NAD & NCD! PRS Archon & Mesa 2x12 vert

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andross182

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Christmas took a little while to get here for me but it finally arrived! I had been wanting a 2x12 vert cabinet for a while as I always felt the 1x12 while decent, was too low to the ground so I picked up the cab first and the difference was incredible! It was so good in fact, that I stopped using the speakers in my roadster combo and swung my speaker cable to the cab instead. The sound is so much more full and rich than before, and I assume it will only get better as the speakers get broken in. I HIGHLY recommend this cab to anyone looking for a vert 2x12.

I had been kicking around the idea of picking up an Archon for a while now, particularly the Archon 50. My dealer had two Archon 100s that had been sitting for a bit, I went in a few months back and noticed they were marked 200 bucks off, I jammed on them for quite a while which just made my GAS even worse however I held off, as I was still torn between the Archon 50 and Archon 100. Well as fate would have it, I went in a few weeks back and they had a new price tag on them, 500 off! I talked to their guitar department manager and he stated that while they were amazing amps, players around here have blinders on to anything that isn't Peavey, Mesa, or Marshall for high gain. I went back this weekend and jammed on one with a new PRS CE (that guitar really sings by the way) and decided to pull the trigger.

Once I got it home I set it up and with everything at noon hit an open G chord and was absolutely blown away! Every gripe I had with my Mesa tone was gone, the sound was fat, full, saturated with ZERO hint of buzzy overtones that I had gotten used to with my Mesas! I have had the long time struggle of too much bass with my Mesas, where as I would set the EQ up with my guitars' pickup selector in the middle, only to have it be much too bass heavy when I went to the neck pickup. This issue DOES. NOT. HAPPEN. with the Archon, it almost feels like my guitars can finally breathe now! I can play with any pickup option without having to tweak EQs now and its a great feeling! On top of that the amp is also incredible at bedroom volume where my rectoverb 25 seemed to suffer at. Maybe I just suck at dialing in a cascading EQ, but its a night and day difference from the Mesa EQ to the Archon EQ. You can see my settings from the photo, and This amp is quite versatile, it is by no means a one trick pony and takes pedals and boosts extremely well.

If you get a chance to take an Archon for a spin, DO IT! :rock: :rock: :rock:

archonftw1.PNG
 
+100 on the Archon.
probably my all time favorite amp overall. :thumbsup:
 
Congrats! Love the Archon and you can't go wrong with Mesa's vertical cabs.
 
Mailman1971":kgpqp71d said:
+100 on the Archon.
probably my all time favorite amp overall. :thumbsup:
Wow....that says a lot with your current/past collection!
 
Something about that Archon when I run it with my rig setup. So damn thick lush sounding.
Yet can get the brootz or dial the gain back for rock.
My Drummer has a great ear for tone as well and we both agreed that the Archon has been my best overall tone to date.
And he has been on this rollercoaster ride of amps right along with me. ;)
I run my rig kinda weird though.... :lol: :LOL:
 
That looks like a great setup! Fits perfectly on the 2x12 vertical as well.

Nicely done and congrats!
 
Mailman1971":2mirv6sd said:
Something about that Archon when I run it with my rig setup. So damn thick lush sounding.
Yet can get the brootz or dial the gain back for rock.
My Drummer has a great ear for tone as well and we both agreed that the Archon has been my best overall tone to date.
And he has been on this rollercoaster ride of amps right along with me. ;)
I run my rig kinda weird though.... :lol: :LOL:

How do you run your rig? Just curious...
 
Rumor is an Arcon mini or something similar is coming this NAMM, I just don't need 100 or 50 watts so I hope it comes to pass a 25 watt Arcon head...well find out thurs but yeah the Arcon has awesome cleans as well...
 
I been doing this with every amp I have had forever.
Just use a clean boost in front. Then run a 10 band graphic eq with a delay pedal in the loop. This runs thru two 4x12's.
Alot of people say its overkill. But for those that have heard it in person have been taken back how crushing it sounds.
I cant think of taking anything out of that equation. :D
 
Mailman1971":2vp4a6jb said:
I been doing this with every amp I have had forever.
Just use a clean boost in front. Then run a 10 band graphic eq with a delay pedal in the loop. This runs thru two 4x12's.
Alot of people say its overkill. But for those that have heard it in person have been taken back how crushing it sounds.
I cant think of taking anything out of that equation. :D
Oh that doesn't sound too crazy....I boost everything as well. Marshalls? Well they need at least one. SLO? Just an eq pedal mid bump. 2C+? Dial the gain back on channel 1, and lead channel to 7....then boost it back with an OD1X. Boosts just work! :rock:
 
Lampshade1973":amnqrpdx said:
Rumor is an Arcon mini or something similar is coming this NAMM, I just don't need 100 or 50 watts so I hope it comes to pass a 25 watt Arcon head...well find out thurs but yeah the Arcon has awesome cleans as well...

I was waiting for NAMM myself but the price was too damn good to pass up! I got it for cheaper than an archon 50 brand new! :rock:
 
Lampshade1973":3gktm7sp said:
Rumor is an Arcon mini or something similar is coming this NAMM, I just don't need 100 or 50 watts so I hope it comes to pass a 25 watt Arcon head...well find out thurs but yeah the Arcon has awesome cleans as well...

Archon 25 already exists....though not as a head.
 
Bxlxaxkxe":25r52i1p said:
Lampshade1973":25r52i1p said:
Rumor is an Arcon mini or something similar is coming this NAMM, I just don't need 100 or 50 watts so I hope it comes to pass a 25 watt Arcon head...well find out thurs but yeah the Arcon has awesome cleans as well...

Archon 25 already exists....though not as a head.


There's a video floating around where Tremonti says he is working on a signature archon with PRS that will be a lunchbox style amp. That's kind of what I was holding out for before I bought the Archon 100. Also straight from the customer support line at PRS. All Archon 100s manufactured after November 2014 had the effects loop fix implemented from the factory. My effects loop is silent with my pedals.
 
Ah yes I just read about it possibly being a more affordable Korean made head. Really thinking about snagging a 25 combo for home playing
 
Bxlxaxkxe":1dj0wm5t said:
Ah yes I just read about it possibly being a more affordable Korean made head. Really thinking about snagging a 25 combo for home playing
Just picked up one of the 25 combos--great little amp
 
Mailman1971":ghitmzhv said:
I been doing this with every amp I have had forever.
Just use a clean boost in front. Then run a 10 band graphic eq with a delay pedal in the loop. This runs thru two 4x12's.
Alot of people say its overkill. But for those that have heard it in person have been taken back how crushing it sounds.
I cant think of taking anything out of that equation. :D

That's almost exactly how I run mine sans the two 4X12s. Have two 2X12s, but 10 band EQ in the loop and delay in the loop. With the ten band boosted on certain frequencies I rattle the windows in my house =D. I got back and forth between using a boost in front with gain back off or just amp gain. It's a mood kind of thing hah!

Jeff
 
jeff5":25jqeqsr said:
Mailman1971":25jqeqsr said:
I been doing this with every amp I have had forever.
Just use a clean boost in front. Then run a 10 band graphic eq with a delay pedal in the loop. This runs thru two 4x12's.
Alot of people say its overkill. But for those that have heard it in person have been taken back how crushing it sounds.
I cant think of taking anything out of that equation. :D

That's almost exactly how I run mine sans the two 4X12s. Have two 2X12s, but 10 band EQ in the loop and delay in the loop. With the ten band boosted on certain frequencies I rattle the windows in my house =D. I got back and forth between using a boost in front with gain back off or just amp gain. It's a mood kind of thing hah!


Jeff
Don't that amp just rock???
Love it. :rock:
 
Love mine. I just threw EL34BSTR's in the one I keep at home a may even like it better for non band, home volume.
 
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