Mesa mark v 25 for prs archon

[Jeff during]

hey guys, recently got back into playing again and I’ve got the Mark v 25 and I’m good with it but man it’s difficult to narrow in a good tone, first it was my 4x12 b52 pos.. really bad but just good for loud. So ended with a bogner helius 2x12 oversized. Sounds even better but I’m stuck in between that need just a bit less mids and a bit more gain but not too high gain like my old mini evh 15 or 20 i forgot. Either way I need help in deciding on going for the archon as I’ve heard fantastic things. My guitars are prs custom 24 se with emg (zakk wylde), mark Holcomb prs and Schecter Hellraiser. If that helps. Mostly play hard rock/metal.. attempts at prog and classic rock from time to time. Any help is greatly appreciated. Sorry for novel.

 

[Jeff during]

Appreciate that, and i feel ya. Just overall kinda boxy to me but that’s prolly due to the 25w compared to 50/100.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I had a love-hate relationship with my Mark V. If I were a hessian and needed to melt faces with gain, an Archon would do it.

 

[bodia]

Dreamtheaterrules to the White House phone. Dreamtheaterrules to the White House phone.

I say that because I sold him my MkV when I got the Archon. He finally got around to getting an Archon, with a lot of nudges. Now he's selling the MkV.

The Archon is a seriously wonderful amp, and can do,so much more than high gain.

 

[László]

Jeff, you probably already know this, but I’ll say it just in case:

As good as 15, 20 and 25 watt amps are for certain things, if you want the true sound of big iron (transformers) and what folks get on the bottom end, especially tightness, from 100 watt fire-breathers...well, that requires a big amp.

It’s not just the volume. It’s the way the output transformers interact with the speakers, and here we’re talking about damping factor and resonances. Big iron just works differently to fill and balance out the highs and mids.

These days there are lots of low powered amps that can do the high frequencies and mids of their bigger brothers convincingly. But the whole deal falls apart when you need the whole shootin’ match, the solid fundamental tone, etc.

“But,” I hear you say, “The AC30, the low-wattage Deluxes, Supers, and other classic amps are not high powered.”

True! But those amps are all midrange and high frequencies. Put any one of them up against a 100 Watt high gain amp, and compare the fullness of the low end. It isn’t there, because it can’t be there. Nothing wrong with those tones (heck I’m no high gain player, they’re great for me), but if you’re looking for the heavy stuff, get a more powerful amp.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

The Mark V 25 is a great amp. I'm one of those (and I think there are many) that think it sounds better than the big Mark V, even though it doesn't have it's girth or power. And, I don't have any trouble getting great tones out of it. I can share some settings with you on the side if you'd like, but, Mesa Mark amps aren't like other amps in how you dial them. The Archon sounds varying forms of great no matter where you put the knobs. The Mark amps are simply not like that. Two main keys for the OD channel: bass down and middle slider is KEY. Way down, but it is so powerful that moving it very slightly can go from thicker than you want to more scooped than you want. Move it just a little bit at a time and you'll find where you like it. And yes, it will change just a little with each guitar/pickups, etc.

As to the Archon, it's simply great. And it's SO easy to dial because the knobs do exactly what you'd expect so if it sounds really good but you want more bright and tight, turn the presence up and the depth down.

I'm not saying don't get an Archon. It's the best amp I've ever played. But the Mark V25 is pretty great too, just a bit harder to dial in. But if you read the manual, their suggested settings are often almost dead on great tones with only minor adjustments to accommodate varying guitars and speakers. The Bogner is a great cab so that's not your problem. So, keep the V25 and save for an Archon.

 

[bluenova]

While you’re still in research mode you better check out the new MT15 amp PRS just released. It may be right up your alley.

 

[László]

So, keep the V25 and save for an Archon.

This is good advice!

I miss amps I’ve sold even more than I miss guitars I’ve sold. My PRS amps (HXDA and DG30) are my best ones, but I know I’d miss my Lone Star 100 if I moved it, even though I use it less for my work.

Amps are the delicious sauce of music!

 

[Kevster]

I recently returned a Mark V Combo because of the Archon 100 Head. The Mark V is a great amp if you're willing to spend a lot of time with the controls. For me it had too many knobs and too many settings which didnt sound good. Its really easy to make it sound bad. The archon is way easier to dial in, i havent found a setting that doesnt sound good.