If there is one thing Orange Amplifiers are known for, it is their dirty channel. The type of overdrive and distortion you get from this brand has a fairly unique flavor. When it comes to full-size tube heads, Orange Amplifiers’ Dual Terror DT30H is the one to go with. If you are looking for a
powerful compact package for under a grand, DT30H is definitely something worth considering. Let’s take a closer look and see what this thing has to offer.
Controls
If you have ever seen or worked with Orange Tiny Terror, the layout of controls on the Dual Terror shouldn’t be anything new to you. As always, they have kept things very simple. The entire interface is divided into two clusters - one for each channel. The Fat channel controls feature a volume knob followed by a tone and gain knob. The very same layout is found in the Tiny Terror channel cluster. In other words, there are no three-band EQs on this amp. Instead, you get those two tone knobs to use for tone shaping. Channels are selected using a switch at the very right end of the control panel. Aside from these knobs and switches, there is also the attenuation switch in the back.
Features
In many ways, Dual Terror is an enlarged Tiny Terror that offers more power and comes with heavy duty components. As you can figure out from its name, this head packs some 30 Watts of power. This output can be attenuated to either 15 Watts or 7 Watts, by using the attenuation switch in the front, and the output tube select switch in the back. These two controls also impact the nature of the tone, not just the power. Overall, there aren’t too many bells and whistles on the Dual Terror. Orange has kept things fairly simple with the focus being completely on providing the user with a quality sound. Those who prefer a clean design in their amps will appreciate the Dual Terror.
Performance
In terms of performance, DT30H is a really potent little box. The Tiny Terror channel offers exactly what you would expect. They have extracted the best of the Tiny Terror head and included it as a channel in Dual Terror. On the other hand, the Fat channel releases the lower end to a point where you have more than enough girth to work with. Cleans are impeccable, which is not something you can always say for Orange Amplifiers. This amp delivers that legendary Brit twang that defines this whole category of amplifiers. Once it's time to add some grit to the tone, you will experience why Orange overdrives are known all over the world. With all that said, Dual Terror’s small size makes it a very suitable package for gigging.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVlDqVBbLgU
Conclusion
Orange Amps’ Dual Terror may not be a high output, high gain powerhouse, but it definitely brings a certain type of quality to the table. It is a perfect example of what a Brit tube configuration should sound like, with its shimmering cleans and punchy overdrive. Its low profile, light weight, and a rather impressive tone make it a great choice for just about any type of use.
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