Archon 50 vs Archon 100

[staybobo]

What are the differences between these Archons and what cabinet(s) & speaker(s) do you use? Also what do you use your Archon for?

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I can't answer the first part, but wish I could. I have the 50 and have only played the 50. I love the amp. I do wonder how much difference there might be between it and the 100. I certainly don't need more watts or volume, but just wonder about the tonal differences.

I use the amp for cleans, smooth low to mid gains (with a Gain Changer or Zen) , Crunch with a Barber Direct Drive on the clean channel, and any level of gain I want from the OD channel.

I've said often here, you could live with the gain at 8:00 or even below on the gain channel, if you want "crunch" and want to hit it with a pedal for leads. By 9:00 you've got 80s rock levels of gain. I almost never go above noon and rarely above 11:00 and I like high gain, but I like to leave some "room" so I can hit it with a boost or OD for solos. Oh, and Presence up, if you want some aggression. Down if you want fat/smooth.

 

[bodia]

I can't answer the difference between 50 and 100 watts. I would second what DTR has said. Overall, a magnificent amplifier. I live in Classic Rock/Metal tones.

As for cabinets, I play mine through an Avatar 1x12 with Avatar's Hellatone 30, which is a V30 that they run through their break in process.

 

[alantig]

Another user who can't answer the difference. I have the 100w. What these guys said - great amp. Beautiful cleans, wider range of gain than you might expect. I've played mine through an Orange 4x12, but mostly through a PRS Big Mouth 2x12. And a Mesa/Boogie Cab Clone. I've used it for everything from country-style gospel to metal.

 

[elvis]

Difference? Two power tubes.

I use with a Mesa vertical Recto 2x12.

All kinds of music.

 

[matt3310]

I've got both. Unless your really pushing the cleans, you won't notice much of a difference. The clean has a little more headroom on the 100. Bass might be a bit tighter on the 100. But its very subtle. Otherwise you won't notice much of a difference.

 

[elvis]

I've got both. Unless your really pushing the cleans, you won't notice much of a difference. The clean has a little more headroom on the 100. Bass might be a bit tighter on the 100. But its very subtle. Otherwise you won't notice much of a difference.

This is exactly what I found when running my 100 in 50W mode. Slight difference.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I've got both. Unless your really pushing the cleans, you won't notice much of a difference. The clean has a little more headroom on the 100. Bass might be a bit tighter on the 100. But its very subtle. Otherwise you won't notice much of a difference.

Thank you Matt. I’ve always wondered, and never heard an opinion from someone with both.

 

[FlatNine]

I’ve owned two sets of amps in both their lower wattage version and their higher wattage version. The circuits were exactly the same except for extra power tubes and a much larger output transformer. I can tell you this - even at the same volume level (not the setting on the volume knob, but actual sound level), the higher powered amp was much richer and had noticeably more harmonic density and overtones than its lower powered sibling. And this was true even regardless of the sound levels being compared. There’s a real three dimensional quality with big iron amps that is very satisfying. Just my opinion here, but if it were me, I’d opt for the higher wattage version, even though you probably don’t need that much power. The downside of that choice is the extra weight and the higher initial cost. But satisfying tone is awesome. And big iron is awesomer!

Oh yeah - one more thing - it takes power to amplify low end and the bottom end is much tighter and cleaner on a higher powered amp and won’t get flubby or woofy on you.