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Orange Terror Bass 500
- Thread starter Dark Horse
- Start date
Weird.
Have you ever tried to recreate your experience?
It's crazy how many manuals are bad. Those Orange manuals I checked out on the web are some of the worst I've seen.
My mom used to teach technical-writing at a university, and a big focus was writing for a non-technical audience.
I haven't tried to recreate my first experience yet. Looking just now at the manual that came with my TB500 v2, the last item covered is the speaker outputs. One diagram says use one speaker output for 4 or 8 ohms; the second diagram suggests using both speaker outputs with 8 ohms. To me, this doesn't clarify the issue much. Does this mean if you want a total 4 ohm load, use only one speaker output from the amp?
I had initially assumed that plugging an 8 ohm speaker into both outputs and setting the impedance switch to 4 ohms would run the amp at full power with a total 4 ohm load. When I did it this way though, I had to crank the gain and drive considerably more than I'd expected to achieve the volume I wanted (this was at a gig with no FOH for bass).
When I next set it up at the next gig with the same two 8 ohm cabs, plugging one in (the output on the left as you look at the amp from behind) and then connecting the first cab to the second and setting the switch at 4 ohms, it operated at full power with a lot more gain and headroom compared to the first time.
Perhaps someone will beat me to it, but I'll try to recreate the first experience when I can (I don't have access to that gear at the moment). It may sound weird or wrong or something, but the rig works great for my needs.
I had initially assumed that plugging an 8 ohm speaker into both outputs and setting the impedance switch to 4 ohms would run the amp at full power with a total 4 ohm load. When I did it this way though, I had to crank the gain and drive considerably more than I'd expected to achieve the volume I wanted (this was at a gig with no FOH for bass).
When I next set it up at the next gig with the same two 8 ohm cabs, plugging one in (the output on the left as you look at the amp from behind) and then connecting the first cab to the second and setting the switch at 4 ohms, it operated at full power with a lot more gain and headroom compared to the first time.
Perhaps someone will beat me to it, but I'll try to recreate the first experience when I can (I don't have access to that gear at the moment). It may sound weird or wrong or something, but the rig works great for my needs.
Thanks - would using two means the amp is running in 4ohm operation? Even though the cabs are 8ohm rated?
4ohms brings the amp to 500watts when the cabs are rated at 400watts max, is this right or is the load shared between the two? Just a bit confused and would love an explanation. Again, I apologise for my lack of understanding with this stuff!
Yes, you can run the amp at 4 ohms when using the two 8 ohm cabs. As to the watts rating concern, I can't imagine Orange didn't design the OBC112 to be used with the TB500, or that they designed a cab that wasn't capable of handling it. The Markbass NY121 cabs I use with mine are also rated at 400 watts and I've run my TB500 using either one or both cabs at gigs, and they've had zero problems handling the power.
Two 8 ohm cabs used together make a 4 ohm load. And the power that the amp generates is shared between the cabs, so 2 cabs rated at 400 watts would theoretically be able to handle 800 watts. I use that same setup as my main rig - a Terror Bass with 2 OGC112's with no issues. It sounds great!
This is great guys, I really appreciate it! How have you found the amp/set-up? Few questions:
1. What’s the volume/headroom like with a full band at small to medium sized venues (bars/pubs), especially when playing with a loud drummer?
2. The drive or slightly dirty sound this amp generates really intrigues me for the form factor (I love the simplicity!). I’m hoping to use it at that “edge of breakup” stage, rather than full rattle. How do you guys find the drive in that respect? Does it help you cut through the mix? (I realise it also has a lot to do with what bass and strings used - Fwiw mine would be either a Fender Jazz strung with Roto Swing 66 or a 5 string MM Stingray strung with EB slinkies)
3. on the flip side, when using the amp at home for practice/recording. Can you still achieve that “low gain” “edge of break up” “bit of hair” when playing at low volumes and perhaps only using one of the 112 cabs?
1. What’s the volume/headroom like with a full band at small to medium sized venues (bars/pubs), especially when playing with a loud drummer?
2. The drive or slightly dirty sound this amp generates really intrigues me for the form factor (I love the simplicity!). I’m hoping to use it at that “edge of breakup” stage, rather than full rattle. How do you guys find the drive in that respect? Does it help you cut through the mix? (I realise it also has a lot to do with what bass and strings used - Fwiw mine would be either a Fender Jazz strung with Roto Swing 66 or a 5 string MM Stingray strung with EB slinkies)
3. on the flip side, when using the amp at home for practice/recording. Can you still achieve that “low gain” “edge of break up” “bit of hair” when playing at low volumes and perhaps only using one of the 112 cabs?
Best Guess, based on the schematic for the original TB 500. The DI is taken off the signal path at the same point as the Effects Send. So assuming the current version of the amp is similar, the DI is post EQ, but before the Master. If you crank up the Gain, you should hear preamp drive in the DI.
The DI does not pickup the Effects Return.
Again, can only speak for the v1 Terror head, but I think it's still largely relevant to your situation.
1) Incredibly loud! Especially if you are going to use two cabs. I've never come even close to hitting maximum volume on the amp with two cabs. Maybe once or twice I was edging up with just a single, but those were exceptions, not the norm.
2) I set mine so that it isn't really breaking up at all, unless I hit as hard as I can. And then, it's only a hint of crunch around the edges, not real breakup. It's basically a 'dirty' clean sound (nice and thick), which then takes further boosts and drives incredibly well. That's the special sauce of this amp, for me; fully squeaky clean is a little lacklustre, and the full out distortion gets a little wooly/indistinct if you push the preamp gain too hard. No such problem when using pedals to push the amp into distortion, just the preamp signal itself.
3) Getting that same magic at home volume is much more elusive/quite difficult. But then, I'm not convinced any tube amp on the market can ever sound amazing at true bedroom/home volume. With the Terror, you can get that edge-of-breakup tone, but it feels rather choked off in terms of frequency response; much less treble, and bass. I don't know where the DI is placed in the newer Terror's circuit, so don't know how it'll respond in terms of "toob magic"
Thanks mate, appreciate the feedback/personal experience breakdown
What is your stack sitting on top of? Does this not negatively affect (cause bass loss) due to less floor coupling?
It's a riser, specifically designed to reduce floor coupling, which can cause boomy-ness and other negative sound effects. I use it every time I gig.
This is a great thread, particulary @Ryan L. comments comparing the Fender Super Bassman 300 to the Terror Bass 500. I am moving away from the SB300 due to autobias issues. I like the amp and was going to just go with the Fender Bassman 800 as a replacement but this thread has me thinking. I know what the Fender Bassman 800 sounds like so going with the TB500 would be a roll of the dice as I haven't played one. Hesistant as I've never liked any Orange combo amp I've ever plugged into, but don't know if that's a fair comparison for the TB500.
If anyone has thoughts on the TB500 vs. Fender Bassman 800 hybrid I'm open to input. I currently play through an old Fender 410 but those OB112's look like they'd suit my needs. I think @mapleglo posted some good photos of his.
If anyone has thoughts on the TB500 vs. Fender Bassman 800 hybrid I'm open to input. I currently play through an old Fender 410 but those OB112's look like they'd suit my needs. I think @mapleglo posted some good photos of his.
Great lookin rig @mapleglo, thanks for the pic. I have the local shop guys recommending I stick with the Fender Bassman 800 head, but I'm going to track down a TB500 to try out before I pull the trigger on anything. The one demonstration of this head that keeps me peeking this thing is below from the Dishwalla bassist. This guy makes this things sound delicious - although I think this is all DI.
