Orange Crush 15R thoughts?

[aarongmay]

Hi,

I need a practise amp and you can buy these for $50.

Any thoughts on the amp and if they are any good?

Cheers

 

[LGOberean]

No one else has chimed in yet, so I'll give it a go. I tried an Orange Crush 15R out a few years ago. Didn't buy it, so this is my review based on a try-out several years ago; take this with a grain of salt.

The amp's cleans weren't pristine, but okay. The reverb was okay, but it didn't make much of an impression on me until cranked up to about 2-3 o'clock. With the combination of Level controlling distortion, a button activated overdrive switch, and Master and Volume controls, you can coax a variety of drive tones from this amp. A little boxy, IMHO, but then it is an 8" speaker.

In short, I think this makes a good practice amp. $50 is about the top end of what I'd pay for one used (assuming a general equivalence between the Aussie and US $).

Oh, and threads always go better with pics, so I found ya some.


image removed

 

[dqami]

Had one and liked it but sold it since I have several practice amps. Cleans and OD sound good to me. For $50 it's worth it. For the same or a little more you can find a Vox Pathfinder used which I use and prefer more. Cleans are nicer and has a more bluesy OD. Can also plug into a bigger cab.

 

[Stefanovich]

I have one (it was a gift) and it is not a great amp but it does take a guitar signal and make it audible. The cleans are OK, the reverb mediocre and the dirty channel is truly awful. Of all my guitars it definitely sounds best with my jazz hollowbody. For $50 it is hard to go wrong but don't expect great sound. Expect sounds that allow you to practice...

 

[LGOberean]

+1 on the Vox Pathfinder 15R.

As I've already said, I tried out an Orange Crush 15R out a few years ago but I didn't buy it. I just wasn't that impressed with it. If it's what's available and what you can afford for now, it will be fine as a practice amp.

But a couple of years ago, when I had my first chance to play through the Vox Pathfinder 15R, I bought it on the spot. On a spec sheet, they have their similarities: 15 watts, reverb, 8" speaker.

But the Vox PF15R is remarkably better than the Orange Crush 15R. Okay, the Reverb on the Pathfinder is a little weak as well. But the tone is surprisingly warm, and gives that Vox chime. And this little amp is a lot louder than you'd expect, and that 8" Bulldog speaker in the Vox is amazing. Doesn't sound boxy at all.

The Vox PF15R is a great practice amp, but it is also loud enough for some gigs (small venues, no drummer or a sensible one). In July I played a gig for 200+ people and I used both of my Pathfinders via an ABY box. I set them up on either side of the staging area. Didn't mic them, both amps were sufficient to the task.

I think the only pic I have available of one of my Pathfinders is from this performance last July.

For a closer look, here's a pic of the Vox Pathfinder 15R that I borrowed from the 'Net.

 

[alnicopu]

I have one I bought about 7 or 8 years ago, still in the box. Only played it a few times put it back in the box then got a sfvc. My impression? A 15 watt 8' speaker solid state with reverb. Not much different than the frontman 15r I got for free and sold for 30 bucks on CL.

 

[jzero]

I disagree with the others. The clean channel is very good and there is surprising volume and depth from the 8" speaker. The reverb is FANTASTIC in contrast to the Pathfinder's. The gain controls are awkward and not as good sounding as the Vox. I own the crush 15r, a Pathfinder 10, and Cambridge 30 which has the same crap reverb as the P15r.