chrisanthony1211 Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 (edited) I've been trying to find out about the Orange TB500c combo with the 2x12 speakers one behind the other, looks interesting, anyone played through one? They're pretty expensive so I'm expecting that they will have good and loud tone. I can't help but keep changing gear and I'm finding these tempting, light enough for a one handed lift and probably loud enough for most occasions! Thoughts would be appreciated. AER have been kind to replace my broken amp one with a brand spanking new one which I could be tempted to sell and get one of these. Edited October 16, 2014 by chrisanthony1211 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 (edited) Not played through one but picked one up at London Bass Guitar show and I found it a bit heavy (60 pounds ish if I recall) and a bit unwieldy. Your AER is way lighter and more portable! Edit: just checked and Thomann says 53 pounds but with the handle on top that doesn't make it the easiest one hand lift http://www.thomann.de/gb/orange_tb500c_terror_bass_500_combo.htm Edited October 16, 2014 by Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted October 16, 2014 Share Posted October 16, 2014 There are much better cabs out there, I'd get the head and separate cab! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njr911 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 There may be better cabs but there's probably not many cooler looking cabs I love my OBT and SP212 rig. And it certainly has some clout, when my guitarist is on 11 on his 100w (non valve) amp I'm only on 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1413485591' post='2578844'] ... but with the handle on top that doesn't make it the easiest one hand lift ... [/quote] Aaaaargh!!! He mentioned handles ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 Don`t mention the handles, I mentioned them once but I think I got away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 Well I took the plunge and bought one of these from Hot Rox in Nottingham, great bloke to deal with, someone you can haggle with and actually do a deal with! I was a little worried that this was just going to be very gravelly and dirty, some of the reviews suggest that the sound breaks up quite easily, not in a bad way, but just a characteristic of the amp. However I found that I have been able to get some very nice clean sounds out of it, and LOADS of bottom end, having played around with it for an hour at home, I'm pretty impressed. Let's see how it's gets on tonight in brass monkey! Size and weight wise I would say it is very similar to a mesa walkabout,maybe a fraction heavier. I shall have a better idea about presence and volume after tonight, but I'm expecting the two 12 inch speakers to have some power! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 glad you are liking it, you are obviously a lot more buff (and not possessing of a knackered back) than me!!!! Enjoy, have to say they look super cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share Posted October 17, 2014 (edited) I had to buy a new amp today as gig tonight and no amp! I sent my old AER amp one back to the manufactures due to a fault that they could not diagnose and they are sending me a brand spanking new one free of charge (even though I am the third owner and it is 6 years old!) which I will be selling on bass chat, if you like to look after your back this is the amp for you! Cost over £1000 new so this will be a bargain for someone! Edited October 17, 2014 by chrisanthony1211 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1413533716' post='2579148'] Aaaaargh!!! He mentioned handles ... [/quote] I mentioned handles once & now I'm under Police protection . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) Used this little beast for a gig in a medium sized bar last night and I am mightiy impressed!, i've heard some people say that they struggle to get a nice clean sound out of this, that it has a nice sound but full of dirt....but I found no problems getting a very clean, very warm, very loud sound, using a passive precision, I had to turn the gain right up to introduce the dirt. I'm not sure yet how it will get on with an active bass, I shall try it with my status and see how she performs. . Gain was on 6 and master volume on about 4 with just a little going through the PA. I was unconvinced about the technology involved in the 2x12 speaker set up, however i am now a believer, this has sooooo much bottom end it is quite ridiculous. My one slight gripe is that it is a little cumbersome, it weighs in at a little over 50 lbs, but as long as you don't have too far to go it's still a one handed carry, although I've been we'll spoint in that department with my amp one. This is expensive, but worth considering if your after a relatively small powerful combo, and it does look cool! (But it does have the handle on the top!) I've owned quite a lot of amp in my time, and this is one of the best sounding I have ever used, I always thought that the best sounding amp I had used was my SWR redhead, however that was silly heavy! Peavey bam sounded great but was even heavier. Mark bass CMD 102p was a good all rounder, powerful and light, but I always felt it sounded a little sterile. AER amp one, great little amp, powerful, light and great sounding (and the best customer care ever!) Mesa walkabout 12, great amp, warm, loud, powerful, bottom end, the benchmark, but very expensive Orange tb500c, It may be controversial but I would say this is a match for the mesa! It's a similar size, similar weight, probably a similar power when taking the class D power into consideration, maybe a little more bottom end with the 2x12 speakers, a little more cumbersome, and although the Orange is expensive, it's still a lot cheaper than the mesa when bought new, It may be because I currently have the Orange and its been a few years since I played through a walkabout, however I'm not sure theres much to choose between them. Edited October 18, 2014 by chrisanthony1211 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I,ve got the seperate head and sp212 cab. I,ve played a lot of amps/cabs n combos over the years and what a great sounding outfit this is. Compact,relatively lightweight and a live sound that cuts,punches and bludgeons it,s way through the mix. Alot of controversy about the cabs but plug in and play and it makes sense. I did think about the combo but I got the head and cab cheaper so that was that. The only thing I would do is get another sp212 to complete this -one day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I`ve read a fair bit about these, and how the design doesn`t fit with the science etc, but the set-ups I`ve heard, which have been the head/speakers have all sounded great. Science fair enough, but if it sounds good that`s why we buy them, and these do sound great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm interested to know abit about the science, what is the problem with the design vs science? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M@23 Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1413541091' post='2579260'] Don`t mention the handles, I mentioned them once but I think I got away with it. [/quote] Quote of the day! Haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 [quote name='njr911' timestamp='1413533155' post='2579139'] There may be better cabs but there's probably not many cooler looking cabs [/quote] My OBC410 is one that looks cooler, loud as balls too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 [quote name='chrisanthony1211' timestamp='1413626858' post='2580252'] I'm interested to know abit about the science, what is the problem with the design vs science? [/quote] One mantra of cab design is that you can choose two out of small size, deep lows, and loudness. The design of these cabs means they are very small and deep in the lows, but very inefficient compared to other cabs, meaning they need a lot of power to get to gigging volume. Fortunately the Orange Terror Bass is a very powerful head so this is rarely a problem! The other thing is people like small cabs mainly for their lightness, but this one is small and heavy. Also I believe that even though you have 2x12 inch speakers in there, with this design it can only put out the same volume as a 1x12. The only thing the second speaker brings to the table is the benefit of being able to use a smaller enclosure, but at the expense of added weight. I'm no speaker expert, but that's what I've gleaned from reading previous threads anyhow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 Hi Chrisanthony - seems an interesting move to go for an Orange after owning and being a huge fan of AER - what's brought about your change of heart with AER? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 (edited) I'm a compulsive buyer and this is my fourth amp in 12 months! Whilst waiting for my replacement from AER I really needed a new combo and I really liked the look of these, I tried it in the shop and have been really impressed with it. It is quite a contrast to the AER being a valve amp and quite a bit heavier with its 2x12 inch speakers, but I love the warm sound it produces, particularly with my 71 P bass. In an ideal world I would keep both but economics dictates that something has to go (as does Mrs Anthony) and since I've only just bought the Orange it's the AER and the Orange is still a one handed lift, although quite a bit heavier and more cumbersome, I stand by my reviews of the amp one, it is great, I just have to keep on moving. Mrs Anthony is rather hoping that I hang onto the Orange for a while, but time will tell?...!, Edited October 19, 2014 by chrisanthony1211 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 [quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1413667530' post='2580827'] My OBC410 is one that looks cooler [/quote] That looks mighty cool indeed, especially together with that orange Ray. (The coolest of course is the Micro Terror stack with two 8" cabs, but that's a detail.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 [quote name='chrisanthony1211' timestamp='1413719352' post='2581135'] Mrs Anthony is rather hoping that I hang onto the Orange for a while [/quote] Hehe. Similarly, my daughter gives me Hull for having sold my Terror Bass, and commands me to never sell the Micro Terror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 If we're doing photos, here is my new terror bass with my 71 & 83 P basses! [URL=http://s1161.photobucket.com/user/chrisanthony1211/media/imagejpg3-2.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1161.photobucket.com/albums/q515/chrisanthony1211/imagejpg3-2.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted October 19, 2014 Share Posted October 19, 2014 P Bass Jr? Looks diddy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisanthony1211 Posted October 19, 2014 Author Share Posted October 19, 2014 Mmmm......my brilliant camera work caused that deliberate optical illusion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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