OR15 vs Rocker 30 vs Princeton Reverb

[sambavaro]

New here, previous Orange owner -- TH30 head, sold for a Rocker 30 combo, sold when I moved cross country.

When I was younger, Orange was my "dream amp", as lots of my favorite bands played through them. Saved up, and got my first with the TH30. Now that I'm settled into life post-college, I'd like to back into playing. So, I'm looking for your help in deciding on which amp to buy.

Some of my favorite tones are from Ryan Adams (post ST, lots of chorus and reverb), Kurt Vile, Sleep, Mastodon. Its a bit of spectrum

I won't be playing in a live or jam situation in the foreseeable future, but do plan on home recording. I live in an apartment, so I won't be cranking whatever I end up with. Likely will be using Chorus, Reverb, Tremolo, and Fuzz effects.

I've found great deals on a few amps that I'm keen on:

-- OR15 with a close back PPC212
-- Rocker 30 combo
-- Silverface "custom" Princeton Reverb

My concern with the OR15 is lack of clean headroom. My concern with the Princeton Reverb is that I'm losing the Orange amazingness that I fell in love with, and won't be able to get that even running a pedal in front of the PR. Rocker 30 was amazing before, but worried about volume and running chorus/trem and getting that Ryan Adams or Kurt Vile type sound that I'm digging.

Was hoping to poll the collective minds of this forum for feedback and advice. I'm thinking some of you all have had experience with one or more of these amps.

Thanks!

[Les Paul Lover]

We can't really do more than you have. Your observations and concerns for each amp are spot on.

In a flat, whichever of these amps will be too much very easily.

For home practice, whenever I play my RV50 or my R30, I use a jet city jettuanator these days. This attenuator is absolutly brilliant, let's you attenuate anywhere between -3db and no output.

That's the only way I can tame the R30 especially, and the RV50 at house friendly volume. I could manage and set the volume strictly on the 1st notch, but frankly, they sound better a bit higher and attenuated a bit.

As for the OR15, you can obtain nice cleans from it, but not at high volume, and changing from clean to dirty tones is either a volume knob trick, or dirt box, volume pedal, underdrive.....

It has fx loop though for your effects.


Have you considered (and tried!!!!) the new Rocker 15? I believe it's a bit different to the old R30, but it has clean and dirty channel and FX loop. But make sure you try it, it may not be what you want.

[Boy_Narf]

As much as I'm not a fan of the new rocker series, I think the R32 would serve you right.

[sambavaro]

Just got back from trying out a Rocker 15 -- very underwhelmed. I was really hoping to like it. I play with a Fender Jazzmaster (P90s), and the amp, to me, sounded boxy and bland on the clean channel. Dirty channel didn't seem to have much of the Orange "magic". I played a similar Jazzmaster with my Rocker 30 and it sounded great!

Played the Princeton Reverb some more and still very much liking it.

OR15 vs Princeton it looks, now

[bclaire]

I'm jonesing for a Princeton Reverb right now for the same reasons. Given your situation, I'd go PR and maybe get a pedal that can approximate an Orange overdrive sound... or get one of Ryan's JHS VCR pedals...!

[Jondog]

Just got back from trying out a Rocker 15 -- very underwhelmed. I was really hoping to like it. I play with a Fender Jazzmaster (P90s), and the amp, to me, sounded boxy and bland on the clean channel. Dirty channel didn't seem to have much of the Orange "magic". I played a similar Jazzmaster with my Rocker 30 and it sounded great!

Played the Princeton Reverb some more and still very much liking it.

OR15 vs Princeton it looks, now

You feel the pretty well the same as I do on the Rocker 15. Itd the big transformers and power section of the Rocker where the magic lies!
Billy mentioned using a pedal. The JHS Superbolt does a really convincing Rocker sound. I a/b it with the Dirty channel on the Rocker 30 and could just barely hear a difference.

[adkguy07]

I won't be playing in a live or jam situation in the foreseeable future, but do plan on home recording. I live in an apartment, so I won't be cranking whatever I end up with. Likely will be using Chorus, Reverb, Tremolo, and Fuzz effects.

My vote (and for the reason above) would be the OR15. I've been thinking about adding this one myself; for home use. I use a Micro Dark/PPC112 combination, but the tube sound from the OR15 suits my style of guitar-playing more, I believe.

adkguy07

[b80]

Hello! I play similar style music, myself. I enjoy a wide variety of music like Ryan Adams, Wilco, Mastodon and the Descendents. Just out of those options, I'd choose the OR15. Here are my feelings about Volume and wattage. I have a Dual Terror (switchable between 30/15/7 watts. When I am at home, it never leaves the 7 watt setting. It will get LOUD!! My wife can hear it on the other side of the house. I've played gig's at the 7 watt setting as well (mic'd though a PA of course). I use the 15 watt mode for un-mic'd band practice. It cuts over a drummer with zero difficulty. The OR15 will be more than enough for your home and even if you decide to play in a band in the future. Good luck in your search!

[Mystic38]

totally off the wall..

if this is home use and recording, and you like the Microdark.. (same tonally as TH30 iirc) then why not a micro dark and a Two Notes Torpedo cab?..
pro's:
tube orange flavor preamp from uDark
small size for practice as is
or
Torpedo CAB in fx loop offers power amp emulation
and
with EQ, reverb, speaker and cab simulation its a perfect recording interface

I have the CAB and love it.. and now, after writing this post.. makes me jones for a uDark..lol

[b80]

Yeah, a Micro Dark could be a great idea. Especially if you're only playing/recording at home.

[OrangeBoy]

I have an OR15, Princeton '65 reissue and a Micro Dark and use all three at home in a bedroom.

OR15- love the cleans at low volumes. The effects loop is a godsend for modulated and delay pedals. Plenty of gain on tap if needed. At lower bedroom volumes I use distortion or OD pedals in front (I've read a fair bit of criticism that it doesn't take distortion well but I've found it's great. Sounds especially sweet with a DS-1). It is a versatile amp if you accept that sweet cleans occur at lower volumes but good Orange distortion can be had at bedroom volumes too. It gets loud but IMO it adds to the bedroom to jamming to small/medium venue versatility.

Princeton Reverb- when used without effects it is a bit of a 'does one thing well' amp generating beautiful clean tones. it takes pedals well and is an awesome platform for building soundscapes. When pushed it generates a sweet, smooth distortion but I generally have the volume set from three to four for home use depending on pickups. You wont get the Orange sweetness but you will get Fender clean awesomeness. It does take distortion/OD extremely well.

Micro Dark- Ill comment on this 'cause it was recommended in a previous post. Better sounding cleans than the Micro Terror IMO (not that this has anything to do with the OP's original question). Sounds awesome through a closed back V30 equipped 1 x 12 cab. The effects loop is handy but does starts getting noisy when multiple buffered pedals are fitted (generally 3 or more Boss pedals from my experience). I generally use it more than the OR15 because it sounds more than good enough through the PPC108 cab for home use late at night.

Another recommendation is the Orange Pro Crush 60. Although a higher wattage it has just about everything going for it. Simplicity of the control layout, awesome warm sounding clean channel, awesome Orange distortion, effects loop (which is not affected by a bunch of buffered pedals like the Micro Dark), sounds really good at bedroom volumes, has a master volume that balances out both channels. I cant stress how good and versatile this amp is at any volume. Takes pedals extremely well. Relatively cheap and about 95 to 98% there with tube tone. For shear versatility and value for money, and as much as I like the OR15, Princeton and Micro Dark this is what I recommend above all of 'em.