Orange AD30HTC Head

My amp is a couple of years old, the tried and true AD30. This twin channel adds more flexiblity, a feature I can no longer live without. It's a versitile amp with highly responsive tone stacks and gain levels. Channel switching is transparent and instantaneous. No click, no pause. PERFECT! It has a strong gain by itself, but I still use a MIDI preamp for added flex and gain. I use this amp at home and for practice w/friends. I'm giving the amp a 5 on features because it has none. Not that it's bad, it's just featureless.

Sound quality is best judged by others. I like most everything, I'm not very picky. What the amp does is create the main tone heard, there are other preamps with EQing, effects units before the amp so I change the character drasitacally. But the amp powers the speakers and this adds all the heavy flavor that is worth listening to. The gain is not BRUTAL at all, it's not. It's just a classic gain, to me is alot like a Marshall of old, and that's exactly what I was looking for. I use EMG pickups, both single coil and humbuckers. I get more of a Strat sound than Les Paul... but I use the amp to change the mids and it goes awfully Mesa Boogie on me. The Mesa sound is 'mid cut' and that is no prob for the AD30. That's where it shines is when you start EQing the two channels because they'll go from twin to opposites in a heartbeat. THIS IS THE FEATURE I CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT. This amp is EASY to get great tone from, truly.

You can depend on it, just remember that Class A amps will get hot and don't like to be boxed up in a hot-spot. It roars at 25% amd goes hyper at 100%. I typically use it at 50-75% volume. It's never broken or anything, I've had zero problems from this 3 year old amp.

Self biasing (cathode) tube changes, a breeze. No contact with CSR, no need.

How DO you end up with an Orange amp if you're a Metal Head? I don't know. I guess since I played mostly ADA amps, then Fender amps, then Mesa Boogie amps, and now this Orange... I was looking for an amp that would do the Vintage sounds, the 70s rock music, the Green Grass and High Tides to the country twang. I was looking for something like a Vibrolux, something like a VOX AC30. So here come the AD30. It's actually VERY flexible and I enjoy the tones it makes. It has cleaned up my sound immensely and the twin channels are a perfect answer to when you want to sound like another guitarist has entered the room. I sold my Mesa Boogie amps for this, and not only was it cheaper but answered my prayers trying to find an EQd tone. Forget the Mesa if you want a classic sound, they do Modern sounds with ease. I use ADA distortion, Eventide Harmonizer effects and Eminence closed back or Jensen open back cabs with it. I coulda bought any amp, the #1 choice was the AD30.

Im not sure when this am was made. I play mainly blues type of music, alternative, and classic rock, contemporary worship. This amp so far has covered it all. Just with messing with one knob it gives you a great voicing. This amp has to independent channels, its a Class A amp, no effects loop, line out or any of the other jazzy stuff. Very simple, High, Mid, Low, Gain and Volume, with seperate eq of each channel. I play my Orange almost every day at my church, and go out gigging with it alot. I would say it gets played at least 20-25 hours a week, and hasn't let me down. Very simple, but that is all that i needed.

This can go to really spankin clean, to that awesome Orange Crunch, to really nice Overdrive tones. The clean stays clean at high volumes, the crunch stays crunchy, and the distortion gets better with the volume. I use a Schecter C1-Classic, with a vintage Sey Dun JB found at a friend's shop, and then a Sey Dun SH-2 bridge. This amp isn't noisy, even with my gain all the way up it is not as loud as my old marshall, or mesa boogie that i have ownd.

I don't know the year of this, but i haven't had problems. IT already has scars and tears in the tolex, which is awesome! Only problem i had is that when i first played it, with the gain all the way up it was just crunch, and i was like this sucks! I opened the back and saw that the previous owner changed out the tubes from the original. I then bought the original pre amp tubes Ruby 12AX7A TESLA/JJ and switch out the Golden Dragon ECC83 tubes that it had. I played it once and i was like YEEES!!!!!! But has not given me problems since.

havent dealt with them.

If it was lost, i would cry, then get another one. This amp rocks to much not to be played. I traded my Marshall JCM2000 DSL100 and don't regret it. I also have a Mesa Boogie Rocket 440 that kicks butt, but my Orange does all the hard work. Mesa= Back up. :)

I bought it new at the beginning of 2007. I play in an original rock band (think Cheap Trick, Nirvana, AC/DC, House of Large Sizes, Eagles of Death Metal) and was looking for a certain sound. I got it in the AD30HTC. It has a standby switch beyond the usual knobs, so I was happy. You can buy an optional footswitch to toggle between the two channels. By the way, the two channels are similar yet different and are a good match. I give it a six because you won't do well with this amp in a cover band that wants to play country and rock all in one night.

This amp has a real nice overdrive channel and less dirty cleaner channel. Like other reviewers have said, you don't really have a real Fendery clean channel ever. You can get nice and clean at low volumes on the less dirty channel. I use a Gibson Explorer with the 500T super hot ceramic pickup and an SG with the same pickup I installed myself. I was having trouble getting my tone until I installed a JJ GZ34 rectifier tube and JJ EL84s. I went straight to heaven when I put in a NOS Mullard GZ34 rectifier and a Telefunken 12ax7 preamp tube and a JJ ECC803 with balanced triodes in the phase inverter position. You don't need to buy NOS tubes for this amp, I'm just crazy that way. I would suggest JJ's all around though, that helps. This amp is no more noisy than a typical tube amp.

So far (about 3 months) no problems. And, yes, I do gig without backup. I do bring spare tubes however, but that has nothing to do with reliability issues, anyone who has had tubes go bad on the fly will tell you to bring spares. Thus far, I have no opinion on this issue.

Haven't dealt with them yet.

I've been playing a long time. I own the two Gibson's mentioned earlier, a Taylor 314ce, an Ovation acoustic, a Dean bass guitar, a PA system with Mackie and Peavey components and a bunch of pedals (which I don't need with the AD30HTC!) If it were lost or stolen, I'd replace it and my NOS tubes, only because I'm crazy for my Mullard tube.

2 independant footswitchable channels, all tube (including rectifier) 30 watt class A head. No reverb, no FX loop, no problem for me. I believe mine is a 2005 model.

The tone of this thing has fantastic, THICK, crunchy, mid-rangey, British tone... which is actually pretty hard to come by. I sold a JCM800 to finance it and I am so happy I did. This amp sounds awesome, very strong and plexi-ish in nature, but so much more versatile and unique sounding. I have been looking for an amp to really suit my needs for a while, and this one really delivers. It is plenty loud when cranked up, (loud enough that if you need to mic up, the drummer will too) and it still sounds good at lower volumes too. It has a very usable volume sweep, it actually gets louder all the way up to 11 (it actually does have 11 little notches, which I find hilarious) .The best way I have found to describe it as compared to my JCM800 is much warmer, and more organic sounding, meaning it sounds like it's cranked wide open even when it's not. The gain character is not quite as predictable or tight as Marshall, which is in my opinion what makes it such a joy to play on, it really sounds uniquely Orange. The ONLY thing I dislike is how much brighter the lead channel is voiced. I have to run the bass about 1-2 notches higher, and the highs about 5-6 notches lower to EQ it how I like. It's really not a bad thing I guess, they were trying to give the amp two different distinct channels, maybe for leads that really need to cut, or for people with two very different guitars, but I just want channel 2 to sound like channel 1 on sterroids, so I EQ it roughly how I said. The good thing is that the tone controls are very responsive, so you can really shape the tone to your preference, though it will always sound like an Orange. Oh ya, I must say, it doesn't do PRISTINE cleans too well, but it does do AC-30ish type breakup very well if you want. I play mine through a Lopoline closed back 2x12 cab with Celestion Vintage 30s. I chose this cab not only for the affordability, but the specs. I have found, through trial and error, that I much prefer a physically deep cab. The Lopoline, though only 16.5 inches tall, is 14 inches deep (Orange 2x12s are 15 inches deep, and the Avatar that I bought and sold later is only 12 inches deep... Orange makes their cabs that deep for a reason, it gives a lot of natural low end that you can't get without it, and it really makes a difference) and it only weighs about 50 pounds whereas the Orange weighs 75, and until I have a roadie to carry all of my stuff for me, I'll spend half as much and carry 25 less pounds worth of cab! I know it's a side note, but their cabs compliment this head so well, I though I should share it.

I haven't had any problems yet, but I haven't had it for long. It seems extremely solid though, and I don't expect to encounter anything out of the ordinary.

Haven't had to contact them ever...

I have been playing for 15 years, (hey, I'm only 21) and I play a Gibson Les Paul Standard through it exclusively. It has become an integral part of my tone, and I have never gotten more compliments on tone in my life, from gear heads to casual music listeners alike, they all think it just sounds awesome. I am absolutely thrilled with it, my strange EQ settings being my only gripe, though again, I truly understand why it is designed how it is. Do yourself a favor and try one out, you might just love it as much as I do.

Well, this amp has all the basic settings with great equalizers, so there's not much to complain about here. Would be nicer if it had an effects loop or two, seeing as how this amp deals with effects like Bassman. The rating recieved a seven for their being no effects loop (Orange introduced the effects loop, so in my opinion, they should come with all their great amps) and no reverb, and while Orange has not previously had reverb, I do love a little reverb, just my style.

This amp is by far my favorite, I'll tell you why. 1: the amp is supremely flexible and sounds great with most settings. While Orange amps require an aquired taste (you either love em or don't) if you just randomize the settings, odds are, you'll find a nice sound for something. If you're looking for a certain tone, you won't be dissapointed with most settings because they all sound great, the inverse to this, in my opinion, would be a Mesa Recto amp, which you really have to tweak and fine-tune for a desired and absolute tone. 2: This amp has character, a lot more than most amps these days, the Mesas and Marshalls, no offense, all sound a little like robots just trying to use their tubes for distortion with little regard for rich and thick harmonics, and maintaining signature tone at high frequencies. I play mine with an Avatar 412 (best thing to happen to cabs) with two Vintage 30s and two G12Hs. This amp will make any effect sound great. Very versatile.

I've had mine for about six months. I've been pretty careful with it and love just smacking that bypass switch. I've had no problems, it seems that if you don't smash a guitar over it or drop it, it should be fine.

Never had to deal with anyone. Just eBayed it (near mint) and nabbed it.

This is the best amp you can buy for the price, and it can more than match most of the amps more than it. Keep in mind everyone has a different taste, but if you like gobs of retro distortion and an awesome shining clean, hit it. If you're a Ledhead, think Page in the Ocean. If you like Alt, think Omar in At The Drive-In.

very simple, two independant channels with gain,treble, mids,bass, and master. Channel one is very chimmy and shimmers with harmonics. Sounds great with as strat with texas specials. Channel two is voiced slightly differently with moer gain. Channels can be switched using foot switch or face plate switch. Can change output tubes without biasing. 4 EL84's

If you like a classic rock or an electric blues sound, this amp is it. On both channels you can change the sound quite a bit with just the gain control. This amp can be a little boomy in the low end but is always clear. It is not really a metal amp although I have found that it does work nicely with effects pedals. Sounds great even at low volumes. Gives a nice crunch with my les paul and 335. With my strat, the clean channel sounds awesome dry as well as with ts808 overdrive or route 66 pedals. The overtones and percusive nature of this amp is a thing of beauty.

I have only had this amp for 4 months and have not had any problems with it.

I contacted Orange with a quetion online and they got right back to me with a good answer. I have not needed any repairs.

I have been playing for 35 years. I have owned an orange or 120 graphic head wich sounded great but was way too loud. I also owned several Marshalls (still own one) and Fenders and other odd amps. For me this amp captures the tone of my guitars the best (you can almost hear the wood). I like the feeling of attack that it gives me when I play hard or soft. It is a very dynamic amplifier. 30 watts is perfect for most clubs and rehearsals. I wish they made them in the old days. Sounds nice with a 2x12 cab with vintage 30's. When compared with other "Boutique" amps this is probably the best value for the money.

2 channels with gain, bass, mid, treble, volume. both channels are pretty much overdrive channels. not too versatile really.

awesome. that pretty much sums it up. i play indie rock and it suits it perfectly. the clarity of the notes is incredible. you can hear every note in chords. I'm playing it through an avatar 2x12 cab 1/4 open back with one vin' 30 and one g12h. i can't even put into words how perfect this amp sounds. i've played quite a few amps and this is my favorite. i've played framus, mesa boogie, fenders, Dr.Z, Bad Cat (awesome amps) and i found this one to have the most clarity. the only thing to me that comes close in tone is a matchless. maybe im crazy. there isn't really any clean headroom at all so it might be a good idea to put in some 12au7's or something if you want a cleaner channel. all i can say is that i absolutely love this amp!!!

No problems yet. i just dont like the stock valves and i'm changing them this week.

called them once but it was after hours so no one answered. i can't say...

excellent period. i've been playing for about 5 years and owned a dual rec. (hunk of junk) a marshall jcm 900, a peavey classic 50 and a fender hot rod deluxe. though i like all of them, i love the orange the most.