doc40hz Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I've recently acquired an Orange Terror 500 and gigged with it at the weekend (though trace elliot 2x10 and 1x15s). It sounded great - the only thing is the top end, or lack of it. It gives a great rock tone for most things, but for funkier slap sort of stuff or aggressive (steve harris click) it just hasn't got the snap. I used to have a trace elliot, and that's the sort of sound I'm used to. Also, having more control of the bass and low mids is useful for those boomy gigs. Does any one have any suggestions? Is it worth putting a pre-amp in front of the Orange input, or will the amp/preamp valve soak up the top end? It's a belter of an amp though, I cant believe how loud it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Spicer Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Into the FX return was better as I remember with my OTB. Anything into the front will still broadly EQ the same in my experience as it marks its lovely Orangey stamp all over it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I really wouldn't go that route. The OTB is a one-trick pony ... it's great at what it does, but if that's not what you want then you could throw a lot of money at "the problem" and not really get anywhere. For me, it's not a problem at all, I love mine and (even since buying a Matamp GT100) I still gig with it quite frequently. I can't imagine putting a Sansamp in front of my OTB500, or a Catalinbread SFT, or even a Radial Bassbone. As for controlling boominess, you may well find the money better spent on an Auralex Gramma Pad (or cheaper copy of one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 When I had mine I used a Sansamp to get more eq options, and it did what I wanted. Now, using the Tech21 VT DI, and hearing the eq options that gives, well I would love to hear that through an OTB, reckon it would be a good pairing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 i use a few different distortions to get a bit more variety my terror, have a mesa flux drive gives a nice grind to the sound and boosts the treble with out loosing low end, but if im in a really boomy room of need to cut thru guitar walls ill hit the lateral root, yes it cuts bottom out but again almost re eq's the amp for me to take away the boom. but the main thing that i do or used to is to use a rack eq infront to add to the eq options worked really well. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc40hz Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Thanks for the input guys - I'll try another few gigs and see what I think. I cannot get over how loud it is though! I mean, ffs! I compared it against my Trace Elliot 1215 combo with 2x10 extension cab today (before I sold the combo)- so the full 500watts was coming from the trace. Hooked the orange up with a 2x10 and 1x15 and cranked it up to near max; there is no comparison with regard to volume - the orange was staggeringly, scarily loud. And rich in tone. The trace sounds lush on its own, but I suspect the orange will sit in a mix a bit better - the punters wont care if you can hear the juicy snap of a pop now and then, but they will certainly appreciate a thick wall of sound. I'll give it a few more gigs; there's always the TC RH450 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I've had one for a while and having tried a ton of little boxes am now running the Darkglass Vintage Deluxe into my OTB as an always on preamp. The non-deluxe version is again a little too dark sounding, but these two are a great pairing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 i had one for ages and found the only way to get a usable sound for me was to run a preamp into the FX return, the only reason i kept it so long was because it was small and loud!!! but plugging your pre into the FX return bypasses the awful preamp and opens up a whole new world of sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc40hz Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 I tried running into the effects return to try and bypass the preamp - it worked, but I lost a lot of volume; tried it with a bass pod xt and also the line out from my trace elliot pre amp with the same effect; did you have that problem Ant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I had that issue too, tried to run a VT Bass in the fx return once. That fx loop must run really hot like the DI, so it must need a really hot signal coming out of a pedal to get proper volume out of it! I like the Orange pre, it just needs a little kick up the bum with a very low gain bright sounding overdrive at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 [quote name='doc40hz' timestamp='1402999050' post='2478617'] I tried running into the effects return to try and bypass the preamp - it worked, but I lost a lot of volume; tried it with a bass pod xt and also the line out from my trace elliot pre amp with the same effect; did you have that problem Ant? [/quote] Majority of 'preamp' pedals that I've used have had to run at pretty much full tilt to match going straight into the front. Even ones that claim to be able to run a power amp. The thing with going into the front is that preamp pedals only need to achieve unity gain to appear loud, but going through anyway which bypasses the pre you are losing that next stage of amplification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Hiho I stick a bdi21 in the front and it,s job done. My terror is a later with the hot DI fixed and better valves or not so hot gain depends how you look at it. I also use a floor pod ,hartke bass attack and an overdrive but have settled on bdi21,overdrive and a tuner-that,s it folks. Turn up the presence and it will go glassy treble cutting your head off.I wouldn,t go anywhere without my bdi21,I also use it straight into PA on open mike/jam nights and you have the security if amp/cab cabs go down your still in the PA and can finish the gig-records like a sweetie as well. Orange Terror bass loves pedals,there ye go. Love my terror and sp212 cab,does everything I ask of it and sounds terrific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunkrock Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Not had a chance to check it yet but going to try running my new VT Bass DI straight into the effects in on mine for giggles. The pedal has a switchable 20db boost on the output, will that help? Or maybe be too hot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 [quote name='plunkrock' timestamp='1403027249' post='2479033'] Not had a chance to check it yet but going to try running my new VT Bass DI straight into the effects in on mine for giggles. The pedal has a switchable 20db boost on the output, will that help? Or maybe be too hot? [/quote] You'll find out won't you? Hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiehoffmann Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 (edited) I used a TB 500 with one or two OBC 115 cabinets and the tone was immense. Great for rock, blues, country, soul, funk... When I need it to be a little snappier for a song I used a VT Bass in front of it, like a normal pedal, and it sounded great. Edited June 19, 2014 by eddiehoffmann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggy Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1402938150' post='2478105'] When I had mine I used a Sansamp to get more eq options, and it did what I wanted. Now, using the Tech21 VT DI, and hearing the eq options that gives, well I would love to hear that through an OTB, reckon it would be a good pairing. [/quote] Thats what I am running and it seems to work really well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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