# Orange vs H&K?



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

What to do when you're avoiding work, and just bought a second identical 1x12 cab? Spark em up with an A/B switch, that's what.










Both cabs are Vintage 30s, identical speaker cables and everything. Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 5 vs Orange OR15. The Orange just returned from getting a new OT and power tubes (ouch). Guitar was a Les Paul with 490 R/T pickups. To be fair, I compared them with the Orange on its 7 watt setting.

Unscientific results:

1. Volume - the orange is louder (duh).
2. Clean setting - it's hard to get the Orange to stay clean but it can be done. The H&K is a little brighter clean, and seems to have more clean headroom (a bit). Low volume both were fine (like bedroom, just drowning out the TV volume)
3. Crunch - With some knob tweaking, I could consistently get these amps to sound identical. For some reason, it was harder to match the H&K to the Orange than vice versa.
4. Full on gain - Orange was the King here, but not by much. Oddly the H&K needed more eq than the Orange otherwise it was quite dark.

Not sure if this will interest anyone, just my thoughts. I'm planning a little housecleaning ... Anyway they're both great low wattage amps. The Orange has an effects loop and can put out a lot more volume - and it seems to sound better on 15 watt setting. The H&K has the red box audio out and you can run it without a speaker for silent recording. You do need to hit the drive switch on the front (not footswitchable) where the Orange just gets there with a twist of the gain knob. Is the $500 difference in the price worth it? Yup - if you need what the Orange is doing. But the cheap little 5 watt H&K sounds pretty fine as well, and the recording option is pretty nice.

Hope someone finds this of value.


----------



## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

The TM18 would've squared off better against the OR15. The TM5 is limited in comparison I think. The drive channel is deafening when the button is pushed. Can't get that neutral volume between clean and dirty on the TM5. I've had a few different Orange heads, and have none at this point. I do really like my TM36, so I might be a little biased. I have had different tube heads and have A/B them myself.


----------



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Verne said:


> The TM18 would've squared off better against the OR15. The TM5 is limited in comparison I think. The drive channel is deafening when the button is pushed. Can't get that neutral volume between clean and dirty on the TM5. I've had a few different Orange heads, and have none at this point. I do really like my TM36, so I might be a little biased. I have had different tube heads and have A/B them myself.


Part2?


----------



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

As @Verne mentioned the TM18 is a better comparison. I bought the TM5 just because it was cheap and I had some cash in my pocket. Found I was really liking the tone and 5 watts was a possible solution for in the house. Then one day the orange crapped out - lights came on but no sound. It was in for repair for a couple of months, and the wife asked me about it. When I told her, she said "Why don't you buy a new one, enough with the used stuff". So I did a Wiley Coyote, strapped on my ACME rocket and got to the music store. I did the comparison above just because I was so surprised what the TM5 could do. The 18 is a better amp in every way, and I'll be keeping it. The Orange will be finding its way to a new home. I think the Tubemeisters are a little polarizing - you either like them or you don't. I'd encourage anyone to give them a go especially the low wattage heads.


----------



## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

I got ahead of you. Sorry. HAHAA. I agree on the love/hate with H&K. The term "hi-fi" has been thrown around a lot to define their sound. I like it. It's nice and crisp, clear and clean. The dirt is just the right amount of dirt for me. I don't play heavy, so the crunch channel is usually my dirt and it has a great sound to me. I also have the TM112, but I did swap out the V30 for a vintage G12C and really like it. Glad to see H&K coming out on top against the Orange.


----------



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

I've actually been using the TM5 mostly with a VOX 2x12 (greenbacks). I think they sound much better with this amp - perhaps the greenbacks temper the "hi-fi" thing.


----------



## Mikev7305 (Jan 6, 2020)

I've never played through a H&K so that was very educational for me. Thanks!


----------

