ORANGE – BRENT HINDS TERROR (8.5)

As with all Orange Terror amps, the Hinds Terror is very portable. It comes in at just under 12 lbs with a padded carry bag that has a big pouch for the power supply, and plenty of room for accessories or spare tubes. As with all Terrors, the vibrant colors and dimensions are available, the metal enclosure does add a touch of an industrial, workman-like aesthetic. The two-channel setup is powered by two EL84 power tubes, and three 12AX7s, and one 12AT7 in the preamp. Power-switching options include a bedroom and headroom settings of 0.5, 1, 7, and 15 watts.

The speaker outputs are for 8-ohm speakers and pair well with Orange cabs. I really like the clean channel and when the gain is set to 3:00 on the dirty channel this amp really has some bite. The only downside would be if you are seeking a heavier metal distortion you would need a pedal. Orange may not be selling this model new anymore, but I picked mine up used and there is clearly a market for this model.

MXR – DYNA COMP COMPRESSOR (7.5)

The MXR Dyna Comp provides an easy way to even out the volume or provide a chunky, clicky clean guitar tone. Operation is simple – two knobs (Output and Sensitivity) which allows you to determine output volume and at what volume the Dyna Comp engages. I find the most effective setting to be Output at 12:00 and Sensitivity at 3:00. Keep in mind as you raise the Output, the noise level is also raised and can negatively effect your sound.