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Orange Tech Director, Ade Emsley: “the Tiny Terror is my favorite amp” (video)

How did you come up with the circuit?
It was during a night of terror. A lizard appeared and looked me right in the eyes. In his deep marble eyes I saw an amp next to an A4 pad of paper. He was a tiny terror. [Adrian wanted to design an amp that could “fit on an A4 pad of paper.”]

What’s the ethos behind the circuit?
Everybody wants to play a show and have a couple of beers without having to drive. The Tiny Terror allows you to do just that because you can easily carry it. Call up one of the other bands on the bill and ask if it’s cool to borrow their 4×12. Play the show with volume on 10, tone on 10, gain around 12 to 2 o’clock and get right into the output tubes. The guy you borrowed the 4×12 from has a 100 watt marshall with the pre-amp on 9 and the volume on 2 sounding like a dentist. Your cranked TT geetar sound is SOOO good that you attract the attention of some of the laydeez :) You wind up going to a party with them, still carrying your Tiny Terror and your geetar and your night suddenly gets even better :)

How does the circuit work?
Simply, it’s this, the first gang of the gain pot increases the gain of the first stage. The second gang of the gain pot increases the impedance of the second stage. This results in the signal pushing into the output tubes evenly all the way up. The phase inverters in a lot of amps is complete snollygoster. The one in the TT is perfect. The EL84s have the best distortion sound, the cathode biasing gives you more smerge swomp. This results in the pancakes being thick in treacle [molasses]. Thicker than the dude you borrowed the 4×12 off of.

Technical Director Adrian Emsley (Left) with Dr. Damon "I Wear Bike Shorts In The Winter" McCartney (Right)

Technical Director Adrian Emsley (Left) with
Dr. Damon “I Wear Bike Shorts In The Winter” McCartney (Right)

Interview by Dr. Damon McCartney
  1. R. IVES
    R. IVES says:

    It really sounds awesome ive never had an orange of my own… Ive been using the same amp I got when I was 16, and now im 46 it has seen better days and sounded better back in the day… lol…. I wanna get a new amp but cant really afford at this point, shit I can barely make rent but I will somehow scrimp and save…. It might take a while but I will find a way to get a new amp im thinking of getting one of these, orange tiny terrors, anyways thanks for the blog it was interesting and funny… cheers..

  2. Don poirier
    Don poirier says:

    I bought the dark terror about a year ago. Should have went with the tiny. Just for versitatility sake. But I gotta say the terror series is amazing. Thanks ORANGE!
    ~donk

  3. Robin Linn
    Robin Linn says:

    I have to tell you it was my idea for you to use the jam featuring guitarist Bobby Nichols and Mario Lalli on bass for your back ground music. When Alex contacted us for a recording of Bobby, I thought…it has to be Bobby playing through an Orange to be authentic. Bobby and I fell in love with the 50 watt Orange Dark Terror he is playing through on this fated night in the middle of Coachella during a sand storm. Beautiful amplification with haunting cleans, thick distortion, and plenty of head room to explore the full spectrum of colors the player brings to the table.

  4. Brian M
    Brian M says:

    I’ve had my Jim Root Terror amp for just over a year and I’m STILL finding new reasons to love it! The sound palette of these Terror-series amps is so broad and rich that every time you plug in and play you will find new sounds to blow you away. Amazing versatility, frighteningly loud yet never piercing. Brilliant!

  5. Doc
    Doc says:

    I own one. Pretty bad _ss. I run it into a 1×12 cab. Despite the listed low wattage, you’ll still find yourself running it at half-power. Best part? I got it half price, used. A no-brainer. Definitely Class A, in all regards. If I find the combo version at the right price, I will buy that, too.

  6. Tim New
    Tim New says:

    I own a tiny terror and out of all my other amps(marshall,vox,fender,soldano) my terror is my go to amp for the sound i am looking for.