PRS Sonzera

I think the whole PCB argument has been null and void for a long time. A properly designed PCB amp will last a lifetime of abuse. Look at all of the old Mesas still kicking around and being gigged. It's all in the design. A badly designed amp, whether PCB or P to P is going to be a bad amp.
 
I think the whole PCB argument has been null and void for a long time. A properly designed PCB amp will last a lifetime of abuse. Look at all of the old Mesas still kicking around and being gigged. It's all in the design. A badly designed amp, whether PCB or P to P is going to be a bad amp.
Yep. Maybe some don't know it, but every computer, every cell phone, every electronic gizmo that has so much as a digital clock in it has a PCB. It's not about the board as much as the components on it. The components may be reliable or may be crap. I'm in that industry. We test our components to be reliable for at least 10 years. Same with P-to-P. It's still about the components. You gotta buy the good stuff.
 
So I am relatively uneducated regarding the nuances (or lack thereof) of amp cabinet speakers.

Is that speaker so-so, good, great value, candidate for upgrade if you are choosy, etc?

I run the V-type in a combo and love it. I bought it as a cheap replacement for the crappy Seventy-80 in a Marshall DSL40C and have been blown away with how good it sounds. I'm happy that speaker is in this amp and may just trade the DSL for the 50 watt combo. I would like to have the separate channel EQ.
 
With VERY few exceptions, all PC Boards for everything are made in China. All industrial products and automotive and space products use PC Boards. These environments (cars and factories and spacecraft) are a million times more destructive than dropping an amp off a truck. No reason to assume that a PC Board is less reliable than hand-wiring. The reliability is about how the mechanical connections are made. If the PCB and tubes and connections are supported mechanically properly, they will be reliable.

I think the whole PCB argument has been null and void for a long time. A properly designed PCB amp will last a lifetime of abuse. Look at all of the old Mesas still kicking around and being gigged. It's all in the design. A badly designed amp, whether PCB or P to P is going to be a bad amp.

Yep. Maybe some don't know it, but every computer, every cell phone, every electronic gizmo that has so much as a digital clock in it has a PCB. It's not about the board as much as the components on it. The components may be reliable or may be crap. I'm in that industry. We test our components to be reliable for at least 10 years. Same with P-to-P. It's still about the components. You gotta buy the good stuff.

Okay, so let's say all that is true and PCB amps are just fine. Besides those who say they can hear a difference between a hand wired amp and a PCB amp, does then the only difference become whether the amp is repairable or not? At my job, when a computer's motherboard goes bad, I just replace the entire motherboard instead of whichever individual component goes bad. So with a PCB amp, wouldn't it be a true statement that IF something outside of tubes were to fail on a PCB amp, that you would have to replace the entire amp instead of getting it fixed?
 
Okay, so let's say all that is true and PCB amps are just fine. Besides those who say they can hear a difference between a hand wired amp and a PCB amp, does then the only difference become whether the amp is repairable or not? At my job, when a computer's motherboard goes bad, I just replace the entire motherboard instead of whichever individual component goes bad. So with a PCB amp, wouldn't it be a true statement that IF something outside of tubes were to fail on a PCB amp, that you would have to replace the entire amp instead of getting it fixed?
Typically you replace the computer mother board instead of fixing it for two reasons. 1. They are cheaper than paying a tech to troubleshoot a rather complex system. 2. The failure of one component can weaken other parts on the board. An amp doesn't have the first reason but may have the second. I had a resistor go out on a PRS amp and the PTC replaced the resistor. So far it's worked perfectly.
 
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This. Troubleshooting a computer is basically impossible. An amp is way less complicated. Also, the components used in making cell phones, computers, etc, are the cheapest you can get. So the motherboard is not a big expense to replace as compared to labor cost for debugging. The components are also too complicated or too small to rework, so any debug will have the same outcome - replace the board.

Amps have (we hope) more expensive components and are more rework-friendly.
 
Besides those who say they can hear a difference between a hand wired amp and a PCB amp

I have no doubt that there is a perceivable difference, via tone or dynamics. But different does not imply better. And the things that make hand-wired different from PC Boards make them all different from each other as well. So no two hand-wired boards sound quite alike.
 
Interested to try them out if and when they reach Australia - Nice to se3e Reverb AND Presence ctrls - no Trem though.

By the way, the 50 watt images are labeled as archon when you right-click to save them!
 
INTERVENTION - get that thought outta yer mind! You want an Archon. Stay focused!

No problem! As soon as the market gets over its post-Christmas doldrums, I'll have a couple things moved, and an Archon bought.
 
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This amp kinda reminds me of the
Mesa triple crown not as gainy but similar idea
It's not a custom 50 or an Archon kinda It's own thing same as the Mesa not really based on Recto or the marks
 
Sounds pretty damn good to me. I'm interested in the 20 combo just to move from room to room in the house for whatever reason. I will wait to see what the Tremonti is all about though.
 
I'll keep one of these on my radar while I try to figure out where I'll make room for it. ;)
 
Sounds pretty damn good to me. I'm interested in the 20 combo just to move from room to room in the house for whatever reason. I will wait to see what the Tremonti is all about though.

100% on this one hope they have one at Namm
Termonti mentioned that they would be available in March so they should have it finalized by now
I will be honest though I am a little nervous about the 15 watts and the possible el84 lolhopefully they will have a 50 as well
 
Oh, to my earlier concern, look what I just found on the product page...

"In addition to its versatile tone, the Sonzera 20 Combo is also designed for reliability and serviceability. The power tube sockets are mounted directly to the steel chassis, and no push-on connections are used – all wires are soldered."

Problem solved.
 
What is missing from this P tp P and pcb conversation is; You have to hope in 5, 10, 20 years the pcb board is still available from the manufacturer if it needs replacing. If not, you are screwed. P to P is always repairable. Additionally, Mesa Boogie will tell ypu pcb board amps are more consistent with attaining the tone the amp was made to do. A plus if you ask me. Mesa will also tell you that P to P can be tweaked and is unique amp to amp, no two amps however close are close enough as to pcb amps. A plus if you ask me!
 
Rarely does a problem take out a well made board. If the board is thick and the traces are thick, it's rare that a part of the board would be "ruined." IF that were to happen though, it's very common to just run real wire around the bad spot and the problem is solved.
 
Chris Robertson says that he recorded the entire Kentucky album with a Sonzera 50. I'd swear that he said in another video that Kentucky was recorded with an Archon.
So... yes, maybe Chris Signature amp and Tremonti Signature amp could be related with the Sonzera to boost sales.
 
Chris Robertson says that he recorded the entire Kentucky album with a Sonzera 50. I'd swear that he said in another video that Kentucky was recorded with an Archon.
So... yes, maybe Chris Signature amp and Tremonti Signature amp could be related with the Sonzera to boost sales.

I would not be surprised to learn that they took what they learned from the Archon and put it into this amp.
 
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