The Micro Terror is an amp designed to reproduce genuine Orange dirt tones while maintaining a diminutive "Micro" profile.

It features a hybrid design, combining a single 12AX7 preamp tube with a solid state power amp, which is not that uncommon. But Orange did a good job at getting the tone just right, with good saturation and responsiveness that you don't normally expect from hybrid amps, let alone something as ridiculously small as this one.

And since it uses an actual preamp tube, the tone is organic and lively, even more so when you crank the gain. On the flipside, the cleans are neutral and quite stale, so if you're looking for sparkling clean tone, this is not for you.

Given its size, there's not much room for putting complex controls, so Orange opted for a simple 3-knob configuration that includes control for volume, tone and gain. The controls are intuitive and gets the job done, but its limiting. There is no way to fine tune the EQ, and there are no effects like reverb. Still, this amp is not meant for extensive tweaking, rather it is meant to produce great tone as quickly and as conveniently as possible.

Another praise worthy trait of the Micro Terror MT20 is its distinct looking metal lunchbox design. It doesn't look cheap, it feels solid and it's hard to mistake for something else.

The Orange Micro Terror MT20 is a great portable low to mid-gain amp, especially if you are into old school Orange voicings.

Specifications

• Power Rating: 20-Watts
• Speaker Out: 1/4"
• Tubes: 12AX7 (Preamp)
• Channels: 1
• Controls: Volume, Tone, Gain
• Effects: None
• Amp Models: None
• Inputs/Outputs: 1 x 1/4", 1 x 1/8" (Aux)
• Dimensions: 5.3" x 6.49" x 3.6"
• Weight: 1.87 lbs

Demo

Monoprice is a brand known for affordable tube amps, and the Stage Right 611815 is their 15-Watt all-tube combo amp with specs that normally command much higher pricing.

This tube combo amp comes in a 1 x 12" combo package, with three ECC83 preamp tubes and two EL84s in the power section. This is a popular tube combination found in vintage amps, and their modern recreations. More importantly, you get them without the premium price tag. Speaking of price, don't expect this amp to ship with premium quality tubes, but they do get the job done. For best results, you can swap out the tubes to ones from a reliable brand.

While most low-watt tube amps have very streamlined controls, Monoprice provided a bit more than what you'd expect. The amp section has controls for gain, volume, and tone, as well as 3-band EQ knobs. These controls allow for good versatility in terms of tone shaping, and how the amp is driven. It also comes with built-in spring reverb.

Adding to the already impressive value of this amp is its use of a 12" speaker from a popular brand - a Celestion Seventy 80. Given its size, it is quite capable of being driven hard. The volume is a bit limited, given its size, but it should be enough for home use, or even small venue jamming. Note that driving the amp too hard can cause it to sound muddy. This speaker is known for its bright tonality, but since it's 12", it is capable of reproducing the lows well.

At lower gain levels, the amp provides a good enough clean tone, but with a bit of grit. Raising the gain knob lets the amp go from clean to mid-gain dirty tone. The voicing for both clean and dirty tones are similar to vintage amps, open and not overly compressed. On the flipside, those who want modern tight response will not find this amp appealing.

The amp is very transparent, which can be an issue for those who want specific amp tones, but it's generic voicing makes it a great platform for effects pedals. Other features include having a cream-colored synthetic leather exterior and cloth speaker grill.

The value of this budget 1x12" tube amp is hard to beat, definitely worth considering if you're looking for a tube combo amp.

Specifications

• Power Rating: 15W
• Preamp Tube: 3 x ECC83 (12AX7)
• Poweramp Tube: 2 x EL84
• Speaker: 1 x "12 (Celestion Seventy 80)
• Input: 1/4"
• Output: 1 x 1/4" Speaker Out, Effects Loop
• Cabinet: Rear Ported
• Control Knobs: Gain, Volume, Tone, Bass, Middle, Treble, Reverb
• Weight: 31.62 lbs

A lot of modern musicians in the Metal genre prefer to use either modelers (in the case of modern prog) or ratty vintage tube amps (for stoner/doom guys). The Orange Dark Terror is meant to cater to the latter.

This compact 15W All-Tube amplifier is designed for heavier, saturated tones, with a few more gain stages in the preamp section. The preamp have 4 stages of gain like many modern high gain tube amps, paired with cleaner power amp section. This resulted in a more saturated type of gain compared to the vintage style voicings of the other Orange Terror amp series.

The extra gains stages on the preamp also allows the power section to be kept clean enough, allowing for better utilization of its buffered effects loop.

True to the Terror line, The Dark terror features a very minimal control setup. The shape knob takes the place of the typical 3 band eq. The Shape knob is a combination of a treble and bass control with a surprisingly wide range from really dark, Sleep-esque tones to scooped, old school metal and everything in between. The Volume and Gain control that interact with each other to achieve specific tones.

What really surprised me is how good the clean tones are. They aren't pristine Fender cleans but they do have a lot of vibe and it don't feel stiff like many high gain amps' clean channels. In conjunction with the effects loop, the Dark Terror is able to be used with reverb and delay pedals for atmospheric cleans.

All that being said, the Dark Terror is still just a single channel amplifier. That means to get to the clean tones, you either have to roll down the volume on your guitar or settle with one gain setting all throughout. While intuitive, the Shape control can be limiting in terms of very specific tonal settings. I would have loved to have even a 2 band EQ in place of the shape knob.

True to the Terror line, the Dark terror features a very minimal control setup. The shape knob takes the place of the typical 3 band EQ.

The Dark Terror is aggressive but can also be pristine at recording volumes. But for those that rely on a clean tone, the headroom of the 15W amplifier might be a bit limited at lower gain settings. This head was made to rock out so if you're looking for a clean pedal platform, look elsewhere. For live use however, it's all out or get drowned. It can easily keep up with heavy hitting drums on higher gain settings especially when pushing the power amp.

The best application, and where I personally use my Dark Terror is in the studio. The 7W mode is great in the studio for getting more power amp saturation without overloading more sensitive mics like condensers. For doomy, sludgy tracks, the Dark Terror is what I plug into the most. Where it really shines is getting that saturated chug in the studio at volumes that won't shake the walls. It's this controlled chaos that makes the Dark Terror a must-have in your amp arsenal.

Specifications

• Power Rating: 7 to 15-Watts
• Preamp Tube(s): 3 x 12AX7
• Poweramp Tube(s): 2 x XEL84
• Controls: Gain, Shape, Volume
• Input(s): Normal
• Output(s): 8ohm, 16ohm, 2x16ohm
• Misc:Tube Buffered Effects Loop
• Weight: 12.46 lbs
• Suitable for: Modern Rock, Alternative, Punk, Metal

The Vox AC15 is arguably the most important amp in the rise of the Britpop sound of the '60s. And despite being 15 watts, the humble AC15 was loud enough to keep up with a drummer and was a staple in many bands of the time.

Today the AC15C1 continues this legacy with a modern twist, courtesy of the use of Celestion Greenback speaker - which is commonly associated with Marshall amps. This speaker gives the amp tighter low end response compared to old AC15s. This tighter response makes the amp better suited for today's indie and alternative rock styles. It also makes the amp pedal friendly, especially to overdrives.

This shift to a Greenback speaker won't fly with purists who prefer the sound of the original's Jensen speakers. But it helps expand the tones and use of the amp, which will appeal for guitarists who play multiple styles. It is quite loud for a 15W amp, but not enough to take the place of bigger stage amps.

Everything else is designed to reproduce the classic Vox chime, with chimey cleans and fat grit when pushed. Including its vintage style appearance, and amp section which is equipped with three 12AX7 preamp tubes and two x EL84 for the power tubes. It even comes with the iconic Top Boost channel and its dedicated control knobs. The built-in reverb and tremolo is also quite good, deserving of special mention.

Thanks to its modern voicing, you don't have to be a fan of the Beatles to appreciate the AC15C1's harmonically rich tone. Definitely check it out, if you are a fan of the Vox chime tone but want extra sonic legroom.

Specifications

• Power Rating:15w
• Preamp Tube: 3 x12AX7
• Poweramp Tube: 2 x EL84
• Speaker: 1 x 12” Celestion G12M Greenback
• Input:2 x 1/4" (Normal, Top Boost)
• Output: 1 x 1/4" (16 ohms), 2 x 1/4" (single 8 ohm, 2 x 16 ohm), 1 x XLR (DI out), USB
• Cabinet: Open Back
• Control Knobs: Master Volume, Master Tone, Tremolo Depth, Tremolo Speed, Reverb Level, Top Boost Bass, Top Boost Treble, Top Boost Volume, Normal Volume
• Weight: 48.5 lbs