I don't know if I'm alone re: this topic, so I'm tossing it out for a lively discussion.
I often read posts about this or that gain or dirt pedal being so great or so terrible, etc. But there's rarely any context given, just conclusory opinions.
I think pedals match up well with some amps and not others, and that context is terribly important. To say, for example, that a Tube Screamer sucks isn't helpful. Of course it sucks - with some amps. With others, it's magic.
There are frequency response/transparency matches and mismatches that make some pedals sound wonderful with some amps, and terrible with others. I have four amps, all different-sounding. And on my board there's a different gain pedal for each of 'em.
I realize that's kind of a costly way to go, but it's what works here in Studio Craptastic.
I've been doing things this way since the late '90s.
For example, I'm using a transparent boost with the HXDA, but it has a trick up its sleeve: Holding down the switch for a few seconds engages a mid-frequency boost to help solos cut even more. It's a nice combination. The amp's distortion texture always works for me and doesn't need the help of a dirt pedal. The pedal doesn't add its own dirt, it simply pushes the amp over the edge and adds a subtle sparkle.
The DG30 likes a pedal with a more dirt on tap, but it needs transparency in the mids combined with a high frequency lift.
With the Lone Star, I use an "edge of breakup" pedal on the clean channel to push it over the top. The frequency response is more even. The lead channel doesn't work as well, so I rarely use it. A Klon style pedal I have with a little dirt dialed in works nicely in situations when I want more dirt. As it happens, my son uses a Klon I got him as a birthday present several years ago with his Lone Star, too.
The Klon style pedal is killer with the Fillmore at any setting on the pedal. A great match. My strong feeling is that a Klon works best with amps based on Fender designs and variations.
I've only ever had one pedal that seemed to work with any amp, a Mesa tube-driven V-Twin. But it was an extraordinarily versatile pedal, and I've never found anything else quite like it.
I often read posts about this or that gain or dirt pedal being so great or so terrible, etc. But there's rarely any context given, just conclusory opinions.
I think pedals match up well with some amps and not others, and that context is terribly important. To say, for example, that a Tube Screamer sucks isn't helpful. Of course it sucks - with some amps. With others, it's magic.
There are frequency response/transparency matches and mismatches that make some pedals sound wonderful with some amps, and terrible with others. I have four amps, all different-sounding. And on my board there's a different gain pedal for each of 'em.
I realize that's kind of a costly way to go, but it's what works here in Studio Craptastic.
I've been doing things this way since the late '90s.
For example, I'm using a transparent boost with the HXDA, but it has a trick up its sleeve: Holding down the switch for a few seconds engages a mid-frequency boost to help solos cut even more. It's a nice combination. The amp's distortion texture always works for me and doesn't need the help of a dirt pedal. The pedal doesn't add its own dirt, it simply pushes the amp over the edge and adds a subtle sparkle.
The DG30 likes a pedal with a more dirt on tap, but it needs transparency in the mids combined with a high frequency lift.
With the Lone Star, I use an "edge of breakup" pedal on the clean channel to push it over the top. The frequency response is more even. The lead channel doesn't work as well, so I rarely use it. A Klon style pedal I have with a little dirt dialed in works nicely in situations when I want more dirt. As it happens, my son uses a Klon I got him as a birthday present several years ago with his Lone Star, too.
The Klon style pedal is killer with the Fillmore at any setting on the pedal. A great match. My strong feeling is that a Klon works best with amps based on Fender designs and variations.
I've only ever had one pedal that seemed to work with any amp, a Mesa tube-driven V-Twin. But it was an extraordinarily versatile pedal, and I've never found anything else quite like it.
pretty much anything sounds cool and my Orange OR15 can go ether way depending on how you set the amp up run it clean and it can be really cool very forward and direct ( in your face ) loves single coils of humbuckers rolled off , dial the gain in and its just crazy the orange doesn't do subtle 
