Orange Graphic MkII Module?

[djd100]

Hi GtrGeorge...

We're not really in the modding biz, though Salvation already makes an OR120 clone I think (I thought you had one already, the Mandarin Graphic)?

I'm really digging this one for pushed mid-gain tones. It's like a Matchless - Vox/Marshall mix with an aggressive attitude plus chime (Bass and Treble at around 1:00, volume at 6, with the FAC wide open, through a Celestion 20W 4X12 IR with a U87, pushed by a Tonebender treble boost (modified for more lows and less highs), via a Les Paul clone with a Duncan JB in the bridge.

It does do great cleans as well (the FAC is cool with the cleans to tighten up the neck pup), though I'm not needing any real cleans with my current project.

would you sell one of these modules?
and fwiw..I didnt have theoriginal speakers with MY OR120 head..I used whatever I had at the time..and it was always the most amazing crystalline clean sound..nearly Solid state without the non-musicality.
...so tellme mooooooooooooore..
GtrGeorge

 

[GtrGeorge!]

Yes, as I said, I DO own a Salvation Orange Graphic..but as good as it is...like I said..Im STILL chasing the sound of my old OR120. Im chasing that crystaline clean..so clean...even note was a seperate voice..
so yeah If you sold yours Id be interested..or hows about a trade? I have Mesa Mark Module by GigMods that I dont use to much.
Interested?

GtrGeorge

 

[salvation]

That presence circuit must have done something..or they wouldnt have put it in there!
My amp had a beautiful crystal high end!!!
GtrGeorge

George,
power amp with unsual - inductor based - presence makes difference.
Speakers definitely makes BIG difference.

Also do not forget that orange MK II is 120Watt amp without master volume.
So, to be as close as possible you should turn master on module and master on amp all the way up (and control volume only by Gain pot).
If your bright switch does not work, in this setting you will proabably miss it in this setting (because bright is more pronounced on lower gain settings).
Salvation mods have tech in US, so we can repair it without shipping to EU.

 

[djd100]

Hi George, yeah, I thought you had one.

No thanks to the Boogie trade (we have a vintage Boogie MkIIC at the studio though it weighs a ton and rarely moves LOL!).

I'm currently on the road in Canada, but as I remember the Orange OR120 had the bright cap hard wired on, so if your module's broken bright switch is defeating the bright cap you're losing any chance to duplicate the old amp.

I'm not sure what the inductor in the OR120's presence circuit sounds like, but perhaps you could get close with an outboard eq post your module?

Some folks on the Orange Forum mentioned they had removed the inductor from the presence circuit and didn't notice a big change, but I have no idea personally?

Also, as Anthony stated speakers and cab design are critical (open or closed back etc), as well as running the masters up and the gain low to maximize the bright cap's contribution. Are you currently using the same or similar cab as when you owned the OR120?

IMO, if you get the bright switch fixed, run the masters way up and the gain low, run the same/similar cab and speakers, and perhaps use an eq to help out you should be able to nail that old sound pretty well, good luck!

Yes, as I said, I DO own a Salvation Orange Graphic..but as good as it is...like I said..Im STILL chasing the sound of my old OR120. Im chasing that crystaline clean..so clean...even note was a seperate voice..
so yeah If you sold yours Id be interested..or hows about a trade? I have Mesa Mark Module by GigMods that I dont use to much.
Interested?

GtrGeorge

 

[GtrGeorge!]

Salvation, D...
thanks for the attentive replys.
I do like my Mandarin...`but I would venture a guess here and say that my old Crystalline clear tone had something to do with the power amp in the OR120..If I understand correctly..it had an inductor in it..that makes sense to me because that kind of tone that I had was defiently tweaked thru some kind of a filter..and to my ears inductors do that.
In fact, I kinda love what inductors do!!!!
fwiw: back then I had eminance speakers in a 2-12 cab..really crappy set-up. Now I have V30s...which I see as the speakers that are issued to everybody who plays Rock (lil joke..),
Salv, I will have to try the volumes as you said. I will let you know what I hear. And thanks for letting me know service on a Salv module is now in the US..how cool!!! How fast a turnaround to fix that broken bright switch?
GtrGeorge

 

[djd100]

You can duplicate that filter with an external parametric eq, plus V30's likely sound different in the high-mids than the vintage Emi's. We can only get so close in the MTS world, especially regarding amps with unique power amps, and amps where the OT iron or power supply sag makes a big contribution etc.

There's no reason why a para eq couldn't duplicate whatever filtering is happening by the OR 120's presence inductor, at least enough to get you close.

Salvation, D...
thanks for the attentive replys.
I do like my Mandarin...`but I would venture a guess here and say that my old Crystalline clear tone had something to do with the power amp in the OR120..If I understand correctly..it had an inductor in it..that makes sense to me because that kind of tone that I had was defiently tweaked thru some kind of a filter..and to my ears inductors do that.
In fact, I kinda love what inductors do!!!!
fwiw: back then I had eminance speakers in a 2-12 cab..really crappy set-up. Now I have V30s...which I see as the speakers that are issued to everybody who plays Rock (lil joke..),
Salv, I will have to try the volumes as you said. I will let you know what I hear. And thanks for letting me know service on a Salv module is now in the US..how cool!!! How fast a turnaround to fix that broken bright switch?
GtrGeorge

 

[GtrGeorge!]

Dj,
all due respect..but while a para EQ may do it for 99% of the guys out there..to my ears its a whole diff breed of cat than what an inductor does. Its a diff flavor.
and the old emi's I had were really crap..I mean the worst crap. I got em cause no one else wanted em!!!!
I think,as you say the BIG OT made the diff..and that FACS switch...I could see it in my minds eye to this day....from the inside it looked like the great Karmic wheel...thousands of wires to it (it seemed!!!!!!!!!!!!)
But man what a tone. The new Orange is nice, but I dont see it as related to my OR120..to be completely honest.
So,....anyone wanna sell me a module thast even closer to a real OR120???
Its an addiction I tell ya..
GtrGeorge

 

[djd100]

Hey George, your MTS preamp will never get you "perfect", but it can get you "close enough" etc. If you need perfect, by the amp.

The inductor in that presence circuit just tunes the power amp feedback loop, so using a para eq "in parallel" and mixing it with with the non-eq'd element (power amp's presence off) would duplicate things as close as possible assuming you could dial in the para eq and that the phase between the two signals was correct(ed).

That's as close as it gets as the changes we're talking about are in the OR120's power amp, not it's preamp, so they're out of the MTS module. You could have someone try and duplicate the OR120 inductor presence circuit in your power amp of course, though unless you're using the OR120 power amp who knows whether this would get you what you want (parts are cheap though so it's worth a try I suppose)?

The OT likely wouldn't have a big effect on the sound unless you had the OR120 dimed and it was saturating, so that's likely not the issue (because you'd likely be deaf/dead if you had your OR120 dimed LOL!).

Speakers are speakers, what someone says sucks others love, and many people hate the V30's too, though for sure the V30 is nothing like a vintage Emi, so this is another difference you're facing if trying to duplicate the vintage OR120/Emi sound (high-mids are way different and that's what you're listening for with the presence circuit etc).

That's it, try the above or buy a OR120 as a MTS preamp can't do the "exact" sound all by itself I'm afraid.

Good luck...

Dj,
all due respect..but while a para EQ may do it for 99% of the guys out there..to my ears its a whole diff breed of cat than what an inductor does. Its a diff flavor.
and the old emi's I had were really crap..I mean the worst crap. I got em cause no one else wanted em!!!!
I think,as you say the BIG OT made the diff..and that FACS switch...I could see it in my minds eye to this day....from the inside it looked like the great Karmic wheel...thousands of wires to it (it seemed!!!!!!!!!!!!)
But man what a tone. The new Orange is nice, but I dont see it as related to my OR120..to be completely honest.
So,....anyone wanna sell me a module thast even closer to a real OR120???
Its an addiction I tell ya..
GtrGeorge

 

[Whoopysnorp]

In case anybody is interested, I just added a clip of my Mandarine Graphic (mostly boosted with a Tubescreamer) to this thread: http://mtsforum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?p=94716#94716

 

[djd100]

If you have the time, how about some cleans and mid-gain tones without a pedal, thanks!

In case anybody is interested, I just added a clip of my Mandarine Graphic (mostly boosted with a Tubescreamer) to this thread: http://mtsforum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?p=94716#94716

 

[Whoopysnorp]

Just posted a thread in the Modules forum with a more comprehensive mp3 demo: http://mtsforum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=13850