# Orange Dark Terror vs Randal RD5H



## Pilgrim of the Dark (Oct 19, 2014)

Music style: grunge/90's alternative (alice in chains and Soundgarden), metal, and a little tiny bit of clean classical stuff.

If you had your choice, which would you choose: Orange Dark Terror or Randall RD5H, and why?


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## Mordacain (Oct 19, 2014)

Personally, I'd go for the Randall. Well, not the RD5...it's the weakest of the bunch. I'd go either RD20 if I needed something gig-able or the RD1 if I was just looking for home use. The Dark Terror is cool for sure if you like the Orange tone.

I have the RD1 and it stomps the RD5. There's just something about the single-ended 6V6 power section of the RD5 that just doesn't do it for me. The RD1 utilizes the 12AU7 in a push-pull fashion with the twin triodes...just sounds more like a big amp in my experience. The RD5 I had stopped being used after I picked up an RD1.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Oct 19, 2014)

^Pretty much nailed it.


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## TeeWX (Oct 19, 2014)

I think the Orange would fit that music style a lot better. Plus I just love the Dark Terror in general. It's got a massive sounding fuzzy distortion to it that no other amp really does. (Aside from other orange amps) I really dig the clean too.


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## sylcfh (Oct 19, 2014)

Have the RD1 as well. Not into the 6V6. Also got a new JJ 12AU7 for peanuts.


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## Pilgrim of the Dark (Oct 19, 2014)

Mordacain said:


> Personally, I'd go for the Randall. Well, not the RD5...it's the weakest of the bunch. I'd go either RD20 if I needed something gig-able or the RD1 if I was just looking for home use. The Dark Terror is cool for sure if you like the Orange tone.
> 
> I have the RD1 and it stomps the RD5. There's just something about the single-ended 6V6 power section of the RD5 that just doesn't do it for me. The RD1 utilizes the 12AU7 in a push-pull fashion with the twin triodes...just sounds more like a big amp in my experience. The RD5 I had stopped being used after I picked up an RD1.



Thanks a lot for the info; I honestly never, ever would've thought the RD1 would crush the RD5, but I'll take your word for it.

Btw, this "rig" will be my new home playing rig and will be running into a 1x12 Celestion V30 loaded cab.


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## Pilgrim of the Dark (Oct 19, 2014)

TeeWX said:


> I think the Orange would fit that music style a lot better. Plus I just love the Dark Terror in general. It's got a massive sounding fuzzy distortion to it that no other amp really does. (Aside from other orange amps) I really dig the clean too.



I owned a Tiny Terror for a while a few years back. Traded a very meh sounding egnater tweaker 15 head for it. I loved that amp; super spongy and responsive. Didn't have enough gain, though. 

My only concern with the Randall is that it doesn't seem very touch responsive, if you know what I mean. Also, I'm not sure what it can do as far as lower gain tones. Every demo I've heard is max gain.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Oct 19, 2014)

Speak of the devil, a Diavlo review with AiC.


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## fps (Oct 19, 2014)

I think a Dark Terror would be very good for that style of music, the way the notes blend into each other at higher gain levels screams grunge to me. Not quite sure about the Dark vs other terrors but you might need more tones for your songs, that would be my only concern. Isn't it a single channel?


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## sylcfh (Oct 19, 2014)

Pilgrim of the Dark said:


> I owned a Tiny Terror for a while a few years back. Traded a very meh sounding egnater tweaker 15 head for it. I loved that amp; super spongy and responsive. Didn't have enough gain, though.
> 
> My only concern with the Randall is that it doesn't seem very touch responsive, if you know what I mean. Also, I'm not sure what it can do as far as lower gain tones. Every demo I've heard is max gain.









Both the gain and tone knobs are very responsive. You just have to watch the gain knob because if you go past a certain point, it's basically all high gain from then on.


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## Pilgrim of the Dark (Oct 19, 2014)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Speak of the devil, a Diavlo review with AiC.




Hmmm... I wonder what the signal chain was in that video. It was nice to hear something other than full on metal through a Diavlo, but now it's kinda enforcing my pre-conceived notion that these amps are great for that post production metal sound and just so-so for everything else. They sound very stiff to me


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## Pilgrim of the Dark (Oct 19, 2014)

Basically, this boils down to me buying a new 6 string rig for home use. Here's what I've got so far that fits within my budget: 

Rig #1:
- Gibson 2014 SGJ
- Orange Dark Terror
- Orange PPC112

Rig #2:
- G&L USA Fallout
- Randall RD1H/RD5H
- Randal RD112-V30

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I'm trying to stay around $1600 before tax for the whole rig. Thanks!


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## Pilgrim of the Dark (Oct 19, 2014)

Or I may be able to land a Mesa Recto-Verb 25 combo for around $1100 out the door... but, I'm not sure I'd be able to land a decent 6 string for $500 or less...


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## sylcfh (Oct 19, 2014)

Pilgrim of the Dark said:


> Hmmm... I wonder what the signal chain was in that video. It was nice to hear something other than full on metal through a Diavlo, but now it's kinda enforcing my pre-conceived notion that these amps are great for that post production metal sound and just so-so for everything else. They sound very stiff to me







Stock tubes.


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## Shimme (Oct 19, 2014)

If you want that mesa then a PRS SE cu 24 can be had for 400-500 all over


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## Elric (Oct 20, 2014)

While I haven't played either amp, I do have an Orange and have played Randalls, and I would probably take an Orange over a Randall for that style of music in general terms. FWIW.


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## Wookieslayer (Oct 20, 2014)

Pilgrim of the Dark said:


> Or I may be able to land a Mesa Recto-Verb 25 combo for around $1100 out the door... but, I'm not sure I'd be able to land a decent 6 string for $500 or less...




I think that Gibson SGJ is under $500??


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## GizmoGardens (Oct 20, 2014)

I've got the Jim Root Terror and an RD50. 

For that kind of music, I'd take the JRT. My impression of the Randall is that it's super tight and modern sounding. Not saying you can't coax something a little more old school out of it, but it just seems the Orange amps already naturally have that kinda vibe. I'd also recommend the JRT over the Terror series just because it's got a 3 band EQ. A little more flexible and approximately the same price. I love mine.


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## cGoEcYk (Oct 21, 2014)

I am a huge fan of the Dark Terror. I had tons of fun jamming on that thing and would love to own one again. Cleans were my favorite thing about it. Single channel was my least favorite thing about it.



Pilgrim of the Dark said:


> Or I may be able to land a Mesa Recto-Verb 25 combo for around $1100 out the door... but, I'm not sure I'd be able to land a decent 6 string for $500 or less...


Shoot at that rate you could shop used and get an actual Rectoverb head and a Mesa Recto 2x12 cab!


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## Nik_Left_RG (Oct 21, 2014)

+1 for the Dark Terror. Played it for about 30 at the store and loved it. The gain characteristics are a bit different from the mesa though. I liked it better than the mini rect .. Try it before you buy it..


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## madrigal77 (Oct 21, 2014)

Randall. Because Orange amps sound like ass.


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