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Orange Amp Power Tube Usage
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2022 10:45 am
by adkguy07
Posted this here rather than “technical” side due to more eyes perhaps seeing this question. Orange makes a number for EL84 based amps where wattage is selectable between 15 and 7 watts. Generally,
these are of the popular “lunchbox” sized amps. When switching from 15 watts to 7, do both EL84 tube still contribute, or (when in 7 watt mode) is only one EL84 doing the work?
adkguy07
Re: Orange Amp Power Tube Usage
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 12:36 am
by bclaire
I really don't know. Might be an Ade question....
Re: Orange Amp Power Tube Usage
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 1:38 am
by Jondog
Yes both tubes are working. When you switch to 7 watt mode, the transformers voltage is stepped down resulting in lower output wattage
Re: Orange Amp Power Tube Usage
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 10:29 am
by adkguy07
Many thanks for the answers and advice. Jondog and Billy C.
Re: Orange Amp Power Tube Usage
Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 1:54 pm
by Jondog
adkguy07 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 10:29 am
Many thanks for the answers and advice. Jondog and Billy C.
It’s a
little bit like putting a variac on the power supply, like Eddie Van Halen did. The tubes run at a lower voltage and you get a little more compression happening. Personally I never liked the 7 watt setting on the Tiny Terror, I preferred the more open/loose sound. I don’t think the volume difference between 7 and 15 watts is that much either, 7 watts is still loud, so its more of a taste thing for me. You might of noticed they’ve added this fetaure to bigger amps like the Dual Terror, TH30 and the new Rockerverbs using EL34s, all having more wattage/output selections. In those amps 2 tubes are taken out in some cases, but still running in push/pull confuguration which is necessary for these amps.
Re: Orange Amp Power Tube Usage
Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2022 10:18 am
by adkguy07
Jondog wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 1:54 pm
adkguy07 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 10:29 am
Many thanks for the answers and advice. Jondog and Billy C.
It’s a
little bit like putting a variac on the power supply, like Eddie Van Halen did. The tubes run at a lower voltage and you get a little more compression happening. Personally I never liked the 7 watt setting on the Tiny Terror, I preferred the more open/loose sound. I don’t think the volume difference between 7 and 15 watts is that much either, 7 watts is still loud, so its more of a taste thing for me. You might of noticed they’ve added this fetaure to bigger amps like the Dual Terror, TH30 and the new Rockerverbs using EL34s, all having more wattage/output selections. In those amps 2 tubes are taken out in some cases, but still running in push/pull confuguration which is necessary for these amps.
Yes, I was aware of the other wattage features on the TH30 and Dual amps. I recently started using the 15-watt side of my Dark Terror (after using 7 watts for several years). There is a notable difference in “feel” speaker response and a bit more headroom with 15watts compared with 7. This week I swapped in new matched balanced Tung-Sol 12ax7 tubes to replace the “tired” 7025 ones and immediately noticed that my highs are so much better. I'm hoping these new ones have plenty of life in them. I like what I'm hearing but it's early days.
adkguy07