I have the orange, and on its own it's not very impressive, but you have to remember that you don't generally play alone. You usually play with a band. The orange is extremely middy and it cuts through a band mix incredibly well. I bought it new in 2007 and have yet to sell it off or even consider it now a decade later. As unimpressed as I am with the tone playing alone, I remember why I love the amp when I'm playing with my band. So to anyone saying it sounds dull comparatively, keep the band mix in mind.
I agree 100% with you on this. I ended up selling both these amps in the long run for something else, but my buddy has an ad30 that I sometimes play at band practice & when playing with the band it just rips. It sounds so good in that context.
Excellent setup with the panned separation and isolation of both amps! Excellent playing too. I wish more players would put this much effort into their demos. It would make the listening so much more joyful, just like this one! Good job bro, a first class demo!
What I got from this demo? This guy could make any amp sound incredible. Of course both amps are great. As new kids on the block Blackstar are making incredible amps.
Nice work making such an effort for A/B purposes. I heard what most did: more tops w the Blackstar- in this setting. When things are cranked at performance levels, with a full band/crowd, dimensions of venue (in/outdoors, hall with 50 ft ceilings/ club w/12) it might be a different story, and/or point out advantages/shortcomings of each. I found out the hard way years ago that my 50 tube combo and pedals killed at home, even reversal, but then was buried on stage. PA, soundman's ability/attitude, jacked up drummer- all X factors I had clue about before that. My gut tells me the Orange would punch through like a champion, while the Blackstar would top-out too early, and could very likely be devastated in the wash of cymbal hiss, top- of-mix vocals, poss keyboards. I'm not talking backyard bbq here, but 3-500+ large clubs, 'dance/banquet halls' old theater type-venues etc.
You did an amazing job with this comparison. Don't listen to the people who cry over how you set the amps differently, I absolutely agree with setting them up with your favorite settings and going from there. The orange definitely has more mids and a more "british" sound while the Blackstar has more bass/treble and a more "american" sound but they both sound amazing - especially in stereo!
I think the Orange sounds warm and full sounding. The Blackstar sounds brighter. The Orange is also good for metal riffing, while the Blackstar sounds bluesy to me.
Both amps in stereo sounds incredible!!! Blackstar sounds brighter and allows hear all the tones on chords, Orange has an awesome "fatter" tone. I'd like to make a mix with this two amplifiers on studio because it complement
Awesome demo - the A/B Left/Right was beautifully executed. The tone controls were not equalized, so the Orange had more a lot more mids than the Blackstar. So it's hard to say which one sounds "better", since they both sound great, just different! I am listening on a $15K system that includes upsampling to 384 KHz (Cambridge Audio 851N, Parasound JC2-BP, Parasound A21, B&W 801's), so it is pretty much as good as UA-cam can get, and they do both sound fantastic. There is no clear "winner", it definitely comes down to personal taste, and also the specific content. Some passages are clearly better (IMHO) on the Blackstar, while others are clearly better (IMHO) on the Orange. I was about to buy a used Blackstar A30, but now I'm going to have to go to the store to test the Orange. Who knows - maybe I'll buy one of each. One question: At 14:34, what are all of the effects in your signal chain? That sound is sooo cool!
You've got the right idea, get 1 of each! They really are both awesome amps. I like each one better than the other for certain things. Overall if I had to pick 1 I prefer the blackstar, but not by a mile or anything. The Orange is great on its own too. For that end part I think the only pedal that is actually on is the malekko omicron fuzz. That thing is super nasty sounding, especially with single coils. I love it! There are a few other things in the chain there, but everything else is bypassed at that point. The TC nova delay splits the signal to stereo & then it goes through the HOF & from there to the 2 different amps, but those TC pedals are turned off at that point.
Nice job bro both amps sound great I'm a fender guy myself I play mostly through vintage hot rod deville or deluxe models but really like those orange tones again great job sweet riffs
Great demo, and I loved the licks you were playing around the 4-6 minute mark! And below you said you'd do a comparison video with the Vox and the Blackstar... I'd love that as I am stuck between choosing out of these two amps. :P
Great comparison! What I love about the Orange is its unique tone. The Blackstar sounds great, but it's very similar to just about every other EL84 equipped amp. The AD30 has a voice of its own, which is very distinct from the other EL84 amps.
2 uniquely different amps with some decent strong points going for each. The Blackstar Artisan is an amazing 1974x clone with a very simple layout. Its not made for Iron Maiden or Megadeth chug riffs but if you literally want 1970 for little bread that's what it'll do. The Orange can get quite heavy but its not a clean machine. If you're a modern player who desires more tweakability on the tone the Orange wins hands down. However for me I prefer the Artisan, its brighter and cuts way better but if you adjust your setup via guitar knobs you can always find a useful tone. A speaker swap for both amps will do wonders too, I have an Eminence Canis Major in my Artisan and a Classic Lead in my Orange AD30
Thank you for a thorough comparison. I like how you do the a-b comparison with the same short riff on each amp. Most people seem to just play whatever on one amp, and then something totally different on the other. I think both amps sound great. It seems like each sounds better depending on the particular riff style and playing technique. Blackstar seems to cut through a bit more, but the Orange has an awesome chunkiness to it. Makes it a tough call, really.
The artisan sounds nice for playing at home. The orange has a much more mud focused sound. Good for cutting through the mix / band practising. I know cause I have an AD30.
That's just a chord progression I like to jam once in a while...It is definitely heavily influenced by Hendrix. I think it's E7#9 (THE Hendrix chord), Bm7, Cmaj7, A7... Or something close to that. Thanks for the kind words!
Hi, I just got Artisan 30 head + cab and dont really know how to use it to full potential and feel like I bought the wrong thing but this sounds awesome. What was you playin' at 6:50? sounds awesome. I just cant get that nice crunch out of it, it sounds quite clean.
The Blackstar murders it! The Orange sounds like someone threw a blanket over it. Remember you need natural highend, better to be looking at it than for it because you cant add it in if its not there! I love Orange amps too but as a clean pedal platform the Blackstar has little to cjallenge it in that price range. The Orange has a great overdrive though so it really depends what you're looking for. Big clean headroom or a great rock sound
sure, the AD30 is so bad Jimmy Page uses one................... seriously, for a clean pedal platform the AD isnt it, just like the terror series isnt it, or the OR15 isnt it... For clean, its the TH30, OR50 & up, and RV50 & up
James Mulvaney not sure i said he didnt?.. as indeed he does at times, but JP uses AD30 and has used Orange amps since 70's. google can be your friend ;)
James Mulvaney Feel free to lose the hostility. I am as entitled to reply to a comment as you are to make one.. and, fwiw You certainly DID care enough about what others play to infer that JP did not use the AD30..but hey if that Blackstar floats your boat then great.. not for me. Its not worth my cash
Seriously impressed with this demo. Can see positives for both amps, but I'd have to say the Blackstar in general has a lot brighter clean tones, with the Orange sounding heavier on the bass. It would be interested to see if you could dial in those kinds of tones on the Orange. Also those were some sweet licks you were playing, was all of that on the fly?
Great playing - very clear demo to understand the differences.. the Artisan made the guitar as crisp as a strat .. i don't know how powerful it would do power chords palm mute kind of punches
Orange sounds better on high notes because of a Low-Mid bump that fattens the notes, but the Blackstar sounds better for cleans on the lower bar chords because of the clarity, whereas the Orange sounds muddy (in a bad way) on the chords. That's what I heard.
Yeah, I always got that feeling with Oranges in general, and prefer those higher mids for overall sound. I feel it's better to go with the better sound for chords then simply have an EQ pedal if another tone is desired for soloing and such, but I have a pretty barebones setup.
Great demo! In my opinion the Orange takes the prize because it sounds so good on clean, its just such a raw but nice sound which is perfect for blues and jazz which is what i personally love, the blackstar has a more american fender-like sound which is too soft for me while the Orange has a more bitey sound, both great amps though.
Let's not forget that the mic is so far away from the cone of the speaker on the orange. It'd sound MUCH brighter towards the cone. Great playing btw. Sounding awesome.
Thanks man, but the mic is not any further away on the orange. They're set up the same way, with the mics at the edge of the speaker, off axis toward the center, right up at the grill cloth. Each one on the outside speaker pointed away from the other amp to reject any possible spill-over. The Blackstar is a much brighter amp than the Orange. The Orange could be made to sound brighter than it does here, but this is how I like it dialed in. There are a lot of variables, but both my AD30 and a buddy of mine's AD30 are similar sounding...of course the guitar, pickups, pedals, etc. being used all make a big difference in the overall sound as well. Cheers!
The microphone on the orange is way out on the edge of the speaker looks like. I can’t tell on the black star. You’ll have to tell us... which one really sounds better in the room?
They look different but they're placed the same. I put them both between the 2 speakers at the edge of the outside speaker opposite the other amp. With the capsule angled toward the center of the cone. That's the mic placement liked at the time & I did them in opposing direction so that the pickup pattern of each mic would reject as much as possible of the opposite amp. It's not a perfect setup, but it should be pretty close to apples to apples. In the room, I preferred the Blackstar. I really liked the Orange, but the Blackstar does something that I just like better. Both amps together was much better than either on their own though. The fill out different parts of the frequency range in a way that I think compliment well. Overall I do think the Blackstar is a bit more versatile too. But the Orange is great as well.
I'm sure the Orange could be adjust to sound brighter for cleans with a knob tweak if desired..both amps sound good. If The AD 30 is good enough for Jimmy Page it's good enough for me.
Good demo, apart from the stereo bit which is pointless for the purposes of comparison. I'm biased as I own an Artisan 30 but on this evidence I'm glad, far better sound.
I see a lot of people prefer the blackstar... I'm going orange, because the first thing you lose in you hearing is the high end! they both sound rad, and if I was in a 2 guitar band, these two would compliment each other nicely.
Its funny cause I think that each one on their own sounds really great. Its when you put them side by side that the Blackstar starts to sound a bit more harsh & the Orange starts to sound a bit more muddy by comparison, but then when you put them both on at the same time the different tones complement each other pretty well. Of course both amps could sound different than they sound here if you turn the knobs differently than I have them...
***** I guess you would know. I'm just the guy who was in the room playing them at the time, so don't put too much stock in my opinion. Either way they both sound really good. Better in person for both.
I thought ok the Orange will blow this Blackstar away but after a few minutes i was surprised. The Blackstar is fatter with a nice brightness to it and the Orange seems to be a little crunchier and not at beefy but still pretty good non the less.
I agree with others - great playing and great job on the video all around , I actually got something out of this comparison - credit to you . I also thought the Orange was slightly warmer and fatter but was overshadowed by the note bloom and upper harmonics that seemed more "alive" in the blackstar - the blackstars dynamics with your technique produced "spank" that I just didn't hear from the Orange . question - was this really noticeable live in the room ?
Thanks for the kind words! It was very noticeable in the live room as well. I think the way you summed it up is pretty accurate. They are different & it's more noticeable when you do an A/B comparison. The combination of the 2 is a lot of fun!
How quickly does the Artisan 30 break up? I'm thinking of going from my HT-60 to an Artisan 30, but I'm kind of partial to the fact that my clean tone doesn't really break up unless i REALLY crank it.
Sam Kim It kind of depends on the way you have it dialed in. The main control you have over headroom/breakup is the 30/10 watt switch. So if you cut it down to 10 it will break up a lot sooner & if you leave it on 30 it will break up a lot later. The 1st channel is just a volume control & it starts to break up nicely once you crank it up a bit, but has a good amount of clean headroom. Channel 2 has a gain & volume control which lets you tweak a bit more. Also responds very different with Single Coils vs humbuckers. I use channel 1 as my clean channel & dial the gain up on channel 2 and I switch back and forth between them. At band volumes you can keep things very clean still or get into chunky rhythm territory as well. Both channels take pedals very well for higher gain sounds and they each have a different character which is nice for versatility.
+Adrian Cecchin I mostly used the Fulltone Fulldrive 2 & the OCD...both of those went well with it. I also used the Blackstar HT Dual with it, which sounded great, but was a bit noisy. Also used a Bogner Ecstacy Blue with it & that sounded great as well. A Keeley modded Boss Blues Driver too that was great with it. Tube screamer type pedals didn't really do it for me with the orange, but most the other ones I tried were great with it. Best thing is to try a few different things out if you can, since of course it will vary based on the guitars you're playing as well. Good luck, the ad30 is a great amp!
Hi man! Excellent video! I love the Orange AD30 and I'm thinking in buy one, but, My favorite sound is the Mesa Boogie and, I not know if the Orange AD30 can do hard rock or metal.
The AD30 is probably not your best bet for that style. If you're set on orange I would look at the Rocker series for that style, but I can't honestly say that I think they'll out do a mesa for hard rock or metal. It's a matter of opinion though.
Honestly I think the Blackstar is easily the best sounding amp of the bunch. I'll have to do another video like this, but with those 2. Videos are never as good as being there in person and everyone has their own opintion, but they are all great sounding amps...I just think the Blackstar is best.
Aaron Grimwood I've got Artisan 15. It is the best amp i've ever played. Responsive, dynamic, cuts through, loves pedals. Every player I record with, smiles after first chord ;) Put some delays in front for U2 sounds and you're good to go :)
Are the controls on both amps set *exactly* the same? That's the only way to do a comparison. The amps sound so different, it's hard to believe the settings are the same. The Blackstar souinds harsh, the Orange muddy.
Mike Austin The controls are not all set the same...I thought about doing that, but decided instead to dial each in the way I like them best on their own...they are very different sounding amps despite their similar formats. They both have great tones in them though. They are great as a stereo pair.
I know tone is very objectional...but i had a blackstar club40 SE and to me it was nothing but ice picks....sold it within a few months of owning for a big loss...now i run marshall jtm45, a 66 deluxe reverb or a 68 bandmaster...once in a while Ill use my Marshall code 50 that I put in a 1-12 open back Bluesbreaker clone cab with my own presets( I thought the factory ones sucked)...getting back to the video if i had to choose I'd go with the Orange
Tone is definitely subjective, and everyone can like whatever they're into... Would be pretty boring if we all played identical rigs. However, if you look into it you'll find the club 40 and the artisan 30 are 2 very different amplifiers. Pretty much everything about them is different. I love the other amps you mention that you're using now, and I'm not saying the artisan is the amp for you, just making a point that it will probably be as different from the club 40 as your deluxe reverb and JTM are, if not even more so given the topology, build methods, etc. At the end of the day though, if you found a sound that you're happy with, I say go with it!
great review. but its just so hard to compare amps through a video, as the slightest difference in mic placement can make a huge difference in the sound. the orange sounds much duller, but that could simply be because the the mic is further from the centre of the speak than it is on the blackstar
Andy Gregory you're right about it being difficult to compare through video. In this case though the mic placement is the same on both amps with identical signal chains. They absolutely sound that different in person. They're both great amps in their own ways though. For me they sound better together than either one does in its own.
Speakers must be a big part of them being so different sounding. I like the mids of the Orange but I think the Blackstar could be better with better speakers...I like the top end reminds me of Vox a bit.
@@rockinfreakappotomus Really wow. I wouldn't have guessed. Is there anyway to bring down the bass and add mids to the Artisan? Just curious of the range of EQ. I like the top end but thought it sounded too scooped maybe or just too bassy.... but I guess together they would be perfect. IDK. I do like them...maybe the Orange is just all midrange...lol I love me some Orange amps though. Some of the best. I feel like I can really hear the valves or tubes in Orange amps. Love that. Hard to describe.
@@HiHello-ku1fl using the 12ax7 channel in this vid. You have bass, mids, and treble on that channel. So you can dial in more/less of each. Truthfully it's not as scooped sounding as it appears next to the Orange. I played a lot of gigs with the blackstar and it sat nicely in the mix. I think it's just sounds more scooped next to the orange.
Incidentally, it looks like the artisan 30 is on the musicians friend stupid deal of the day at the moment for about $1100 USD. I think that's what I paid for mine from GC years ago. It's a seriously good amp for that money.
Orange sounds nice and warm, black star sounds good, a little thin though. I don't really like orange amps with orange cabs and v30s prefer them with Marshall cabs with greenbacks.
Blackstar-each note sounds like is is sitting on top of a hard surface. Orange-each note sounds like it is dipped in honey. Take a wild guess which one I prefer.
The Orange is all midrange whereas the Blackstar seems to have been set for a very Fendery sound, treble and bass. I think if the mids on the Orange were backed off it would be a better comparison.
You're right on the characteristics, but it's not so much an issue of how they're set. Bottom line here is that we have 2 differently voiced amps despite some similarities. The mids on both amps are set at around 1:30 - 2:00 here & the Orange has the highs dialed up to 3:00 while the highs on the Blackstar are closer to 11:00. Lows are cranked on the Blackstar & set around 2:00 on the Orange. You can kind of make them out in the first minute or so, but it's a bit blurry. Orange is a darker sounding amp no matter where the controls are. A lot of folks seem to have a problem with me not setting the dials the same, but I prefer to set each amp the way I like it best & go from there. Setting everything at noon on both amps wouldn't bring the best out in either. Thanks for checking it out.
I have an AD30HTC that I love, but it has one fault in that it goes into distortion territory too quickly, and I tend to play between clean and crunch. But you are right, they are two completely different animals.
***** Orange are going to typically lean towards distortion with soft tubes, which most owners throw in them to get that "Orange" sound. Orange also will produce some REALLY good cleans with hard power tubes and pulling down on the gain. There are a lot of pedal junkies that lean pretty heavy on orange to be a reliable power amp. I feel a fair comparison would have been if both amps EQ had been set at 12 and then adjusted equally for an even volume. I enjoyed both, but they are amps on opposite worlds.
Nathan Holmes The point really is that they are different sounding amps despite their similarities...i didn't wan't to do the whole "all knobs at noon" thing cause neither amp would sound its best in that position. At least they wouldn't sound what I consider to be their best, and since they're my amps I'm doing it my way.
Really can't decide. I think the BS has a better clean bluesy tone. Orange handles the crunch more organically. But then I hear a different clip and I change my opinion
Thomas Craig pedals can be a big factor too if you're using them. overall I liked the Blackstar with pedals better, but I really dig both amps. You can't go wrong with either, and together they're a great pair.
like both, blackstar sounds now days and pure hard rock, while orange sounds clearly soft and classic with some distortion. both sounds gr8, it depends on what do yo want and what do you like, honestly i prefer orange to be valance, although blackstar rocked. its like orange is (fender) single, soft and doesnt get wrong with distortion, while blackstar would be gibson, strong and pure hard rock, ain't shit. for me.
carlypunx1982 I love orange amps...this Blackstar is a great sounding amp though...I've owned a few other Blackstar amps & this one is easily their best for my money. Worth checking one out in person if you have a chance. I still love the orange, but I had a harder time dialing in the tones I wanted with it.
It takes all kinds paul. You should try to get your hands on them & spend some time with them at some point. You might just like what you hear. In the meantime the hundreds of thousands of people who are happy with them in the world will just keep on enjoying theirs.
I have the orange, and on its own it's not very impressive, but you have to remember that you don't generally play alone. You usually play with a band. The orange is extremely middy and it cuts through a band mix incredibly well. I bought it new in 2007 and have yet to sell it off or even consider it now a decade later. As unimpressed as I am with the tone playing alone, I remember why I love the amp when I'm playing with my band. So to anyone saying it sounds dull comparatively, keep the band mix in mind.
I agree 100% with you on this. I ended up selling both these amps in the long run for something else, but my buddy has an ad30 that I sometimes play at band practice & when playing with the band it just rips. It sounds so good in that context.
I love how both of these amps complement each other very nicely.
Excellent setup with the panned separation and isolation of both amps! Excellent playing too. I wish more players would put this much effort into their demos. It would make the listening so much more joyful, just like this one! Good job bro, a first class demo!
one of the best reviews I've seen on UA-cam. Thanks dude and great playing.
that moment when you have a blackstar and realize how nice orange sounds
What I got from this demo? This guy could make any amp sound incredible.
Of course both amps are great.
As new kids on the block Blackstar are making incredible amps.
+nicen nice Thank you, that's very kind of you to say. Truth is both these amps make sounding good easy. They are a lot of fun to play through.
Nice work making such an effort for A/B purposes. I heard what most did: more tops w the Blackstar- in this setting.
When things are cranked at performance levels, with a full band/crowd, dimensions of venue (in/outdoors, hall with 50 ft ceilings/ club w/12) it might be a different story, and/or point out advantages/shortcomings of each. I found out the hard way years ago that my 50 tube combo and pedals killed at home, even reversal, but then was buried on stage. PA, soundman's ability/attitude, jacked up drummer- all X factors I had clue about before that. My gut tells me the Orange would punch through like a champion, while the Blackstar would top-out too early, and could very likely be devastated in the wash of cymbal hiss, top- of-mix vocals, poss keyboards. I'm not talking backyard bbq here, but 3-500+ large clubs, 'dance/banquet halls' old theater type-venues etc.
You did an amazing job with this comparison. Don't listen to the people who cry over how you set the amps differently, I absolutely agree with setting them up with your favorite settings and going from there.
The orange definitely has more mids and a more "british" sound while the Blackstar has more bass/treble and a more "american" sound but they both sound amazing - especially in stereo!
Your blues chops are unbelievable SRV would be proud very good feeling in your playing.
You're too kind...Stevie was the man!
I think the Orange sounds warm and full sounding. The Blackstar sounds brighter. The
Orange is also good for metal riffing, while the Blackstar sounds bluesy to me.
Great demo...both sounded great. I'd be happy with both. If I was getting one it'd be the blackstar. Maybe even better the ac30 underneath it!
Both amps in stereo sounds incredible!!! Blackstar sounds brighter and allows hear all the tones on chords, Orange has an awesome "fatter" tone. I'd like to make a mix with this two amplifiers on studio because it complement
Awesome demo - the A/B Left/Right was beautifully executed. The tone controls were not equalized, so the Orange had more a lot more mids than the Blackstar. So it's hard to say which one sounds "better", since they both sound great, just different! I am listening on a $15K system that includes upsampling to 384 KHz (Cambridge Audio 851N, Parasound JC2-BP, Parasound A21, B&W 801's), so it is pretty much as good as UA-cam can get, and they do both sound fantastic. There is no clear "winner", it definitely comes down to personal taste, and also the specific content. Some passages are clearly better (IMHO) on the Blackstar, while others are clearly better (IMHO) on the Orange. I was about to buy a used Blackstar A30, but now I'm going to have to go to the store to test the Orange. Who knows - maybe I'll buy one of each.
One question: At 14:34, what are all of the effects in your signal chain? That sound is sooo cool!
You've got the right idea, get 1 of each! They really are both awesome amps. I like each one better than the other for certain things. Overall if I had to pick 1 I prefer the blackstar, but not by a mile or anything. The Orange is great on its own too. For that end part I think the only pedal that is actually on is the malekko omicron fuzz. That thing is super nasty sounding, especially with single coils. I love it! There are a few other things in the chain there, but everything else is bypassed at that point. The TC nova delay splits the signal to stereo & then it goes through the HOF & from there to the 2 different amps, but those TC pedals are turned off at that point.
Nice job bro both amps sound great I'm a fender guy myself I play mostly through vintage hot rod deville or deluxe models but really like those orange tones again great job sweet riffs
Great demo, and I loved the licks you were playing around the 4-6 minute mark! And below you said you'd do a comparison video with the Vox and the Blackstar... I'd love that as I am stuck between choosing out of these two amps. :P
i prefer the orange by far. damn the sound on it is SO MUCH more soft, melodic, natural....
Great comparison! What I love about the Orange is its unique tone. The Blackstar sounds great, but it's very similar to just about every other EL84 equipped amp. The AD30 has a voice of its own, which is very distinct from the other EL84 amps.
Great video man. Sounds beautiful.
I dont think either sounds better I think they both sound different and both really good
I'm preferring the orange here, especially considering my guitars are mainly bright guitars.
2 uniquely different amps with some decent strong points going for each. The Blackstar Artisan is an amazing 1974x clone with a very simple layout. Its not made for Iron Maiden or Megadeth chug riffs but if you literally want 1970 for little bread that's what it'll do. The Orange can get quite heavy but its not a clean machine. If you're a modern player who desires more tweakability on the tone the Orange wins hands down. However for me I prefer the Artisan, its brighter and cuts way better but if you adjust your setup via guitar knobs you can always find a useful tone. A speaker swap for both amps will do wonders too, I have an Eminence Canis Major in my Artisan and a Classic Lead in my Orange AD30
Thank you for a thorough comparison. I like how you do the a-b comparison with the same short riff on each amp. Most people seem to just play whatever on one amp, and then something totally different on the other. I think both amps sound great. It seems like each sounds better depending on the particular riff style and playing technique. Blackstar seems to cut through a bit more, but the Orange has an awesome chunkiness to it. Makes it a tough call, really.
Cheers for sharing this, it's hard finding decent demos of the Artisan (even if this is a comparison). The Artisan definitely wins for me.
Clean tone
I have a AD30TC and now I want and BS Artisan.. Both running at the one time :)
your comparisons are superb, thank you
these riffs are sick mate!!
Two very good two very different sounding amps anything else is just personal preference
Just a great job man ... many thanks
The artisan sounds nice for playing at home. The orange has a much more mud focused sound. Good for cutting through the mix / band practising. I know cause I have an AD30.
What's the song at 5:08? or are those just random chords? Really hendrix-y vibes from your playing btw
That's just a chord progression I like to jam once in a while...It is definitely heavily influenced by Hendrix. I think it's E7#9 (THE Hendrix chord), Bm7, Cmaj7, A7... Or something close to that. Thanks for the kind words!
Nice playing and great demo
Hi, I just got Artisan 30 head + cab and dont really know how to use it to full potential and feel like I bought the wrong thing but this sounds awesome. What was you playin' at 6:50? sounds awesome. I just cant get that nice crunch out of it, it sounds quite clean.
The Blackstar murders it!
The Orange sounds like someone threw a blanket over it.
Remember you need natural highend, better to be looking at it than for it because you cant add it in if its not there!
I love Orange amps too but as a clean pedal platform the Blackstar has little to cjallenge it in that price range.
The Orange has a great overdrive though so it really depends what you're looking for.
Big clean headroom or a great rock sound
sure, the AD30 is so bad Jimmy Page uses one...................
seriously, for a clean pedal platform the AD isnt it, just like the terror series isnt it, or the OR15 isnt it... For clean, its the TH30, OR50 & up, and RV50 & up
Mystic38 JP uses Hiwatt customs, different ballgame altogether but thanks for the input!
James Mulvaney not sure i said he didnt?.. as indeed he does at times, but JP uses AD30 and has used Orange amps since 70's. google can be your friend ;)
Mystic38 Dont really care what anyone else uses...
I own both of these amps and that is my opinion so the initial statement stands!
Have you?
James Mulvaney Feel free to lose the hostility. I am as entitled to reply to a comment as you are to make one.. and, fwiw You certainly DID care enough about what others play to infer that JP did not use the AD30..but hey if that Blackstar floats your boat then great.. not for me. Its not worth my cash
Seriously impressed with this demo. Can see positives for both amps, but I'd have to say the Blackstar in general has a lot brighter clean tones, with the Orange sounding heavier on the bass. It would be interested to see if you could dial in those kinds of tones on the Orange. Also those were some sweet licks you were playing, was all of that on the fly?
Great playing - very clear demo to understand the differences.. the Artisan made the guitar as crisp as a strat .. i don't know how powerful it would do power chords palm mute kind of punches
found this in search of a good AD30 video…. instead I found a great one and now I know ima be looking at Artisan 30 now 😂
Orange sounds better on high notes because of a Low-Mid bump that fattens the notes, but the Blackstar sounds better for cleans on the lower bar chords because of the clarity, whereas the Orange sounds muddy (in a bad way) on the chords. That's what I heard.
Yeah, I always got that feeling with Oranges in general, and prefer those higher mids for overall sound. I feel it's better to go with the better sound for chords then simply have an EQ pedal if another tone is desired for soloing and such, but I have a pretty barebones setup.
That Blackstar with the sliding chords, tho, EARGASMSSSSSS
Great demo! In my opinion the Orange takes the prize because it sounds so good on clean, its just such a raw but nice sound which is perfect for blues and jazz which is what i personally love, the blackstar has a more american fender-like sound which is too soft for me while the Orange has a more bitey sound, both great amps though.
Great demo. We're all pedals through the effects loop, or were some front-ended? Thanks!
+Eric Zimmer Thanks man!...everything in the front end. Neither of these amps has an effects loop.
Great sound both ! I prefer the backstar, but the orange sound great too.
Let's not forget that the mic is so far away from the cone of the speaker on the orange. It'd sound MUCH brighter towards the cone.
Great playing btw. Sounding awesome.
Thanks man, but the mic is not any further away on the orange. They're set up the same way, with the mics at the edge of the speaker, off axis toward the center, right up at the grill cloth. Each one on the outside speaker pointed away from the other amp to reject any possible spill-over. The Blackstar is a much brighter amp than the Orange. The Orange could be made to sound brighter than it does here, but this is how I like it dialed in. There are a lot of variables, but both my AD30 and a buddy of mine's AD30 are similar sounding...of course the guitar, pickups, pedals, etc. being used all make a big difference in the overall sound as well. Cheers!
@@rockinfreakappotomus I just meant people shouldn't take it at face value and diss the orange so much cause it could be changed for their tastes :)
stereo tone is incredible!
Thank you for the good demo!
blackstar sounded more clearer and louder. orange had a good depth tone but drowning. for blues blackstar win!
Orange wins for me - Love those VINTAGE overdrive - crunch tones . Great for single coil -P90 pickup guitars .
The microphone on the orange is way out on the edge of the speaker looks like. I can’t tell on the black star. You’ll have to tell us... which one really sounds better in the room?
They look different but they're placed the same. I put them both between the 2 speakers at the edge of the outside speaker opposite the other amp. With the capsule angled toward the center of the cone. That's the mic placement liked at the time & I did them in opposing direction so that the pickup pattern of each mic would reject as much as possible of the opposite amp. It's not a perfect setup, but it should be pretty close to apples to apples.
In the room, I preferred the Blackstar. I really liked the Orange, but the Blackstar does something that I just like better. Both amps together was much better than either on their own though. The fill out different parts of the frequency range in a way that I think compliment well. Overall I do think the Blackstar is a bit more versatile too. But the Orange is great as well.
Something everyone needs to keep in mind is the mic on the ad30 is just about pointed into the baffle and not the speaker cone...
Not true. They're both straight on to the cone.
I'm sure the Orange could be adjust to sound brighter for cleans with a knob tweak if desired..both amps sound good. If The AD 30 is good enough for Jimmy Page it's good enough for me.
The Blackstar all day long.The Orange is lacking and dull. Absolutlely Blackstar winning again.
Would help if the mic on the Orange wasn’t sitting on the edge of the speaker.
They're both at the edge of the speaker off axis like I like it. If the mics weren't placed the same I'm sure you'd whine about that instead.
are the reverb/delay in the send return ? sounds amazing man !
Good demo, apart from the stereo bit which is pointless for the purposes of comparison. I'm biased as I own an Artisan 30 but on this evidence I'm glad, far better sound.
wondered what expression pedal you were running? looks like an ernie ball but wondered what model it was?
Just the basic Ernie Ball VP JR.
Blackstar All day. It sounded so much clearer!
I see a lot of people prefer the blackstar... I'm going orange, because the first thing you lose in you hearing is the high end! they both sound rad, and if I was in a 2 guitar band, these two would compliment each other nicely.
It's amazing how tonal tastes differ. Some people think the orange is muddy. I say the blackstar is harsh.
Its funny cause I think that each one on their own sounds really great. Its when you put them side by side that the Blackstar starts to sound a bit more harsh & the Orange starts to sound a bit more muddy by comparison, but then when you put them both on at the same time the different tones complement each other pretty well. Of course both amps could sound different than they sound here if you turn the knobs differently than I have them...
*****
I guess you would know. I'm just the guy who was in the room playing them at the time, so don't put too much stock in my opinion. Either way they both sound really good. Better in person for both.
I thought ok the Orange will blow this Blackstar away but after a few minutes i was surprised. The Blackstar is fatter with a nice brightness to it and the Orange seems to be a little crunchier and not at beefy but still pretty good non the less.
they are both great amps ... it depends on what tone you like to have ...
fantastic playing, sir! Prefer the Orange though!
thanks!
I agree with others - great playing and great job on the video all around , I actually got something out of this comparison - credit to you . I also thought the Orange was slightly warmer and fatter but was overshadowed by the note bloom and upper harmonics that seemed more "alive" in the blackstar - the blackstars dynamics with your technique produced "spank" that I just didn't hear from the Orange . question - was this really noticeable live in the room ?
Thanks for the kind words! It was very noticeable in the live room as well. I think the way you summed it up is pretty accurate. They are different & it's more noticeable when you do an A/B comparison. The combination of the 2 is a lot of fun!
How quickly does the Artisan 30 break up? I'm thinking of going from my HT-60 to an Artisan 30, but I'm kind of partial to the fact that my clean tone doesn't really break up unless i REALLY crank it.
Sam Kim It kind of depends on the way you have it dialed in. The main control you have over headroom/breakup is the 30/10 watt switch. So if you cut it down to 10 it will break up a lot sooner & if you leave it on 30 it will break up a lot later. The 1st channel is just a volume control & it starts to break up nicely once you crank it up a bit, but has a good amount of clean headroom. Channel 2 has a gain & volume control which lets you tweak a bit more. Also responds very different with Single Coils vs humbuckers. I use channel 1 as my clean channel & dial the gain up on channel 2 and I switch back and forth between them. At band volumes you can keep things very clean still or get into chunky rhythm territory as well. Both channels take pedals very well for higher gain sounds and they each have a different character which is nice for versatility.
nice mate! great job, any chance what drive pedals running there? i got an ad30, and need something that gels with it
+Adrian Cecchin I mostly used the Fulltone Fulldrive 2 & the OCD...both of those went well with it. I also used the Blackstar HT Dual with it, which sounded great, but was a bit noisy. Also used a Bogner Ecstacy Blue with it & that sounded great as well. A Keeley modded Boss Blues Driver too that was great with it. Tube screamer type pedals didn't really do it for me with the orange, but most the other ones I tried were great with it. Best thing is to try a few different things out if you can, since of course it will vary based on the guitars you're playing as well. Good luck, the ad30 is a great amp!
Very useful demo thanks.
Hi man! Excellent video! I love the Orange AD30 and I'm thinking in buy one, but, My favorite sound is the Mesa Boogie and, I not know if the Orange AD30 can do hard rock or metal.
The AD30 is probably not your best bet for that style. If you're set on orange I would look at the Rocker series for that style, but I can't honestly say that I think they'll out do a mesa for hard rock or metal. It's a matter of opinion though.
I just seen that you run it through your pedal rig, I thought you got it straight in to amp just the A/B switch. Do you use any boosters?
aigars samcovs I only plugged into the pedals for the stereo portion
How does the Blackstar compair to the vox?
Honestly I think the Blackstar is easily the best sounding amp of the bunch. I'll have to do another video like this, but with those 2. Videos are never as good as being there in person and everyone has their own opintion, but they are all great sounding amps...I just think the Blackstar is best.
Thanks for the reply! Would love to see the video, really after that classic beatles and early U2 sound, but the blackstar is sounding promising!
Aaron Grimwood I've got Artisan 15. It is the best amp i've ever played. Responsive, dynamic, cuts through, loves pedals. Every player I record with, smiles after first chord ;) Put some delays in front for U2 sounds and you're good to go :)
Are the controls on both amps set *exactly* the same? That's the only way to do a comparison. The amps sound so different, it's hard to believe the settings are the same. The Blackstar souinds harsh, the Orange muddy.
Mike Austin The controls are not all set the same...I thought about doing that, but decided instead to dial each in the way I like them best on their own...they are very different sounding amps despite their similar formats. They both have great tones in them though. They are great as a stereo pair.
That Orange is killer... I'm getting one
I know tone is very objectional...but i had a blackstar club40 SE and to me it was nothing but ice picks....sold it within a few months of owning for a big loss...now i run marshall jtm45, a 66 deluxe reverb or a 68 bandmaster...once in a while Ill use my Marshall code 50 that I put in a 1-12 open back Bluesbreaker clone cab with my own presets( I thought the factory ones sucked)...getting back to the video if i had to choose I'd go with the Orange
Tone is definitely subjective, and everyone can like whatever they're into... Would be pretty boring if we all played identical rigs. However, if you look into it you'll find the club 40 and the artisan 30 are 2 very different amplifiers. Pretty much everything about them is different. I love the other amps you mention that you're using now, and I'm not saying the artisan is the amp for you, just making a point that it will probably be as different from the club 40 as your deluxe reverb and JTM are, if not even more so given the topology, build methods, etc. At the end of the day though, if you found a sound that you're happy with, I say go with it!
great review. but its just so hard to compare amps through a video, as the slightest difference in mic placement can make a huge difference in the sound. the orange sounds much duller, but that could simply be because the the mic is further from the centre of the speak than it is on the blackstar
Andy Gregory you're right about it being difficult to compare through video. In this case though the mic placement is the same on both amps with identical signal chains. They absolutely sound that different in person. They're both great amps in their own ways though. For me they sound better together than either one does in its own.
the orange just makes it sound more ''natural'' for my taste
id be happy with either.
The Blackstar may be a bit bright in this clip, but at least it would cut through a mix. The Orange would be lost.
Speakers must be a big part of them being so different sounding. I like the mids of the Orange but I think the Blackstar could be better with better speakers...I like the top end reminds me of Vox a bit.
If I remember correctly they both have the same speakers. Celestion vintage 30s.
@@rockinfreakappotomus Really wow. I wouldn't have guessed. Is there anyway to bring down the bass and add mids to the Artisan? Just curious of the range of EQ. I like the top end but thought it sounded too scooped maybe or just too bassy.... but I guess together they would be perfect. IDK. I do like them...maybe the Orange is just all midrange...lol I love me some Orange amps though. Some of the best. I feel like I can really hear the valves or tubes in Orange amps. Love that. Hard to describe.
@@rockinfreakappotomus which channel on the Artisan? Sorry if you mentioned it I didn't hear it. EF86 first channel or 12ax7 second channe?
@@HiHello-ku1fl using the 12ax7 channel in this vid. You have bass, mids, and treble on that channel. So you can dial in more/less of each. Truthfully it's not as scooped sounding as it appears next to the Orange. I played a lot of gigs with the blackstar and it sat nicely in the mix. I think it's just sounds more scooped next to the orange.
Incidentally, it looks like the artisan 30 is on the musicians friend stupid deal of the day at the moment for about $1100 USD. I think that's what I paid for mine from GC years ago. It's a seriously good amp for that money.
Comparison video as it should be! Thanks.
Orange sounds nice and warm, black star sounds good, a little thin though. I don't really like orange amps with orange cabs and v30s prefer them with Marshall cabs with greenbacks.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING??
Your style is freakin' amazing
Hey nice vid! Does anybody know what Fuzz this is at the end?
Malekko Omicron Fuzz
rockinfreakappotomus thank you!!!
they would be quite nice together .
6:10 now where have I heard that riff before? haha.
I stole it fair and square...from someone, somewhere.
Blackstar-each note sounds like is is sitting on top of a hard surface. Orange-each note sounds like it is dipped in honey. Take a wild guess which one I prefer.
The Orange is all midrange whereas the Blackstar seems to have been set for a very Fendery sound, treble and bass. I think if the mids on the Orange were backed off it would be a better comparison.
You're right on the characteristics, but it's not so much an issue of how they're set. Bottom line here is that we have 2 differently voiced amps despite some similarities. The mids on both amps are set at around 1:30 - 2:00 here & the Orange has the highs dialed up to 3:00 while the highs on the Blackstar are closer to 11:00. Lows are cranked on the Blackstar & set around 2:00 on the Orange. You can kind of make them out in the first minute or so, but it's a bit blurry. Orange is a darker sounding amp no matter where the controls are. A lot of folks seem to have a problem with me not setting the dials the same, but I prefer to set each amp the way I like it best & go from there. Setting everything at noon on both amps wouldn't bring the best out in either. Thanks for checking it out.
I have an AD30HTC that I love, but it has one fault in that it goes into distortion territory too quickly, and I tend to play between clean and crunch. But you are right, they are two completely different animals.
*****
Orange are going to typically lean towards distortion with soft tubes, which most owners throw in them to get that "Orange" sound. Orange also will produce some REALLY good cleans with hard power tubes and pulling down on the gain. There are a lot of pedal junkies that lean pretty heavy on orange to be a reliable power amp. I feel a fair comparison would have been if both amps EQ had been set at 12 and then adjusted equally for an even volume. I enjoyed both, but they are amps on opposite worlds.
Nathan Holmes The point really is that they are different sounding amps despite their similarities...i didn't wan't to do the whole "all knobs at noon" thing cause neither amp would sound its best in that position. At least they wouldn't sound what I consider to be their best, and since they're my amps I'm doing it my way.
Really can't decide. I think the BS has a better clean bluesy tone. Orange handles the crunch more organically. But then I hear a different clip and I change my opinion
Thomas Craig pedals can be a big factor too if you're using them. overall I liked the Blackstar with pedals better, but I really dig both amps. You can't go wrong with either, and together they're a great pair.
blackstar sound is great)
The mids are high on the orange, while the bass is high on the blackstar
nice... i prefer Orange
like both, blackstar sounds now days and pure hard rock, while orange sounds clearly soft and classic with some distortion. both sounds gr8, it depends on what do yo want and what do you like, honestly i prefer orange to be valance, although blackstar rocked. its like orange is (fender) single, soft and doesnt get wrong with distortion, while blackstar would be gibson, strong and pure hard rock, ain't shit. for me.
Orange is great for playing alone but the blackstar would cut better in the mix
BS Is more Marshall - I’m sure you could add some more mids to the BS
Orange is so full and musical
OOOOOOOOOOOOORRAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNGE
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion?
Artisan is winner for me
No suena nada mal el blackstar, pero siento que Orange 🍊 tiene las frecuencias un poco mejor balanceadas
the blackstar sounds kinda ''closed''...
im a Orange guy 100% but this blackstar amp sounds pretty good im surprised
carlypunx1982 I love orange amps...this Blackstar is a great sounding amp though...I've owned a few other Blackstar amps & this one is easily their best for my money. Worth checking one out in person if you have a chance. I still love the orange, but I had a harder time dialing in the tones I wanted with it.
CONGRATULATIONOS
For me, the blackstar is better because he's more transparent the way you play
Yes winner is both in stereo
I've never heard a PRS or orange amp that I liked, and still haven't.
It takes all kinds paul. You should try to get your hands on them & spend some time with them at some point. You might just like what you hear. In the meantime the hundreds of thousands of people who are happy with them in the world will just keep on enjoying theirs.
I LIKE BLACKSTAR