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Orange’s Micro Terror Amp In Review: A Hybrid Amp Technology With Shrunken Size, And Price Tag

Orange Micro Terror 20 Watt Ratings at a Glance

Orange Micro Terror 20W Amplifier Head

Meet The Micro Terror, It’s Exactly What It Sounds Like

Orange Amplifiers have gained a huge following in the past few decades, especially with high gain players.

Forming just a few years after other British amp giants like Vox and Marshall, Orange is one of the founders of the “British Invasion” tone.

With a wide variety of affordable and premium amp offerings, the company has distilled that vintage essence into a ton of products.

Orange amps are certainly eye catching as well, compared to the relatively colorless Marshall or Vox options. With their distinct orange and white, or orange and black finishes, you’ll be sure to stand out.

Even better, their famed use of graphics (and sometimes labels) to describe each control knob provides a fun touch.

What’s The Micro Terror’s Story?

The Orange Micro Terror is a 20 watt amplifier head, meaning you’ll need an external speaker. It is a hybrid amp head, with a tube preamp and a solid state power amp.

It’s designed to take that classic Orange amp tone and bring it down to a smaller size and price point. Crunchy, high gain tones in the vein of British Invasion music abound in this lunchbox-sized amplifier head.

Who Is The Micro Terror Designed For?

An affordable price tag and simple user interface make the Orange Micro Terror a great option for beginners. If classic British guitar tones inspired you to pick up the guitar, this is a great place to start.

However, being an amp head, you will have to purchase an external speaker cab to actually use this to amplify your electric guitar. The affordable price means you can still spend under $300 and get a cab.

Beginners aren’t the only ones that should be checking this amp out however. 20 watts of powerful, hybrid tone makes the sound quality check out a tick above most other competitors.

What’s Included With Your Orange Micro Terror?

The Micro Terror’s unboxing is just as straightforward as the amplifier. No extras or accessories here, just one lunchbox amp head that is surprisingly loud.

All necessary extras, like the external speaker cabinet, must be purchased separately. So before your amp arrives, be sure to have everything you will need, from guitar cable to speakers, to get playing out of the box.

Orange Micro Terror 20 Watt Amp Head Features

One of the things that really sets the Orange Micro Terror Amp apart from other budget competitors is the hybrid construction. A 12AX7 tube in the preamp provides that classic British sound alongside natural, cranked tube crunch.

This 20 watt amp head provides enough output for smaller live gigs, while still quiet enough for home playing. Even better, it has a built-in headphone jack for playing silently at night or in a crowded home.

There’s also an auxiliary port for playing along to music from your external MP3 device. Lastly, three simple controls for volume, tone, and gain make for an easy to navigate user interface.

Micro Amp Highlights

• 20 watts of hybrid tube tone
• Simple user interface
• Built-in auxiliary and headphone jacks
• 12AX7 tube preamp
• High tensile steel casing

How To Get The Most Out Of Your Micro Terror Amp

As previously stated, you’re going to need an external cabinet to get the most out of your new Orange Micro Terror.

This means you will have to make an extra purchase to use your new amp head. However, with the affordable price of the head and equally affordable Orange cabs available, it is still relatively budget friendly.

Plus, while it lacks built-in effects like some competitors, it provides a more true tube amp tone. Check out this helpful demo for more!

How Does the Micro Terror Mini Amp Stack Up?

The Good And The Bad

Orange Micro Terror 20W Amp Head Review

What Do Orange Micro Terror 20W Amp Owners Think? >>

Micro Terror Alternatives

VOX MV50 Series Amplifier Head, Deep Red (MV50CR)

Looking for a different flavor of British amp sound from a lunchbox amplifier head? Check out  the Vox MV50 Mini Amplifier.

Packing a 50 watt punch, and a correspondingly higher price tag, this amp is also designed for more aggressive tones of high gain British amplifiers but delivered Vox-style.

Similar to the Micro Terror, it also sports an efficient Class D power amp specifically designed for the unit. With its minimal controls, the Vox MV50 still lets you dial in an impressive array of responsive sounds from warm, natural cleans to dynamic overdrives.

Yamaha THR5A Mini Acoustic Guitar Amplifier with Cubase AI Production Software

The little brother of their popular THR10, Yamaha’s THR5 is a modern take on the practice amp. This battery powered amp is perfect for off-stage playing and practicing.

It’s ultra portable thanks to the lightweight and rugged construction. With a sound spectrum ranging from crystal clean to edgy distortion, Yamaha’s THR5 is the perfect desktop amplifier for beginners or pros, all for a sub-$200 price tag.

JOYO BanTamp Series ZOMBIE Amplifier Mini Tube Head 20 Watt,Black

Getting back into the high gain, modern sounding amplifier heads, check out the Joyo BanTamp ZOMBIE. Unlike the BLUEJAY, the ZOMBIE is all about high gain tones for hard rock and heavy metal players.

With the same size and style, this lunchbox amplifier head packs in ultra value for a small package and price. Choose between clean and OD channels to dial in the perfect pedal gain tones or get all your crunch from the amplifier.

Lots of versatility for not a lot of price, definitely check out the Joyo ZOMBIE.

Find great deals your favorite amps at Sweetwater! >>

Final Thoughts On The Orange Micro Terror 20 Watt Amp Head

The Orange Micro Terror is an incredibly popular amplifier, and one of our favorite small tube amps for a reason. It packs in a ton of classic British guitar tone that appeals to beginners and pros alike.

All that for far less than $200 adds up to an insane value for a guitar amp that isn’t purely solid state. For beginners, the need to buy an additional speaker may be off putting.

Likewise, the lack of built-in effects compared to amp modellers like the Fender Mustang I V2 limits the versatility. For the best pure classic rock guitar tone at this price, the Micro Terror is an amp that will grow with your skills and tastes.

Read What Orange Micro Terror Owners are Saying! >>

The post Orange Micro Terror Review [20 Watt Amp Head] first appeared on GuitarNiche.