistently receives very high praise. I'd like to try one out one day.

Did you have no guitars at all for some time??? Glad to hear you're back in the fold mate!!!!
The peavey looks sweet too!!!

Thanks! Yes, was guitarless for a few months there. I sold my last back in....April/May, iirc. The T series Peaveys are probably the only Peavey guitar I would ever consider. They are really great guitars.

I'm looking around to join/start a band, but there's sweet F-A in my area for hard rock/stoner rock. I've had an ad up for months (going back to earlier last year) with 0 replies that were worth pursuing. It's been frustrating.

[lunchbox]

Congrats. Fine amp. I've had two of them; one head and one combo. Liked them a lot. So much bang for the bucks. Enjoy.

Most definitely far and away the best SS amp I've ever played, and best in class for the price. Was even leagues better than some of the tube amps I tried.

[lunchbox]

oops edit

[Ronnie Robinson]

Cool, enjoy !

[BlackArrow]

Congrats !!
As a proud TH-30 & MT owner, I also bought this CR120 head to carry and play in rehearsals (btw 46 y old, SG RI61 and playing stoner-metal) with my hard hitting drummer, this head delivers an awesome sound !
I believe buying this insane guitar head was an excellent choice as I bought it when released at a fairly low price. I would not sell it....unless I need money....

[a.hun]

Again congrats.

I'm really impressed with Orange's current solid state. amps. Did try the CR60C myself in a shop and it was clearly a great amp.

I've been saying here for as long as I can remember that really well designed s.s. guitar (and bass) amps can be very useable. Especially since they should work well too at lower volumes - always a bit of a weak point with valve output sections which usually tend to sound better run nearer their full output. Orange are making all that pretty obvious and I can't help admiring them for it.


Andy.

[lunchbox]

Agreed. Thanks!

[Orange Crush/shupe13]

Congrats!

I had the 120 combo. Too much balls for my application so I downsized to the 60 combo.

Nice rig. Love to have that Peavey!!

[lunchbox]

I finally had the opportunity to jam with some friends and really open this amp up. I'm really happy with the quality of tone and power this thing produces. My friend played alternated playing through a Marshall Blues breaker and his Orange Matamp OR 100 #245. My CR120 kept up with both of them and the tone both sat well in and cut well into the mix, which are some of the main issues I've always had with Crappy solid state amps. The CR120 doesn't do this at all.

I'd also say that after hearing it against 2 amazing quality tube amps in a jam situation, the CR120 sounds amazingly tube like. If I had to put a value on it, it will get you 90% of tube tone, maybe even more. I'd have trouble in a blind test with this amp.

Sorry for babbling. Overall I'm really blown away so far with this amp. If anyone's on the fence about it not being tube and having tube tone, don't be. It's so close that it's really hard to hear that it's not, imo.

[a.hun]

If anyone's on the fence about it not being tube and having tube tone, don't be. It's so close that it's really hard to hear that it's not, imo.

Oh sure, totally agree. There may be a certain 'feel' you miss compared to the very best valve amps, but in real terms the differences are near impossible to actually hear. Not always so of course, but I learned long ago that quality s.s. designs are definitely really useable, and even have certain advantages over valves. (No way would I ever part with my trusty old Award Session JD10 preamp pedal!)

BTW I forgot to enthuse about that Peavey guitar. They are great, and I could really go for one of the T-40 basses myself. Quality stuff and great looking too!


Andy.

[lunchbox]

If anyone's on the fence about it not being tube and having tube tone, don't be. It's so close that it's really hard to hear that it's not, imo.

Oh sure, totally agree. There may be a certain 'feel' you miss compared to the very best valve amps, but in real terms the differences are near impossible to actually hear. Not always so of course, but I learned long ago that quality s.s. designs are definitely really useable, and even have certain advantages over valves. (No way would I ever part with my trusty old Award Session JD10 preamp pedal!)

BTW I forgot to enthuse about that Peavey guitar. They are great, and I could really go for one of the T-40 basses myself. Quality stuff and great looking too!


Andy.

Thanks. I'm really digging the Peavey. It's a really well made guitar that plays great. Honestly one of the best guitars I've ever owned, and that includes Gibson Custom Shop. The pups on them are one of the best humbuckers I've ever played as well. Very usable tones from low to high, and with or without gain/distortion.

And yes, there's a slight 'feel' of tube that's missing. But the CR120 is so punchy that it's missing much less than any other SS amp I've ever tried. Orange did an amazing job with this design.

[Rozz]

Hi Folks,
I’ve been really glad of this thread. I have the TH30 combo and also a Supro Thunderbolt plus combo, I kept the Supro really as a backup as the TH30 does all I want and is the “better” amp for me. But, I have had nothing but problems with both these amps over the last 2 months or so (and I also did when I first bought them). All easily rectifiable and valve related, but never the less, it has been a pain. At one point both amps failed on the same gig. So, having read this thread, I am seriously considering selling the TH30 and Supro to get either the CR60 or CR120 (I would think that the CR60 would be enough, we play pretty loud though, generally un-miked, small to medium pubs and clubs?). It seems that people like them; people comment that they are very tube like and I would not be at the mercy of valves. Reading the posts from Andy and lunchbox has kind of made up my mind. I play a mixture of stuff, but mainly classic heavy rock. I need a good clean sound too. I have a 1 x 12 already that I use with the TH30 (which has a G12H 30 Anniversary) and although I like the portability of a combo, I could go the CR120 head route and get another cab(s). What do you think? Thanks. Rozz.