Orange TH30 overly flubby and fizzy distortion.

A

ABoyWithaTH30

New member
Hello, I love my TH30. However I really wanna get a smoother and tighter distortion tone out of the amp. Currently the only way I can is with using a distortion pedal up front with the gain on the amp very low. Is there any mods or optional tubes than help remedy this issue?
 
Those are the more defining characteristics of Orange amps aren't they, looser, potentially fizzy depending on how they're dialed in? I don't generally think of them as smooth or tight amps for the most part.

Not sure there's much you can do outside of a boost, preamp tube might help with the fizz and pickups with tightness. What cab/speakers are you using?
 
Currently im running it through a vintage Ampeg Gemini 22. The speakers in it I believe are Jensen C12Ns which are original to that amp. The Gemini 22 has a jack to run as a 2x12 speaker cabinet. I have a 1x12 orange cab with the orange vintage 30 that sounds like complete garbage. I also have a mesa 4x12 cab that sounds awful with vintage 30s. I have an EMG81 in my BC Rich that sounds really good when I have a boost up front. It doesnt sound bad, its just I want a Metallica tone and I would really like to get the Master Effects trinity deluxe preamp and the PMEQ to throw in the loop to help tighten it up along with maybe a tube screamer. I also am looking to upgrade my speaker in the 1x12 to a vintage G12T-75 for that 80s thrash tone.
 
Here's what I'd do.. Amp ->EQ->Boost->guitar. Might need a gate too, but that'll do the trick, I'm guessing. Lay back a bit on the level on the boost, as well as the gain. Sorta double boosting, once you start raising the highs on the EQ. It'll act as a gain boost as well. I'm using just an EQ as a boost into my Mini Rectifier, it's tight as shit. I'm guessing the TH30 isn't as gainy. I run a Gate in the loop with my multiFX.
 
napalmdeath said:
Here's what I'd do.. Amp ->EQ->Boost->guitar. Might need a gate too, but that'll do the trick, I'm guessing. Lay back a bit on the level on the boost, as well as the gain. Sorta double boosting, once you start raising the highs on the EQ. It'll act as a gain boost as well. I'm using just an EQ as a boost into my Mini Rectifier, it's tight as shit. I'm guessing the TH30 isn't as gainy. I run a Gate in the loop with my multiFX.
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The TH30 has so much gain on tap, even without anything more than 1-2 oclock will melt your face off. I will definitely try this.
 
Considering you have three dfferent threads about how to make this amp work for Metallica sounds, the answer seems to be a different amp. I know it can be frustrating if just getting another amp is not easy to do but all the advice that might work has been given.
 
Spaceboy said:
Get another amp. What you’re describing is the typical TH30 sound. Total ass.
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TH30 is a phenomenal amp, it definitely has some miles on it though. If your not into the super scooped sound then its not your amp because it gets very scooped. Plus dont forget, tone isnt all amp, it is mainly speakers.
 
skoora said:
Considering you have three dfferent threads about how to make this amp work for Metallica sounds, the answer seems to be a different amp. I know it can be frustrating if just getting another amp is not easy to do but all the advice that might work has been given.
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Eventually I will probably end up with another amp. Unless I can get some equipment to help me. I only really have a few basic things. I would just like the amp to be doing more work than the pedal is for providing the distortion especially.
 
ABoyWithaTH30 said:
TH30 is a phenomenal amp, it definitely has some miles on it though. If your not into the super scooped sound then its not your amp because it gets very scooped. Plus dont forget, tone isnt all amp, it is mainly speakers.
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You could try every speaker on God’s green Earth and nothing would make a TH30 sound like AJFA. I agree that it’s a decent amp. I had one for a short while and didn’t hate it. Ch 1 was like a more gainy Vox, a little smoother maybe and shape channel got me some decent Melvins type tones.
 
I'd try a boost first before you ditch it. A distortion pedal would be overkill IMO for that amp. Use the typical VOL up and DRIVE down on a boost, so it's pushing the front harder than it is adding overdrive. I really like what a boost does on my OR100. EQ is a great option too, but at that point I start questioning if I just want a different amp.

I dunno if you're ever getting AJFA, but that doesn't mean you can't get a great tone out of it
 
Update, I have since thrown a distortion pedal (a crappy behringer UM300) in front of the amp and a 7 band eq (yet another crappy behringer pedal) in the fx loop. WOW! Sounds just like the black album with more balls! Its amazing! Thanks for all the help guys.
 
Settings incase anyone is curious on the amplifier are:
Preamp tubes engaged: 4
Channel: dirty
Output: half (15w mode with all preamp tubes)
Volume: anywhere above 8 oclock but not above 1.
Shape: 2 oclock is my preference
Gain: 11 oclock
 
ABoyWithaTH30 said:
TH30 is a phenomenal amp, it definitely has some miles on it though. If your not into the super scooped sound then its not your amp because it gets very scooped. Plus dont forget, tone isnt all amp, it is mainly speakers.
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No shit. It’s by far the worst of the modern Orange lineup.
 
ABoyWithaTH30 said:
Update, I have since thrown a distortion pedal (a crappy behringer UM300) in front of the amp and a 7 band eq (yet another crappy behringer pedal) in the fx loop. WOW! Sounds just like the black album with more balls! Its amazing! Thanks for all the help guys.
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Nice! I just got myself a $25 SF300 and it’s great. I used to have the Boss Hyperfuzz it was based on and I’m glad I sold the Boss for 275$ as the Behringer sounds just like it…..but it does feel like it will last about 20 minutes before something breaks 😂
 
Spaceboy said:
Get another amp. What you’re describing is the typical TH30 sound. Total ass.
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Yeah, I was going to say.. They're a bit on the sludgy side, not what I'd consider a metal amp. I did own an OR-15 years ago, and it did metal quite well, boosted.
 
The AD series and the Rockerverb stuff can do metal, but the Thunderverb stuff is just that: flubby. I don't really like Orange stuff, and I primarily play sludge/post-metal/stoner stuff. They are too loose and nasally for me. Getting a different amp is the right answer here. However...

Boosting into the front of an amp will always tighten the amp up, no matter the amp. You hit the preamp section harder and cause more distortion/compression and you'll have better results. The thing working against you here is the low wattage. A tight signal from the preamp saturated into a low wattage power amp will get all saggy. The reason metal amps are all 100+ watts isn't for volume, it's headroom. The difference between 50 watts and 100 watts is a few decibals on the end of the dial you'll never use. The cleaner your signal comes out of your power amp, the tighter it is. Just ask Steven Fryette.
 
I think those amps need a Tube Screamer-type boost and tighter-sounding pickups to do any kind of Metal that isn't Doom or Sludge. Not because they lack gain, but because, like you said, they're super fizzy and loose otherwise.

But yeah, like others have said, if you're not into scoopy kinda thick sounds, then the TH30 is probably not for you. Especially because the usable range of that shape knob is very limited, honestly. I'd say below noon, it sounds like there's a blanket over the speakers, and above like 1:30-2:00, it sounds like a caricature of a Metal amp or kinda like a Big Muff.

I've played one, and I also had the Dark Terror which is kinda based around the same design.

I don't think they're unusable, though. But they definitely need all the help they can get.
 
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