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Orange had the best distortion and Fender had the best clean sound. Vox and Marshall were versatile and sounded great dirty and clean. Honestly can’t go wrong with any of these.
Please never stop making these! This is the most thorough and coherent comparison of amps I have ever seen, and as a bonus you were playing beautifully (without boomer blues riffing lol)
Very good indeed. Thanks for the time and it was very thoughtful. My two cents: Orange is a masterpiece. Clean and driven. Vox has a pristine, divine clean sound, and its eq works miracles. Marshall deliver that punch bass under driven mode: now we know why Iron Maiden has carved their riffs! So, my choice would be, considering all factors: 1. Orange 2. Marshall 3. Vox 4. Fender
I liked all of them, but I think the Marshall and the Orange were the most lively of the bunch. Great warm clean tones and both had solid overdrive channels to boot!
1. Orange 2. Marshall (almost a tie) 3. Vox. 4. Fender, mostly bcz the gain is so horrific and it also has just about the worst reverb I've heard in my life.
One of THE BEST shootout style videos I have seen! They all sounded great for different reasons, and, for my ear and style, I would either choose the Vox (which I’ve owned) or the Marshall, but the real star here is your video! You’ve made it very easy to tell the differences in the amps… and you’ve won a new subscriber!!
Excellent, thorough comparison review - and thanks for not talking over it: the sounds speak for themselves. I was surprised to find that I preferred the Orange. It hasn't been a brand I've favoured in the past. The Vox would be my second choice, the Marshall my third: but the top three are all quite close, only separated by features that i personally would find useful. The Fender was a disappointment on everything but cleans: it sounded muffled, or compressed. Then I looked at the prices. Best value for money: the Marshall, which seems to do most things well. Worst: the Fender, but one has to allow for it being an imported American product.
I ended up getting the blues jr with the celestion a type 12” speaker. Such a great blues amp. I love the fat boost and that you can get sound from perfect cleans to pretty dirty within the amps settings. Great buy and thanks for the video again.
They all sound great! I personally have the Marshall Origin 50H and vertical 2x12 cab, and it is an amazing amp! VERY versatile and takes pedals wonderfully. I love your demos, they make me want to feed my GAS; unfortunately, space in my jam room is a limitation.
If I were buying a lower watt combo I'd have trouble choosing between the Orange and the Marshall they both sounded fantastic. The Vox was pretty good, and this demo really didn't do anything for the Blues Junior.
I recently bought two amps for a home usage - Vox AC10 and Orange Rocker 15. I ended playing only a rocker - it is absolutelly fantastic. Ant that comes from someone who had been playing Rockerverb 50 mkII head with a 2x12 cab. Most important function on a rocker is the Bedroom mode, which is priceless for a flat usage. Also it has a perfect tube driven fx loop, so you just buy a great reverb and there you go.)
Can’t beat the power scaling on the orange and the overall versatility! Also, if you have some pedals and play with eq you can get some vox tones with it too!
The power scaling is what swung me to the orange, love the ability to be able to scale the volume down for home practice while maintaining the tone I want.
I play Orange today but have had Marshall and Fender. All great amps for a studio to keep on hand for tailoring the sound you want for a particular production. Good job on this video!
This opened my ears to the orange sounds, i have marshalls and voxes and have used them exclusively since 68. I think i might need to add an orange to my amp arsenal in the future. Thanks for your comprehensive comparison, best one ive heard to date.
Fabulous video- so useful to have them like this. I’m going to say the AC15 and Origin 20 are my favorites here, though the Orange really grew on me for the clean sounds. And I’ve been playing a Fender amp for 20 years 😂
This is a fantastic and really objective comparison under similar conditions for each one. I’ll say I had some different opinions with my eyes closed compared to watching the video. Good work.
Thanks! One of the best gear demos I've ever seen. For me the Origin 20 really shines in this. The cleans out-do the Blues Jr IMO and the dirty sounds are classic Marshall. The Orange is impressive too, and probably more usable live than the Origin because of the 2 channels.
Amazing work! Thanks! I liked all amps for different things. Vox for great cleans with sparkles, but not for dirty tones. Marshall for higher gain. Orange seems to be great for everything (was pleasantly surprised by its cleans), and Fender for smoother jazzy cleans, but not for dirty.
What a well-put-together video. This is awesome. And I think this goes to show that you buy the amp that best suits your type of music ... Orange/Marshall for hard rock/metal; Vox for classic rock and Fender for blues/country/blues rock.
What a great comparison shootout. Love how you show all the dials being tweaked - Gives a great understanding of how each amp works. I was surprised about the Orange amp. Seemed a good all-rounder but I can't like those dial icons! What's what!?! Cheers
In my opinion, the Marshall sounded the most “balanced” in terms of clean and distortion. Nonetheless, I prefer the Orange because I love the “darker” tone it gives, as well as the mids they naturally have in it. It doesn’t hurt that, at the moment, my definition of “perfect tone” is my Rocker 15 cranked up 100% ;) Always enjoy your reviews, no talking, actually demonstrating the amp’s variables, etc,. Keep it up!
I just started messing around with the Rocker 15. I haven't tried with any pedals yet, but the distortion gets a bit over the top past 1 o'clock, and a bit synthetic sounding. Mind you, I've been mostly in the 'bedroom' setting.
Just stumbled on your excellent video. Guess out of all these amps, I've seen more of the Vox AC15 backline on stages in festivals etc than the others, maybe a few Blues jrs, but as a sound guy, the Vox really holds up on stage in a band situation.
im waiting on a Marshall Origin 20c right now from Sweetwater. This video definitely solidified my choice. I was torn between the Fender Blues Junior IV and the marshall but dang that marshall sounds so good comparatively. the attenuator built in helps a ton too. This video is way better than any of the other marshall/blues junior reviews out there. straight to the point and easy comparisons
I am with you all the way with the Marshall and I dont generally like them. I have the Orange but no reverb, I intended to downdsize from my FBD and buy a Blues Junior in the belief I would get 90% of the sounds I want and help my back but I am getting the Marshall, the Vox is heavier ( weight) than my FBD
I've been gigging with an Origin 20c for about a year and like it a lot. I also own a Blues Jr IV but it's a heavier amp and doesn't have power scaling so I'll be selling it soon. The other guitarist in my band has the Rocker 15 combo which is very similar in features, having a 10 inch speaker, same weight (29 lbs) and power scaling. What essentially sets the 2 amps apart is the use of EL84s in the power section of the Orange and EL34s in the Marshall. I prefer the 'girthier' sound of EL34 tubes. Ironically it's the tube that made both Marshall and Orange famous famous. EL84s sound a bit tame, creamier at times. In fact three out of the four amps compared here are powered by EL84s, which is why the Marshall stands out to me, with its bigger-sounding EL34s. I'm not sure how Marshall got a pair of EL34s down to just 20w when they're rated at a potential 25w *each*. I assume it has to do with output transformer design. Also the Marshall is the least expensive of the four, I believe.
Toby another great example of what is out there at the moment for small low wattage valve amps. Each has it's own flavour especially that mid range, and how the gain structure changes as the volume or gain is dialed in. i Iiked the Marshall for it's balance between clean and crunch the Vox for it's chime but setting it up does require a little tinkering.The Orange just has this roar but also not bad at cleans it's in your face while the Fender seems to be middle of the road jack of all trades. I have owned all these amps at some stage and to hit that sweet spot you need them turned up. Just make sure your neighbours have gone out for the day and you'll soon notice bedroom levels are not helping these amps sound at there optimum.
This was an insanely helpful video! I have a Blues Jr and I've been considering adding a second amp to complement it, and pretty much was looking at all three of these! Thanks for doing this!
Moral of the story: They all sound good. I do think that for passive tone controls flat eq is all tones dialed all the way up. They only cut the assigned frequency range within the basic tone of the amp, they don't boost it. At full up, no tones are being boosted or cut. For active eq, I think of all tone controls at 0 as flat eq, since no tones are being boosted or cut.
I love all of them in this demo. Although I’ve never played a tube version of an orange. The stores near me just don’t stock them. I would love to explore more sounds on a vox but unfortunately haven’t had a chance. Thanks for the videos. Keep up the work of the rock gods ❤
@@jaycee30865 I thought I was the only one. My dad bought for himself but never used it lol, 15W tube is way too loud. Tried to crank it past 2 and get overdrive, it's impossible lol
I have a BJIII sitting for years collecting dust… sounded like someone was sticking an ice pick in my ears. I eventually swapped the speaker to an Eminence Texas Heat and it made a huge difference. I’ve also found a compressor pedal really helps with these amps and makes them sound much less shrill.
Great demo! I love the Marshall power tube overdrive sound! The origin amps sound a little trebly but I bet with a little eq you can get a killer tone.
Wow! Such a great demo! And I'm honestly stunned, because as a person devoted to Fender cleans and Vox chime.... that Marshall had the best sound hands down (still don't like Orange though). This is the sort of content the world needs because now I'm researching an Origin 20 as possibly my next purchase, which would have never happened before this demo.
I'm so grateful for videos like this, and all the effort it must take to put together. I've almost pulled the trigger on all of these maps. To my ears, across the board, the Orange wins. I now know what my next amp will be.
Marshall here, but it depends on what kind of mysic you play, and eventually on the guitar type and how its set. Orange, I would play some Alien Ant Farm "these days" with it, it would be killer. I would definitely play some ACDC and eventually White Zombie- Thunder Kiss '65 with the Marshall or Vox, Vox would be curious to see how it would cope, Fender, well I would go blues SRV, Freddy King clearly, bridge pickup, tubescreamer with slight touch of fuzz face and cranked to the 🦴 to go over that boxy blanket covered sound. Basically I would buy all of them 🤯, problem solved 🙏. By the way, great work with this video Sir.
I was contemplating swapping out my Origin for a Blues Jr but I think I'll spare myself the effort and keep my Origin. Thank you for the stellar comparison.
@@Tone-OzYes, Sir! I'm actually pairing my Origin with a DSL40 combo and I love it. The DSL adds bottom end to the Origin for my cleans, and the Origin adds color and sub EQs to the DSL for the heavy tones. The Origin is great for strat tones which is what brought me to this video. I've heard some great demos of the Blues Jr, but it's better to have a side by side comparison like this to distinguish whether it's worth the hassle of trading for a Fender. I think either one is great for what I'm doing.
@@colinmcnab6145 man, I've been giving a lot of consideration to a swap since I got it so I appreciate the tip! You may have just saved me a ton of time by avoiding the Origin speaker swap forum rabbit hole. I'll for sure let you know how it goes.
I swap amps continually but, ive had theorange for a year now with absolutely no complaints, its great for low vol but still great tone, if you want pristine fender style cleans just put a compressor in front of it , id buy another definitely.
Brilliant video!!!... I bought a tweed Blues Jr IV with a "Red White Blues" speaker from Eminence. It sounds like it has a blanket over it !!.. This very well produced video confirms this 100%. The BJ4 is VERY mid focused...and its almost impossible to EQ out the overpowering mid frequencies. Sending back the blues Jr for an Origin 20 head with a 2x12 cab. Again, Thanks so much for this info. 🙏 I wish I would have watched this before ordering the Blues Jr.
I used to own a Marshall Origin 50H, but later switched to my current Marshall Studio Vintage 20H(which is the best amp I ever have played so far). Recently I purchased the Origin 5C, and it is sitting right beside me at this particular moment, haha. The Marshall Origin is honestly not in the same level as the other amps in this video, rather in terms of tone or in terms of price. However, it is a great amp for the price!
Changed out the tubes and speaker in the Origin 20c and I guarantee it will blow the other 3 amps away all round. I know I've done it and it's now a killer amp if you are looking for 60s tones think Clapton with the Bluesbreakers or Cream, Paul Kossoff Free, Peter Green or Mick Taylor with the Bluesbreakers. Obviously this is with the appropriate type of guitar Les Paul Standard or SG Standard or any low wind humbucker equipped guitar.
@@colinmcnab6145I totally agree… Put a pair of Tungsol 12ax7 in preamp and EVH EL34 in power section of my Origin 20… now the amp sounds like a killer Plexi 20w machine
Surprised by how much I liked the Marshall but the orange was my favourite. I don’t really like the hollow sound of vox and the fender just seemed quite muffled /woolly. As usual a really great way of doing a review
Garvin Terry: that's why pedals exist, these modern tube amps today are designed with pedals in mind. it's been that way for the last 10 years, people who couldn't afford an AC30, a Marshall JCM800, or a Fender Deluxe, these small tube amps sort of let people relive what all the greats used. that being said i hear what you're saying, ya there are differences with each, but i mentioned pedals for a reason. each one of these amps has it's own clean channel, Fender is usually known for there clean channel, but there usually not as good as others when it comes to high gain and overdrive. but that's where a drive could be used through the clean channel. Orange has a nice clean channel, but it has a slightly darker clean tone that would be a great fit for high gain and distortion. the Marshall is kinda balanced, but i don't think the Vox sounded muffled. Vox has never had a bright clean channel, but a clean boost pedal can easily solve that problem. personally i like having a clean channel that's not so bright or dark, because you can choose the type of pedals to get what you want out of the amp.
Dallas Rangemaster style booster (Catalinbread Naga Viper) into a moderately cranked Vox will push it into proper territory. The Orange sounds stellar and with a straight clean channel makes for a perfect pedal platform amp.
Orange sounded best here but I feel like the ac15 has more to give. Finding the good tones in them is really down to knowing how the EQ works and it's not like a normal 3 knob EQ, it's more interactive
Thank you for doing this demo, it’s great. I have the Orange Rocker, great amp, they all sounded good, though I did find the Vox. Bit lacking. Whatever your preferences are one of these is a great amp
This is superbly done. The Marshall is probably the most versatile, followed by the orange which sounds a little fuller and bassier. Vox has spectacular clean but starts to flub as you crank it. The fender didn’t impress me at all.
I have a G10 Greenback in my Origin 20c plus changed all the tubes for Harma Retro Premium which are based on original 60s/70s Mullards. The amp sounds like it really should do giving classic Marshall tones from the 60s/70s.
Watching in 2024, great video. I’m looking for my first (relatively) tube amp. I’m surprised by how much I disliked the Blues Jr. The other three each had their own strengths and weaknesses, but I think the Vox wins as the most overall. I might have to investigate the Marshall some more though
Yes, the BJ has ugly distorted tones, unusable. But if you notice, it has the fuller, more balanced and rich clean tone, which makes it perfect for pedals. This is how I use it. The video is amazing but won't tell you everything.
I really like the Vox cleans and the Orange raunch, I have a Rocker 30 and a Vox AC15C1X, I'll have to see if my attenuator works with my Orange so I can have dirt at lowish volume level, a stereo rig with the Vox would be very nice.
Marshall and Orange are great... BUT I just wonder why they lack reverb... It would have been great to hear them in a mix (to see who shines more). Anyway fantastic comparison, thank you.
Marshall and Vox for best dirty ... Fender best for cleans Vox was close ... Orange for certain metal or grunge ... Their all good depending on what you're trying to do...
I own the Marshall Origin 20 and use it with a Two Notes Captor 8 and 4x12 Celestion Greenback IR's, this way I can get "cranked" tones without anoying everyone. I also own a Fender Blues Jr but mostly use it for John Mayer and SRV type stuff with my Honey Bee Amps Double Trouble. Although they can sound somewhat similar the gain and EQ are quitte different.
From personal experience, one the best ways I have found to get a really good sound out of a small practice amp is to run it into a 1X12 or 2X10 speaker cabinet. Most manufacturers didn't reinvent the wheel with these small amps. They just revised their standard, established amp circuits to include the bare minimum features. The basic circuit isn't that far from their higher priced offerings, just with less features and at a lower watt output. Really, hook them up to a bigger cab and see their sound open up. I've taken some of these same amps I got for like $15 at a thrift and converted them into micro cabs to specifically run into external speaker cabs. Making a speaker cab is not hard at all, if you can't afford a cheapie like Harley Benton sells. One more note. IMHO the Vox Pathfinder 15R is so much better than the Pathfinder 10 it's worth combing the for-sale rags and sites looking for a used one. Just saying.
I have 3 out of 4 of these amps, the Marshall, Vox, and Fender. For me it's a tie for #1 between the Marshall and Vox. I got the Fender before it had any other competition but compared to these other three it is not that impressive and pretty much obsolete now. I'm gonna sell the Fender but I'm keeping the other two.
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🔈Vox AC15: amzn.to/3qzlNCL
Can we talk about the real star of this video which is the editing
Orange had the best distortion and Fender had the best clean sound. Vox and Marshall were versatile and sounded great dirty and clean. Honestly can’t go wrong with any of these.
Please never stop making these! This is the most thorough and coherent comparison of amps I have ever seen, and as a bonus you were playing beautifully (without boomer blues riffing lol)
I just missed some boomer blues riffs...
"boomer bends"
U want all that modern soulless shredding?
@@Bls-of1ld absolutely not
The Marshall has my vote, That was probably the best amp comparison video I've seen! nice work, more playing less talking!
orange rocker 15 + eq pedal in loop = EVERYTHING. amazing amp
Fell in love with the Marshall’s sound
Very good indeed. Thanks for the time and it was very thoughtful.
My two cents:
Orange is a masterpiece. Clean and driven.
Vox has a pristine, divine clean sound, and its eq works miracles.
Marshall deliver that punch bass under driven mode: now we know why Iron Maiden has carved their riffs!
So, my choice would be, considering all factors:
1. Orange
2. Marshall
3. Vox
4. Fender
Don't underestimate how great a Vox sounds in a mix.
I liked all of them, but I think the Marshall and the Orange were the most lively of the bunch. Great warm clean tones and both had solid overdrive channels to boot!
In my opinion, Vox is always the winner.👌
1. Orange 2. Marshall (almost a tie) 3. Vox. 4. Fender, mostly bcz the gain is so horrific and it also has just about the worst reverb I've heard in my life.
The Marshall sucked
They all seem to be good at something
me too
One of THE BEST shootout style videos I have seen! They all sounded great for different reasons, and, for my ear and style, I would either choose the Vox (which I’ve owned) or the Marshall, but the real star here is your video! You’ve made it very easy to tell the differences in the amps… and you’ve won a new subscriber!!
For the Blues Jr you need to max the master volume and adjust the gain volume to your desired volume to get a good sound. It makes a big difference.
Excellent, thorough comparison review - and thanks for not talking over it: the sounds speak for themselves.
I was surprised to find that I preferred the Orange. It hasn't been a brand I've favoured in the past. The Vox would be my second choice, the Marshall my third: but the top three are all quite close, only separated by features that i personally would find useful. The Fender was a disappointment on everything but cleans: it sounded muffled, or compressed.
Then I looked at the prices. Best value for money: the Marshall, which seems to do most things well. Worst: the Fender, but one has to allow for it being an imported American product.
I ended up getting the blues jr with the celestion a type 12” speaker. Such a great blues amp. I love the fat boost and that you can get sound from perfect cleans to pretty dirty within the amps settings. Great buy and thanks for the video again.
They all sound great! I personally have the Marshall Origin 50H and vertical 2x12 cab, and it is an amazing amp! VERY versatile and takes pedals wonderfully. I love your demos, they make me want to feed my GAS; unfortunately, space in my jam room is a limitation.
Perfect. Exactly what a shootout should look like. I'm actually looking at all of these amps. Marshall and Orange are at the top of my list.
If I were buying a lower watt combo I'd have trouble choosing between the Orange and the Marshall they both sounded fantastic. The Vox was pretty good, and this demo really didn't do anything for the Blues Junior.
while actually the blues junior is a fantastic amp ! It's probably better to try it in real life instead of only relying on a video.
Blues Juniors are mid imo. It was the most boring sounding amp that I have ever played.
Superb demo 🤩 Vox cleans are to die for. Orange impressed me.
Same
Well done! No talk, just content. Just like an amp review should be!
After watching a bunch of your videos I'm learning that I'm very firmly in the Marshall camp.
I recently bought two amps for a home usage - Vox AC10 and Orange Rocker 15. I ended playing only a rocker - it is absolutelly fantastic. Ant that comes from someone who had been playing Rockerverb 50 mkII head with a 2x12 cab. Most important function on a rocker is the Bedroom mode, which is priceless for a flat usage. Also it has a perfect tube driven fx loop, so you just buy a great reverb and there you go.)
Can’t beat the power scaling on the orange and the overall versatility! Also, if you have some pedals and play with eq you can get some vox tones with it too!
Hi, any suggestion on how to get vox tones with orange rocker 15? What pedal and settings?
The power scaling is what swung me to the orange, love the ability to be able to scale the volume down for home practice while maintaining the tone I want.
The Marshall also has power scaling in case you didn't notice
The Marshall also has power scaling 😊
I like them all for their individuality, for me there is no 'best'. Its why i can't stop buying different amps lol.
Story of my life 😂
Smartest & most objective opinion ...
Many amps is a good way to live a life 😂
@@РусланБозуков indeed :)
I play Orange today but have had Marshall and Fender. All great amps for a studio to keep on hand for tailoring the sound you want for a particular production. Good job on this video!
wow I have a orange rocker 15 head and could never get it to sound like you did thanks a lot for the great demo it was very helpful
+++ i say it again and again, this is the best !!! Amp-chanel on RUclips. Not one single second is waisted, thank you so much!!!+++
Thanks, is appreciated 👍
This opened my ears to the orange sounds, i have marshalls and voxes and have used them exclusively since 68. I think i might need to add an orange to my amp arsenal in the future. Thanks for your comprehensive comparison, best one ive heard to date.
Fabulous video- so useful to have them like this.
I’m going to say the AC15 and Origin 20 are my favorites here, though the Orange really grew on me for the clean sounds.
And I’ve been playing a Fender amp for 20 years 😂
This is a fantastic and really objective comparison under similar conditions for each one. I’ll say I had some different opinions with my eyes closed compared to watching the video. Good work.
Maybe the best comparison video I have ever watched. Well done!
I just want to say how much I appreciate your methodology. I'm in the market for a new amp, and this video was enlightening.
Thanks! One of the best gear demos I've ever seen. For me the Origin 20 really shines in this. The cleans out-do the Blues Jr IMO and the dirty sounds are classic Marshall. The Orange is impressive too, and probably more usable live than the Origin because of the 2 channels.
Amazing work! Thanks! I liked all amps for different things. Vox for great cleans with sparkles, but not for dirty tones. Marshall for higher gain. Orange seems to be great for everything (was pleasantly surprised by its cleans), and Fender for smoother jazzy cleans, but not for dirty.
Opino lo mismo💪🏽🔥
This is an amazing demo! I really loved the Orange for dirty and the Fender for clean.
Great demo! I'd love to hear the amps in context of a full band, that comparison would be amazing!
That marshall clean was unreal, really calms the 5150 in me.
Thank you, Toby! Great demo, I've discovered some new cool settings and fell in love with my Blues Junior even more 😊
What a well-put-together video. This is awesome. And I think this goes to show that you buy the amp that best suits your type of music ... Orange/Marshall for hard rock/metal; Vox for classic rock and Fender for blues/country/blues rock.
What a great comparison shootout. Love how you show all the dials being tweaked - Gives a great understanding of how each amp works. I was surprised about the Orange amp. Seemed a good all-rounder but I can't like those dial icons! What's what!?! Cheers
In my opinion, the Marshall sounded the most “balanced” in terms of clean and distortion. Nonetheless, I prefer the Orange because I love the “darker” tone it gives, as well as the mids they naturally have in it. It doesn’t hurt that, at the moment, my definition of “perfect tone” is my Rocker 15 cranked up 100% ;)
Always enjoy your reviews, no talking, actually demonstrating the amp’s variables, etc,. Keep it up!
Orange Rocker on the natural channel cranked is my happy place
I just started messing around with the Rocker 15. I haven't tried with any pedals yet, but the distortion gets a bit over the top past 1 o'clock, and a bit synthetic sounding. Mind you, I've been mostly in the 'bedroom' setting.
@@T_Dey to me anything under half power makes the distortion sound a bit thin and fizzy.
The marshal sucked
I'm amazed at how much gain the orange has. It almost sounds like a fuzz.
Just stumbled on your excellent video. Guess out of all these amps, I've seen more of the Vox AC15 backline on stages in festivals etc than the others, maybe a few Blues jrs, but as a sound guy, the Vox really holds up on stage in a band situation.
im waiting on a Marshall Origin 20c right now from Sweetwater. This video definitely solidified my choice. I was torn between the Fender Blues Junior IV and the marshall but dang that marshall sounds so good comparatively. the attenuator built in helps a ton too. This video is way better than any of the other marshall/blues junior reviews out there. straight to the point and easy comparisons
I love mine
I am with you all the way with the Marshall and I dont generally like them.
I have the Orange but no reverb, I intended to downdsize from my FBD and buy a Blues Junior in the belief I would get 90% of the sounds I want and help my back but I am getting the Marshall, the Vox is heavier ( weight) than my FBD
I've been gigging with an Origin 20c for about a year and like it a lot. I also own a Blues Jr IV but it's a heavier amp and doesn't have power scaling so I'll be selling it soon.
The other guitarist in my band has the Rocker 15 combo which is very similar in features, having a 10 inch speaker, same weight (29 lbs) and power scaling.
What essentially sets the 2 amps apart is the use of EL84s in the power section of the Orange and EL34s in the Marshall. I prefer the 'girthier' sound of EL34 tubes. Ironically it's the tube that made both Marshall and Orange famous famous. EL84s sound a bit tame, creamier at times.
In fact three out of the four amps compared here are powered by EL84s, which is why the Marshall stands out to me, with its bigger-sounding EL34s. I'm not sure how Marshall got a pair of EL34s down to just 20w when they're rated at a potential 25w *each*. I assume it has to do with output transformer design.
Also the Marshall is the least expensive of the four, I believe.
I use both (Origin 20 and Blues Jr) in rehearsals at same time… it’s a wonderful tone!! The best of both worlds
Came here to hear the Vox v Marshall but the Orange certainly interested me the most. Will have to try one out!
Love the Fender for the cleans and the Marshall for the gain. 😎👍🏻
Toby another great example of what is out there at the moment for small low wattage valve amps. Each has it's own flavour especially that mid range, and how the gain structure changes as the volume or gain is dialed in. i Iiked the Marshall for it's balance between clean and crunch the Vox for it's chime but setting it up does require a little tinkering.The Orange just has this roar but also not bad at cleans it's in your face while the Fender seems to be middle of the road jack of all trades. I have owned all these amps at some stage and to hit that sweet spot you need them turned up. Just make sure your neighbours have gone out for the day and you'll soon notice bedroom levels are not helping these amps sound at there optimum.
Very nicely done, Toby!
This was an insanely helpful video! I have a Blues Jr and I've been considering adding a second amp to complement it, and pretty much was looking at all three of these! Thanks for doing this!
This is the best gear demo ever thank you
Moral of the story: They all sound good. I do think that for passive tone controls flat eq is all tones dialed all the way up. They only cut the assigned frequency range within the basic tone of the amp, they don't boost it. At full up, no tones are being boosted or cut. For active eq, I think of all tone controls at 0 as flat eq, since no tones are being boosted or cut.
Great review, helped me make up my mind. I was between the Orange and the Marshall, ordered the Marshall last week.
I love all of them in this demo. Although I’ve never played a tube version of an orange. The stores near me just don’t stock them. I would love to explore more sounds on a vox but unfortunately haven’t had a chance. Thanks for the videos. Keep up the work of the rock gods ❤
the BEST gear channel ever
I liked the lower mid grind of the Blues Junior. And I was surprised at how much the Vox didn’t like having the mids pushed.
Not sure why that’s so surprising when it doesn’t have a mid control!
@@natemoore6760true that. I guess the only to push mids natively is to lower bass and treble and raise the volume knobs. Not that same thing I know
Blues jr sounds like it has a blanket over it.
I have played through a Pro Junior III, same story; the Fender amps I have tried all sound boxy and as if their was a blanket over them
As always.
@@jaycee30865 I thought I was the only one. My dad bought for himself but never used it lol, 15W tube is way too loud. Tried to crank it past 2 and get overdrive, it's impossible lol
I have a BJIII sitting for years collecting dust… sounded like someone was sticking an ice pick in my ears. I eventually swapped the speaker to an Eminence Texas Heat and it made a huge difference. I’ve also found a compressor pedal really helps with these amps and makes them sound much less shrill.
The Tweed with the Jensen speaker doesn't
Great demo! I love the Marshall power tube overdrive sound! The origin amps sound a little trebly but I bet with a little eq you can get a killer tone.
Marshalls have always been bright. That's the secret to the marshall tone.
Straight to the point with different samples… THANK YOU
Well it's the best test comparaison i ever see! Bravo!
A lot of thought and effort must have gone into making that video, thanks it’s brilliant
Wow! Such a great demo! And I'm honestly stunned, because as a person devoted to Fender cleans and Vox chime.... that Marshall had the best sound hands down (still don't like Orange though). This is the sort of content the world needs because now I'm researching an Origin 20 as possibly my next purchase, which would have never happened before this demo.
I like Orange ... Well it's sounded much brighter, deep bass cleans balanced. I can adjust much simpler... Excellent reviews
I'm so grateful for videos like this, and all the effort it must take to put together. I've almost pulled the trigger on all of these maps. To my ears, across the board, the Orange wins. I now know what my next amp will be.
Marshall here, but it depends on what kind of mysic you play, and eventually on the guitar type and how its set.
Orange, I would play some Alien Ant Farm "these days" with it, it would be killer.
I would definitely play some ACDC and eventually White Zombie- Thunder Kiss '65 with the Marshall or Vox, Vox would be curious to see how it would cope, Fender, well I would go blues SRV, Freddy King clearly, bridge pickup, tubescreamer with slight touch of fuzz face and cranked to the 🦴 to go over that boxy blanket covered sound.
Basically I would buy all of them 🤯, problem solved 🙏.
By the way, great work with this video Sir.
I was contemplating swapping out my Origin for a Blues Jr but I think I'll spare myself the effort and keep my Origin. Thank you for the stellar comparison.
I like the origin. Have you compared it to the dsl range? Any thoughts comparing the two? Cheers
Change the speaker in the Origin for a Celestion G10 Greenback and hear the difference.
@@Tone-OzYes, Sir! I'm actually pairing my Origin with a DSL40 combo and I love it. The DSL adds bottom end to the Origin for my cleans, and the Origin adds color and sub EQs to the DSL for the heavy tones.
The Origin is great for strat tones which is what brought me to this video. I've heard some great demos of the Blues Jr, but it's better to have a side by side comparison like this to distinguish whether it's worth the hassle of trading for a Fender. I think either one is great for what I'm doing.
@@colinmcnab6145 man, I've been giving a lot of consideration to a swap since I got it so I appreciate the tip! You may have just saved me a ton of time by avoiding the Origin speaker swap forum rabbit hole. I'll for sure let you know how it goes.
@@colinmcnab6145 I've got the 50w combo so would there be a 12" variant of that speaker? Is the G12M - 8 ohm the 12" variant of the G10 - 16 ohm?
I swap amps continually but, ive had theorange for a year now with absolutely no complaints, its great for low vol but still great tone, if you want pristine fender style cleans just put a compressor in front of it , id buy another definitely.
Brilliant video!!!... I bought a tweed Blues Jr IV with a "Red White Blues" speaker from Eminence. It sounds like it has a blanket over it !!.. This very well produced video confirms this 100%. The BJ4 is VERY mid focused...and its almost impossible to EQ out the overpowering mid frequencies. Sending back the blues Jr for an Origin 20 head with a 2x12 cab. Again, Thanks so much for this info. 🙏 I wish I would have watched this before ordering the Blues Jr.
I used to own a Marshall Origin 50H, but later switched to my current Marshall Studio Vintage 20H(which is the best amp I ever have played so far). Recently I purchased the Origin 5C, and it is sitting right beside me at this particular moment, haha.
The Marshall Origin is honestly not in the same level as the other amps in this video, rather in terms of tone or in terms of price. However, it is a great amp for the price!
Changed out the tubes and speaker in the Origin 20c and I guarantee it will blow the other 3 amps away all round. I know I've done it and it's now a killer amp if you are looking for 60s tones think Clapton with the Bluesbreakers or Cream, Paul Kossoff Free, Peter Green or Mick Taylor with the Bluesbreakers. Obviously this is with the appropriate type of guitar Les Paul Standard or SG Standard or any low wind humbucker equipped guitar.
@@colinmcnab6145What tubes and speaker did you change to?
@@colinmcnab6145I totally agree… Put a pair of Tungsol 12ax7 in preamp and EVH EL34 in power section of my Origin 20… now the amp sounds like a killer Plexi 20w machine
Surprised by how much I liked the Marshall but the orange was my favourite. I don’t really like the hollow sound of vox and the fender just seemed quite muffled /woolly. As usual a really great way of doing a review
Garvin Terry: that's why pedals exist, these modern tube amps today are designed with pedals in mind. it's been that way for the last 10 years,
people who couldn't afford an AC30, a Marshall JCM800, or a Fender Deluxe,
these small tube amps sort of let people relive what all the greats used.
that being said i hear what you're saying,
ya there are differences with each, but i mentioned pedals for a reason.
each one of these amps has it's own clean channel,
Fender is usually known for there clean channel, but there usually not as good as others when it comes to high gain and overdrive.
but that's where a drive could be used through the clean channel.
Orange has a nice clean channel, but it has a slightly darker clean tone that would be a great fit for high gain and distortion. the Marshall is kinda balanced,
but i don't think the Vox sounded muffled. Vox has never had a bright clean channel,
but a clean boost pedal can easily solve that problem.
personally i like having a clean channel that's not so bright or dark,
because you can choose the type of pedals to get what you want out of the amp.
Dallas Rangemaster style booster (Catalinbread Naga Viper) into a moderately cranked Vox will push it into proper territory.
The Orange sounds stellar and with a straight clean channel makes for a perfect pedal platform amp.
Orange sounded best here but I feel like the ac15 has more to give. Finding the good tones in them is really down to knowing how the EQ works and it's not like a normal 3 knob EQ, it's more interactive
“More to give” flat out the most gig-able of the 4 amps.
This video.... is perfect. This video was done better than I've done my whole life.
Marshall, Orange, Vox, Fender. Honestly they were all close & I’d be happy with anyone of them.
The natural channel on the Orange and the overdriven Marshall sounds take the win in my opinion
I like the fender blues junior the best. That’s why I own one. The other amps are great as well… But the fender is my favorite.
Thank you for doing this demo, it’s great. I have the Orange Rocker, great amp, they all sounded good, though I did find the Vox. Bit lacking.
Whatever your preferences are one of these is a great amp
Great work! We all have different uses and tastes. For my own music based on cleans and early breakup, Vox and Marshall win.
This is one great review on these amps! Ty. You helped me narrow it down to two!
Incredible comparison. Again. Thank you.
I have the Vox and I didn't like it out of the box and had fun Modding it and now I like it. The Fender sounded fuller all round to me.
Best shootout on the internet. Period.
This is superbly done. The Marshall is probably the most versatile, followed by the orange which sounds a little fuller and bassier. Vox has spectacular clean but starts to flub as you crank it. The fender didn’t impress me at all.
The Rocker 15 really comes to life when you swap the VOTW for a G10 Greenback.
I have a G10 Greenback in my Origin 20c plus changed all the tubes for Harma Retro Premium which are based on original 60s/70s Mullards. The amp sounds like it really should do giving classic Marshall tones from the 60s/70s.
cant decide if i love the orange or the vox more! the two sound absolutely amazing to me
Watching in 2024, great video. I’m looking for my first (relatively) tube amp. I’m surprised by how much I disliked the Blues Jr. The other three each had their own strengths and weaknesses, but I think the Vox wins as the most overall. I might have to investigate the Marshall some more though
Yes, the BJ has ugly distorted tones, unusable. But if you notice, it has the fuller, more balanced and rich clean tone, which makes it perfect for pedals. This is how I use it. The video is amazing but won't tell you everything.
I really like the Vox cleans and the Orange raunch, I have a Rocker 30 and a Vox AC15C1X, I'll have to see if my attenuator works with my Orange so I can have dirt at lowish volume level, a stereo rig with the Vox would be very nice.
huge fan of AC15, but for the sounds I like, the Marshall wins hands down in this really well done comparison
Marshall and Orange are great... BUT I just wonder why they lack reverb...
It would have been great to hear them in a mix (to see who shines more).
Anyway fantastic comparison, thank you.
Was surprised by how much I preferred the Marshall here.
Very good video, my friend! Greetings from Brazil!
Marshall and Vox for best dirty ... Fender best for cleans Vox was close ... Orange for certain metal or grunge ... Their all good depending on what you're trying to do...
Always surprised at how good Marshall cleans can be. Most balanced of the lot to my ear. Too bad this model lacks reverb tho.
They are all great. Each have a weakness and each have strengths. It depends on what you are going for in tone.
Really well done! Must have taken a really long time to edit.
So long to get it tight 👍
This is unfair! You're makin all the other RUclips amp reviewers look like chumps! 😂
Keep up the great work!
Will buy that Orange 😍 What s great video!
I own the Marshall Origin 20 and use it with a Two Notes Captor 8 and 4x12 Celestion Greenback IR's, this way I can get "cranked" tones without anoying everyone. I also own a Fender Blues Jr but mostly use it for John Mayer and SRV type stuff with my Honey Bee Amps Double Trouble. Although they can sound somewhat similar the gain and EQ are quitte different.
I play OASIS and RHCP Songs. Which I need ? I have AC15 but I think Marshall Origin will be best ?
From personal experience, one the best ways I have found to get a really good sound out of a small practice amp is to run it into a 1X12 or 2X10 speaker cabinet. Most manufacturers didn't reinvent the wheel with these small amps. They just revised their standard, established amp circuits to include the bare minimum features. The basic circuit isn't that far from their higher priced offerings, just with less features and at a lower watt output. Really, hook them up to a bigger cab and see their sound open up. I've taken some of these same amps I got for like $15 at a thrift and converted them into micro cabs to specifically run into external speaker cabs. Making a speaker cab is not hard at all, if you can't afford a cheapie like Harley Benton sells.
One more note. IMHO the Vox Pathfinder 15R is so much better than the Pathfinder 10 it's worth combing the for-sale rags and sites looking for a used one. Just saying.
Big thanks for the amazing work !
I have 3 out of 4 of these amps, the Marshall, Vox, and Fender. For me it's a tie for #1 between the Marshall and Vox. I got the Fender before it had any other competition but compared to these other three it is not that impressive and pretty much obsolete now. I'm gonna sell the Fender but I'm keeping the other two.
Orange Rocker 15 was my favourite. Great demo!
Siuuuuuuuuu
@@bayronjnc314 ?
@@adamalexanderray *translated*: Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaah! 😅