Orange is best known for its loud, high-output classic guitar amp heads and extremely popular Terror Series mini tube amps, but over recent years the company has significantly expanded its offerings.
A great example is the Crush PiX Series combos, which quickly became some of the best-selling practice amps after their introduction.
The new Orange Crush 35RT combo is an extremely affordable-but-versatile Crush Series amp that does away with digital multieffects in favor of a simpler control layout with classic performance features, like two-channel operation.
FEATURES The Orange Crush 35RT is a 35-watt solid-state combo featuring a single 10-inch Voice of the World speaker housed in the classic orange Tolex-covered cabinet with woven tan speaker cloth. The top panel even includes Orange’s classic picture graphics for each control and input. This two-channel amp provides separate volume controls for the Clean and Dirty channels, while both channels share treble, middle and bass EQ. The Dirty channel also includes its own gain control. Instead of the variety of digital effects found on previous Crush Series amps, the 35RT features only digital reverb, which is shared by both channels and features a reverb level control. Channel switching can be controlled using the mini toggle switch on the front panel or an optional footswitch connected to the 1/4-inch footswitch jack.
The amp’s built-in tuner, 1/8-inch input for connecting a CD or MP3 player, and 1/4-inch headphone jack (featuring 4x12 cabinet simulation) support its role as a practice amp, but features like channel switching and a fully buffered, low-impedance mono effect loop encourage players to take it out of the practice room and onto the stage for gigs.
PERFORMANCE Like Orange’s Terror Series amps, the Crush 35RT may be small, but it is impressively loud. The Clean channel is exactly that, retaining clean headroom without a hint of overdrive across its entire output range, which makes it a great platform for a pedal rig. The Dirty channel delivers delicious overdrive crunch with the gain control set below 12 o’clock. Higher gain settings produce fuzzy, buzzy distortion at lower volume levels, but as the Dirty channel volume is cranked up, those settings bloom into aggressive high-gain tones with more body.
The digital reverb sounds rich and natural. It blends nicely with distortion settings, retaining attack and definition instead of becoming blurred mush. The effect-loop section may consist only of send and return jacks, but it’s a welcome feature that elevates the 35RT above the average practice amp.
CHEAT SHEET LIST PRICE $259 MANUFACTURER Orange Amplification, orangeamps.com
A two-channel, 35-watt amp with built-in digital reverb, effect loop and a single 10-inch speaker.
Channels can be selected using the mini toggle switch on the front panel or an optional footswitch connected to the 1/4-inch footswitch jack.
THE BOTTOM LINE The Orange Crush 35RT is perfect for players who want an affordable classic-style amp for practice that can also hold its own during gigs
Chris is the co-author of Eruption - Conversations with Eddie Van Halen. He is a 40-year music industry veteran who started at Boardwalk Entertainment (Joan Jett, Night Ranger) and Roland US before becoming a guitar journalist in 1991. He has interviewed more than 600 artists, written more than 1,400 product reviews and contributed to Jeff Beck’s Beck 01: Hot Rods and Rock & Roll and Eric Clapton’s Six String Stories.
