Description
Many of today’s guitarists are looking for the best partner for their pedalboard but ultimately end up with an amp that’s uninspiring and lacking in character. With the Rocker 32 however, Orange have nailed the perfect pedal amp. It’s an all-valve stereo guitar amp in a compact and portable combo format, which makes it stands out from other amps.
The Rocker 32 can be run just like a ‘normal’ combo – straight in or with standard mono effects loop connections. Even before you start experimenting, you’ll soon realise that this is not just another bland, soulless pedal platform, but a serious amplifier in its own right. The Rocker 32 has classic Orange mojo in abundance and its 2×10” configuration means a full and fat delivery whilst keeping the footprint small. There’s even some clever circuitry under the hood to give the amp a wider spread of sound than most regular twin speaker combos.
At the heart of the Rocker 32, though, is its stereo effects loop which opens up a world of limitless possibilities for your pedalboard. If you’re into epic panning delays and massive soundscapes, connect the Rocker 32 for full stereo operation, unlocking enormously spatial tones that wash over the audience. If you’re more old-school, you can patch your pedals in ‘wet/dry’ mode, with your effects appearing in one speaker and your clean guitar tone in the other. This makes for great separation and clarity on stage or in the studio.
The front end of the Rocker 32 is one-of-a-kind. The Natural channel features just one control (Volume), and has been carefully voiced to bring out every nuance of different guitars, pickups and pedal combinations. There is plenty of clean headroom here but this channel also loves to be hit with overdrive and distortion stomps.
The Dirty channel has a more familiar look to it with a three band EQ, gain and master volume controls, allowing for all different flavours of British crunch – and it can be set clean too. There’s also a handy half power mode to drop the volume level if you like to push the EL84 output valves a bit harder for more saturation. This switches the Rocker 32 from the full 30 Watts (15W a side) down to a more home-friendly 15 Watts (7W a side).
