Considering an Archon...

G

gitaryzt1985

New Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
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11
I've been looking for an amp with killer gain and sweet cleans for a long time. Always tend to gravitate to Mesa for their overdrive and Fender/Dr Z for the cleans. For those who have played or owned the Archon, could you describe the cleans? The videos all seem to showcase the overdrive channel (justly so), but I really need some feedback on the clean channel before I pull the trigger. I play everything from blues to Tremonti style metal to Contemporary Christian.

Thanks guys!
 
JB - you should know yourself well enough to know that if you have reached the point where you are posting this in the forums, you are already committed. This amp is as good as bought. :)
 
gitaryzt1985 said:
I've been looking for an amp with killer gain and sweet cleans for a long time. Always tend to gravitate to Mesa for their overdrive and Fender/Dr Z for the cleans. For those who have played or owned the Archon, could you describe the cleans? The videos all seem to showcase the overdrive channel (justly so), but I really need some feedback on the clean channel before I pull the trigger. I play everything from blues to Tremonti style metal to Contemporary Christian.

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

Just some input that I have had given back to me... In almost every case buyers are truly shocked about how clean this amp becomes.. Im certain any dealer that has sold several would have the same comments... They expect the Gain! But Love the Cleans!
 
Danerada said:
JB - you should know yourself well enough to know that if you have reached the point where you are posting this in the forums, you are already committed. This amp is as good as bought. :)
Click to expand...

Touche' Dane ;)

Yeah I'm all on board with this one. Even though I haven't tried it, the gain sounds like what I aim for with the HD500. I love a darker gain tone and am not a fan of the typical cutting bite some high gain amps tend to have. The cleans seem to me to be very good, I just would like to hear them with a strat before I take the plunge....that and I need about another month of saving ;)
 
The amp is a champion for sure, It has great clean sounds and downright awesome OD/gain sounds. But some people (including me) have experienced Hum or Hiss noises at various levels from the amp. For me the Amp had "Hiss" (white noise) in the effects loop. Either of these noises may not be an issue for you especially if you are playing loud and or gigging with the amp. But if you are recording or playing at bedroom levels it is certainly noticeable. It would be great if you can actually plug into the amp that you are buying and experiment not only with the tone, but to see if that amp generates any Hum or Hiss and if it does can you live with it. Just ask the store for a pedal and two cables and plug into the Effects loop. If there is Hiss you will here it right away as soon as you turn on the effects loop. Other than the noise, I'm sure you will dig the tone of this amp, it was the reason I bought it in the first place.
 
Guitar_Brat said:
The amp is a champion for sure, It has great clean sounds and downright awesome OD/gain sounds. But some people (including me) have experienced Hum or Hiss noises at various levels from the amp. For me the Amp had "Hiss" (white noise) in the effects loop. Either of these noises may not be an issue for you especially if you are playing loud and or gigging with the amp. But if you are recording or playing at bedroom levels it is certainly noticeable. It would be great if you can actually plug into the amp that you are buying and experiment not only with the tone, but to see if that amp generates any Hum or Hiss and if it does can you live with it. Just ask the store for a pedal and two cables and plug into the Effects loop. If there is Hiss you will here it right away as soon as you turn on the effects loop. Other than the noise, I'm sure you will dig the tone of this amp, it was the reason I bought it in the first place.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. At the volumes I'll be playing, it could be a real issue depending on how loud the hiss is/isn't. I'm planning on getting a Mesa Cab Clone to run this through so I'll mainly be using headphones for the first little bit until I get a cab. I'm buying this mainly for recording and just rocking out when the wife goes on girls' night out ;)
 
We are what they call enablers lol

I'm seriously thinking about this amp....
 
I have only heard various clips of the amp, but based on what I've heard, I'd buy one in a second if I was shopping for a higher gain amp. Seems like it can do great cleans, great high gain, and stuff in between.

I don't play extremely high gain often, but there are projects that come in the door that require more gain than usual.
 
This is all you need to know about the Archon's gain. Yes it's boosted, but the gain is set at less than five. Those pups help I reckon, but he's on a rosewood neck guitar in this video too. :tongue:

 
Last edited by a moderator:
jfb said:
This is all you need to know about the Archon's gain. Yes it's boosted, but the gain is set at less than five. Those pups help I reckon, but he's on a rosewood neck guitar in this video too. :tongue:

Click to expand...

That does it. Im buying this amp.

Now for some cash that agrees with me.....
 
Last edited by a moderator:
jfb said:
This is all you need to know about the Archon's gain. Yes it's boosted, but the gain is set at less than five. Those pups help I reckon, but he's on a rosewood neck guitar in this video too. :tongue:

Click to expand...


The dude's comment at the end is great....it is indeed SICK!!!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The cleans on the Archon are gorgeous. They shouldn't be a problem for you.
 
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