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HAL9000

I'm very pleased with my Roland Cube 40XL, but am currently thinking of upgrading to the Cube 80GX.

Angway, just taking a quick squizz at the specs I see that the output is 80 Watts, yet the power consumption is only 75 Watts.

So, looks like they're giving me 5 Watts for nothing, gratis, free of charge, etc. I'm in.

jpfamps

Unless of course the power output is fictitious......

HAL9000

Surely Roland wouldn't do such a thing

...although I do seem to recall that their GA-112 was putting out 100 Watts but only consuming about 45. Maybe their test lab is run by Volkswagen.

ICBM

HAL9000 said:

Surely Roland wouldn't do such a thing

...although I do seem to recall that their GA-112 was putting out 100 Watts but only consuming about 45. Maybe their test lab is run by Volkswagen.

lol

Yes, a lot of their modern amps seem to be like this. It's somewhat reminiscent of car audio and cheap hi-fi and doesn't inspire confidence.

If I remember rightly the GA112 was "100W" from a 45W input and the GA212 was "200W" from 75W, which is I'm right makes them about 30W and 60W output respectively, with 15W for the rest of the circuitry. Which might partly explain why they were so weak-sounding and lacking authority, since that isn't a lot for a solid-state/modelling amp.

A modern Class D output section with a SMPS can achieve up to about 80-90% efficiency I think, but you still need a bit for the preamp, so I would guess the Cube 80 is more like a 60-watter really. But it could be less…

To be honest I really do not rate the Cubes, and I find it a bit surprising how much they seem to be. To me they are thin-sounding and artificial, and lacking punch or real tone. I've also seem a couple of dead ones - both with blown IC power modules - which is again not very confidence-inspiring from Roland.

Beexter

Not sure of the exact power ratings but I've had a CUBE 60 and currently a CUBE 80XL and confirm that both of them are plenty loud enough to provide a clean tone (with headroom to spare) over an enthusiastic, neanderthal tub-thumper if that's any help. 

Both the 60 and the 80XL have line outs to go to the PA but I've never needed to use them to be heard.

olafgarten

Upgrade to a Blackstar TVP, far better than the other modelers apart from maybe a Super Champ, but that is half tube.

HAL9000

ICBM;897164" said:

...why they were so weak-sounding and lacking authority...

...To be honest I really do not rate the Cubes, and I find it a bit surprising how much they seem to be. To me they are thin-sounding and artificial, and lacking punch or real tone.

Actually, despite being a fan I do know what you mean. However since I am mostly a bedroom player with only a few live outings per year the Cube suits me pretty well. In the bedroom or jamming with mates it's fine and sounds great (especially on tbe lower-gain settings). In a live setting though it really doesn't cut through like it ought hence why I'm thinking the 80GX might help.

I did try an Orange Crush CR60C recently, and though the tones weren't particularly to my taste, I could hear that the sound was somehow thicker and had greater presence. To be fair, I only played it for ten minutes so a bit more time may have allowed me to dial it in a bit better. Trouble is I'm trying to keep the weight down and maintain portability, and the Cube fits those criteria very well.

HAL9000

@icbm Do you have an opinion on the Orange CR60C? Thanks.

olafgarten

HAL9000 said:

@icbm Do you have an opinion on the Orange CR60C? Thanks.

I was looking for amps a few months ago and it is strange but the Blackstar TVP 30 sounded better than the Orange Crush 60 for drive tones.

ICBM

HAL9000 said:

@icbm Do you have an opinion on the Orange CR60C? Thanks.

I haven't tried one yet, but I've heard the CR120 in action live - not with me playing though. There's one as a house amp at a venue I've played a few times as a bass player, and listened to other guitarists using it. It sounds good, perhaps not quite as great as a valve Orange but more than good enough in a mix.

The Blackstar IDs do sound good too if you like the 'Blackstar sound', which is not my personal taste, but to me they do sound fairly like a valve amp, if that makes sense.

I have also not yet seen a single one of either the Orange CRs or the Blackstar IDs for repair. I've recommended both of them to several venues and practice studios I do repair work for, for that reason. One of the practice studios has had a Blackstar ID60 for getting on for two years with no issues at all - the only amp of theirs that is true of apart from the old Peaveys.

crunchman

ICBM said:

I have also not yet seen a single one of either the Orange CRs or the Blackstar IDs for repair. I've recommended both of them to several venues and practice studios I do repair work for, for that reason. One of the practice studios has had a Blackstar ID60 for getting on for two years with no issues at all - the only amp of theirs that is true of apart from the old Peaveys.

A man with ethics.  You could have recommended something that keeps going wrong and kept yourself in work for years to come.

jpfamps

crunchman said:

ICBM said:

I have also not yet seen a single one of either the Orange CRs or the Blackstar IDs for repair. I've recommended both of them to several venues and practice studios I do repair work for, for that reason. One of the practice studios has had a Blackstar ID60 for getting on for two years with no issues at all - the only amp of theirs that is true of apart from the old Peaveys.

A man with ethics.  You could have recommended something that keeps going wrong and kept yourself in work for years to come.

There's enough gear out there like that already!

I've not seen an Orange CR or Blackstar ID in for repair either.

I've not heard an Orange CR, but chatting with the guys who sell them, they are very impressed with their sound.

I would describe the Blackstar ID series as "not to my taste sonically".

HAL9000

Thanks for that @ICBM - I'm going to have to try the Orange again and spend a bit more time with it. The idea of an SS amp which doesn't feel the need for effects, a tuner, headphone out, aux in, etc appeals to me far more than the TVP with all its bells and whistles. Let's face it - The King's Head doesnt have a USB connection so why does the TVP need one?

ICBM

crunchman said:

A man with ethics.  You could have recommended something that keeps going wrong and kept yourself in work for years to come.

Don't worry, I have plenty of work with all the Marshall, Ashdown and Laney amps a lot of places bought…

HAL9000 said:

Thanks for that @ICBM - I'm going to have to try the Orange again and spend a bit more time with it. The idea of an SS amp which doesn't feel the need for effects, a tuner, headphone out, aux in, etc appeals to me far more than the TVP with all its bells and whistles. Let's face it - The King's Head doesnt have a USB so why the TVP need one?

They are actually totally different, even though both are 'solid state' - the Blackstar is a modelling amp, although it's designed rather differently from most other modellers in that (as I understand it) it models circuit elements within a signal path - which is why all the sounds are variations on the 'Blackstar sound' - rather than trying to model whole and very different amps; the Orange is an old-school analogue solid-state amp but with some refinements that make it sound much better than those usually did.

If you want to go down the analogue route the Peavey Transtube series is still worth a look too.

ecc83

" have also not yet seen a single one of either the Orange CRs or the Blackstar IDs for repair."

Has it really been two years??? Jeeeeez!

Dave.

Tuscan777

The rehearsal place I use has a CR120 head + 2x12 that I use. I've been pretty impressed so far, I only use the clean channel and this is very full sounding. I like it a lot and would certainly consider one if the need arose. Feels v solid too.

 

I've only played with the OD channel, but it seems to cover all the bases that most would need. The reverb is good too, 3 different modes IIRC.

strtdv

HAL9000;63473" said:

I'm very pleased with my Roland Cube 40XL, but am currently thinking of upgrading to the Cube 80GX.

Angway, just taking a quick squizz at the specs I see that the output is 80 Watts, yet the power consumption is only 75 Watts.

So, looks like they're giving me 5 Watts for nothing, gratis, free of charge, etc. I'm in.

Buy 20 of them, turn them all on with the volume at 0, and watch your electric meter run backwards ;-)

cbilly22

HAL9000 said:

Thanks for that @ICBM - I'm going to have to try the Orange again and spend a bit more time with it. The idea of an SS amp which doesn't feel the need for effects, a tuner, headphone out, aux in, etc appeals to me far more than the TVP with all its bells and whistles. Let's face it - The King's Head doesnt have a USB connection so why does the TVP need one?

I've actually owned both the ID60 and the CR60C, which has been my gigging amp for nearly a year. I liked the ID60 and thought the sounds were excellent but could not get on with the crappy noisegate on the crunch channels. Sadly you can't turn it off on these channels and sods law they are the best sounding ones. I sold it on here and got a CR60C which I love. Works great as pedal base and just as well as my main crunch sound. It's also jolly sturdy, in fact @ICBM has seen pictures of it's insides and thought it looked pretty well made. Highly recommended. 

HAL9000

Thanks @cbilly22 @ICBM - definitely sensing a NAD in the new year.

HAL9000

@cbilly22 - What are the cleans like on your CR60C? 

And is it aimed at any style of music particular? I play mainly rock and blues, think Clapton, Peter Green, Pete Townshend, Stones, Dr Feelgood.

Thanks

cbilly22

HAL9000 said:

@cbilly22 - What are the cleans like on your CR60C? 

And is it aimed at any style of music particular? I play mainly rock and blues, think Clapton, Peter Green, Pete Townshend, Stones, Dr Feelgood.

Thanks

@HAL9000 Not bad at all...not that I really use a clean sound, but as a base for pedal tones it works fine. To be honest the overdrive channel is where it's at for all those sounds. I just set the gain for where I need it to be for leads and wind the guitar volume down for a rather good not-quite-clean sound.

I'll PM you and point you in the direction of some badly recorded live stuff lol.