Archon 50 MK2 - Volume and versatility?

[Bogner]

So, I’ve got the amp.

It’s sounds great, but -

The hum, even when all pots are on zero is so loud, more than any other amp I’ve ever had.

I’ve tried it in multiple power outlets bits it borderline unusable for me.

There’s also a weird buffeting type noise when I sweep the depth pot.

Had anyone else had experience with this?

Is This "Noise" A Hum Or Is It A White Noise Type of Noise That Can Be Silenced With A Gate? When The Controls On The Front Of The Amp Are Adjusted All Kinds Of Ways Does The Sound Change? What About The Controls On The Back? Effects Loop Engaged And With Various Pedals In It, Etc? Do You Have Clean Power? Take A Pencil Or A Wooden Chopstick And Tap On The Tubes And See If They Make A Sound Or A "Tink" Type Noise When You Do. On The Preamp Tubes You Could Rotate One In V1 (Tube Closest To Guitar Cable Input) And See If That Makes A Difference. Tubes Can Be The Root Of A Lot Of Problems As Can Dirty Power. If None Of What I Suggested Changes Or Effects Anything In Any Way Then It Is Something Else Internal With The Amp Most Likely. Let Me Know What You Find And I Will Do My Best To Help Further.

Edit: Are Any Of The Tubes Glowing Differently Than Any Of The Others? Does The Noise Happen Immediately Once Your Amp Is Turned On? Does The Noise Increase Or Decrease Over Time In Any Way Once The Amp Is Warmed Up?

 

[Dasher]

Mine's quiet with nothing plugged in - but - and it may well be an important 'but', I don't use the effects loop. I'm pretty light on effects and so just plug them in front of the input. I have experienced 'noise' once. This was a cross between a hum and a buzz with a little white noise thrown in for good measure. It took me ages to find the root cause but when I eventually found it, it was nothing to do with the amp itself. I use an RK5 V2 Flyrig in front of the amp (mainly for tuner and reverb) and it has the smallest selector buttons on the planet. I'd been using the Flyrig stand alone with headphones - and had accidentally left the headphone output selected.

It is a little less quiet when there's something plugged into it but it is still quiet - in a way that it doesn't bother me at all. If it's new, and under warranty, then it needs to go back.

 

[Yellow_Tiger]

So I had a mix of both what sounded like really quite loud 60 cycle hum (all EQ pots on zero, no guitar plugged in) and then very loud hiss which came in as the eq pots were increased.

It went back to the shop in the end. Have ended up with a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, which although a very different thing, I am absolutely thrilled with - best home tone I’ve ever had!

 

[bodia]

So I had a mix of both what sounded like really quite loud 60 cycle hum (all EQ pots on zero, no guitar plugged in) and then very loud hiss which came in as the eq pots were increased.

It went back to the shop in the end. Have ended up with a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, which although a very different thing, I am absolutely thrilled with - best home tone I’ve ever had!

Too bad about the Archon, but cool that you've found a solution.

 

[Bogner]

I Am Sorry To Hear The Archon Didn't Work Out And Hope You Find And Retain Happiness With Your Decision. Congrats!

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

I know the other guys are being nice about this, but sorry… you’re dead to me!

You are not getting a Christmas card, and you’re officially off the “Cool guys who own Archon’s” club membership. This is not going to look good on your resume’.

 

[Bogner]

I know the other guys are being nice about this, but sorry… you’re dead to me!

You are not getting a Christmas card, and you’re officially off the “Cool guys who own Archon’s” club membership. This is not going to look good on your resume’.

It Was A MK2...I Can't Fault Him For That.

Now If It Was A MK1 And He Flipped....

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

It Was A MK2...I Can't Fault Him For That.

Now If It Was A MK1 And He Flipped....

yeah, I know. Drawn and quartered. Hate to even think about it but sometimes you just have to do what is right. Luckily, he avoided that. Narrowly...