Orange Amps Forum

Hello, all. I've been doing as much research as possible on the Dual Dark 50, as I'm thinking it will be my next amp. Thing is, almost all of the retailers online are either out of stock or selling open-box / B-stock items. I'm concerned. Is it possible Orange is discontinuing the Dual Dark series, or maybe introducing a MkII in early 2019?

Addendum:

Sweetwater just confirmed to me that Orange had discontinued the Dual Dark.

So now I guess the question is, will there be a MkII? Didn't this amp sell?

Orange is pretty ruthless in culling amps that aren't selling enough, so I guess that's what it is.

It's funny, the stoner/metal crowd love Orange, but when Orange have designed amp for that market, they haven't been great sellers.

In the meantime, the RV amps are getting fantastic reputation for that.... yet can do blues, rock and jazz superbly too...

I've seen a few YouTube demo's of this amp that made it sound really cool. I only played one once and it was through a PPC212 and I have to say that every way I tried to dial it in, it really lacked that chunky midrange crunch and teeth that it sounds like it has when watching the demos. It ended up having a super round, toothless sound that I couldn't imagine being actually good for metal. Maybe super modern prog stuff but not grungey chunky or stoner metal.

Rob Chapman makes this thing sound awesome through a PPC412 but I didn't experience that same killer tone when I tried a DD50. I don't know. I was excited for this amp to be a killer. Maybe they've worked out the kinks and are doing a MKII on it. I hope they do something good to fill the DD/TV void in the 50W/100W/200W range. Maybe the TV will come back. Who knows.

Thanks for the replies. I'm wondering if the Rockerverb 50 MkIII wouldn't be a better option for me, then. Either that, or wait for a possible Dual Dark 50 MkII. Either way, I'm needing an Orange!

i've always wanted a dual dark 50 myself. and i still do. but frankly i don't see how any $2000+ tube amp is selling great right now. for metal there are much cheaper options for tube amps. you can get a soldano designed jet city 100HDM tube amp for about $650 that sounds amazing for metal. then there are the staples like the 6505(5150).

then there is also the fact that we are starting to realize more and more you don't need a 100 or even 50 watt head to play live in a band. people are doing just fine and sounding good with 15 watters.

i still want a dual dark 50 though lol.

I was able to get the last Dual Dark 50 at an online retailer. It was a B-Stock model, with just a couple minor scuffs. $1,650 + tax. I'll be sure to follow up and let everyone know my thoughts on it. I'm able to return it if I don't like it, so it was worth a try. I have an Orange PPC212 closed back cab with a Celestion Heritage G12H-55 and G12H-75 combo of speakers, so I'm hoping it will give me a good range of overdriven tones.

erogers wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 29, 2018 5:24 am

I was able to get the last Dual Dark 50 at an online retailer. It was a B-Stock model, with just a couple minor scuffs. $1,650 + tax. I'll be sure to follow up and let everyone know my thoughts on it. I'm able to return it if I don't like it, so it was worth a try. I have an Orange PPC212 closed back cab with a Celestion Heritage G12H-55 and G12H-75 combo of speakers, so I'm hoping it will give me a good range of overdriven tones.

Sounds like a great deal!!!

Hope the amp works fine and you like it! You know it's not much of a jazz amp, right??

Thanks! It's supposed to arrive on Wednesday, so I'll be sure to follow up. I figured it wouldn't be the greatest amp for cleans for things like jazz or light rock. I need an amp that can go heavy and I'm hoping I found it! If it doesn't work out, I guess I'll return it and try the Rockerverb 50 MkIII. I think I'm going to like the Dual Dark, though. We'll see!

So, do you guys want to get into speculating what Orange is going to present as a "replacement" for the DD? NAMM 2019 is just across the corner... I wish they did a MKII with Reverb like the Thunderverb had. Nevertheless I'm curious about it.

Any "insiders" here who have heard "stuff" through the grapevine?

Have a "more-than-awesome" 2019 everyone!

Happy New Year! If they come out with a DD MkII with reverb, this one is going back.

I think it would be awesome if they brought back the Thunderverb or the OR100. Those two are so killer. I would love another chance to own one brand new with full warranty.

Maybe they'll only have the Rockerverb as a 50W/100W format head for a while. I know people are mostly rockin' on 15W to 30W heads a lot of the time these days but there are still those crazy arena rock and stoner/doom metal dudes who crave the high power. I'm one of those dudes.

I think if they revoiced the DD to be more warm like the Thunderverb line it could do a lot better. Seemed very cold and scooped to me but I'm not sure if the one I tried was in optimal condition. Even with cranking the mid on A and finding a nice middle ground for the Shape knob on B it was just a bit too lacking in the punch and warmth.

D|C|M|E wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 02, 2019 7:10 am

I think it would be awesome if they brought back the Thunderverb or the OR100. Those two are so killer. I would love another chance to own one brand new with full warranty.

Maybe they'll only have the Rockerverb as a 50W/100W format head for a while. I know people are mostly rockin' on 15W to 30W heads a lot of the time these days but there are still those crazy arena rock and stoner/doom metal dudes who crave the high power. I'm one of those dudes.

I think if they revoiced the DD to be more warm like the Thunderverb line it could do a lot better. Seemed very cold and scooped to me but I'm not sure if the one I tried was in optimal condition. Even with cranking the mid on A and finding a nice middle ground for the Shape knob on B it was just a bit too lacking in the punch and warmth.

An OR100 revival seems unlikely. Orange killed those amps pretty fast, I don't think they were selling much. A great shame, the one i tried was FANTASTIC.

I haven't tried the dual dark, but no great interest in that beast from me.

Les Paul Lover wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 02, 2019 8:55 am

D|C|M|E wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 02, 2019 7:10 am

I think it would be awesome if they brought back the Thunderverb or the OR100. Those two are so killer. I would love another chance to own one brand new with full warranty.

Maybe they'll only have the Rockerverb as a 50W/100W format head for a while. I know people are mostly rockin' on 15W to 30W heads a lot of the time these days but there are still those crazy arena rock and stoner/doom metal dudes who crave the high power. I'm one of those dudes.

I think if they revoiced the DD to be more warm like the Thunderverb line it could do a lot better. Seemed very cold and scooped to me but I'm not sure if the one I tried was in optimal condition. Even with cranking the mid on A and finding a nice middle ground for the Shape knob on B it was just a bit too lacking in the punch and warmth.

An OR100 revival seems unlikely. Orange killed those amps pretty fast, I don't think they were selling much. A great shame, the one i tried was FANTASTIC.

I haven't tried the dual dark, but no great interest in that beast from me.

Yeah, the OR100 really did have a ridiculously short run. I mean I think it was released and then totally off shelves within 2 years max. I really would have liked to see Dual Darks in more stores so I could really test them out in different settings with different cabs and guitars but I've never once run into one in a store anywhere.