I don't use the micro dark regularly, but it's so small that I bring it to every gig as a backup. The other guitarist in my band has had to use it a couple times when his amp went down, so it's saved the day a few times.
I do the same thing on tour! The mirco dark barely takes up any room in the van and it's a cheap, good sounding way to make sure that no matter what happens you can still play the show!
I'm looking for a backup amp that takes up little room and is loud enough for gigging. Would it be loud enough in a small pub with a 4x12 and not running through a PA?
I've just bought a Micro Dark, mainly for use as a recording amp, go from effect send into an emulated tube power section and cab and it sounds better than any all software amp simulation I've tried, sounds massive.
@@Ones_Complement ahh! So if I opt to record through the effect send; the tube is totally useless unless I hook up a cab? Or headphone out. But that sounds like doo doo haha
@@DrDizzleFrizzle In this case i disagree. He's played in many different bands and has written lots of songs I'm sure he can come up with msny different riffs to play. I enjoy his channel, but listening him playing literally the same riffs in every guitar video can get tiresome lol
Daniel Longo I also like it for that price reason, and I bought it because it is loud and sounds pretty good with an OD pedal in front of it and change of the preamp tubes
@@daniellongo7873 Budget orange amps, as evidenced by this video, are WAY closer to their full tube brethren than almost all other brands. The micro dark with either extremely high output pickups or a tube screamer sounds just as good as the real deal for half the cost.
A Micro Dark sounds so much better with the Volume turned up. These comparison videos always have it around 9:00. It really starts sounding great around 2:00. It does respond like a tube power section. You just need to push it. Otherwise it just sounds like a distortion pedal.
Just tried it on mine and youre right it does give it more body. Odd since the power section is transistor. I have a mesa 1x12 and this tiny head sounds ridiculously good.
@@prismsedits2320 - How is the noise on this one? Do you use a gate? Does it need one? I have an EVH 5150III 50 watt that's ridiculously noisy. Almost bugging me too much now. -Jeff
@@canyonadvisors6449 Hey there, fellow 50-watt 5153 owner just passing through in the comments and thought I'd throw in my two cents. I've noticed that the amount of noise/buzz the 5153 produces is somewhat dependant on where in a room you have it sitting and where in a room you're playing compared to where it is; best quick fix I can recommend is just moving it around a bit to see where it produces the least amount of noise (if you get it situated really good it's almost completely noiseless). Other than that I find that a Smart Gate set at just 10 o' clock can usually kill whatever noise issues I might be having with it. Cheers, I hope this helps!
I use it with volume around 2 O'clock and above with a passive attenuator in the FX loop to keep it at room volume. Really makes a difference to overall tone and gets it closer to a full tube sound.
I use the micro dark live all the time. I use some cheats though, I swapped out the preamp tube and threw in a tube compressor in the effects loop to get that tube sag. My effects and pedals pretty much do the rest. I also use a H&K red box from the headphone out to the sound board if I have to play small venue. It’s loud and mighty, and with a few adjustments it can handle almost any live situation.
I use the Micro Dark in a live situation on my touring rig (I wanted the smallest options possible - I have a Radar Pedal as backup) i run a EQ pedal through the effects loops to clear up the wayward frequencies, I have genuinely had compliments on my tone. Anyway - If you wanna hear it in action check out On a Hiding To Nothing.
Right? Invest in a long plate preamp tube…louder and more gain…sounds beefier as well more like a 5150 voicing without the high end harshness if you know what I mean
I've gone through a couple of comment sections on these videos and I feel like I am the only one coming here not only for the chug but because of the way you play I love your playing
I have the micro. Love it. Recently moved to an apartment so I had to switch from a 4x12 to a 1x12. It’s a solid amplifier IMO. I get most of my gain tone from pedals, but if I need beefy amp gain it’s got it. I want to get two of them and run a wet/dry set up because that would kick hella feet. Great vid as always Ola. Love you dog. Keep being awesome.🤟🏻
The Brent Hinds Terror is weird. I bought one on release because I'm a big Mastodon fan, expecting it to be a metal monster, but it's actually a medium gain 70's style amp like an Orange-voiced hot Plexi (which makes sense based on Mastodon's actual tones). It came out at the same time as the Rocker 15 head and shares a lot of similarities but the Brent Hinds Terror is actually much LOWER gain than the Rocker 15. I think it actually ended up being quite unpopular for that reason.
👽 inevitable vegan future 👽 that’s why I got rid off my unfortunately. I think they kinda mislead people with it. While it did sound great It wasn’t the sound I’m after.
@@inevitableveganfuture3915 I have one and won another one in an online contest Orange had. Stick a really good OD in front of the Hinds and it is glorious. Even a cheap TS Clone makes a huge difference and will give you passable tone. Talking with the Orange people I mentioned they needed a good Metal 2 Channel Terror and they would sell tons of them. They said they considered it but it never went anywhere. ...
@@MehWhatever I got some great metal sounds out of it using distortion type pedals (Marshall Shredmaster, MXR Super Badass Distortion, Vemuram Rage-e), but I could get similar tones out of other amps just pushed with a boost/od. No reason to keep the Brent Hinds Terror around if it needs so many pedals to get it sounding like other metal amps. I normally like to use a Keeley Metal Zone with the gain down super low like Cannibal Corpse used to use live, but it just pushed this amp into sounding way too shrill.
Micro Dark ($189) + Mini Tube Screamer ($70) = $260 To beat how this combo sounds, you'd have to spend at least $500 on a head alone, or $700+ for a combo
I run an MXR 10 band eq in the loop and it's sick! Breathes some serious life into the amp. Also, upgrading the preamp tube with a Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7, the amp becomes an absolute BEAST!
The micro dark is a more versatile amp IMO. The micro dark can really do any genre of music from doom to surf rock (the cleans are actually really glassy at a lower gain and with a transparent OD pedal). The dark terror seems to be better suited for high-gain sounds.
You have a three tube preamp versus a single tube preamp. -Power section aside, that is going to creat a huge difference. I have a micro dark and I get a great sound running the effects loop send into my interface and then into my DAW where I can throw IRs on it (as well as do other processing). A dirt pedal on the front end can really help bridge yhe gap between the two heads. If you record a dry di guitar signal you can reamp it through the micro dark again with slightly different gain settings and then bus those in your DAW and it will sound full. (Admittedly a lot of work and time to where a load box and a dark terror will eventually make more sense lol). Thanks for the comparison video, Ola!
My micro dark is my main gigging amp. You can do so much with it I don't think people realize how powerful it is. Easy to swap out tubes, compact and easy to bring with you, buffered FX loop, cab sim line out. What it lacks in tube frequencies it makes up for in size, money and value.
I need to try this. All this time, I have always stuck with using the valves that came in the amps, and only replacing them with they break or burn out. For that matter, I need to try tube swapping to begin with. That is something I never considered doing, since valves can last forever if you take care of them. I have seen Fender amps from when JFK said "Ich bin ein Berliner," and they still have the factory valves.
@@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy tube rolling a Micro Dark is thankfully super easy. Recommend looking up a chart of different tube types to see what you are looking for. Also note that all Tubes are not equal, and manufacturing origin has a lot to do with the sound you get. A Mullard 12AX7 is going to have a different profile than a Groove Tubes 12AX7. If you want clean headroom, check out a 12AU7 or 12AY7.
I picked up the Micro Terror as my first, and currently only, amp and have been super happy with the purchase. As a beginner guitarist it has been good to have an affordable amp that I can easily move from room to room and has the sound of a tube amp at practice volumes. Definitely looking at the full-fledged brother when it's time to upgrade.
Funny you say that. The music I produced almost never calls for orange tone. Yet when I'm without, I find myself always wanting an orange amp. Orange has such a great sound it makes practice more fun.
*_Everyone has their own preference and taste, but I’ve never heard a bad Orange. Whenever I hear a great rock and metal tone, it usually ends up being a band that plays Oranges. 🤣_*
@@_vez Tech 21 Oxford from the Character series. An Orange in a box. They also make excellent Marshall & Recto in a box pedals, they work as DIs & preamps too. Same company that makes the Bass Driver DI, industry standard way for bassists to make instant friends with the soundman for decades.
I’ve got both a CR120H and a Rockerverb Mkiii 100. It’s a similar thing to this video where the Micro Dark gets close but just doesn’t have the same tone as the Dark. The CR120 is very close to the Rockerverb. I use the CR120 live where I don’t want to worry about wrecking my Rockerverb in a shitty venue.
The micro terror definitely sounded better to me using headphones. It was tighter, sharper and more compressed in tone with the TS-9 which I generally prefer over the Dark Terror' s more focused, open and wider sound. I would buy both and mix the tones together for a great sound in a full mix though.
Cool, thanks for the video! I'm a beginner guitarist and am currently using an audio interface, Reaper, some plug ins and studio monitors until I get to the skill level(probably a year from now) to where I'll feel comfortable getting a physical amp that I'd use both at home and outside my home and was planning between those two specific amps! I know now that when I'm ready to get the dark terror.
I like the looks of that guitar. I saw a good vlog explaining the way solid state distorts as opposed to how tubes do. If you look at the frequency on a Graff it makes alot of sense
The midrange on the micro sounds really nice, I think I might like it more than the midrange from the terror. But I do think the terror sounds more dynamic and controlled.. Both good amps!
That is some heavy ass chugging! Love the sound of both! Ola, have you considered putting some foam behind your nut to keep the strings quite? I learned that trick from specter sound studios and now I can't stand the strings making noise (especially in drop tuning w/ heavy distortion). Keep up the good work Ola! Cheers from Illinois USA
I once suffered from GAS, this is why I got an Axe FX so when I watch videos of Ola demoing stuff and get the symptoms of GAS I'll just go to my Axe and dial the tone xD
Ola thank you so much for these videos. I'm on railroad and I can't bring my stack so a smaller set up to take with me it's super helpful when renting rooms chasing work
For the Dark Terror use all speakers evenly if they're ohms aren't the same from time being used, to brand new. Because if I can figure out what side is used more I could switch up placement on the celestians, to go well with a bottom cabinet.
I have the all tube dark terror at home and it is perfect in very low volumes too. It is like the digital amp of tube amps, you have perfect sound immediately, no hassle with knobs.
the Micro Dark's thicker and sounds more fuzz-like. It suits a more stoner rock/metal aesthetic than anything thrashy. I like it for my style. And imo when its used with a telecaster, the single coils cut through the mud a bit and theres some interesting character. I lean on this amp more than I do my fuzz pedal collection.
I love the micro dark.. My cheat is running out of the headphone jack which simulates a 4x12 orange cab into a rack power amp to give you more volume then into a cab.
More Orange demos please Ola? Really good to see a metal player giving them a look and some of the other amps from the orange line would be really great to see demo'd in this way
I had the micro dark. Is an awesome little amp! I had to sell it for financial reasons, otherwise I never would have sold it. Right before I sold it was the first time in tried playing it thru a cab. The Micro Terror has a completely different vibe when it powers a cab. IMO, it’s one of the only amps that sounds better through its on board cab sim than a real cab. I’d love to see the exact same comparison but with the micro darks cab sim. I promise it will hold up better than it does in this video. The other micro dark secret is it produces an outstanding clean tone. If you’re a headphone player, than try the microdark! Even if the gain structure is not your type, I’m telling you it sounds amazing through the cab sim. I know that sounds crazy but it’s true. As always, you’re videos are excellent and I thank you for producing them!
I’d also like to add that the sizzle he’s talking about in the beginning, is much more apparent in the cab sim than when it powers a cab. My favorite part of the micro dark was the sizzle. I normally don’t play with that much gain, but it’s such a fun little amp to play with through the cab sim. Please give it a a comparison with the sim!! The microdark is truly a different amp when it powers the cab.
The speakers & cabinet also matters. If the speakers just don't have the grunt, even if the amp can drive 2-4 of them, 6-8's aren't ever going to be 10-12+'s. The Micro Dark seemed to be a sound that was a narrower range to hit what the Dark Terror could get as a wider band as a margin of sound & tone. It's there for a Micro Dark, but you have to find that optimally orchestrated combination of dial settings. As brand new is there $ 500ish more for a home application. I wasn't disappointed with either from this comparison video. It's like any budget vs more robust amp comparison, if you know where to go with a Micro Dark, dial that in and get your work done at those settings. The more capable amp is going to be more forgiving & flexible as the speakers break in or eventually get worn out.
These days In my home studio I tap the FX loop on the Micro dark to just get it`s preamp sewction and then I either pass it on to my rackmount Marshal 120/120 power amp and then onto a small cab with a Marshall 1960 cab speaker in or a slightly larger cab with 2 Marshall 1960AV speakers in and the Micro dark pre amp part sounds epic, especially with a tune screamer in use ................ sometimes I also pass the preamp out to my Torpedo C.A.B emulation box which provides some Marshall poweramp and speaker emulation
The Dark sounds good....The Micro cant keep up ... ..HUGE diff @ 6:27 WOW...Much deeper...I may have to buy one....I like the old Ibanez Tube screamers too
Both not for silent use, for recording maybe with IR cabs or mic'ed cab but even micro dark is hellish loud, with 12" 8ohm celestion a-type..i suggest having guitar with EMG's or some very hot PUPS and or pedal like BOSS SD1, otherwise these days SS amp for home is perfect.
i have a microdark and im very happy with it. I can definately tell a bit of difference in tone to the full sized version. however i have used the microdark live with a 4x12 randall cab and just a rat distortion pedal and it does great for what kind of music i do. which is sludge metal lol. It has a really nasty thick kinda sick tone that i like. yeah i mean if you have the money get the full sized version but if your a broke ass like me I can say from experience that the micro-dark does the trick.
Love this amps I bought a Joyo meteor cz it sounds really inspired in Rockeverb and for me sounds better than the micro terror Alwats been into Jim Root sound and it gets really close. Im about to but the ppc 212 orange screen
@@Homanjer The only reason I would buy this amp is for the pre amp. Hell the micro only has a tube preamp and a solid state poweramp. So in my case getting a separate preamp defeats the reason to buy it in the first place. But we all have different preferences : )
@@florisbackx1744 I'm just saying if you find something annoying in the tone of an amp you can get a good preamp and "fix" your tone. The amp still is a really good deal for that money even if you buy an extra preamp to clean the tone up. Generally a good preamp pedal is always useful and can give you lots of room for experimentation. Don't limit yourself to a guitar to amp signal chain
@@florisbackx1744 and if you care about the fact that it's valves then you should just try to compare the tones yourself. This whole valve vs solid state argument is really old and pointless
0:48 Micro Dark is 20 Watts. It's louder and more powerful than the "bigger brother". Actually it wasn't meant as a cheap small and quiet home amp for beginners. It was created as a small and lightweight carry-anywhere plug-and-play amp for professional guitarists who often visit studios or/and stages and are able to use 2x12, 2x15 or 4x12 cabinets that are already in those studios or on those stages. You just take your guitar(s), this hybrid amp, couple of pedals and a bunch of wires (the latter are usually easy to find at studio/on stage) come to a studio in a different town, state or a foreign country and just plug into a local cabinet. Another way to use this amp is when you mainly play on stage in clubs thru, say, Dark Terror and plug the Micro Dark as a spare in case if the main amp dies in the middle of the concert 'cause of malfunction of one of the tubes. While your technician changes the valve, you and your audience have on the sound. Yes, not so refined one, but a) the tone is quite close to the tone of your main amp, most of the audience will notice nothing, b) it's waaay better that stopping a song. (Tube amplifiers usually suffer from moving from place to place.)
I was going to return the micro dark and get the bigger one .. but finally decided to keep the micro dark mini.. because it’s sounds very close to its bigger brother.
In the last comparison I hear only a subtle difference, that can be easily EQed. But no idea about the loudness though. The micro sounds better in the high frequencies but it is just a EQ touch. The tube one is too harsh like solid state drive plugged direct.
Tube dark terror but you always need a maxon od808 tube screamer and sometimes a mxr 6 band eq.. Great amp for anything blues, rock , metal and doom.. Love mine through a 2 12 orange closed back..
In my professional opinion I feel that the
Micro dark is definitely smaller.
sound is richer on Dark Terror.
Thank you! It was really hard to tell! Great that you brought the answer mate!
Genius
lol
Yeah and the micro is 400+ cheaper 😂
With my budget i could plug my guitar to an orange 🍊
Ha
Lol same dude. This made me laugh
Only if the Orange has an Apple interface. Otherwise it would be bananas.
Little known fact. The amps that are refurbished are called lemons 🍋
BOOM
Robert Payne this shit is bananas! B-A-N-A-N-A-S!
If you turn on the CC the screen says “Applause” every time Ola chugs
Went back and you are right its funny as hell it does that.
went back and looked and you're right! LMAO that was awesome
I thought this was a joke til I tried it lol
No, it doesn't, we aren't allowed to clap anymore - we have to do "jazz hands". And no, I am not making that up!
amazing 🤣
I don't use the micro dark regularly, but it's so small that I bring it to every gig as a backup. The other guitarist in my band has had to use it a couple times when his amp went down, so it's saved the day a few times.
I do the same thing on tour! The mirco dark barely takes up any room in the van and it's a cheap, good sounding way to make sure that no matter what happens you can still play the show!
I'm looking for a backup amp that takes up little room and is loud enough for gigging. Would it be loud enough in a small pub with a 4x12 and not running through a PA?
I've just bought a Micro Dark, mainly for use as a recording amp, go from effect send into an emulated tube power section and cab and it sounds better than any all software amp simulation I've tried, sounds massive.
What equipment and software did you use to hook it up to your computer?
Thanks in advance!
Exactly what I do. Use a Nux mini studio for cab simming. Great little setup.
If I send it into my interface from effect send, Do I still need a load hooked up to the speaker out?
@@Georgiyantyufeyev Not the micro dark, since power section is solid state. Dark Terror though, yes.
@@Ones_Complement ahh! So if I opt to record through the effect send; the tube is totally useless unless I hook up a cab? Or headphone out. But that sounds like doo doo haha
You can tell Ola’s writing again from the fact he’s playing some new riffs
He always plays the same riffs in every damn video! lol
Marco Rodriguez I was just thinking the exact same thing haha.
@@marcorodriguez7694 don't fix it if it ain't broken.
the one he was using for most of the video is over 20 years old ;)
The Haunted "Bullet Hole"
@@DrDizzleFrizzle In this case i disagree. He's played in many different bands and has written lots of songs I'm sure he can come up with msny different riffs to play. I enjoy his channel, but listening him playing literally the same riffs in every guitar video can get tiresome lol
Bought the Micro Dark two years ago, I’m so happy with it, great practice amp with the stoner sludgy tone I was looking for
zero tolerance no sir, I just wanted to try out the Orange sound without spending 2000€ for my first Orange amp, congrats for being so judgmental
Daniel Longo I also like it for that price reason, and I bought it because it is loud and sounds pretty good with an OD pedal in front of it and change of the preamp tubes
@@daniellongo7873 Budget orange amps, as evidenced by this video, are WAY closer to their full tube brethren than almost all other brands. The micro dark with either extremely high output pickups or a tube screamer sounds just as good as the real deal for half the cost.
@@nicolausteslaus imagine having your head so far up your own ass you think you can tell other people how to feel about things. You're a joke.
I just picked up the micro dark and on my 7 string it sounds pretty gnarly. I do need an overdrive but I'm super satisfied.
I mean the micro dark sounds pretty damn good for under $200
I use the tiny dark pre- output into a Carvin MTS 3200 effects input. (clean side) Now I have a 100 watt amp that SOUNDS like a tiny terror!
I just got my micro dark two days ago, love it for what I do.
I love mine that blue light is blinding though
A Micro Dark sounds so much better with the Volume turned up. These comparison videos always have it around 9:00. It really starts sounding great around 2:00. It does respond like a tube power section. You just need to push it. Otherwise it just sounds like a distortion pedal.
Agree. I'm sure if he did it with a ISO cab rather than one right in the room we'd hear more or a difference. Still a great comparison.
Just tried it on mine and youre right it does give it more body. Odd since the power section is transistor. I have a mesa 1x12 and this tiny head sounds ridiculously good.
@@prismsedits2320 - How is the noise on this one? Do you use a gate? Does it need one? I have an EVH 5150III 50 watt that's ridiculously noisy. Almost bugging me too much now. -Jeff
@@canyonadvisors6449 Hey there, fellow 50-watt 5153 owner just passing through in the comments and thought I'd throw in my two cents. I've noticed that the amount of noise/buzz the 5153 produces is somewhat dependant on where in a room you have it sitting and where in a room you're playing compared to where it is; best quick fix I can recommend is just moving it around a bit to see where it produces the least amount of noise (if you get it situated really good it's almost completely noiseless). Other than that I find that a Smart Gate set at just 10 o' clock can usually kill whatever noise issues I might be having with it. Cheers, I hope this helps!
I use it with volume around 2 O'clock and above with a passive attenuator in the FX loop to keep it at room volume. Really makes a difference to overall tone and gets it closer to a full tube sound.
my dad uses his micro dark terror with 2 4x12 cabinets for the powerviolence band that he's in Dredger
Fuck I wish my dad was in a powerviolence band
@@civilnotepink i wish i was in a band, lol
@@doughboy2094 nothings stopping u from making one. wish me luck on my musical endeavors as i wish you luck on yours brother
I don't notice a lot of difference between the two honestly but only a gerbil too so there's that.
Try the micro with the cab sim and there's even less difference.
"Gerbils can hear frequencies of between 100 and 60,000 Hz." Why do you lie to us, little one?
Chug Life 3 confirmed
orange box edition
Episode 3: Chug is Life
half life:ola.
It's so Dark and so terrifying
Also orange
@@nicolausteslaus if u use it with a ts808 boos it sounds good
@@nicolausteslaus Its a cheap Ibanez tube screamer
I use the micro dark live all the time. I use some cheats though, I swapped out the preamp tube and threw in a tube compressor in the effects loop to get that tube sag. My effects and pedals pretty much do the rest. I also use a H&K red box from the headphone out to the sound board if I have to play small venue. It’s loud and mighty, and with a few adjustments it can handle almost any live situation.
Ft 7 by C300
I replaced the pre tube in my micro dark with a gold pin jj ecc 83 and got impressive results
@@TheAc1532 Gold Pin is the way to go. I have a Gold Pin JJ 12AU7 I used for a while and loved the results I got out of it.
Kudos for the fx loop tip, never thought of that
Derrick Lugo I heard gold pins don’t change tone at all
I use the Micro Dark in a live situation on my touring rig (I wanted the smallest options possible - I have a Radar Pedal as backup) i run a EQ pedal through the effects loops to clear up the wayward frequencies, I have genuinely had compliments on my tone. Anyway - If you wanna hear it in action check out On a Hiding To Nothing.
Sounds good dude! These little amps are amazing!
Hi what eq pedal are u using? Thanks
5:58 that riff was insane
The Haunted "Bullet Hole"
@@anester1866 oh thank you my candy
We need more of these kinds of riffs when he's testing the tone :)
@@mybcro9291 if you like that check out more of The Haunted, Witchery, and At The Gates. they all share guitarists.
@@mybcro9291 agreed
Just picked up a micro terror. Love the thing, wasn't expecting that kind of punch of the little guy!
Right? Invest in a long plate preamp tube…louder and more gain…sounds beefier as well more like a 5150 voicing without the high end harshness if you know what I mean
I've gone through a couple of comment sections on these videos and I feel like I am the only one coming here not only for the chug but because of the way you play I love your playing
I have the micro. Love it. Recently moved to an apartment so I had to switch from a 4x12 to a 1x12. It’s a solid amplifier IMO. I get most of my gain tone from pedals, but if I need beefy amp gain it’s got it. I want to get two of them and run a wet/dry set up because that would kick hella feet. Great vid as always Ola. Love you dog. Keep being awesome.🤟🏻
Might as well test out the Brent Hinds signature amp now
The Brent Hinds Terror seems to be discontinued. As well as the Jim Root Terror.
The Brent Hinds Terror is weird. I bought one on release because I'm a big Mastodon fan, expecting it to be a metal monster, but it's actually a medium gain 70's style amp like an Orange-voiced hot Plexi (which makes sense based on Mastodon's actual tones). It came out at the same time as the Rocker 15 head and shares a lot of similarities but the Brent Hinds Terror is actually much LOWER gain than the Rocker 15. I think it actually ended up being quite unpopular for that reason.
👽 inevitable vegan future 👽 that’s why I got rid off my unfortunately. I think they kinda mislead people with it. While it did sound great It wasn’t the sound I’m after.
@@inevitableveganfuture3915 I have one and won another one in an online contest Orange had. Stick a really good OD in front of the Hinds and it is glorious. Even a cheap TS Clone makes a huge difference and will give you passable tone.
Talking with the Orange people I mentioned they needed a good Metal 2 Channel Terror and they would sell tons of them. They said they considered it but it never went anywhere. ...
@@MehWhatever I got some great metal sounds out of it using distortion type pedals (Marshall Shredmaster, MXR Super Badass Distortion, Vemuram Rage-e), but I could get similar tones out of other amps just pushed with a boost/od. No reason to keep the Brent Hinds Terror around if it needs so many pedals to get it sounding like other metal amps. I normally like to use a Keeley Metal Zone with the gain down super low like Cannibal Corpse used to use live, but it just pushed this amp into sounding way too shrill.
Micro Dark ($189) + Mini Tube Screamer ($70) = $260
To beat how this combo sounds, you'd have to spend at least $500 on a head alone, or $700+ for a combo
if you like digital clipping
A RAT and a DSL1 beats it for around the same price.
The Micro Dark was my amp for nearly two years. With an EQ in its FX loop, it’s pretty good. Highly recommend the Orange Two Stroke Boost EQ.
I run an MXR 10 band eq in the loop and it's sick! Breathes some serious life into the amp. Also, upgrading the preamp tube with a Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7, the amp becomes an absolute BEAST!
The micro dark is a more versatile amp IMO. The micro dark can really do any genre of music from doom to surf rock (the cleans are actually really glassy at a lower gain and with a transparent OD pedal). The dark terror seems to be better suited for high-gain sounds.
You have a three tube preamp versus a single tube preamp. -Power section aside, that is going to creat a huge difference. I have a micro dark and I get a great sound running the effects loop send into my interface and then into my DAW where I can throw IRs on it (as well as do other processing). A dirt pedal on the front end can really help bridge yhe gap between the two heads. If you record a dry di guitar signal you can reamp it through the micro dark again with slightly different gain settings and then bus those in your DAW and it will sound full. (Admittedly a lot of work and time to where a load box and a dark terror will eventually make more sense lol). Thanks for the comparison video, Ola!
I absolutely LOVE the Micro Dark. if you want a compact rig, the Micro Dark is the way to go.
My micro dark is my main gigging amp. You can do so much with it I don't think people realize how powerful it is. Easy to swap out tubes, compact and easy to bring with you, buffered FX loop, cab sim line out. What it lacks in tube frequencies it makes up for in size, money and value.
I put a Genalex Gold Lion in mine and it's an even more versatile amp now
John Kerr I put in a Gold Lion in mine as well lol did the amp wonders
I need to try this. All this time, I have always stuck with using the valves that came in the amps, and only replacing them with they break or burn out.
For that matter, I need to try tube swapping to begin with. That is something I never considered doing, since valves can last forever if you take care of them. I have seen Fender amps from when JFK said "Ich bin ein Berliner," and they still have the factory valves.
@@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy tube rolling a Micro Dark is thankfully super easy. Recommend looking up a chart of different tube types to see what you are looking for. Also note that all Tubes are not equal, and manufacturing origin has a lot to do with the sound you get. A Mullard 12AX7 is going to have a different profile than a Groove Tubes 12AX7. If you want clean headroom, check out a 12AU7 or 12AY7.
Got me a micro dark 2 years ago. Amazing metal amp for the price, just slap on a tube screamer and your good to go!
It would be interesting to hear these in a mix. Dark terror sounds better on its own, but I bet the Micro would sound good in a mix.
I picked up the Micro Terror as my first, and currently only, amp and have been super happy with the purchase. As a beginner guitarist it has been good to have an affordable amp that I can easily move from room to room and has the sound of a tube amp at practice volumes. Definitely looking at the full-fledged brother when it's time to upgrade.
Have you upgraded yet? If so, what did you get?
@@ricksanchezito8972 I got the Micro Dark to have an FX loop, and then a Boss Katana 100w for flexibility. Loving them both!
@@lp235 nice. I hear good things about Boss Katana amps.
Man. Orange has never REALLY appealed to me, but it's not denying that they sound pretty great
Funny you say that. The music I produced almost never calls for orange tone. Yet when I'm without, I find myself always wanting an orange amp. Orange has such a great sound it makes practice more fun.
*_Everyone has their own preference and taste, but I’ve never heard a bad Orange. Whenever I hear a great rock and metal tone, it usually ends up being a band that plays Oranges. 🤣_*
You should try the crush120 vs a rockverb or something along these lines!
@MrAdammassacre I know it's going to be just a comparison not all of us can afford expensive tube amps
@@_vez that's why you learn to love Tech 21- check out the Oxford sometime.
@@mercedes260d4 The what?
@@_vez Tech 21 Oxford from the Character series. An Orange in a box. They also make excellent Marshall & Recto in a box pedals, they work as DIs & preamps too.
Same company that makes the Bass Driver DI, industry standard way for bassists to make instant friends with the soundman for decades.
I’ve got both a CR120H and a Rockerverb Mkiii 100. It’s a similar thing to this video where the Micro Dark gets close but just doesn’t have the same tone as the Dark. The CR120 is very close to the Rockerverb. I use the CR120 live where I don’t want to worry about wrecking my Rockerverb in a shitty venue.
A Boss GE7 in the effects loop makes a HUGE difference and makes them far more versatile.
I have a Micro Dark and have used it live.
Throw in a good compressor in the loop before the GE7. I use this trick live all the time, makes a massive difference
If you swap out the preamp tube in the Micro Dark with a Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7, it becomes an absolute BEAST!!
Can confirm
That pre amp tube with the right circuits make the amp. Well done Orange designers! I love my MD.
I hope there may be an Orange Dark Synergy module!
The micro terror definitely sounded better to me using headphones. It was tighter, sharper and more compressed in tone with the TS-9 which I generally prefer over the Dark Terror' s more focused, open and wider sound. I would buy both and mix the tones together for a great sound in a full mix though.
fucking same, its incredible the smaller one sounded tighter more compact and better imo
I would love to see a 3 channel Orange amp! The Orange Triple Darkifire
JRPowell3_Music you have to pitch that idea to orange! That is a great idea
Oh no, _Terror_ in the video title. Goodbye monetization and recommendation
Cool, thanks for the video! I'm a beginner guitarist and am currently using an audio interface, Reaper, some plug ins and studio monitors until I get to the skill level(probably a year from now) to where I'll feel comfortable getting a physical amp that I'd use both at home and outside my home and was planning between those two specific amps! I know now that when I'm ready to get the dark terror.
Something about the dark terror’s bottom end is just perfect to me. I wonder if the micro could get that same deep punch with an eq
It can and does. With a boost it sounds pretty dang close to the terror
Honestly I prefer the sound of the Micro Dark. It sounds a lot thicker to my ears.
« I think it is 10 or 5W » ... it’s freeking TWENTY 😂😭
Pretty sure it’s 20?? My Micro Terror is.
@@brandonkaiser8344 yeah it is! I don’t know why Ola thought it was 5 😂
You should get a Orange Dual dark for completeness :-)
'I can't find the tube screamer. It's not here. It's somewhere else. Oh it's on the floor.' You crack me up bro.
Tube Screamers are badass to make any small tube or hybrid amp sound badass.
tube screamers are just great
@@whatskraken3886 hell yeah bro
I’m starting to really appreciate your videos demonstrating different equipment. Thanks!
I like the looks of that guitar. I saw a good vlog explaining the way solid state distorts as opposed to how tubes do. If you look at the frequency on a Graff it makes alot of sense
i love it when you use The Haunted songs to test things. Bullet Hole. took me a minute to figure out exactly which song it was.
The midrange on the micro sounds really nice, I think I might like it more than the midrange from the terror. But I do think the terror sounds more dynamic and controlled.. Both good amps!
I picked up the micro dark a few months ago, and my neighbors love it!!!...😂🎸😂🤘🤘
That's my favorite Haunted riff, classic. Sounds extra tight through the bigger Orange Amp.
What was the riff btw?
@@zombiemontage bullet hole off of the first haunted album from 1998 I think. Thrash riff
Everyone make sure to thank Ola's ass for being this videos sponsor!
That is some heavy ass chugging! Love the sound of both! Ola, have you considered putting some foam behind your nut to keep the strings quite? I learned that trick from specter sound studios and now I can't stand the strings making noise (especially in drop tuning w/ heavy distortion). Keep up the good work Ola! Cheers from Illinois USA
I once suffered from GAS, this is why I got an Axe FX so when I watch videos of Ola demoing stuff and get the symptoms of GAS I'll just go to my Axe and dial the tone xD
Ola thank you so much for these videos. I'm on railroad and I can't bring my stack so a smaller set up to take with me it's super helpful when renting rooms chasing work
For the Dark Terror use all speakers evenly if they're ohms aren't the same from time being used, to brand new. Because if I can figure out what side is used more I could switch up placement on the celestians, to go well with a bottom cabinet.
This is an Ola serious video without a joke in a long time hahah
I have the all tube dark terror at home and it is perfect in very low volumes too. It is like the digital amp of tube amps, you have perfect sound immediately, no hassle with knobs.
Swear I'm going to hear the famous Ola testing shit riff in a song one day and be like "hey, that's Ola's riff!" lol
Both sounded great, but for those on a tight budget, the micro would do for home use.
the Micro Dark's thicker and sounds more fuzz-like. It suits a more stoner rock/metal aesthetic than anything thrashy. I like it for my style. And imo when its used with a telecaster, the single coils cut through the mud a bit and theres some interesting character. I lean on this amp more than I do my fuzz pedal collection.
I love the micro dark.. My cheat is running out of the headphone jack which simulates a 4x12 orange cab into a rack power amp to give you more volume then into a cab.
Sound great with the ts but a bit too fluffy for my tastes without
Yup. The sound really tightens up when they're pushed.
More Orange demos please Ola? Really good to see a metal player giving them a look and some of the other amps from the orange line would be really great to see demo'd in this way
Thank you for making this review. It was really informative to hear the two amps played back to back for comparison.
They actually sound pretty similar gain-wise, but you can definitely hear the solid state character of the micro dark, a lot more "angular".
I had the micro dark. Is an awesome little amp! I had to sell it for financial reasons, otherwise I never would have sold it. Right before I sold it was the first time in tried playing it thru a cab. The Micro Terror has a completely different vibe when it powers a cab. IMO, it’s one of the only amps that sounds better through its on board cab sim than a real cab. I’d love to see the exact same comparison but with the micro darks cab sim. I promise it will hold up better than it does in this video. The other micro dark secret is it produces an outstanding clean tone. If you’re a headphone player, than try the microdark! Even if the gain structure is not your type, I’m telling you it sounds amazing through the cab sim. I know that sounds crazy but it’s true.
As always, you’re videos are excellent and I thank you for producing them!
I’d also like to add that the sizzle he’s talking about in the beginning, is much more apparent in the cab sim than when it powers a cab. My favorite part of the micro dark was the sizzle. I normally don’t play with that much gain, but it’s such a fun little amp to play with through the cab sim. Please give it a a comparison with the sim!! The microdark is truly a different amp when it powers the cab.
The speakers & cabinet also matters. If the speakers just don't have the grunt, even if the amp can drive 2-4 of them, 6-8's aren't ever going to be 10-12+'s. The Micro Dark seemed to be a sound that was a narrower range to hit what the Dark Terror could get as a wider band as a margin of sound & tone. It's there for a Micro Dark, but you have to find that optimally orchestrated combination of dial settings. As brand new is there $ 500ish more for a home application. I wasn't disappointed with either from this comparison video. It's like any budget vs more robust amp comparison, if you know where to go with a Micro Dark, dial that in and get your work done at those settings. The more capable amp is going to be more forgiving & flexible as the speakers break in or eventually get worn out.
The tone knob sweet spot on the micro dark, is between 1 and 2 o’clock. Scoops the mids a bit but not too much.
Love that DT. IMO the best metal amp at that price point without a doubt.
That dark terror sounds fantastic. I need one. I also want the baby one for using at my desk.
The Micro is almost not bigger than the tube screamer. I’ve asked for Orange for Christmas but we’ll just have to see what Santa brings!🎅🏻
A satsuma
Same here bro
He's gonna bring three oranges
Guitarists Suck I’ve asked for a CR120 and the single 12 cab
@@GearGasms that amp is so rad, your gonna feel limited with that small of a cab
5:58 riffs beat my heart🙂
These days In my home studio I tap the FX loop on the Micro dark to just get it`s preamp sewction and then I either pass it on to my rackmount Marshal 120/120 power amp and then onto a small cab with a Marshall 1960 cab speaker in or a slightly larger cab with 2 Marshall 1960AV speakers in and the Micro dark pre amp part sounds epic, especially with a tune screamer in use ................ sometimes I also pass the preamp out to my Torpedo C.A.B emulation box which provides some Marshall poweramp and speaker emulation
Ola should do a will it chug on the TH30! I already know it will, but seeing Ola chug on it would be epic!
The Dark sounds good....The Micro cant keep up ... ..HUGE diff @ 6:27 WOW...Much deeper...I may have to buy one....I like the old Ibanez Tube screamers too
Cool thing about the Micro you just throw into your gigbag then pair it with a Gigboard or Iridium, monitoring courtesy of micro's power section.
I own a Dark Terror and use it with the Precision Drive, it sounds amazing
I'm thinking of getting this exact setup. Think my old Line 6 cab (4x12) will do it justice?
@@alexzanderzamora331 I guarantee you it will sound killer, you won't be disappointed, I use it with the Jim Root signature 2x12 and it sounds great
Both not for silent use, for recording maybe with IR cabs or mic'ed cab but even micro dark is hellish loud, with 12" 8ohm celestion a-type..i suggest having guitar with EMG's or some very hot PUPS and or pedal like BOSS SD1, otherwise these days SS amp for home is perfect.
i have a microdark and im very happy with it. I can definately tell a bit of difference in tone to the full sized version. however i have used the microdark live with a 4x12 randall cab and just a rat distortion pedal and it does great for what kind of music i do. which is sludge metal lol. It has a really nasty thick kinda sick tone that i like. yeah i mean if you have the money get the full sized version but if your a broke ass like me I can say from experience that the micro-dark does the trick.
man i love when ola tests Orange amps. i dont know, i guess because they typically seem un-metal, but they can do metal really well.
Tristan R. Do u even slipknot bRoOoO!
Orange amps are used by many metal bands, hell even Slipknot guitarist Jim Root has a signature Orange amp
Mastodon use them too
Matt pike
Yeah, I really got it when you did the clip comparison side by side. Thanks.
I have a Orange TH30 with a fortin Blade running in the front. Crushing metal tone! It chugs fursure.
I really want Ola to say "What's up slappers" at some point
True Bypass 🤣
@@petepetrich7828 lol
Best comparison video on both of these amp heads. Looking forward to see another comparison video on evh 5150 III lbx vs the big brother.
Ola, just a heads up: the Micro Dark is 20W. Furthermore, I LOVE my Micro Dark. One thing is for sure: it doesn’t do quiet!
I didn't really care for the Micro at first, then you boosted it and I liked it better than the bigger head 🤘
Love this amps
I bought a Joyo meteor cz it sounds really inspired in Rockeverb and for me sounds better than the micro terror
Alwats been into Jim Root sound and it gets really close.
Im about to but the ppc 212 orange screen
Not having a bass, mid and high eq would drive me crazy XD, that shape knob is too limited for me.
I mean you could always get a preamp.
@@Homanjer The only reason I would buy this amp is for the pre amp. Hell the micro only has a tube preamp and a solid state poweramp. So in my case getting a separate preamp defeats the reason to buy it in the first place. But we all have different preferences : )
@@florisbackx1744 I'm just saying if you find something annoying in the tone of an amp you can get a good preamp and "fix" your tone. The amp still is a really good deal for that money even if you buy an extra preamp to clean the tone up. Generally a good preamp pedal is always useful and can give you lots of room for experimentation. Don't limit yourself to a guitar to amp signal chain
@@florisbackx1744 and if you care about the fact that it's valves then you should just try to compare the tones yourself. This whole valve vs solid state argument is really old and pointless
@@Homanjer True : )
0:48 Micro Dark is 20 Watts. It's louder and more powerful than the "bigger brother".
Actually it wasn't meant as a cheap small and quiet home amp for beginners. It was created as a small and lightweight carry-anywhere plug-and-play amp for professional guitarists who often visit studios or/and stages and are able to use 2x12, 2x15 or 4x12 cabinets that are already in those studios or on those stages.
You just take your guitar(s), this hybrid amp, couple of pedals and a bunch of wires (the latter are usually easy to find at studio/on stage) come to a studio in a different town, state or a foreign country and just plug into a local cabinet.
Another way to use this amp is when you mainly play on stage in clubs thru, say, Dark Terror and plug the Micro Dark as a spare in case if the main amp dies in the middle of the concert 'cause of malfunction of one of the tubes. While your technician changes the valve, you and your audience have on the sound. Yes, not so refined one, but a) the tone is quite close to the tone of your main amp, most of the audience will notice nothing, b) it's waaay better that stopping a song.
(Tube amplifiers usually suffer from moving from place to place.)
the Dark Terror has way more low end, and more in the mids, but the Micro still sounds great, but that Dark terror sounds killer
I own the micro dark on the 10 combo fits all my needs for jamming and not getting kicked out of the house is a plus
I was going to return the micro dark and get the bigger one .. but finally decided to keep the micro dark mini.. because it’s sounds very close to its bigger brother.
Which song is that riff at 00:09? The one that you play frequently in your will it chug videos?
That little guy sounds killer with a TS in front. There's one at my local guitar center, I think I'm going to grab it.
Do it. It's a killer amp!
Ola! Thank you so much! You have something in you and your videos that make me feel better!
I hate it when people call small amps „practice amps“. Like the bigger amps sound as much better as they‘re bigger.
I have a DARK TERROR and it kicks ass, but my 6505+ also does haha, theres no doubt that the MICRO DARK lacks DISTORTION
Ola, run the micro through the effects loop of the Satan or similar. Its amazing when used that way.
In the last comparison I hear only a subtle difference, that can be easily EQed. But no idea about the loudness though. The micro sounds better in the high frequencies but it is just a EQ touch. The tube one is too harsh like solid state drive plugged direct.
Tube dark terror but you always need a maxon od808 tube screamer and sometimes a mxr 6 band eq.. Great amp for anything blues, rock , metal and doom.. Love mine through a 2 12 orange closed back..