Orange AD30HTC 30-Watt Twin-Channel Guitar Amp Head

I too am an ( ex ) studio and live session player and I have quite a bit of Orange equipment as well as other amps. The AD30 is my goto amp ( along with my AC30 ). I find it by far a great amp, controllable from my guitar. The sound feels so alive in the studio. I had Marshall amps for 20 years and then went through Soldanos, Fenders, Engls and finally found the Orange AD30 and have stuck with them. The AD30 is great in the studio, great live. Best with Vintage 30 speakers I would say.

Years ago, I bought an Orange AD140HTC. To say that amp would get loud is an understatement. Thing is, I wasn't happy with it. From what I remembered, channel 1 was more of a clean channel with a touch of dirt, and the second channel would have more dirt, but still a fairly clean amp. Not what I was looking for. Dissappointed, I sent it to Orange USA, plus some money, for an Orange Rockerverb 100 - one of the first in the US, as many Orange dealers never heard of it, let alone had one to sell me. I loved that amp. I found my tone, and it put me in happy land to the point of where I got in a rut musically, and I switched instruments and sold off the majority of my guitar stuff to fund the switch...and over time, I've realized what an idiot-move that was, and I should have kept it. My better half warned me, and I don't, and likely won't, hear the end of it - lol... Anyhow, this amp, isn't quite like what I remember of the AD140HTC. It does clean really well, does the low gain to medium gain tones on both channels fairly well, with ch2 being a bit thinner and a bit higher gain. It can do higher gain, but, as you roll the gain control past 1:00, it starts fuzzing up...which in and of itself is unique. I wasn't into effects much back when I had the AD140HTC, and I'm still not...but, I do have some clean boosts, overdrives, and distortions now, which I didn't then. As the Orange Forums have mentioned with the AD-series, they like clean boosts and fuzz pedals most, and how right they are. It's different from the other amps I have that it makes it very interesting...my other amps being a Marshall JVM410, Mesa Boogie Dual-Rectifier Roadster, a Mesa Boogie Mark V, an Orange Rockerverb 100 MKII, and a Jet City JCA22H. I think I'll dig this amp the longer I have it, and even now, I think it's got its own thing going which is pretty special. Of note: Footswitch not included. Also no real reason for the -1 star other than it's not just flipping amazing TO ME.

I can't let the dude below be the only review for this amazing amp. The cleans are dark and midsy, which I love (as do the mars volta and led zeplin) and the dirty channel makes you feel like a rock star. period. BUY THIS AMP!!!

Look, before everyone starts berating me for "not knowing what I'm talking about" I want to point out that I'm a studio musician who's been at it for a decade now. And I've been a travelling musician for several years prior. I know a lot of people are convinced that Orange is the end all be all of amplifiers. I went out and splurged on the AD30 head and an Orange 2/12 cabinet. I was real excited at first. It performed well, even at low volumes, but the sound really left something to be desired. Orange is a one trick pony; they create a really good amplifier, but only within a hard rock perspective. I kept the AD30 for a year, before selling it to fall back onto Fender amps. Maybe its because I have to be versatile, or maybe its because I've grown up on Fender amps, but I really was disapointed with Orange, ESPECIALLY considering the price tag. If you can get a cheap Orange, try it out and see if it works for you. But please remember, just because something exclusive and/ or expensive, doesn't mean its the best option.