Rocker 30

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Post by bclaire » Tue Jun 29, 2004 1:42 pm

Twin channel but 6 knobs? Then it would have to share the EQ between channels which is nowhere near as good as an AD30TC which has separate EQ for each channel...

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Post by User » Tue Jun 29, 2004 1:52 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>The Rocker 30 is the latest in Orange's line of all-valve combos from the UK. A class A thirty watt channel switching combo, the Rocker 30 creates its sound with three 12AX7s and an EL34 output pair driving a 12 inch Celestion Vintage 30. The 'Natural' channel features a single control but for dialing in some of that famous Orange overdrive the 'Dirty' channel has 5 controls. And the colour? Yep, you guessed it - it's orange.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

The Natural channel only has one control? and that must be for volume, seems a bit limiting?

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Post by Meole » Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:15 pm

Yes it seems strange. I wonder what this "natural" channel sounds like and who decided on how it sounds.
Maybe it's a cheaper version on the 30TC to keep the price lower.

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Post by bclaire » Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:21 pm

I'm kinda surprised to see a pair of EL34's putting out 30 watts instead of 50 watts. Class A or not, why would they want to do that? And the whole thing about one knob for the "natural" channel sounds bizarre to me.

I'm trying to understand what purpose it would all serve? Who would find that, as a feature, desirable? It's all very weird if you ask me...

but then I find the whole Rockerverb series to be amp manufacturer suicide...

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Post by User » Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:25 pm

My thoughts exactly Meole, probably due to the fact oranges are becoming ever increasingly more popular, there trying to fill all sections of the market with an orange alternative, the Rocker is one up from the crush (due to valves) but one down from the AD's due to not having a full EQ. and they’ve introduced the rockerverb to compete with the Mesa crowd.

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Post by User » Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:28 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

but then I find the whole Rockerverb series to be amp manufacturer suicide...

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

It does seem to be a very "un-orangey" orange amp!

Dave

Edited by - user on 29 Jun 2004 14:28:23
Dave

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Post by macahan » Tue Jun 29, 2004 3:08 pm

well.. still it's not an orange.. because of the name... stupid, stupid name..

i think they're better off just building traditional amps.. but hat the hell.. even orange probably have to make a SUV sometime so they won't loose their customers.. or something stupid like that..

my ad200 sounds amazing..
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Post by bclaire » Tue Jun 29, 2004 8:23 pm

Well, I'd like to hear one myself... I probably shouldn't pass judgement without hearing one... read the press release thread for more Rocker 30 info...

Billy

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Post by Andy H. » Wed Jun 30, 2004 1:46 pm

Shock, horror. Only one knob on a channel?
Well, I don't know how the amp is going to sound, but if that channel is good enough, a volume control is all that is needed!

"What about tone control?" I hear you say.
"What's that knob on your guitar, possibly labelled 'tone' for then?

I have a couple of small amps with just a volume and a tone control. And frankly the tone on the amp is usually redundant as it is mostly pretty much full open. Just back off from the guitars tone control, to taste.

It always amazes me how many guitarists never, ever use the tone controls on their guitars. (If you do, my apologies - and ignore the next bit!!!)

For cleaner sounds, yep, you probably want to open up the tone near full. When you go for more drive though, try backing it off a bit. It's a balancing act, but there is always a sweet spot there between gain and tone. Generally the higher the gain, the more you have to back off the tone to find it. And of course you use the volume on the guitar to control gain too, don't you!
Generally, I set up the basic sound(s) on the amp, then leave it be. (With only a volume, this couldn't possibly be easier!) The fine controls for gain and tone are already on the guitar. (Unless you bought one of those recent electrics with no tone control - tough luck!)
Try it - it's a way of life!

Tone controls in an amp circuit always suck some tone, and probably some gain too. The AD 50 and Retro 50 amps have the ability to take the tone controls completely out of circuit for example, which makes perfect sense to me.

If Orange get the voicing of that channel on the new Rocker 30 right, I'm sure it will make a lot of sense to a lot more folks too. Fingers crossed!
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Post by Tibor » Wed Jun 30, 2004 3:47 pm

whats with guitars, that dont have a tonecontrol?
like my Washburn? or my Musima(it doesnt even have a Volume! but it wil have a volumecontrol soon!)...

Why is an ORANGE, orange? If it would be Green it would be an apple....

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Post by macahan » Wed Jun 30, 2004 3:51 pm

it's probably because 90 percent use the tone and volumes full on at all time..

my ad200 sounds amazing..
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Post by bclaire » Wed Jun 30, 2004 3:55 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>It always amazes me how many guitarists never, ever use the tone controls on their guitars. (If you do, my apologies - and ignore the next bit!!!)<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Ahem. Some of us do!!! I particularly like the sound of an overdriven amp with a humbucker with the tone rolled all the way back. Sounds almost like a horn or more like Clapton's woman tone, which is how he got it!

I agree with you about the single volume concept- but I think having some EQ options is important.

Billy

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Post by Andy H. » Wed Jun 30, 2004 7:39 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> Ahem. Some of us do!!! I particularly like the sound of an overdriven amp with a humbucker with the tone rolled all the way back. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Indeed! Hence the pre - emptive apology Billy. But many others don't seem to have ever wondered what the tone control is for, beyond finding it 'makes the clean sound a bit dull'.

[Yeah, I know that some guitars, especially recently, have just been honoured with a volume control. Especially signature models for players using the 'nu metal' Mesa Rectifier or Mode Four Marshall sort of sounds. But they are hardly needing much tonal variety. (Im not hitting on the music at all - just stating a fact. These signature sounds, once set up, just stay 'set to kill'!) Myself, I'd find these guitars pretty limiting though because I'd always have to change things at the amp, instead of a couple of inches from the strings.
I'll just mention Mr. Van Halen here before anyone else does. Yes, I know! He's been doing without for years. But he's got tone controls in his fingers...]


<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> I agree with you about the single volume concept- but I think having some EQ options is important.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Well, I've covered that - it's on the guitar! Or put some EQ up front. There is always the other channel anyway. For me though, considering that we all rave about the Orange tone, it's a perfectly logical step having a totally pared down amp channel. Knowing that the tone we love is basically down to the simple clean design of the Orange amps, simplifying it still further could, and I hope will, lead to an absolute killer channel on this amp. I just hope it doesn't stay unrelentingly clean though, like you were saying the bigger newbies do, Billy. That would be a wasted opportunity for Orange.

As I said, I really hope they do get it right. Sure, it won't suit everyone - which is fine! But plenty folks would find it WELL useable, which is what I guess Orange are counting on. And considering the really good designs they have come up with in recent years, I for one am pretty hopeful.

Orange or Lemon? Time will tell...


PS Here, havent't seen the forum this busy for a while - Great.
I'm off to watch Holland / Portugal (European Cup Soccer) though now. If Holland win through to the final, I don't suppose many of us in Amsterdam will be getting much sleep tonight!


Edited by - Andy H. on 30 Jun 2004 19:46:55
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Post by User » Wed Jun 30, 2004 8:12 pm

Mr Milan Baros will wipe his arse with you anyway if you get to the final <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
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Post by bclaire » Wed Jun 30, 2004 8:28 pm

your girlfriend doesn't know about this forum I hope....

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