When Orange put together the Rockerverb 50 Mk III combo in 2015, they took years of user feedback from previous iterations and created the ultimate amplifier - a machine that excels in all conditions, with a clean channel redesigned for more ringing tones, clearer and longer reverb, better low-end response and articulation, and the signature piercing Orange tone that has become not only a favorite among heavy audiences, but also a staple for concert players and session aces.

However, progress always needs to be made, and the latest set of upgrades to the best combo around means that the Rockerverb 50 Mk III combo has been put on a crash diet to help it reduce weight to a more acceptable level while retaining all of its attractive sonic qualities. The result is the Rockerverb 50 Mk III Neo combo - the same beautiful amp, but with an updated speaker and cabinet setup inspired by the PPC212V cabinet, making it 18% lighter than before.

So where did all those pounds go? Well, the small benefit is that the Rockerverb 50 cabinet is now made from 15mm Baltic birch plywood, it's 3mm slimmer than before, but has sacrificed none of the build quality that makes all Orange cabs so robust. The biggest weight saving, however, comes from a new pair of Celestion Creamback drivers, replacing the old V30s and saving almost 3kg per driver thanks to the use of neodymium, a metal with immense magnetic strength over standard ferrite, meaning less material is needed to achieve the same beautiful-sounding results.

And not only are the Creambacks easier to drive, they handle the tone of the Rockerverb 50 even better. Retaining all the authoritative pressures of the v30's treble and midrange, but being slightly darker and fuller when the tone breaks into overdrive, these UK-made speakers will make solo lines more muscular and rounded, and rhythm playing warmer and fatter than ever.

All in all, that's a saving of almost 7kg compared to the original Mk III, the equivalent of carrying a bowling ball in the back of the combo. Remove that heft, add improved tone, and the best tube combo just got better.

LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION
Featuring the highest quality 15mm Baltic birch plywood, the Rockerverb 50 Mk III Neo combo cabinet is one of the lightest 2×12 speaker cabinets available.

STRONG TONE
Each UK-made Celestion Creamback loudspeaker weighs just 1.9kg, but their neodymium construction means they have the same punch, authority and definition as a ceramic magnet loudspeaker weighing three times as much.

DUDE, THAT'S THE ROCKERVERB 50
... so that's an immensely versatile two-channel design with every conceivable tone-shaping option, from sparkling clean sounds to ultra-saturated, always with excellent clarity, foot-switched spring reverb with a long, shiny tail, a built-in attenuator offering maximum texture at neighborhood-friendly volumes, switchable power options, and a nearly transparent buffered effects loop for pedal purists, but now at a manageable weight.