Orange Amps Forum

In 2010, I traded a Blues Deville and some Cash for an AD30 combo. To that point, it was my dream amp. I was playing in Indie and Rock bands at the time so it was perfect. Fast forward to 9 years, a wife and a kid later... I have recently started playing a lot again and have joined the worship team at my church. While at home I mainly play Post-Rock/Indie/Old Emo stuff so I mainly need a good clean. I find myself REALLY wanting an AC15 for the sake of the tone and lower volume. I realized it may not have the head room that I would want. This is where my curiosity started...

Has anyone used the JJ retube kits from Eurotubes? Which sets did you get and how has it changed the amp? I am looking at a Low Output option.

Is an Alnico blue upgrade worth it for the money needed to be invested?

Between the tubes and the speakers, I could buy a new AC15 with a blue in it.

I do love my Orange though.

ArchDill wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 20, 2019 9:59 pm

Is an Alnico blue upgrade worth it for the money needed to be invested?

Between the tubes and the speakers, I could buy a new AC15 with a blue in it.

Get the Vox...

Hi ArchDill,

I have an AD15 combo, and I recently retubed with JJ's (as normal) but this time I used a JJ-ECC83 MG (MID GAIN) in V1, and it gave it some real extra headroom. I tend to crank the Master and use Gain quite low, just before it breaks up. IT gives me a some great clean tones with the guitar volume back just a notch, and then use pedals on top.

It's a cheap way to try to get extra headroom, rather than buy a new amp. Give it a go!

Gaz

AD30 will blow a Blue in a New York minute. Add up the cost of a Gold and a retube kit and you're right about AC15 money -- I bought mine new / b-stock for $425. With stock tubes and stock Greenback it sounds very good at all volumes from living room to medium club. Orange Rocker 15 would do the trick as well, though more expensively, and without the verb & tremolo of the Vox. It's more fun to drive a slow car fas than it is to drive a fast car slow. Same is true for amps in my experience. A big amp with the master volume on 1 is never going to sound right.

elvisdog wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2019 2:19 pm

AD30 will blow a Blue in a New York minute. Add up the cost of a Gold and a retube kit and you're right about AC15 money -- I bought mine new / b-stock for $425. With stock tubes and stock Greenback it sounds very good at all volumes from living room to medium club. Orange Rocker 15 would do the trick as well, though more expensively, and without the verb & tremolo of the Vox. It's more fun to drive a slow car fas than it is to drive a fast car slow. Same is true for amps in my experience. A big amp with the master volume on 1 is never going to sound right.

Even when paired with a 30w speaker? I ended up ordering the Alncio Blue and GH12 for it.

I went that route because I would prefer to keep the AD30 and add an AC15 down the road.

If it is still too loud for now I am going to grab a Dr Z Brake Lite for it. I have heard great things about those.

ArchDill wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2019 4:25 pm

Even when paired with a 30w speaker?

It's not the wattage rating of the other speaker that matters, it's how many watts are going through the Alnico Blue which has a 15 watt capacity. Assuming both speakers are the same resistance the Blue will get half of the power so 15 watts when your AD30 is maxed out. The Blue should be fine.

Mr Mustard wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2019 5:51 pm

ArchDill wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2019 4:25 pm

Even when paired with a 30w speaker?

It's not the wattage rating of the other speaker that matters, it's how many watts are going through the Alnico Blue which has a 15 watt capacity. Assuming both speakers are the same resistance the Blue will get half of the power so 15 watts when your AD30 is maxed out. The Blue should be fine.

If a Blue can handle a AC15, it can handle half of a AD30.