Orange
98
Guitarist December 2015
A
lmost a decade ago, Orange scored a major
worldwide hit with the release of the Tiny
Terror, with over 30,000 sold and many
more if you add in the subsequent designs. Beyond
any doubt, the Tiny Terror was a major boost to small
‘lunchbox’ amp popularity, and today practically every
manufacturer has one in its catalogue. Now there’s a
new product from the legendary British manufacturer
that threatens to do it all over again and create a new
cult for even smaller amps: the Micro Dark head.
It may look like a toy, but the Micro Dark is every inch
a real amplifier, with a very usable 20-watt solid-state
power stage coupled to a preamp that uses a single
12AX7 for authentic valve-overdrive timbres. It has the
same heavy-duty enamelled steel chassis and cover of
its bigger cousins and is built to last, with all the internal
components mounted on one very high-quality PCB.
One of the reasons the Micro Dark is so small is that it
relies on an external power supply: a laptop-style brick
providing 15 volts. This aside, everything else is where
you’d expect to find it.
The Micro Dark is a straightforward single-channel
design with controls for gain and volume, together
with Orange’s very versatile Shape tone control, which
boosts mids in one direction and scoops them in the
other. There’s also a very usable headphone output that
features Orange’s authentic CabSim speaker emulation,
in addition to a speaker output, and a fully buffered
effects loop.
Sounds
Plugged into a Vintage 30-loaded 4x12, the first thing
that the Micro Dark impresses us with is its volume –
easily one of the biggest-sounding 20-watt heads we’ve
tested in a long time, with an impressive dynamic range
not far off a valve output stage. Gain and shape controls
work together for a wide range of drive and tone
characteristics; you can get quite close to the Class A
sparkle of the AD30R, and there’s enough space for
some mildly driven classic-rock sounds. Turn up the
gain to the last third of its travel and the Dark Terror’s
insane overdrive is unleashed, with more than enough
distortion for satisfyingly thick modern rock and
metal sounds. Overall, it’s astonishing just how much
great tone Orange has managed to squeeze into such a
small box – with a 4x12 or 2x12, this amp is plenty loud
enough for home practice, rehearsals or even small gigs.
Verdict
Despite the Micro Dark’s diminutive appearance, it’s
capable of tone and volume out of all proportion to its
size. At less than the cost of many high-end overdrive
pedals, here’s a proper amp that’s small enough to live
in any gigbag, yet powerful enough to handle almost
any situation. The price is more than reasonable, and
for what this little head can do, it’s a steal. Christmas is
coming and the Micro Dark has every chance of being
a runaway success. If you want one on your Christmas
list, then we urge you to act now!
Tech Spec
ORIGIN: Designed in
UK, made in China
TYPE: Hybrid valve/
solid-state preamp,
solid-state power amp
OUTPUT: 20 watts max
VALVES: 1x 12AX7
DIMENSIONS: 165 (w)
x 135 (h) x 95mm (d)
WEIGHT: 0.78kg/1.72lb
CABINET: Steel
CONTROLS: Gain,
shape, volume
FEATURES: Buffered FX
loop and CabSim output
Orange Amplification
020 8905 2828
www.orangeamps.com
review
PEAVEY ValVeKing 20 MH, ClassiC 20 MH & 6505 MH
ORANGE MiCro DarK £129
9
The Brit amp giants kick-started the lunchbox amp market,
and now they’re gunning for the micro arena
Words Nick Guppy Photography Joby Sessions
GIT401.rev_oran.indd 98 29/10/2015 13:19