Orange Little Bass Thing review

Orange’s Terror Bass amp was a notable success – but this new model takes the Class D power stage of the Terror, matches it with a solid-state preamp and throws an optical compressor in for good measure. What happens when we plug in? Stand clear...

Build quality

Weighing in around the three-kilo mark, Orange amps are built to last, and the Little Bass Thing is no exception in its white, metallic chassis. Venting is provided on both sides of the casing to improve airflow, and the amp comes with metal handle protectors at the front.

The control set is simply laid out and obvious, with a three-band EQ with sweepable mids, compressor, input for the optional footswitch, FX loop and XLR DI output. The controls are solidly attached, although the quality of the plastic does feel a little cheap. 

An added bonus is that the amp can be used for recording or live purposes without having to have a speaker load attached.

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Compact, lightweight, super-tough, the Little Bass Thing is an excellent option for gigging rockers.

The Little Bass Thing has a buffered effects loop and DI with groundlift.

Sounds

Simplicity is the name of the game here, and with 15dB of cut and boost across all three frequency bands, obtaining usable tones is relatively simply and intuitive. Getting a tone you can work with takes no time at all. Making use of the -6dB pad to tame a hot bass output helps to reduce the amount of drive in your signal.

As with most Orange amps, drive and distortion are where this amp’s heart is – so if a clean, robust bass signal is your requirement, you may wish to look elsewhere.

For the rockers out there, this amp is as gig-friendly as you could hope for, and with plenty of grind and bite on tap, a colourful, harmonically rich bass tone is guaranteed. The bass and middle controls have a marked effect on the tones, although the treble control was a little polite compared to the other two.

The compressor is very effective, but although the amp is loud – pleasingly so – it does become rather hissy, especially when treble is added. Passive basses react favourably, but active basses may need a little experimentation to find settings that get the most from the amp.

Conclusion

If you’re after a small, portable but powerful rock amp, certainly add the LBT to your audition list. What it does, it does very well..

Specs

• Price:  $699 / £549 / €623
• Made In: China
• Power: 500 watts @ 4 ohms
• Features: ¼” jack footswitch socket, Volume, Compression, Treble, Mid-Sweep, Middle, Bass, -6dB pad switch, ¼” jack input socket, voltage selector, 2 x Speakon output sockets, ¼” jack Send/ Return sockets, Lift/Ground switch, Balanced DI XLR output socket
• Dimensions: 86mm / 3.4” (H) x 278mm / 11” (W) x 246mm / 9.7” (D)
• Weight: 2.95 kg / 6.5 lbs
• Contact: Orange