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Post by Pete aka shouldb on Mar 24, 2014 15:52:58 GMT -7
Any thoughts anyone?
I am playing with a band now who practice quietly (no vox mics) and yet play almost everything with a chunk of OD. I'm using either a Micro or Tiny Terror and just an EP to boost for solos, and they work brilliantly, but I miss that Z thing tonally.
Is the Mini Z as high gain as the two Orange amps? Can it clean up, a bit, with dextrous use of the GV? Can it go quiet enough and still retain some tone?
I don't want to keep using pedals all night, so using my Z28 in a 1x10 is out in that sense., and the Remedy rig is just too big.
Thoughts?
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on Mar 24, 2014 17:04:11 GMT -7
Here's a video of BW playing the Mini-Z
A second one:
Another one by Mojocaster:
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Post by savage8190 on Mar 27, 2014 8:41:47 GMT -7
I use the Mini now, I used to use a TT extensively. The Mini has a bit more headroom, about the same amount of usable gain. I say usable gain because I found that once you got to a certain point on the dial with the TT it turned into a fuzzy mess. I know you said you dont want to use pedals, but thats the biggest difference between the two...I never found an Orange that took pedals well, the Mini does VERY well.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2014 8:56:21 GMT -7
I own a Mini Z and it is a kick butt amp. It's used often around here. I will say though a friend of mine recently bought a VOX Lil Night Train. It's a super fun amp.
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Post by digiTED aka 'Ted' on Mar 27, 2014 9:24:58 GMT -7
Any thoughts anyone? I am playing with a band now who practice quietly (no vox mics) and yet play almost everything with a chunk of OD. I'm using either a Micro or Tiny Terror and just an EP to boost for solos, and they work brilliantly, but I miss that Z thing tonally. Is the Mini Z as high gain as the two Orange amps? Can it clean up, a bit, with dextrous use of the GV? Can it go quiet enough and still retain some tone? I don't want to keep using pedals all night, so using my Z28 in a 1x10 is out in that sense., and the Remedy rig is just too big. Thoughts? Hi Pete I've owned two Mini Z heads (with and without Maz 8 tranny upgrade) and currently have an Orange OR15. The Mini Z is very sensitive to GV and attack, truly clean to mean without touching the amp. The OR15 (in the Terror family architecturally but with an additional gain stage and slightly different pre-amp voicing) can be set this way but it'll take some experimenting to get it to react that way with different pups. I think you could be happy with either, but I do think the Mini has more clarity, esp. when cranked. Also, as savage mentioned Oranges can be fussy with drive pedals. The Mini liked most of everything.
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Post by greenblues58 on Mar 27, 2014 9:31:20 GMT -7
sounds like you might need to try a Maz 8.
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Post by Pete aka shouldb on Mar 27, 2014 10:45:37 GMT -7
No, definitely not looking for a Maz, but a higher gain amp, in a small footprint for pretty quiet practice with the band. I have both the Micro and Tiny Terrors, and has been said above, they get very fuzzy very quickly, and compress like crazy, but I run them medium gain and hit the front end with an EP for solo boosts. They do okay, but I miss my Z tone, even at these very low volumes, and that got me thinking about a Mini Z. However, if I need a dirt pedal to get OD tones all the time, I might as well stick with the Oranges, or use my Fender Champion 600 with an AC, even with its crappy speaker Of course, the REALLY big challenge is the cost, so most of this is GAS talk in reality...........
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Post by savage8190 on Mar 27, 2014 16:16:05 GMT -7
There is more headroom and clarity with the Z, but there is still plenty of gain...easily as much as the TT in the mid gain area. I mostly just use a boost and a fuzz with mine...I have one dirt pedal for the sake of variety, but its definitely not neccessary with this amp.
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Post by Papa Juan (lanier816) on Apr 1, 2014 18:34:54 GMT -7
Have you considered a Monza 1x10? They've got a lot of heft and gain to spare but now with a master volume you can drive it hard at bedroom levels. Z clarity, crazy drive, small foot print and controllable volume. Here's a really cool demo, check it out.
He takes it through the paces but ends the video with the amp maxed on gain but you can hear the pick against the strings. This might be something to look into. I also have a TT but it certainly lacks the umph of the Z, great amp though.
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Post by nmz on Apr 1, 2014 19:15:19 GMT -7
^ I was thinking the same thing.
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Post by Pete aka shouldb on Apr 1, 2014 23:36:22 GMT -7
No, the Monza is too much amp for what I'm talking about, and way too expensive - I can see where you're coming from though, folks.
I have the 20-40W range covered with my main rigs (Z28 and Remedy, both with some form of MV), but my new band differentialtes between practice and rehearsal, which I love. When we practice stuff, we don't use a PA, so all volumes have to be below an un-mic'ed voice (drummer uses electric kit). I'm using a Micro Terror through Vox Li'l Night Train 1x10 cab, and even that can get way too loud. Other guitarist uses his Tiny Terror rolled right back, but he also gigs with this amp too, through a 2x12.
It was just me thinking out loud about a Mini Z instead of the Orange stuff just to add a different tonal flavour.................
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Post by Deleted on Apr 2, 2014 7:13:54 GMT -7
I'd stick with the Micro Terror, Pete--set clean it's a decent platform for pedals if you need 'em; set dirty it's, well, dirty! I like mine a lot--great backup you can throw in a gig-bag, good for practice or even small gigs. Thinking of picking up a Tiny at some point.
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Post by Brimstone on Sept 6, 2014 14:41:46 GMT -7
The Mini and the Orange both have their own mojo. However, I do lean more towards the Z. Enjoy !!
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Post by pcns on Sept 7, 2014 6:35:01 GMT -7
Pete, your Therapy has a master volume. You don't need a small amp, just dial your Therapy down
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Post by Pete aka shouldb on Sept 7, 2014 7:35:09 GMT -7
Small footprint grab and go combo fir practice....... definitely not my Therapy! I'm using a Micro Terror which is okay, but a bit of a fuzz box amp.........
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Post by Stephen on Sept 8, 2014 20:12:16 GMT -7
I have a Mini-Z combo and I use it exclusively for practice. It doesn't get dirty until the volume is around noon and the guitar is all the way up. It will clean up like a Maz when you turn down the guitar volume. The built in attenuator is a nice feature too.
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