Archon - I Finally Played One

[jfb]

Unless you need 3 channels, which are hard to use on the EVh with the shared EQ and volume balance issues, you could get a lot I'd those same tones from the Archon with something like the Suhr Koko boost. The mid boost can get you some good crunchy rhythm tones at lower gain levels on the archon, similar to the blue on the EVH. The Archon maxed out doesn't have as much gain as the red channel on the EVh but a lot of that red channel gain isn't usable IMO. Also, the clean on the Archon is much better for my taste anyway. The EVH was okay at cleans but nothing special like you'd except from a "Fender".

I don't mind the shared controls on the 50 watter, but could see where plenty of users would. I run the Blue channel with the gain around 6-7 for house safe volume levels. I never used the Green or Red channels and the similar would be said if I owned and Archon. The gain would be around 6-7 and I'd never touch the clean channel.

I fully agree with your statements.

 

[Boogie]

You know, I've lived with shared tone and gain controls on a 3 channel amp (Boogie MkIII, one of the first 3 channel amps if not THE first) for decades and have lived to tell the story. :biggrin: Your EVH "spoke to me" and that took me completely by surprise. Heavy amps, to me, need flexibility because I don't play in any heavy music bands, but not only was the EVH flexible, the range of heaviness was huge. And it sounded great with a crazy variety of guitars (even a Trussart SteelCaster...who would have thought??!!). I was impressed.

Have you you ever owned a Deluxe Reverb? It seems that every dirt and distortion pedal on the planet is designed to sound great thru that amp. Just curious to know if you had tried any of the Bogner pedals thru something like a DR and if the Archon fits in that tonal space?

 

[Tosca]

I'm begining to wonder (from descriptions and personal experience) if an Archon (for clean and high gain channels) and an HXDA (everything in between) might be the ultimate "three-channel amp".

 

[yankeebulldog]

Another interesting amp would be the Archon but with a voice/mode switch kind of like the new Friedman JJ Cantrell model. Goes from hot rodded M tones to raging doom (kind of the default mode). For most applications, I'd like that better than 3 channels since I never switch between those tones within the same song.

 

[Blackbird]

I don't mind the shared controls on the 50 watter, but could see where plenty of users would. I run the Blue channel with the gain around 6-7 for house safe volume levels. I never used the Green or Red channels and the similar would be said if I owned and Archon. The gain would be around 6-7 and I'd never touch the clean channel.

I fully agree with your statements.

Shared EQ is the biggest shortcoming of the EVH 50-watter, it's really a shame. The Blue channel is just so nice, with such a distinctly different voicing from Red. But if someone wants to legitimately use the clean channel in a live situation, there is no chance of using the Blue. And IMHO, the Blue channel is where most of the true 'EVH' tones reside. Red channel is just crazy fire breathing death tones, which have their place as well.

It was painful to sell the 50-watter and upgrade to the 100, but very glad that I did.

 

[jfb]

You know, I've lived with shared tone and gain controls on a 3 channel amp (Boogie MkIII, one of the first 3 channel amps if not THE first) for decades and have lived to tell the story. :biggrin: Your EVH "spoke to me" and that took me completely by surprise. Heavy amps, to me, need flexibility because I don't play in any heavy music bands, but not only was the EVH flexible, the range of heaviness was huge. And it sounded great with a crazy variety of guitars (even a Trussart SteelCaster...who would have thought??!!). I was impressed.

Have you you ever owned a Deluxe Reverb? It seems that every dirt and distortion pedal on the planet is designed to sound great thru that amp. Just curious to know if you had tried any of the Bogner pedals thru something like a DR and if the Archon fits in that tonal space?

I didn't realize the EVH spoke to you. Interesting. You can find the 50 watt version used for prices well within most budgets.

I have never owned a Deluxe Reverb and do not own any dirt or boost pedals at current time. I generally just run an amp. For recording I use software or an amp and a Two Notes unit.