NAD 1970's Orange OR80

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Dr Tony Balls
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by Dr Tony Balls » Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:43 pm

HNB wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:27 pm
Thanks for all the info. It is cool to know the standby switch is unnecessary. I read something like that online as well when I was trying to figure out if it was added. Online said that the switch would actually cause a larger power surge than just letting it gradually all power up at once since the standby would limit the power until it was switched causing the warmed up load to hit the tubes.
Yes, but that's sorta neither here nor there. Standby switches are fine, mostly, but entirely not necessary. They're more a convenience for repair techs, tbh. They can be problematic with tube rectifiers if implemented incorrectly but on this amp its not gonna do anything detrimental to have one (other than being inconvenient to flip).

HNB wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:27 pm
I suppose it is stupid to thing an 80 watt amp would be quieter than my 120. Honestly it is a little. I can turn this up to like three or so vs one on the 120. LOL
Half power is only a fraction less loud than the full. Speaker type and the number of them will make way more difference in volume.

HNB wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:36 pm
FYI I like greenbacks but they are 25 watt rated. I am worried a pair of those would struggle with the 80 watt amp?
Keep in mind that "80 watts" is kinda subjective. That may have been what Orange claimed but It's two EL34s with plate voltages about the same as a 50 watt "JMP" type amp. I'd consider it ~50 watts.

johnnysomersett wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:57 pm
I had mine tested (in 2 tube / 80w mode) by my old tech for output and it pushed about 110w cranked so it'll tear the ass out ofa pair of Greenbacks. Would not recommend.
Cranked will register more than the rated amount for sure. The way they rated these things back in the day, and the way we still use, is *clean* power. So turn the amp up till it breaks up, then measure and you'll get somewhere close to 50 watts. FWIW speakers are rated to match with amps, as well. So when Celestion says a Greenback is rated at 25 watts they mean it can go with a 25W amp, not that anything over 25W will kill the speaker. Its pretty fuzzy (no pun intended).
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by JSett » Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:55 pm

Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:43 pm

Keep in mind that "80 watts" is kinda subjective. That may have been what Orange claimed but It's two EL34s with plate voltages about the same as a 50 watt "JMP" type amp. I'd consider it ~50 watts.

johnnysomersett wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:57 pm
I had mine tested (in 2 tube / 80w mode) by my old tech for output and it pushed about 110w cranked so it'll tear the ass out ofa pair of Greenbacks. Would not recommend.
Cranked will register more than the rated amount for sure. The way they rated these things back in the day, and the way we still use, is *clean* power. So turn the amp up till it breaks up, then measure and you'll get somewhere close to 50 watts. FWIW speakers are rated to match with amps, as well. So when Celestion says a Greenback is rated at 25 watts they mean it can go with a 25W amp, not that anything over 25W will kill the speaker. Its pretty fuzzy (no pun intended).
Mine definitely seemed louder than any other 50w amp i've ever owned or used, but the way an amp sounds and the frequencies it favours can have such a large difference in perceived loudness. There's so many variables (bias, tube brand, health of amp, etc). My 67 Bassman, through the same cab in the same rehearsal space, seems about half the volume as the OR - it's way more sensible. The OR seemed to just roar and tear through the air. Probably mostly down to the larger amount of mids in the sound...and the way you could set that Baxandall tone stack to really push things forward.

I like a bit of speaker breakup but I wouldn't say a pair of Greens would last all that long in this amp, not if you're going to be using it in anger much at all. Eminence Legend GB12's are supposed Greenback sounding speakers, and a pair of them would total 100w.
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by HNB » Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:13 pm

Awesome! I ordered a pair to try out. My 4x12 Orange cab had replaced speakers that I put four greenbacks in and loved it. These sound like they will do the trick!
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by Embenny » Sat Nov 26, 2022 4:26 pm

Dr Tony Balls wrote:
Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:43 pm
Cranked will register more than the rated amount for sure. The way they rated these things back in the day, and the way we still use, is *clean* power. So turn the amp up till it breaks up, then measure and you'll get somewhere close to 50 watts. FWIW speakers are rated to match with amps, as well. So when Celestion says a Greenback is rated at 25 watts they mean it can go with a 25W amp, not that anything over 25W will kill the speaker. Its pretty fuzzy (no pun intended).
It's also worth noting that the power handling of modern speakers has improved as well. The 4x12 was allegedly born because cranking a 50W plexi through two Greenbacks would blow them, which is why the 50W heads got 4 of them and the 100W heads got 8.

I know these aren't current-production speakers in the OR80, but if they're a bit newer than the amp itself, they're probably a bit more robust than that. Nobody really worries about 2xEL34s melting a 2x12 cab with Greenbacks anymore. The 25W rating of the 60's speakers is nominally the same as more recent ones, but the newer ones seem to be less fragile. Or maybe it's just that nobody is cranking them to 10 without an attenuator anymore. Either way, speaker failure at the rated power handling isn't a thing the way it was in the 1960's.
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by HNB » Sat Nov 26, 2022 7:32 pm

My amp knowledge base is pretty minimal. I always defer to the people here who understand amps and speakers better than I do. :). The speakers above seem to fit what I would like. Greenback like speakers but built for higher power. :) I think the 25 watt greenbacks work fine with my 4x12 because I don't/can't crank my 120 head. It would deafen my neighbors. LOL 100 total watts with four speakers handles plenty of noise. Honestly two at 50 would probably be ok since I don't even turn it half way up, but having something that handles more power would be a nice feature. :)
Christopher
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by Veitchy » Sun Nov 27, 2022 7:02 pm

I'm hardly au fait with Orange amps, much less vintage ones, but I can't recall seeing an OR in a combo before, so this is very cool.

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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by HNB » Mon Nov 28, 2022 1:41 pm

I love how Orange did these old combos. Take the head and lay it in so it points up. LOL
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by Brock the Mod » Mon Nov 28, 2022 2:07 pm

d0PE

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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by Dr Tony Balls » Tue Nov 29, 2022 7:12 am

HNB wrote:
Mon Nov 28, 2022 1:41 pm
I love how Orange did these old combos. Take the head and lay it in so it points up. LOL
To be fair, that's how Marshall was doing it first it just looked less obvious because the control panel was much smaller. And that choice of where to have the controls (facing up) was entirely ripped from Fender tweeds.
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by HNB » Tue Nov 29, 2022 7:27 am

For sure. I think Orange ones just look more funky with those front guards sticking up. It is probably because of the proportions of their faceplate. Fender and Marshals tend to be more of a thin rectangle and Orange ones are closer to a big ol' square. LOL :)
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by HNB » Sun Dec 04, 2022 2:24 pm

The Eminence speakers came in so I got to work. I put tape on the hot wires before desoldering and removing them.

Image20221204_121602 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

Then I got the new ones mounted and soldered.

Image20221204_124010 by Christopher Louck, on Flickr

Results? I really like it. I made another demo with my new tele deluxe to allow people to hear the difference. I didn't change any settings. I just changed the speakers. :) I will add the demo once it finishes uploading.
Christopher
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by HNB » Sun Dec 04, 2022 2:58 pm

Here is the demo with the new speakers.

https://youtu.be/oRfuP7_s8-Q
Christopher
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by JSett » Sun Dec 04, 2022 11:02 pm

HNB wrote:
Sun Dec 04, 2022 2:58 pm
Here is the demo with the new speakers.

https://youtu.be/oRfuP7_s8-Q
Glad you like them! You can really hear the difference between the two....the GB's sounding way more 'British' in tone than their other offerings, which are often quite bright and 'sparkly'. I'm a massive exponent of Eminence speakers and they seem to do a little something for every situation.

Now all you need to do it get that sucker cranked with those WRHBs and bask in the glory that is these amps when they are roaring.
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by HNB » Mon Dec 05, 2022 9:59 am

With some earplugs so I don't go deaf. LOL
Christopher
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Re: NAD 1970's Orange OR80

Post by HNB » Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:01 pm

I picked up an MXR Custom Badass '78 Distortion to try to get a DS-1 sound but without the buffer that pisses this amp off and it is amazing. I am super happy with it. Oddly I think I had one previously I used when I was using a Twin and thought it was "meh" and sold it. (Or it might even be upstairs.... :-[ ) At any rate, it sounds great with this amp and gets me that sound I was trying to get like a DS-1 but true bypass. I also ordered a Diezel VH4 and a true bypass flanger to try to get teh Adam Jones tonez. LOL :D
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