This is one of those amps pretty high up on my list because I really wanted to compare with my other Oranges, and the nomenclature confuses me a bit.
What I mean is - is this like an OR50 with a clean channel? Or a more classic OR80/120 with an extra channel? Why does this exist when the Rockerverb runs alongside it, since they have such similar features, and how much circuitry does it share in common?
The Orange standard naming is usually that “OR” series amps are single channel, but that still leaves a huge range. For example, the OR15 (great amp) is basically identical to a Rockerverb dirty channel. On the other hand, the OR50 is possibly one of the best amps ever made in my opinion and if I had to pick only 5 amps to keep that’d be one of them, and it shares absolutely nothing in common with the Rockerverb, Thunderverb, Dual Dark, AD30 or otherwise.
Well here it is, and I can finally compare with my other Oranges. Let’s talk features first. It has two channels, the clean is a volume and 2-band EQ, and the dirty channel is volume, gain, and a 3-band EQ. On the rear panel, it has an effects loop, a switch to drop 2 power tubes from the circuit (front panel also has full/half power mode, which is a pentode/triode switch I’m sure), and three footswitch jacks. The channel switch is obvious, but the other two are pretty interesting. “Boost Global” is a fixed volume boost that can be engaged on either channel that doesn’t add much gain (if any at all). “Gain Boost” however adds quite a bit of upper mid emphasis and gain as a result, and with this engaged it equals a Rockerverb in that area.
Now that I’ve done extensive A/B testing, I can confidently say this does not sound like a Rockerverb. It has a different texture, a little looser on the low end, I’d say a hair more “classic” feeling, though this is still a high gain amp and it is no substitute for a classic Orange if that’s the sound you are after.
Here’s where I’m going to complain a little bit though - yes it is a great sounding amp, no doubt about that. However to me, having the “punch” control (like on the OR50) is absolutely crucial to this type of amp design. This amp being so close to the Rockerverb with the same controls just feels like a missed opportunity to set it further apart, to appeal to a different audience. When these amps were new, the OR100 was much more expensive than a Rockerverb and I’m not sure I’d be able to justify that difference especially buying online. There’s a reason the Rockerverb is still going strong while the OR100 is long discontinued and hard to find used at that.
Another issue is the gain boost requiring a footswitch - I have a pile of footswitches so it’s no problem for me, but since it’s on a separate jack, it’s kind of annoying that you’d have to have something plugged in to trigger that gain boost. It’d be nice if you could set it to be on by default whether something is plugged in there or not.
To end on a nicer note, the EQ section on the dirty channel does feel like it has a bit more range to it than a Rockerverb, and as such adds quite a bit of versatility to what this amp can do.
So maybe I’m dreaming a little bit but if I were making an OR100 at Orange today, I’d be taking these bones and adding that punch knob (or a F.A.C. type knob) and voicing the top end to be a little less modern. Let the Rockerverb stay in its space and push this one towards the classic Orange sound. Who knows, maybe someday we’ll see an OR100 Mk2 - the OR30 sure looks like it’s on the right track.