What Is The "Orange" Sound? 

Great view video! Especially the amps from my studio :)

orange is like marshall’s younger brother that went to jail for a few years and gets in fights

The best thing about Orange amps, outside of that they sound ace, is that my wife was like, ooh, that looks nice, when I bought one home instead of giving the incoming object an accusing scowl.

To me, a big part of the orange sound is how all the vintage models kept the EQ network early in the circuit (just after the first gain stage). Sure, early Marshalls were the same way, but Marshall copied the fender tone stack design (which was directly pulled from the RCA manuals), while Orange ran a slightly different variant, in which instead of the bass (and mid) running in series with the treble it runs more in parallel, with both bass and treble wipers feeding the next gain stage. But what does that matter or mean? Well in practice the 5F6-A Bassman/Fender circuit has an EQ with much cleaner segmentation. If you lower the treble, only the high frequencies from about 1-2k upwards are altered. By contrast, when you lower the treble on an OR120, the lower frequencies actually INCREASE. Now, this might not mean much since you can always "turn the bass down" to suit, but it's important to point out again that this tone stack is EARLY in the circuit. The Orange amps are known for their warm, sometimes fuzzy tone, and I think this is part of it. Unless you have the FAC and boost removing MOST of the lows, and the treble knob CRANKED, it's giving you lots of low end that feeds into the real gain stages (the OR120 has three gain stages in total). Simply put, it's actually rather difficult to get clean/tight bottom end through the circuit when cranked. As to the point about Oranges having "more mids". I think Rick and Rhett started getting to the real point when talking about the shift of the mids. Many people find Marshall amps (especially the JCM800, which has an EQ late in the circuit and a cathode follower design), to be VERY mid-heavy amps, but the mids are in a completely different frequency range. As one might expect, Matamp coming from a background of making radio amps and similar, the OR120 produces very even mids, and if you put a spectrum analyzer on it, you'll see there's little, if any, mid db boost over the low frequencies, and the mids largely follow with the lows. By comparison, Marshalls have a mid push, but it's way up around 800-1k, and if you "cut" the mids, it only has a significant impact around 600hz+. The guitar is a mid-focused instrument, and we've come to expect that emphasis from most amps, but the orange amps have a strong presentation of the 200-500hz range, which is a bit different than most. This is really where that "more mid" thing comes from. It's not "more", it's just a lot less of upper mids than we're used to, which gives it this real throaty honk that's unique. To me, that's the "orange sound".

When I think Orange, i think fuzzy, hairy, and intentionally "loose" sounding, without any pedals to get any of those characteristics. It's why they work so well for doom, sludge and old school sounding rock/metal.

4:36 Wild Rick Beato appears and starts turning up the knobs

Man you got got some great guitar sounds here! Very interesting.

PLEASE TURN THIS INTO A SERIES!!!! So good and so much info, love the addition of Rick to get the more vintage stuff and explain as well. Marshall sound??? Mesa??

I'm so glad you're making a video about these amps. I've seen them around for years but I've never really understood what their "Sound" was.

I love the fact that this is kinda becoming a series

The first time I ever spotted Orange amps was the very first time I heard/witnessed Black Sabbath in an old video of them doing "Paranoid", after that I always associated the name with the coolest guitar sound on earth.

Orange amps and Wolfmother riffs! That’s all you need. 😆

"I've got my Orange Crush" - R.E.M.

Orange amps sound like they're giving you a big warm hug, while also flipping you off

Brings back memories. I bought my 1962 Strat in the Orange shop around 1975. I later purchased an Orange 120w 'Graphic' amp (top amp in video) from a shop further along Charing Cross Road. It was built like a tank!

Rhett, your videos are incredible. I love how you and Rick randomly seem to meet up and vibe, too. Top tier production, solid topics, and the videos are always engaging and informative. Keep up the great work, sir!

You’re such a great storyteller Rhett. Truly. You and Rick are getting me through this pandemic. Keep it up!

I love Orange amps, they're my favorite brand by far. Great idea for a video to talk about what exactly the Orange "sound" is though, because it's tough to pin down. When I think of it, I always think of a more gritty, fuzzy type of the typical 60's British overdrive sound. And it's almost like these amps "ghost" what you play, like a super quick delay of sorts. It's a thick, but spacious sound overall.

A huge thanks for explaining amps' sounds. I have had only rough idea of what different amps actually differ in for years

What a great sounding amp!!! I've looked at these for years but had never even heard one, but thanks to this video, that issue is about to be fixed SOON!! Thanks for another great - and helpful - video.

Thank you for showing what I've always loved about Orange amps. Their versatility. Fell in love with how they respond to pedals and the gain stages themselves having played one when I was a youngun.

I love an Orange! my first cabinet was an old Orange 4x12. I got it used for $100 in 1989. it painted black but it sounded good. I didn't know what it was so I traded it for a brand new Crate 4x12 a year later... huge mistake. years later in the 2000s I recorded a lot of Orange amps in studios working with bands. always loved that thick sound. never sell gear kids. you'll always regret it. just keep hoarding.

My main amp in the early 70s was a 100w (130w) Orange head with a 4x12 cab packed with Altec Speakers. This amp did not break up until turned almost all the way up. It did cut through the crowd in big clubs (I wasn't allowed on the PA system). It did have a great sound when paired with my Gibson SG or with a strat. Very reliable amp most important, it never caught on fire!

From first hear i love the orange sound its almost mesmerizing,but has a darker,fuzzy tone to it kinda reminds me of an old black and white movie. I think im gonna get one as my first amp

Also WAY into this becoming a series. That Hiwatt on the rack gets me thinking about a potential future episode...

Great video. As a teenager in the late sixties and early seventies I remember Orange amps appearing for the first time at our local rock gigs in the UK. Previously it was Marshalls, Hiwatts and WEMs . . . all black and then the eye catching orange made its appearance locally round about 1973. When I hear that classic Orange tone it takes me back to that time.

I had an AD30 and you made yours sound just like I remember mine. They’re great amps. Good job on capturing the sound!

FANTASTIC video! I love this series. Very precise and helpful analysis. Some delicious crunchy gooey tones coming out of that setup you built.

Orange Amps have definitely become a mainstay in the line of guitar amps of this age! Really glad to see you go more in depth to this!

For me, Orange is forever tied to The Pillows. Like so many other American fans, I first heard their music in FLCL, and it blew me away with how amazing it is on its own and how integral it is to the feeing of the series. The legendary riff of Ride On Shooting Star, the determination and defiance of I Think I Can, the driven melancholy of Last Dinosaur, all of them are ingrained into my brain. I can never forget The Pillows, and Orange is one of the things that made their distinctive alt-rock shine.

I think rhett's channel success speaks for itself but boy, such quality. Love your videos and mainly the tone quality of everything you record!

Nice to watch . I recorded in the Orange studio which was in basement under the shop in June 1969. I put my 61 SG Special through a OR120 head with 4x12 cab . It really rocked the room !!

I have always adored the Orange drive sound. The first time I heard it was on Switchfoot's Nothing is Sound, and I just fell in love. I describe it as a super organic crunch. It's more present than a Marshall with a bit more punch and bite. Whatever it really is, it's my favorite rock sound.

I have an a OR15 I use as my main amp with an Orange 1x12 cab. I also own Fenders, Katanas and I’ve owned Marshall’ and Vox’s. Every time I’m ready to pull the trigger on a new amp I think is better or cleaner sounding I plug straight into the Orange and I wind up not buying a new amp. I play it with pedals but I truly feel it’s one of the only amps you can really play without any pedals and get a full range of tones on a single channel. If you use your guitars volume knob a lot this is the amp for you. The dynamics are incredible.

that section starting around 8:30 sounds so fn perfect. The git, the amp, the recording, siiick video dude.

Glad I found your channel. Thanks for the content! Your enthusiasm for music is contagious.

Thanks for making this, Rhett - such great insight into this topic like no other video on youtube

So happy you mentioned Mat. I met him back in the early 70s when I was at high school, our fledgling rock band decided we wanted to record an EP and Mat had a little studio behind Radiocraft (which was a little shop selling valves and parts for TVs and radios run mainly by his wife). The studio cost £3 per hour so we saved up (£3 was 12hrs work at my supermarket part-time supermarket job!) and recorded our epic over three evenings. We all used AC30s at the time (guitar bass and organ) and as lead player I always used my amp at full whack so I could sound like my heroes - Mat insisted we play quiet! Don't worry I'll add some reverberrration (he used to roll his Rs). Over the nine hours we could afford he recorded our efforts on a Toshiba 4 track and finally handed us each a shiny acetate cut on the machine he had in the tiny control room. He was a true gent and treated us five spotty school kids with utmost respect. I met him again a couple of years later in his workshop where he demonstrated his latest design a guitar combo which he said came in either 2X10 or 1X15 - it was the first time I'd seen an amp where you could change between clean and high gain with a footswitch, I swear to this day it's the best sound I've ever heard - you can have one for £450 he said but I'd just gone into debt spending £300 on a Fender Twin (which now lives under the stairs) so I had to refuse, what a mistake!!

Love the sound of these amps cranked! Thank you for the demo! These are on my bucket list!

Really distinctive sound, clarified everything for me with you both explaining,thanks well done.

Good video so far, Orange amps sound great, but more importantly, I love that Orange is leading the game in trying to make smaller and smaller giggings amps. Just bought a terror stamp and it's the best amp I've owned.

"Slabo day" at the beginning. excellent taste Rhett! R.I.P Peter Green.

Thank you for making this series, Rhett.

I was in a trance through the entire video from the playing, tones, explanation.....Great video!

what is "vox" sound mighty be good next on this series

Hartley Peavey founded Peavey Electronics in 1965, having built his first amplifier in 1957. Peavey Electronics is privately owned. (Wikipedia) How is it you "Americans" always forget this monster AND legendary amp manufacturer when you talk about amps? What would blues, rock and metal music be without the sound of a Peavey? How many got their early chops through a Peavey Bandit? Don't even get me started on the Classic, the 5150/6505, the XXX/JSX(3120/XXXII), the Butcher, the Windsor, the Valveking, the Vypyr, Invective, and don't let's forget aaaallllll those amazing bass amps ... ... sheesh ... I'm out of breath, ... I gotta go ... cheers from Downunder ... \m/

Beautiful tones. Thank you, I never knew how ahead of his time he was. I have played for over five decades and started with a Gibson amp (no reverb) Silvertone, no reverb . Mostly fenders . And marshals .

I own the Orange Rocker-32. All my favorites components are in it! 2- 10 inch speakers and EL84 tubes! Also, is got a STEREO effects loop so with one amp I can get STEREO EFFECTS or a wet dry mix by miming both speakers! Great idea and I don't always HAVE to bring my two amps the Orange combo and a Marshall combo.

Great history lesson. It brought back memories. When I was thrown out of The Netherlands in 1969 (long story), I went to London and sold my Fender Pro Reverb at the original Orange store. A little while later, I saw the original Fleetwood Mac at a high school gym in London and they were playing a wall of Orange amps.

I've used Orange amps (Rockerverb 50 and OR15) more than any other brands for playing live and this video is awesome with great historical information. Thanks Rhett!

Absolutely beautiful tones, well played

I have an or50. It’s stellar in the studio. Love it!

Hearing the old vintage Orange amps makes me appreciate my Tiny Terror combo amp even more for sounding so true to its origins :) Love that Orange sound!

10 gold stars for playing Peter Green ❤️

Excellent video. Love the descriptions and the rich history being presented in your video! Your knowledge and professionalism has earned my subscription!

Having owned all of the brands you mentioned, including many others, I am now exclusively using Orange amps. They provided me with the tone I’ve always searched for…

Orange and Ampeg are my personal favorites. Also as for achieving the sound may I recommend the Rockerverb mkIII which is very versatile.

Rhett great call on the Peter Green Slabo Day tune!

I just can not fathom how much I learned from Rick’s videos. And I am glad I found your channel too.

Matamp is in my hometown of Huddersfield. The Matamp Minimat is an awesome amp you have to try out to believe. They have a 16 cabinet array you can test ALL the speakers for tonal comparison. Well worth a factory visit.

@Rhett - You seem like a genuinely decent guy so I'm glad the YT thing is working out for you. Your natural humility is also a good counterbalance to Rick Beato's lack of it. I know he makes up for it in other ways, I just think you guys are a great compliment to each other :)

Love Orange Amp tones. I can’t afford the real Orange amps but I do use Amplitude software with Orange amp sims. They do get pretty close. Great video Rhett and Rick! Great bass playing too!

Dude that tone... Amazing sounds here. Well done.

7:20 the amazing playing starts, and doesn't stop! Great video and playing

Amazing video. Matamp series 3000 is probably the coolest amp I've owned. Such a great sound. If you wanna hear the early fleetwood Mac sound , that's the amp 👍

Of course I found you through Rick, but I was immediately drawn to your playing.. your ability to take any guitar and any amp and get some of the most killer tones is incredible...as a singer/drummer and guitarist, myself, (albeit a really crappy one... lol) I really love your content!.. thanks!

Nice Vid Rhett! Rick has told me about his oranges a number of times. Good to have you guys working on a video going over their sound in details!

So I'm playing this Video back in my studio through a dual monoblock tube amp that is basically a Blues Jr. Circuit with a push-pull EL84 driven by a 12AX7 X2 and the Audio on this Video is so "Buttah"! It sounds amazing! Great job on that. Those Orange amps sound so classic and nice. It is really cool to hear the History of them! Great Video! and especially great Audio in this video!

The orange sound is: Peter Green

I’m a jazz guitarist and I came across a little orange crush bass amp years ago. When I lived in New York it was my go-to for restaurant gigs and clubs with no pro sound. What a tough little amp, it gave me that fat, fuzzy, loose sound I wanted without a pedalboard. Great amps.

I love that sound you started the video with. Its perfect - just what my brain craves from an electric guitar, but can never achieve from my ancient vox. My model T didn't do very well in the drag race either. The actual sound with over-drive sounded like something was eq'd out.

Loving this series Rhett! Good stuff!

I just bought there little tiny practice amp and I'm in LOVE with the orange sound. A tele with an Orange amp is a match made in heaven

Rhett, love the series! But I keep coming back to the same thought. While each of these amps has their own unique character around gain, breakup, frequency response curves and the way EQ - the various approaches to tone control - there is a key tonal element that is missing from the discussion. The speaker(s) and cabinet you play the amp through. A Celestion Greenback vs. a JBL or Eminence goes pretty far to defining the Marshall or Fender sound as much as whether an amp is running EL34's or 6L6's. How about "What is the sound?" as another series!! Maybe do that with Rick Beato as well. I'd love to see you take a Fender, Marshall, Vox, etc and do some cabinet swaps and comparing the number and size of speakers (say 10" vs 12") 1x, 2x, 4x (ok, we'll skip the 3x Bassman(?) right now) and open back vs. closed back with a variety of Celestions, Eminence, JBL, etc. That would be really interesting. Then amp clean, preamp breakup, power tube breakup, and speaker breakup.

Love my Orange; got one of the 100w bass combos. Sounds absolutely incredible with an HM-2 on the loop, both with a bass and a guitar. It's a warm and all-encompassing sound, and it's just lovely

Thanks Rhett, the AD-30 was a really great amp as well, I played it with 2x12 Orange cab ( Cab had 1 V-30 and g12 h 30 ) and it was killer.

The Orange sound, to me, is the sound of an EHX Big Muff into an amp with tons of low end 😆. Doooooooooom

Gloven hoof by EQD boosted by another OD really does get you the orange sound if your playing through a clean amp.

Hey Rhett! Big Fan here. Apart from the incredible musical beauty that your videos possess, your videos often feels to me like a hangout out movie by Quentin Tarantino which is just around my alley. Keep up the great visual experience. Loving it!

I love the old Mesa Boogie Tube Amps. And the old Tube Fender Amps, Jazz in particular.

Orange is absolutely a legendary tone. I’d take Orange over Marshall any day.

I really like the Orange sound. It's like a clean open kind of sound that fits my style. I don't own one yet, but I plan to someday. Last time I was in the market for a new amp, the Orange combo's didn't quite do what I was hoping for. Might have to go for the head instead.

Top video Rhett - love the digging deep into the sounds

Hi Rhett, great to see you and Rick teaming up again as usual. I remember Alice cooper had lots of orange amps in 1970 about.

I’m a want to be Guitarist stuck in the intermediate to beginner mode 😔.. but I’m really glad I found this channel I’m really learning a lot about amps and gear thank you so much for your talent and know how! Keep up the good work cheers and may God bless you!....e

Orange "cleans" will surprise the heck out of even the most diehard Fender nut....like me.

That was fantastic! Quite a duo and amazing sound!

Very Peter Green-like guitarsound (and playing) during the first part of the video! Well done!!

Great video! To me an "Orange sound" is really good cleans that cross over to really gnarly distortion. It´s just so much more agressive than a Marshall. I own thw Orange Rocker 15 (the combo) and it is awesome.

As a bass player,I love Orange. Also enjoyed your Hiwatt and Vox videos (although it would have been nice if you would have touched on some legendary bass tones from these companies)

My backstage live shirt just got home and I'm super happy!!! Thank you good sir for the music.

Just earned yourself a subscriber my man. Really great playing, I like your style.

I really appreciate how much you focused on Mat Mathias...it seems he’s often overlooked and then have an actual Orange/Matampis great. I have a pair of Mat’s and nothing is like them. I wish Orange made something with that older amp sound but even the OR50 is waaaaaay different.

Couldn’t click on this fast enough. Keep up this series!

Can't believe I only found your channel today! You got a new fan man....love the videos!

When I tune in to RU-vid, all I really want to see is a guitar plugged into am amp, turned up louder than I can and home. This is perfect

Great Peter Green invocation at 7:20. Were these what powered "Then Play On?" One of the best, and unique, sounding guitar albums ever.

Slabo Day, one of my favourites to jam:-)

I just started learning/playing and the intro model is my first new amp. Very satisfied

Coming back to watch this again...some of your best tones I think. The tones with the LP special are just pure Fleetwood Mac