The Orange OPC (2011)

The Orange OPC combined pro audio performance, built-in software, and studio-ready hardware in a compact amp-style PC built for musicians.

In 2011, Orange launched the OPC (Orange Personal Computer), a high-performance Windows-based audio workstation housed in a classic Orange amp-style cab. It was compact, powerful, and ready to play straight out of the box.

The OPC wasn’t just another desktop computer with a slick skin. It was a purpose-built music computer, made by musicians for musicians, just as gaming PCs are made for gamers.

From Media Centre to Music Machine

“I’ve always been into building computers and media centres,” explains Charlie Cooper, former Orange Marketing Director.”In the mid-2000s, my dad brought home some vintage Orange cabs from the 1970s, and I had the idea of turning one into a fully functioning computer with a TV on top. Everyone loved the look.

“In 2007, VIA Technologies announced the Pico-ITX form factor. I liked the idea of smaller builds, but those boards lacked power. After some research, I chose an ITX motherboard with one of the first Intel Atom processors, fast and compact enough to do what we needed.

“While at university, I made a prototype using a broken Orange Crush 10 combo. It was rough — just a bit of glue, a hammer, and some trial and error — but it worked. I used it as a media centre at my student house, then brought it into Orange HQ to show what it could become.

“The reaction was mixed. Some thought it was too far from what Orange typically does. Others loved it. Over time, the idea evolved through several iterations into a nearly-finished product. We still weren’t sure how the public would respond; after all, no one else had made a computer like this before.”

Turning Heads in Frankfurt

“We took the OPC to Musikmesse 2010 in Frankfurt, where we quietly showed it to people in the audio world and asked what they thought. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Premier Guitar ended up filming a YouTube demo, which was our first public reveal.

“After the show, the video went viral, and suddenly the OPC was one of the most talked-about gadgets of the event. Intel reached out to offer support and help us upgrade the hardware. That’s when we knew we were onto something.”

A Different Kind of Music Computer

“Most ‘music computers’ out there are just off-the-shelf PCs with a few tweaks. The OPC looked and felt like it was built for making music because it was.

“Everything, from interface setup to software integration, was designed to work out of the box. No extra configuration. No clutter. Just plug in and play. It genuinely made making music more fun.”

The Fastest Guitarist in the World

“Intel invited us to demo the OPC on their stand at CES 2011 in Las Vegas, where they were launching their new ‘Sandy Bridge’ processors,” remembers Cliff Cooper, Founder and CEO of Orange. “We brought along Orange artist Tiago Della Vega to demonstrate just how powerful the OPC was. He ended up breaking his own Guinness World Record live on the stand, playing Flight of the Bumblebee at 340 BPM.

“It was a jaw-dropping moment, and a perfect example of what the OPC was made for: pushing musical performance to the next level.”