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NAD: Orange Rocker 32


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30 Watter. 2x10 combo. Running in half power mode this thing absolutely cooks. This is my first adventure with EL84 power. I'm smitten!

 

Simple, simple little amp. Clean only has a volume control and no EQ. I don't know how they did it, but it's excellent, no matter the guitar or pickup configuration. On the dirty side, this thing is absolutely beastly. c0d5b6f58fb617edfac26f7a5daf9bf6.jpg213d37098ffb42c5d81b2af267cc6ea4.jpg

 

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Excellent with humbuckers! Loud much? [emoji106]

Oh, even at half power, there's plenty! It'll cut across a small stage with no issues. If I need more , I can run it at the full 30.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Excellent choice! I had an Orange TT combo which was a great little amp. I haven't heard the Rocker 32, but if it's anything like my Rockerverb 50, it has to be AMAZING. Congratulations!

 

v20170715_1435251728.jpg

I'll have to admit, I'm already looking at the RockerVerb 50! However, same ol' story, something needs to go away first!

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I'll have to admit, I'm already looking at the RockerVerb 50! However, same ol' story, something needs to go away first!

I love the fact that it has a built-in attenuator to get the drive without all the volume.

 

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  • 2 months later...

My friend just brought one of these over the other night and was demo'ing it for me.

Very nice. You could peel back the volume without effecting the tone/distortion. I thought it had a really nice tone without any pedals mixed in - but of course he did that too.

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Nice TOY Zoo!

Did you get a cross reference for the Martian hieroglyphics?

Any good high gain amp is worth it's weight in gold.  Sounds like Midas touched this one  :)

 

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On 6/3/2017 at 1:14 PM, Conneazoo said:

30 Watter. 2x10 combo. Running in half power mode this thing absolutely cooks. This is my first adventure with EL84 power. I'm smitten!

 

Simple, simple little amp. Clean only has a volume control and no EQ. I don't know how they did it, but it's excellent, no matter the guitar or pickup configuration. On the dirty side, this thing is absolutely beastly. c0d5b6f58fb617edfac26f7a5daf9bf6.jpg213d37098ffb42c5d81b2af267cc6ea4.jpg

 

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Looks like it has TMB controls for EQ...... or does that only affect the Dirty channel?

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Nice TOY Zoo!
Did you get a cross reference for the Martian hieroglyphics?
Any good high gain amp is worth it's weight in gold.  Sounds like Midas touched this one  [emoji4]
 
Thank you. The hieroglyphics become endearing.

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Orange amps have been made for a very long time, like Hiwatt, the old British monsters that are still alive provide a vivid glimpse of great amp building craft.  Am going to include a link to what any proper nose in the air cork sniffer would call a "real" Orange amp:  one having four times the power of the OP's.  The old ones were gloriously loud beasts, pet fire breathing dragons at their owners' bidding.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1970s-Orange-OR120-Pics-Only-Graphic-120-Watt-Head-Amplifier-SERVICED-/122644156704?hash=item1c8e295120:g:ZkgAAOSw1VRZjhZe

The gut shot displays a totally different way of building compared to how the Orange amps amps being made today. The build is better than a Marshall from the same time period, but not quite up to the milspec standard Hiwatt layout and build.  The old Orange amp could be made today on turret strips by a dedicated boutique builder with relative ease and true to original sounds.  It would not be inexpensive, the old amps used very large transformers and chokes that cost a lot to have built today, parts cost to do hardcore "right" could go over a grand. This old amp will be always easier to work on than the new ones.  I looked at the guts of a modern Rockerverb 50 that died on the store floor, the PCB looked like a Chinese solder flow table build, quite a few 1/4 watt resistors were present, half at minimum of the ratings that the same spots in original circuits would have used.  The iron on top of the chassis looked impressively stout, flipped over, what hooked it up wasn't so hot.

I don't covet this old Orange amp though, 120 watts out of today's el34's is going to push those tubes pretty hard, factor in the increase in US wall voltage today compared to 70's, and I don't know whether there is enough of a bias supply to get today's produced el34's set so they don't fry and die quickly.  For the money spent the amp gotten would be difficult to play out in today's clubs from volume control standpoint without attenuating the output.  There's no serial fx loop to stick a dumbulator circuit into for improved volume control capability either.  It would be awesome in a studio plugged into an isolated cabinet for recording, though. 

I'd rather have the new 32, PCB and all,  than the old 120 watter to play out through by far.  A pair of el84's sounds great on stage when pushed up to distorting levels at the same time as the preamp tubes are in order to keep up with the rhythm section's volume level(s). Adding double the power would work great for some classic country cleans at the flipping of a couple switches, back and forth from pushing half power to grind on.  I'm guessing this new one has only two or three 12ax7's in it.  Won't break the bank to shop vintage old stock eurotrash glass.   

What I like about the old amp and this new one in common are those graphics around the controls as well.  They kept those after all these years.  Crazy good.  I hope for a long time no breakdown happy relationship for the new 32, the Heritage guitars playing through it, and the enjoying ears of the listeners! Nice dragonet!   Big time thrilla'... through a 4/12 killah!

Rock on!!

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