What speakers work well with an OR120?

Orange Amps Technical Q&A's

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Travis Pisk
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Post by Travis Pisk » Tue May 18, 2004 7:43 am

I have a OR120--My cab has 70 watt celestions, is there a better sounding speaker? Can I use 30 watt celestions with this head? Thanks!

Andy H.
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Post by Andy H. » Tue May 18, 2004 12:20 pm

Are you talking about for a 4 x 12 cabinet?
The 70 watt Celestions work well enough, but there are better sounds out there.
Whatever, to be safe make sure that the total power handling of the speakers you use is well above the rating of the amp - double it if possible.

Celestion 'Vintage 30' speakers (which are rated at 60 watts RMS each) are well suited, but 4 x 30 watt speakers would not really be safe. (Bear in mind that the 120 w Oranges are pretty conservatively rated powerwise, and can often put 150 w + when cooking nicely.)

Other people will have other preferences.
Also check out Jensen, Eminence, Fane.

What sort of sound are you really looking for, and what is your budget level?
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You get a wonderful view from the point of no return.

spoonie g
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Post by spoonie g » Tue May 18, 2004 2:40 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Are you talking about for a 4 x 12 cabinet?
The 70 watt Celestions work well enough, but there are better sounds out there.
Whatever, to be safe make sure that the total power handling of the speakers you use is well above the rating of the amp - double it if possible.

Celestion 'Vintage 30' speakers (which are rated at 60 watts RMS each) are well suited, but 4 x 30 watt speakers would not really be safe. (Bear in mind that the 120 w Oranges are pretty conservatively rated powerwise, and can often put 150 w + when cooking nicely.)

Other people will have other preferences.
Also check out Jensen, Eminence, Fane.

What sort of sound are you really looking for, and what is your budget level?


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

being 60 watts a piece, Vintage 30's would work just fine in a 4x12 setup with a 120-watt head. 240 watts is just right for such a head.

fiveightandten
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Post by fiveightandten » Tue May 18, 2004 10:30 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Are you talking about for a 4 x 12 cabinet?
The 70 watt Celestions work well enough, but there are better sounds out there.
Whatever, to be safe make sure that the total power handling of the speakers you use is well above the rating of the amp - double it if possible.

Celestion 'Vintage 30' speakers (which are rated at 60 watts RMS each) are well suited, but 4 x 30 watt speakers would not really be safe. (Bear in mind that the 120 w Oranges are pretty conservatively rated powerwise, and can often put 150 w + when cooking nicely.)

Other people will have other preferences.
Also check out Jensen, Eminence, Fane.

What sort of sound are you really looking for, and what is your budget level?


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

Really? I've measured the output of a few Oranges with a scope, and never found any of them to be above the wattage rating. In fact, of the 3 90's heads i've tried (an OR-80, and 2 OR-120's), all 3 were putting out wattages under the rating. The OR-80 put out 55W running FULL tilt. The 120's put out almost exactly 100W.

The 70's heads are a bit closer, but even those are putting out just about 70W for the 80W models, and just about 115W for the 120W models.

At any rate...

I run my Oranges (either a 90's OR-120, which i've completely rebuilt from the ground up, or a 70's GRO100 which is all original) with a V30 loaded 4x12 cab. The speakers handle everything the heads dish out and sound great. I've tried the 75W Fanes in my Hiwatt 4x12...but they're quite dark, so they may not be for everyone. The Celestions actually handle the low end better than the higher rated Fanes.

Hope that helps,

-Nick
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Andy H.
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Post by Andy H. » Wed May 19, 2004 10:55 am

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Really? I've measured the output of a few Oranges with a scope, and never found any of them to be above the wattage rating...<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I certainly won't dispute your own findings, fiveightandten. I'm basing my thoughts on recollection of some research done way back by one of the English universities. This was into the psychoacoustics of percieved loudness of guitar amps v. actual measured power outputs, and the effects of distortion on loudness perception. It was done probably back in the '70's or so, and I recall investigated the greater percieved loudness of Marshalls compared to 'cleaner' but more powerful amps like the Orange 120. I do seem to remember some surprising power figures being measured.

As I can't put my hands on this material right now I can't back up my claim at the moment, but will let you know how I get on.
Anyone got any thoughts, (or better still facts) on this matter?


<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> being 60 watts a piece, Vintage 30's would work just fine in a 4x12 setup with a 120-watt head. 240 watts is just right for such a head.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Pretty much my thoughts as posted above! Travis Pisk did ask about 30 watt Celestions.
The V.30s name though doesn't refer to the power handling, which often confuses. (Their smaller 10 inch version the V.10s also handle 60 watts for example.) Was just trying to make that clear.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has tried any of the Neodymium magnet drivers from celestion, the G12 Century. They seem to be extremely efficient, read LOUD, and light too. But do they sound any good?



Edited by - Andy H. on 19 May 2004 10:57:00

Edited by - Andy H. on 19 May 2004 10:58:29

Edited by - Andy H. on 19 May 2004 11:02:54
Only dimly aware of existence, a dimly existing awareness...

You get a wonderful view from the point of no return.

spyro
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Post by spyro » Mon Jun 28, 2004 7:32 am

Hi there I have a problem.

I play alot of distillers type stuff and crunchy stuff maybe some fairly hard rock occationally and iam looking to upgrade from a marshall mg15 (CRAP) and I am looking at the orange crush CR30R for my new amp. iam not a beginner and been at guitar for about 2 1/2 years now would the orange be a great upgrade iam going to use a digitech metal master for the metal stuff but for distillers crunchy stuff will it be great.

Thanx in advance

~Spyro~

spyro
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Post by spyro » Mon Jun 28, 2004 7:34 am

by the way ive heard the spider 2 and all that but it sounds too digital...

spoonie g
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Post by spoonie g » Mon Jun 28, 2004 9:46 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Hi there I have a problem.

I play alot of distillers type stuff and crunchy stuff maybe some fairly hard rock occationally and iam looking to upgrade from a marshall mg15 (CRAP) and I am looking at the orange crush CR30R for my new amp. iam not a beginner and been at guitar for about 2 1/2 years now would the orange be a great upgrade iam going to use a digitech metal master for the metal stuff but for distillers crunchy stuff will it be great.

Thanx in advance

~Spyro~


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

well, in that case, vintage 30's all the way. Just play one before you buy it.

Electric Warrior
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Post by Electric Warrior » Mon Jun 28, 2004 9:58 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Hi there I have a problem.

I play alot of distillers type stuff and crunchy stuff maybe some fairly hard rock occationally and iam looking to upgrade from a marshall mg15 (CRAP) and I am looking at the orange crush CR30R for my new amp. iam not a beginner and been at guitar for about 2 1/2 years now would the orange be a great upgrade iam going to use a digitech metal master for the metal stuff but for distillers crunchy stuff will it be great.

Thanx in advance

~Spyro~


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


Go for a tube amp! The Crush 30 might be a little upgrade volume wise, but I really think you need a REAL amp! Only a tube amp can give you THE TONE :). Believe me: if you buy another solid state amp now you're gonna want a tube amp soon. Save that money and effort and go directly for a tube amp instead!

With my Les Paul I know I'm small but I enjoy livin' anyway
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