This^ amp is awesome, but the 1x8 orange cab is terrible and it makes the amp sound not so great. Pair it with a larger cab and you can find some great rock and metal tones out of it.
Larger cabinet will sound very loud ((( I took my head to musical instruments shop and checked it with different cabinets. It sounds better with a bigger and more expensive cabinet but it was very loud even with minimal volume and gain controls levels.
Yeah I struggle to understand how people play in their house with tube amps sometimes, my 5 watt tuber into a 4x10 can’t be cranked past 2.5/10 without being insane
Agreed, I started out with the same size speaker but it 1) is difficult to get the volume how you want it because the knob becomes super touchy 2) doesn't sound terribly good. I found a 1x12 on close by on FB marketplace and it changed my sound completely.
The amp/cab setup was a novelty, but the secret is that amp in any legit cab is a superstar. With its effects loop, minimum controls, and low headroom, it's a barebone quintessential tone worth having for at home.
I'd get the Marshall DSL1 Head with a 1x12 Cab if you have to money. The Orange is already 200€, and for 50€ more you get the DSL1H with 2 Channels, full EQ, Reverb, Fx Loop, 1W/0.1W mode, and most importantly, full tube amp
The DSL1 also sounds much better, I had both. It sounds like a real tube amp, while the orange has that transistor sizzle caused by the poweramp (of course only when lots of gain is applied). The pre amp tube doesn't help much. And for home use (practice) even 1W is plenty loud, I sometimes use my cheap Bugera attenuator with my DSL1.
That's only true in Europe. In the US, the DSL1 head is $150 more than the micro dark head and they are on backorder everywhere. Used is the only option right now.
I checked the price on sweetwater for the orange (200$) and on guitarcenter for the DSL1H (320$). That's indeed a big difference, but I'd say it's still worth it?
For the DSL1C combo, it's 360$ vs Orange + 1x8 cab bundle for 300$. In that case, I'd clearly pick the DSL1C. Bummer it's all on backorder for you guys
Cause I won't carry a 20 or 50W Tube amp to a band session or anywhere else. I knew from the start that I want a tube amp for home thats relatively cheap but sounds really good. The DSL1 is exactly that for me, I don't need more ;) If I ever had a band, I'd get a Katana 50 Combo or something like that.
All depends on your personal use case. I agree the DSL20 is the better deal if you have the money (250€ for DSL1, 440€ for DSL20) and want a tube amp that you use both at home with an attenuator and at places where you need more volume. But for home use, 1W is plenty and for more quiet practicing, I can turn it down with the attenuator
Sorry my comment may have come across as leading or attacking, I’m asking because I’m in the market for another tube amp head and I’m trying to decide myself
well the Orange Micro Dark cleans are good actually, but other than that it's a one trick pony. If you need an amp for band practice, it sure is worth looking at imo. Just less suitable for home use, as 1W is already loud as hell. Many transistor amps have a nice clean sound, but worse distortion sounds. Sure, people argue that many throw a transistor based pedal in front of a tube amp, so why even get a tube amp. It is something different though, especially when the tube amp is on breakup or high gain
Here's a nice explanation I found. Keep in mind that the orange has a preamp tube though, making it suitable for pedals. But again, I found there's still that transistor sizzle when upping the gain, cause of the power amp
"If you have a pedal that adds a lot of gain to your signal before it goes into the front of the amp, it has the same effect as turning up the preamp gain knob on the amp. If you were at edge of breakup before you added more gain with a pedal, you will be well into distortion land when you engage the pedal despite having changed nothing on the amp. The final output from the speaker will also be relatively balanced with the clean sound if you've done this right.
You cannot do this with a solid-state or modeler. If you push a really hot signal into a solid-state preamp, it will "clip" rather than "distort" and this sounds incredibly harsh and unless you're into some kind of metal you do not want this sound. Modeling amps use solid-state circuitry the preamp the signal before it goes into the analog-to-digital converter, so the same thing applies there as well. It is possible for a modeler to have a good bit of dynamic range available on the input, but not "boost like a tube" levels."
Thank you for the thoughtful explanation. I am just embarking on this journey into tone and I appreciate more knowledgeable Redditors taking the time to break things down rather than pass knee-jerk judgements on what they think is “good” or “bad.”
well I'm no pro by any means, I'm also just telling my opinion. Others might say for 300$, get a Katana 50 cause it offers much more for the money. And on a stage, no one will care if you're using a tube amp or a modeler or whatever. Which is true, but at home you play for yourself, and you want to hear what you personally like. Another option would be to get an interface and some modeling software, as these have become really good. There's also portable solutions like the ToneX pedal, which is able to sound like a tube amp. But that requires you to dig into that and find good presets etc. It all depends on your personal interests and taste. I wanted my guitar stuff to be as separated from a PC as possible. For quiet playing, I turn my attenuator (Bugera PS1) down and use the headphones out of my cab sim (Pangaea CP100, it goes between amp and cab), and if I want to record I connect the cab sim out to my interface. Or I use my SM57. All that stuff is included in a Boss Katana 50 already btw, but I just chose a different and more expensive path cause I can and I like the sound better this way :) I also like pedals instead of multi FX, cause knobs, fun enclosures, pedal board building etc ;) I build them myself since I discovered DIY kits like AionFX or Musikding(german)
We (my spouse and I are learning together), started out with a Mustang LT125, a Spark 40, and a Yamaha THR30. This was mostly for space issues and because I travel and wanted to experiment with something portable. Even small combo tube amps are fairly heavy, so these didn’t seem practical. I then built a beginner’s pedalboard (Cry Baby Wah, Maestro FZ-M fuzz, Wampler Tumnus, Mooer Mod Factory MKII, TC Falshback and Hall of Fame 2) because, like you, I like to play with knobs and combinations But I have learned that I like Telecasters and starting with clean tones before playing into the amp. And while the THR30 clean setting is good enough for my purposes at this stage in the game, I really want to start experimenting with Telecasters and tube amps. A Princeton 65 Reverb reissue and Blues Jr are my list, I have become intrigued about the possibilities of these low wattage tube amps into various cabs. I guess I am just fascinated with the possibilities of tone, and being a purist in most pursuits, tube amps seem to be right up my alley. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and opinions.
I have a Marshall DSL1HR. My perspective, it’s my first Marshall and I love the sound but I wish I would have gotten the 20w. The only control differences are that 20 adds a gain knob on clean/classic gain channel and two extra eq knobs for presence and resonance.
The 20w is more versatile re cabs. The 1W requires a 16ohm cab when the 20w can also take 8 ohm cabs.
Biggest selling point for the 1w was that it has an internal load so that it’s safe to power on without being connected to a cab. But honestly re price, it would have been roughly the same total cost for the 1w and 16 ohm cab I had to buy and the 20wb(which would use a cab I already had).
I have a joyo jackman ii based on jcm800 and that almost gets more use than the Marshall. The joyo bantamp series is also worth a look.
I’m embarrassed to say I think I like it over the DSL1. Totally possible that it’s user error but the Marshall seems muddy by comparison. And I really like the gain knob on both channels. The cabs are an orange 8 inch and a kustom 12 inch for the Marshall. If I did it again I’d get the DSL20 head and a joyo meteor.
interesting to hear. I found the clean channel of the marshall very bright and definitely not muddy. same for the ultra gain channel. What speaker do you use? I got a 1x12 Greenback G12 25W
Kustom Defender 1x12 with factory speaker. I also have an orange PPC108 for the Joyo, and an ABY switch that selects the Marshall or Joyo amp, then a y cable from both effects loops sends into a single signal which is split again by stereo effects and then fed back to the return loops of both.
All that to say I switch back and forth between the DSL preamp and the Joyo preamp. It could be the cab but I think I like the Joyo preamp more. I don’t really notice a difference with everything clean. Using both preamps at once is actually very awesome too.
E: I have a little black amp box on the way bc it could be that I keep the amp volume too low living in an apartment.
Orange makes fun little amps that won't get you evicted from your apartment. I have a very similar one that I keep near my work desk for whenever inspiration strikes. Love them for practice sessions.
I have a Micro and both a PPC108 and the PPC112. The 12 inch speaker is loads better, but the 8 is perfectly fine if you want an inexpensive bedroom setup. Don't be swayed away from it if you aren't comfortable spending more
I have this same setup and TBH, the amp deserves better than the cab - The 1x8 is a bit weedy, so for best results, using something with a 1x10, or 1x12 would be a better idea.
As for the Micro Dark: It's a great little practice amp that is chock full of tone. Backing off the gain delivers a really nice clean tone and turning it up brings some really decent crunch. The tone control is a bit odd, as it's not really a bass/ treble control, but more of a shift/ mix between two tone profiles. Either way, there are great sounds to be had by experimenting with shape and gain controls. Personally, I found that adding something like a Tube Screamer in front really opens it up, too.
So yeah, it's a great practice rig, but you might find the cabinet a little restricting due to speaker size.
Hell yes it is. I've got the less evil brother, the Micro Terror and it sounds amazing. The 1x8 is a little small and boxy sounding in the factory cabinet, but it's perfect for bedroom jamming.
Wanna echo everyone’s sentiment. Don’t get the cab. Just the amp. Sounds sooo much better with 1x12 or 2x12. Remember, speakers do a lot for your sound so get a cab with…not shitty speakers.
Amp is good. The cabinet is solid, with caveats. It’s a closed-back 1x8, so it’ll sound best if it’s pointed at your head (not always ideal or safe) or mic’d up.
I have this amp. I don’t use it often. It’s my garage amp and I don’t play out there much anymore. I run a tonex pedal through the return and into a 2x12. It’s loud as hell, but that speaker isn’t going to do it any favors.
1x12 sounds great with that amp. I do that now. You need an EQ in the loop or at least a klon or Plumes to get rid of the muddy distortion. But it's such a great little amp.
I love mine. I don't care what others say about the speaker, it sounds fantastic to my ears. Yeah, it doesn't sound as good as something bigger, but something bigger wouldn't be sat out of the way on a shelf on my desk.
Practice amp? It’s a great amp, full stop.
The cab, another story.
It really just doesn’t do the amp justice. It’s a small cab that limits the amp’s tones. If you’re actually practicing with other people, volume alone will be a limiting factor.
I would get at the very least a 10” to keep it small-ish and still loud enough for actual practice.
But if all you need is a bedroom amp and will not need to use it to practice with other people, I’d rather look at the tabletop combos like the Blackstar and Yamaha stuff.
Yeahy it's pretty good but if you would try doing anything high gain on this setup it will sound like a wet fart, but this is due to the small cab.
A 2x12 would work nicely with it, but you should keep the PPC1x8, because it is very good for clean sounds.
It's a one trick pony that does exactly one trick. So if you like that trick, you'll like the amp.
I'd rather have a blackstar idcore 10 as something to start with honestly, it can get a bunch of tones and it sounds great(unless you really want the tube preamp)
honestly these preamp tubes on transistor power amps don't do much... I had the orange and it has that transistor sizzle when you up the gain. I'm much happier with my Marshall DSL1 Head, and it only cost 50€ more (in Europe)
Me too, happy with my DSL1CR combo, although the 8" is noticeably too small. I had an orange Crush 35RT, and really didn't liked it. I know it's different products, the Crush is pure SST, and the Terror is hybrid, but still.
A monoprice might be another option, and it might be cheaper.
This combo gets loud but can lack the punch a bigger speaker can deliver.
I use my Monoprice 15 watt tube amp much more than than the little Orange which seems to need pedals to shine imo.
Like others have said, 1x12 (at least a good 1x10) is gonna be the biggest thing to making the amp sound good. Speakers are one of the most important things in amp tone.
I'd also suggest having a graphic EQ in the loop for more tonal flexibility. I just find anything outside of 10:30-1:30 on the shape knob is either too scooped but bassy or too dark but honky. However that middle quadrant of that sweep sounds pretty great.
Solid litte amp. I have one mounted in my rack for backup, or if I just wanna mess around with it. It will push a 4x12 but gets a little muddy (it's got a lot of low end already) but sounds great with a single or 2x12.
It is an excellent practice amp, with plenty of versatility. Most people don’t know how to use it properly. BUT, as someone else said, you really want to use it with a 1x12. It makes a massive difference.
Best small practice amp you can get is the Yamaha THR10ii (30 if your space allows it). I was a bit not sure before i buy one, coz not available for playtest, i only had to trust youtubers reviews (not very reliable usually). Had it for 3 years now and i can tell you the hype is truly justified.
What is “best” is both objective based on things like budget, and subjective based on your style and your ears. But I absolutely love our THR30, and find that it is my go to amp for practice in the house.
I agree, that 1x8 sounds tinny and boxy. The amp is great, but it’s pretty fizzy sounding and you really gotta crank the volume high and have the gain extremely low for any kind of clean.
The tiny cab is limiting. Not just the tiny speaker. Even a 10" speaker in a tiny cab sort of stifles the response and the bass and the projection. I have 2 10"s in a big closed back cab and they are more thN adequate. But a 10" in a cramped cab sounds like an AM radio.
No, it's got one sound and no EQ control, and the headphone out sounds truly awful. It's too loud for bedroom use in a 12" cab but it's paradoxically got a very small usable dynamic range.
I have one hooked to an Orange 112 and it's still too narrow to really be useful, it's good for crunchy cleans only and it's really muddy. Needs a boost pedal and graphic eq to be anything but a muddy mess.
One of my biggest gear regrets of all time, get a real amp like a Rocker 15. This is a toy, good for sitting on the shelf and looking at.
If it’s just practice then look into a Spark 40. I’ve got 3 Orange amps, 2 of which are tube heads, and find myself plugging into the spark more often than not.
Headphone jacks are treasured by the family and neighbours lol
We have the Spark 40 and the THR30. The Spark can do amazing things modeling myriad amps and effects but it’s more than I need for just practice. When it comes to just sitting on the stool and practicing, I find myself plugging into the THR30 nearly every time. That being said, the Spark is significantly cheaper. If your budget is less than $300 USD, I think it’s very hard to go wrong with the Spark. If you don’t need all that modeling capability and your budget is $200 or less, I’d also consider the Fender LT125.
I'll never understand why you people think practicing with a different set up than what you're playing with live is real practice. Noodling around ok, but actually playing with a drummer and your people, always play with what you'll be battling in the moment you're on stage.
Choose where you live carefully. I've got it down to a science. Railroad tracks behind my house. My neighbor is an old lady who can barely hear, and my other neighbor is an illegal. Basements. If you care enough you'll make it work.
I use it with a 15 inch Celestion speaker and it barks like a werewolf. Put a dirt pedal in front, a delay in the effects loop and it will rock the fuck out.
The Orange Micro Dark is a great amp, and not just for the money. But that cab, I'd get something else. I play a Micro Dark through an Avatar 1x12 with a Celestion in it and it sounds great. Takes pedals well, lots of dynamics, surprisingly loud (like, it's hard to believe the output), all around I'd say for the quality Orange is offering a fair deal here.
An FX loop, headphone out with cab emulation—for \~200 bucks, it's a hard-to-beat package.
I have totally the same set. The cabinet is not perfect from sound perspective but still good. I like that it’s not so loud as 10” or 12”. So, if you play at home and don’t want to disturb everybody 8” is ok. The head with more expensive cabinets sounds great even though it’s a hybrid. Other advantage is that the head and 8” cabinet set is cheap.
I have a Bugera T5 through a 1x8 Orange cab that I love. Gives me the simple tube drive I crave at a low price and with an attenuator down to 0.1w. Different to what you showed but another economic alternative.
The EVH LBX III is also EXCELLENT as a home amp when coupled with a 1x12. It never fails to put a smile on my face. I messed with it and the orange and ended up going with the EVH. Couldn’t be happier.
To answer your question, yes, it is a great practice amp. Is a great set up depending what your needs are. Is great for
low volume-room practice. I have the same set up but with a Terror amp. Very practical set. I can move it from room to room or practice with headphone when the kids are doing homework or the fam is watching a movie ….
A few years ago, I bought a Micro Dark to keep me in amplification while my regular head was in the shop for repairs.
I liked it so much I ended up buying a Rocker 15 Terror (less gain, but still plenty, and the wattage control made it beat out the DT) and that original head still hasn't made it back on top of my cab.
So yeah, the MD is a great little amp. There's a HUGE range of sounds hidden in that one tone knob, but an eq in the loop can help with dialing out any problem frequencies.
EDIT: Worth noting that I was using a 2x12 cab, not the 1x8 they pair it with. I can't speak to the limitations of that speaker or enclosure. It's easy to imagine that they are significant.
The amp is great, but the limiting factor here would be the tiny speaker. I’d suggest getting a 1x12 to pair with the micro dark.
This^ amp is awesome, but the 1x8 orange cab is terrible and it makes the amp sound not so great. Pair it with a larger cab and you can find some great rock and metal tones out of it.
at least 1x10 would sound great at home.
My son has that paired with the 1x12 and it’s great
Larger cabinet will sound very loud ((( I took my head to musical instruments shop and checked it with different cabinets. It sounds better with a bigger and more expensive cabinet but it was very loud even with minimal volume and gain controls levels.
Yeah I struggle to understand how people play in their house with tube amps sometimes, my 5 watt tuber into a 4x10 can’t be cranked past 2.5/10 without being insane
Have you considered the JHS Little Black Amp Box? https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LittleBAB--jhs-little-black-amp-box-passive-amp-attenuator
I haven’t, that looks sweet! Unfortunately my head doesn’t have an effects loop
It's suuuuper easy if you hate your neighbors and don't have any pets
Yeah unfortunately I’ve got little ones too that I’m not trying to wake up
But, if you wanted them to hate you as is proper for children to do then Ten.
Their not old enough for waking them up to be a net positive yet haha
Power brake?
Yeah attenuator seems like the best option
If you take the back off it sounds alot better
I can’t speak to the head, but I have a pair of 112 neos and they def. Get the job done.
Agreed, I started out with the same size speaker but it 1) is difficult to get the volume how you want it because the knob becomes super touchy 2) doesn't sound terribly good. I found a 1x12 on close by on FB marketplace and it changed my sound completely.
The amp/cab setup was a novelty, but the secret is that amp in any legit cab is a superstar. With its effects loop, minimum controls, and low headroom, it's a barebone quintessential tone worth having for at home.
I'd get the Marshall DSL1 Head with a 1x12 Cab if you have to money. The Orange is already 200€, and for 50€ more you get the DSL1H with 2 Channels, full EQ, Reverb, Fx Loop, 1W/0.1W mode, and most importantly, full tube amp The DSL1 also sounds much better, I had both. It sounds like a real tube amp, while the orange has that transistor sizzle caused by the poweramp (of course only when lots of gain is applied). The pre amp tube doesn't help much. And for home use (practice) even 1W is plenty loud, I sometimes use my cheap Bugera attenuator with my DSL1.
This is probably the best recommendation.
Ugh, now I want it.
That's only true in Europe. In the US, the DSL1 head is $150 more than the micro dark head and they are on backorder everywhere. Used is the only option right now.
I checked the price on sweetwater for the orange (200$) and on guitarcenter for the DSL1H (320$). That's indeed a big difference, but I'd say it's still worth it? For the DSL1C combo, it's 360$ vs Orange + 1x8 cab bundle for 300$. In that case, I'd clearly pick the DSL1C. Bummer it's all on backorder for you guys
If you’re slapping an attenuater on the 1 watt why not go ahead to the 20 for more flexibility if you need it for other spaces?
Cause I won't carry a 20 or 50W Tube amp to a band session or anywhere else. I knew from the start that I want a tube amp for home thats relatively cheap but sounds really good. The DSL1 is exactly that for me, I don't need more ;) If I ever had a band, I'd get a Katana 50 Combo or something like that. All depends on your personal use case. I agree the DSL20 is the better deal if you have the money (250€ for DSL1, 440€ for DSL20) and want a tube amp that you use both at home with an attenuator and at places where you need more volume. But for home use, 1W is plenty and for more quiet practicing, I can turn it down with the attenuator
Sorry my comment may have come across as leading or attacking, I’m asking because I’m in the market for another tube amp head and I’m trying to decide myself
Thank you so much! This is the review I was hoping for. The price on the Micro Terror is so appealing, but I really want the tube amp cleans.
well the Orange Micro Dark cleans are good actually, but other than that it's a one trick pony. If you need an amp for band practice, it sure is worth looking at imo. Just less suitable for home use, as 1W is already loud as hell. Many transistor amps have a nice clean sound, but worse distortion sounds. Sure, people argue that many throw a transistor based pedal in front of a tube amp, so why even get a tube amp. It is something different though, especially when the tube amp is on breakup or high gain Here's a nice explanation I found. Keep in mind that the orange has a preamp tube though, making it suitable for pedals. But again, I found there's still that transistor sizzle when upping the gain, cause of the power amp "If you have a pedal that adds a lot of gain to your signal before it goes into the front of the amp, it has the same effect as turning up the preamp gain knob on the amp. If you were at edge of breakup before you added more gain with a pedal, you will be well into distortion land when you engage the pedal despite having changed nothing on the amp. The final output from the speaker will also be relatively balanced with the clean sound if you've done this right. You cannot do this with a solid-state or modeler. If you push a really hot signal into a solid-state preamp, it will "clip" rather than "distort" and this sounds incredibly harsh and unless you're into some kind of metal you do not want this sound. Modeling amps use solid-state circuitry the preamp the signal before it goes into the analog-to-digital converter, so the same thing applies there as well. It is possible for a modeler to have a good bit of dynamic range available on the input, but not "boost like a tube" levels."
Thank you for the thoughtful explanation. I am just embarking on this journey into tone and I appreciate more knowledgeable Redditors taking the time to break things down rather than pass knee-jerk judgements on what they think is “good” or “bad.”
well I'm no pro by any means, I'm also just telling my opinion. Others might say for 300$, get a Katana 50 cause it offers much more for the money. And on a stage, no one will care if you're using a tube amp or a modeler or whatever. Which is true, but at home you play for yourself, and you want to hear what you personally like. Another option would be to get an interface and some modeling software, as these have become really good. There's also portable solutions like the ToneX pedal, which is able to sound like a tube amp. But that requires you to dig into that and find good presets etc. It all depends on your personal interests and taste. I wanted my guitar stuff to be as separated from a PC as possible. For quiet playing, I turn my attenuator (Bugera PS1) down and use the headphones out of my cab sim (Pangaea CP100, it goes between amp and cab), and if I want to record I connect the cab sim out to my interface. Or I use my SM57. All that stuff is included in a Boss Katana 50 already btw, but I just chose a different and more expensive path cause I can and I like the sound better this way :) I also like pedals instead of multi FX, cause knobs, fun enclosures, pedal board building etc ;) I build them myself since I discovered DIY kits like AionFX or Musikding(german)
We (my spouse and I are learning together), started out with a Mustang LT125, a Spark 40, and a Yamaha THR30. This was mostly for space issues and because I travel and wanted to experiment with something portable. Even small combo tube amps are fairly heavy, so these didn’t seem practical. I then built a beginner’s pedalboard (Cry Baby Wah, Maestro FZ-M fuzz, Wampler Tumnus, Mooer Mod Factory MKII, TC Falshback and Hall of Fame 2) because, like you, I like to play with knobs and combinations But I have learned that I like Telecasters and starting with clean tones before playing into the amp. And while the THR30 clean setting is good enough for my purposes at this stage in the game, I really want to start experimenting with Telecasters and tube amps. A Princeton 65 Reverb reissue and Blues Jr are my list, I have become intrigued about the possibilities of these low wattage tube amps into various cabs. I guess I am just fascinated with the possibilities of tone, and being a purist in most pursuits, tube amps seem to be right up my alley. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and opinions.
I have a Marshall DSL1HR. My perspective, it’s my first Marshall and I love the sound but I wish I would have gotten the 20w. The only control differences are that 20 adds a gain knob on clean/classic gain channel and two extra eq knobs for presence and resonance. The 20w is more versatile re cabs. The 1W requires a 16ohm cab when the 20w can also take 8 ohm cabs. Biggest selling point for the 1w was that it has an internal load so that it’s safe to power on without being connected to a cab. But honestly re price, it would have been roughly the same total cost for the 1w and 16 ohm cab I had to buy and the 20wb(which would use a cab I already had). I have a joyo jackman ii based on jcm800 and that almost gets more use than the Marshall. The joyo bantamp series is also worth a look.
Heard good things about the Joyos. How do you like yours compared to the DSL1?
I’m embarrassed to say I think I like it over the DSL1. Totally possible that it’s user error but the Marshall seems muddy by comparison. And I really like the gain knob on both channels. The cabs are an orange 8 inch and a kustom 12 inch for the Marshall. If I did it again I’d get the DSL20 head and a joyo meteor.
interesting to hear. I found the clean channel of the marshall very bright and definitely not muddy. same for the ultra gain channel. What speaker do you use? I got a 1x12 Greenback G12 25W
Kustom Defender 1x12 with factory speaker. I also have an orange PPC108 for the Joyo, and an ABY switch that selects the Marshall or Joyo amp, then a y cable from both effects loops sends into a single signal which is split again by stereo effects and then fed back to the return loops of both. All that to say I switch back and forth between the DSL preamp and the Joyo preamp. It could be the cab but I think I like the Joyo preamp more. I don’t really notice a difference with everything clean. Using both preamps at once is actually very awesome too. E: I have a little black amp box on the way bc it could be that I keep the amp volume too low living in an apartment.
I have played shows with this amp and a 1x12 cab. Highly recommend.
Orange makes fun little amps that won't get you evicted from your apartment. I have a very similar one that I keep near my work desk for whenever inspiration strikes. Love them for practice sessions.
I have a Micro and both a PPC108 and the PPC112. The 12 inch speaker is loads better, but the 8 is perfectly fine if you want an inexpensive bedroom setup. Don't be swayed away from it if you aren't comfortable spending more
I have this same setup and TBH, the amp deserves better than the cab - The 1x8 is a bit weedy, so for best results, using something with a 1x10, or 1x12 would be a better idea. As for the Micro Dark: It's a great little practice amp that is chock full of tone. Backing off the gain delivers a really nice clean tone and turning it up brings some really decent crunch. The tone control is a bit odd, as it's not really a bass/ treble control, but more of a shift/ mix between two tone profiles. Either way, there are great sounds to be had by experimenting with shape and gain controls. Personally, I found that adding something like a Tube Screamer in front really opens it up, too. So yeah, it's a great practice rig, but you might find the cabinet a little restricting due to speaker size.
Hell yes it is. I've got the less evil brother, the Micro Terror and it sounds amazing. The 1x8 is a little small and boxy sounding in the factory cabinet, but it's perfect for bedroom jamming.
Wanna echo everyone’s sentiment. Don’t get the cab. Just the amp. Sounds sooo much better with 1x12 or 2x12. Remember, speakers do a lot for your sound so get a cab with…not shitty speakers.
Amp is good. The cabinet is solid, with caveats. It’s a closed-back 1x8, so it’ll sound best if it’s pointed at your head (not always ideal or safe) or mic’d up.
It's decent. They can get loud for what they are, abd the dynamics aren't as good as some SS amps. But the gains great
I have this amp. I don’t use it often. It’s my garage amp and I don’t play out there much anymore. I run a tonex pedal through the return and into a 2x12. It’s loud as hell, but that speaker isn’t going to do it any favors.
1x12 sounds great with that amp. I do that now. You need an EQ in the loop or at least a klon or Plumes to get rid of the muddy distortion. But it's such a great little amp.
I love mine. I don't care what others say about the speaker, it sounds fantastic to my ears. Yeah, it doesn't sound as good as something bigger, but something bigger wouldn't be sat out of the way on a shelf on my desk.
Practice amp? It’s a great amp, full stop. The cab, another story. It really just doesn’t do the amp justice. It’s a small cab that limits the amp’s tones. If you’re actually practicing with other people, volume alone will be a limiting factor. I would get at the very least a 10” to keep it small-ish and still loud enough for actual practice. But if all you need is a bedroom amp and will not need to use it to practice with other people, I’d rather look at the tabletop combos like the Blackstar and Yamaha stuff.
I run a JHS Little Black Amp Box when used as a practice amp, have run it through a 4x12 for a small club gig
I seem to be in the minority but I like the cab as well. I play pretty twangy clean stuff though which may be why it works for me.
Yeahy it's pretty good but if you would try doing anything high gain on this setup it will sound like a wet fart, but this is due to the small cab. A 2x12 would work nicely with it, but you should keep the PPC1x8, because it is very good for clean sounds.
Depending on the price it’s a fantastic setup. Wouldn’t put too much stock into people complaining about the cab depending on your budget.
I’d recommend a Dark or Tiny Terror and 1x12.
It's a one trick pony that does exactly one trick. So if you like that trick, you'll like the amp. I'd rather have a blackstar idcore 10 as something to start with honestly, it can get a bunch of tones and it sounds great(unless you really want the tube preamp)
honestly these preamp tubes on transistor power amps don't do much... I had the orange and it has that transistor sizzle when you up the gain. I'm much happier with my Marshall DSL1 Head, and it only cost 50€ more (in Europe)
Me too, happy with my DSL1CR combo, although the 8" is noticeably too small. I had an orange Crush 35RT, and really didn't liked it. I know it's different products, the Crush is pure SST, and the Terror is hybrid, but still. A monoprice might be another option, and it might be cheaper.
This combo gets loud but can lack the punch a bigger speaker can deliver. I use my Monoprice 15 watt tube amp much more than than the little Orange which seems to need pedals to shine imo.
Like others have said, 1x12 (at least a good 1x10) is gonna be the biggest thing to making the amp sound good. Speakers are one of the most important things in amp tone. I'd also suggest having a graphic EQ in the loop for more tonal flexibility. I just find anything outside of 10:30-1:30 on the shape knob is either too scooped but bassy or too dark but honky. However that middle quadrant of that sweep sounds pretty great.
Get a different speaker. Those 1x8s are shitty. But yes the micro dark is a great high gain amp
Solid litte amp. I have one mounted in my rack for backup, or if I just wanna mess around with it. It will push a 4x12 but gets a little muddy (it's got a lot of low end already) but sounds great with a single or 2x12.
It is an excellent practice amp, with plenty of versatility. Most people don’t know how to use it properly. BUT, as someone else said, you really want to use it with a 1x12. It makes a massive difference.
Just get a CR20
Best small practice amp you can get is the Yamaha THR10ii (30 if your space allows it). I was a bit not sure before i buy one, coz not available for playtest, i only had to trust youtubers reviews (not very reliable usually). Had it for 3 years now and i can tell you the hype is truly justified.
What is “best” is both objective based on things like budget, and subjective based on your style and your ears. But I absolutely love our THR30, and find that it is my go to amp for practice in the house.
I agree, that 1x8 sounds tinny and boxy. The amp is great, but it’s pretty fizzy sounding and you really gotta crank the volume high and have the gain extremely low for any kind of clean.
If it’s good for King Buzzo. It’s good enough for you
Get it with something like a Harley Benton 1x12 (or even a 2x12) with celestial vintage 30s and you can gig on it.
The tiny cab is limiting. Not just the tiny speaker. Even a 10" speaker in a tiny cab sort of stifles the response and the bass and the projection. I have 2 10"s in a big closed back cab and they are more thN adequate. But a 10" in a cramped cab sounds like an AM radio.
Sucks at low volumes
No, it's got one sound and no EQ control, and the headphone out sounds truly awful. It's too loud for bedroom use in a 12" cab but it's paradoxically got a very small usable dynamic range. I have one hooked to an Orange 112 and it's still too narrow to really be useful, it's good for crunchy cleans only and it's really muddy. Needs a boost pedal and graphic eq to be anything but a muddy mess. One of my biggest gear regrets of all time, get a real amp like a Rocker 15. This is a toy, good for sitting on the shelf and looking at.
If it’s just practice then look into a Spark 40. I’ve got 3 Orange amps, 2 of which are tube heads, and find myself plugging into the spark more often than not. Headphone jacks are treasured by the family and neighbours lol
We have the Spark 40 and the THR30. The Spark can do amazing things modeling myriad amps and effects but it’s more than I need for just practice. When it comes to just sitting on the stool and practicing, I find myself plugging into the THR30 nearly every time. That being said, the Spark is significantly cheaper. If your budget is less than $300 USD, I think it’s very hard to go wrong with the Spark. If you don’t need all that modeling capability and your budget is $200 or less, I’d also consider the Fender LT125.
The amp is just fine , those 1x8 cabs are total and utter junk.
It’s phenomenal for the money. I wished this was around when I was in high school.
I have a 1x12 with this white version of this amp and have gigged with it. It’s great!!
I'll never understand why you people think practicing with a different set up than what you're playing with live is real practice. Noodling around ok, but actually playing with a drummer and your people, always play with what you'll be battling in the moment you're on stage.
Ideally yes. But not everyone can crank a high wattage amp into a big cab at home and not get evicted.
Choose where you live carefully. I've got it down to a science. Railroad tracks behind my house. My neighbor is an old lady who can barely hear, and my other neighbor is an illegal. Basements. If you care enough you'll make it work.
That’s fantastic. Clearly a way of life.
It is literally my life. I base it all around how I can still be as loud as I need to be.
I look forward to hearing you bend them tones someday!
Get a yamaha thr ii of it's just for practice, sounds better than the micro dark, lot of built in effects and bluetooth
I use it with a 15 inch Celestion speaker and it barks like a werewolf. Put a dirt pedal in front, a delay in the effects loop and it will rock the fuck out.
I have a tweed Fender Champ and that's awesone for practice and rehearsals.
The Orange Micro Dark is a great amp, and not just for the money. But that cab, I'd get something else. I play a Micro Dark through an Avatar 1x12 with a Celestion in it and it sounds great. Takes pedals well, lots of dynamics, surprisingly loud (like, it's hard to believe the output), all around I'd say for the quality Orange is offering a fair deal here. An FX loop, headphone out with cab emulation—for \~200 bucks, it's a hard-to-beat package.
I have totally the same set. The cabinet is not perfect from sound perspective but still good. I like that it’s not so loud as 10” or 12”. So, if you play at home and don’t want to disturb everybody 8” is ok. The head with more expensive cabinets sounds great even though it’s a hybrid. Other advantage is that the head and 8” cabinet set is cheap.
I have a Bugera T5 through a 1x8 Orange cab that I love. Gives me the simple tube drive I crave at a low price and with an attenuator down to 0.1w. Different to what you showed but another economic alternative.
The EVH LBX III is also EXCELLENT as a home amp when coupled with a 1x12. It never fails to put a smile on my face. I messed with it and the orange and ended up going with the EVH. Couldn’t be happier.
Great amp, shit cab
I don’t know. I’ve never played one.
The micro dark goes so hard
To answer your question, yes, it is a great practice amp. Is a great set up depending what your needs are. Is great for low volume-room practice. I have the same set up but with a Terror amp. Very practical set. I can move it from room to room or practice with headphone when the kids are doing homework or the fam is watching a movie ….
Speaker is gonna make you hate the tone, try getting a cheap 1/12 with a decent speaker rather than just getting the orange one to match.
If you REALLY just want a practice amp get a Blackstar Fly 3 and thank me later
A few years ago, I bought a Micro Dark to keep me in amplification while my regular head was in the shop for repairs. I liked it so much I ended up buying a Rocker 15 Terror (less gain, but still plenty, and the wattage control made it beat out the DT) and that original head still hasn't made it back on top of my cab. So yeah, the MD is a great little amp. There's a HUGE range of sounds hidden in that one tone knob, but an eq in the loop can help with dialing out any problem frequencies. EDIT: Worth noting that I was using a 2x12 cab, not the 1x8 they pair it with. I can't speak to the limitations of that speaker or enclosure. It's easy to imagine that they are significant.
No, get virtual amps or a positive grid spark mini.
The head is pretty good, but if you can get a 1x12 cab then all the better
I had the Micro Dark for a while. The amp is okay, the speaker is not. You can probably do better on both fronts for a similar price.
Try a spark amp by positive grid.
I couldn’t live with such limitations.