AD30HTC - Trying to sort it out

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Les Paul Lover
Duke of Orange
Posts: 6821
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:08 am
Location: Derby, England

Re: AD30HTC - Trying to sort it out

Post by Les Paul Lover » Sun May 05, 2019 10:45 pm

The V30 is an excellent speaker and well suited to Orange amps IMO.

The only experience I have with eminence is with a red coat series alnico red fang, excellent speaker, and I have no doubt your speakers are excellent, buy as you say, how they fit in with your amp and your style is another story. Speakers make massive differences - they can transform the way you can/cannot use an amp.

As for power valves..... tired power valves will make your amp sound anemic. Flat, poorly defined low end, little sparkle. It really makes a big difference.

As i said earlier, orange upgraded the UK amps transformers construction around 2006 - so that makes for a number of possible variables between your 2 amps.
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

chachi
New Member
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:04 pm

Re: AD30HTC - Trying to sort it out

Post by chachi » Wed May 08, 2019 3:21 am

I'm burning myself out, but I'm still comparing both AD30 heads. I hear some differences, but - most likely due to fatigue - I can't settle on which one I like better. The small knob seems to have a little more power at the same volume setting, but I think I like the tone and flavor of the large knob.

Here's what I know for years/tubes... small knob 2002 with JJ tubes (don't know age/use); large knob 2010 with Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier tube, but unmarked (as far as I can tell) everything else. For OT/PT the 2002 is labeled and the 2010 is unmarked.

It's cool to have both set ups to A/B to one another, but it's also bad because it's driving me crazy. For cabs one is 2003 Made in England with Eminence Red Coat Private Jack and one is 2011 Made in USA with Celestion V30. And I think the V30s are UK - the white sticker on magnet has Ipswich/T3903B.

If I had to pick right now, I'd probably go with the large knob - mainly because it's newer and it's had less use. And I can only keep one!

Les Paul Lover
Duke of Orange
Posts: 6821
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:08 am
Location: Derby, England

Re: AD30HTC - Trying to sort it out

Post by Les Paul Lover » Wed May 08, 2019 9:49 pm

chachi wrote:
Wed May 08, 2019 3:21 am
I'm burning myself out, but I'm still comparing both AD30 heads. I hear some differences, but - most likely due to fatigue - I can't settle on which one I like better. The small knob seems to have a little more power at the same volume setting, but I think I like the tone and flavor of the large knob.

Here's what I know for years/tubes... small knob 2002 with JJ tubes (don't know age/use); large knob 2010 with Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier tube, but unmarked (as far as I can tell) everything else. For OT/PT the 2002 is labeled and the 2010 is unmarked.

It's cool to have both set ups to A/B to one another, but it's also bad because it's driving me crazy. For cabs one is 2003 Made in England with Eminence Red Coat Private Jack and one is 2011 Made in USA with Celestion V30. And I think the V30s are UK - the white sticker on magnet has Ipswich/T3903B.

If I had to pick right now, I'd probably go with the large knob - mainly because it's newer and it's had less use. And I can only keep one!
Call me vain...... i much prefer the updated faceplate of the newer AD30tc. If all things are similar that'd be my choice!!! :lol:

The unmarked valves are probably Chinese. I expect the 12AX7 have 3 micas (The round discs on which all other elements are attached), 1 at the bottom, 2 at the top? That would be a Shuguang.

Not sure what their EL84 look like, but the JJs, when used, are branded JJ.
Ant

Orange Gear: RV50 MKI, R30, AD15, PPC212
And.... Genz Benz Black Pearl 30
Past Orange: AD30TC Combo, TT, AD5


Guitars: Gibson Les Paul Standard Faded, Vigier Expert Retro 54, Gibson SG 70s Tribute, Aria Pro II RS X80, G&L ASAT Special Tribute

chachi
New Member
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:04 pm

Re: AD30HTC - Trying to sort it out

Post by chachi » Thu May 09, 2019 2:46 am

Earlier in the day I was thinking about swapping the JJs in the small knob for whatever's in the large knob and going through more comparisons, but I finally decided that I'm killing all of the enjoyment out of it.

So instead I went another round tonight and just cranked it up (and I'm in a place where I can wind it up). I'm glad I did. I've been over-comparing everything (the risk of having two basically identical set ups and OCD). Found some tones tonight that I hadn't found yet -- and they were pretty rock n roll and pleasing to me. Channel 2 -- Treble dimed, Mid dimed, Gain dimed, Bass 0 and Master as loud as I could take it. It was pretty fun. Had a nice growl. I'm pretty sure that's similar to how Johnny Ramone ran his Marshalls.

I still don't think I've found my sound with it, but I'm getting closer. And at least I think I've turned the corner on small knob vs. large knob.

chachi
New Member
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:04 pm

Re: AD30HTC - Trying to sort it out

Post by chachi » Fri May 17, 2019 2:18 pm

I got a Fulltone OCD (v1.7). I'm probably late to the game on that pedal, but I think it's getting me where I want to be. There's a few different settings (amp and pedal) that I like, but I'm settling on my main sound with suggested settings from Orange and setting channel two gain to 12:00.

"My favorite way to run it is with the drive between 10-11 o’clock and the volume pegged to goose the front end of my Retro 50 and make it cry for mercy."

https://orangeamps.com/articles/technic ... range-amp/

The OCD turns the AD30 into another beast - barking mid-range punch with some saturation and sustain, feedback if I want it and overtones still ring out. I'd like to try a Fulltone Fulldrive 2 Mosfet as well for a different flavor. I'm also noticing how simple EQ changes make a big difference. I'm hovering around 12:00 (Treb 1:00, Mid 1:00, Bass 11:00, Gain 12:00), but up or down a notch I can hear a big difference. For example, with the OCD settings above if I take amp gain from 12:00 to 1:00 it gets a little muddy, one notch difference cleans it right up.

This is now the debate: turn AD30 into what I want with OCD (or something else) or try a Rocker 30. I wonder if I would actually be happier with the final tone of the AD30/OCD combination vs. straight up Rocker 30? I do like the flexibility the AD30 offers - variety of tones - but I don't know that I'll ever use them. I guess I'll only really be able to tell if I get a Rocker and check it out.

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