New Amp?

[nussbajh]

Thanks to a lot of insight from this forum in the past, I currently own a PRS HX/DA 30 combo and a PRS Custom 20 combo. I like both. The HX/DA gives great vintage tone, and the Custom has great versatility while providing a completely different sound. Now I am contemplating adding an Archon 25 combo to the tanks for the sparkling clean and dual rectifier grit some people have talked about on here. What are your thoughts on the old Archon combo amp? Would it be a good addition? Should I get the Archon and sell the Custom 20? Is it too similar to the Custom I already have (PRS listed them both as modern amps in the old advertisements)? Please impart your knowledge on me again.
Thanks!

 

[Boogie]

In my experience, the Archon is like no other PRS designed amp. Adding it to your arsenal is well justified.

 

[alantig]

What Boogie said. There's nothing quite like the Archon in the PRS line. Even the MT-15 is different enough from the Archon that I can justify both.

 

[bodia]

Yep, I'm with Boogie and Alan. The Archon would be a great addition.

 

[László]

I agree with the other folks who responded. If you want what the Archon does, nothing else does it. In fact, I have an HXDA, and they're nowhere near the same thing. I have played through at Custom 20, and again, not much overlap.

 

[nussbajh]

Sounds like I should start looking for a good deal. I almost bought one a couple months ago at $650 and just didn’t pull the trigger. Now $900 looks like the deal to be had. My wife may kill me. Then again she knows playing and accumulating gear makes me happy. That’s a much better response on things than wife #1 had for gear.

 

[Toolmaster Of Brainerd]

Keep looking around. You can find a 25w combo for $700 or less. It might take a little time but they can be found. Guitar center has 2 for $850. Maybe if you call them you can get a discount?

I scored my 100w archon head for $1100. Money very well spent.

I haven't tried any other PRS amps but I absolutely love my archon. Truly amazing amp.

 

[RickP]

I’d like to try a Blistertone. Just the name makes me want to play loud. I’m not sure if that’s in your wheelhouse, but the demos I’ve heard warrant the moniker.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I’d like to try a Blistertone. Just the name makes me want to play loud. I’m not sure if that’s in your wheelhouse, but the demos I’ve heard warrant the moniker.

I’d love to try one of those. I’d love to try an HX/DA. And of course, I’d love to try an MDT.

 

[CandidPicker]

There's nothing I'd like to see better than some nice tones coming through the front end of an amp. Kind of like how a V8 sounds with the hood up. (Not that I've taken an interest in cars. The analogy is enough.)

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I have been busy at church lately so I have been playing the AA12 at home for weeks. Between that and summer outdoor projects, I’ve only been playing after the wife goes to bed for over a month now. After posting that above, I went and played my ATMA for 30 minutes solid. There’s just nothing like a good tube amp!

 

[dmatthews]

I have been busy at church lately so I have been playing the AA12 at home for weeks. Between that and summer outdoor projects, I’ve only been playing after the wife goes to bed for over a month now. After posting that above, I went and played my ATMA for 30 minutes solid. There’s just nothing like a good tube amp!

Your wife went to bed for over a month?
Holy Carp!

 

[RickP]

I’d love to try one of those. I’d love to try an HX/DA. And of course, I’d love to try an MDT.

There’s a (you might guess) paisley BlisterTone on Reverb right now at a decent price, but my music money is spoken for right now… Probably for the best. I’ll need a storage space soon if I get more amps!

 

[Deleted member 5962]

There’s a (you might guess) paisley BlisterTone on Reverb right now at a decent price, but my music money is spoken for right now… Probably for the best. I’ll need a storage space soon if I get more amps!

I hear ya. I went from 7 to 2. Well, two real ones. Maybe 2.5. I still have the Vibro Champ XD, the Micro Cube, and the Mustang Mini. But a couple years ago, I had the Archon, Atma, Custom 50, Mark V, Mark V25, and Vox AC30hw2x. Realized the Archon and ATMA did almost everything I wanted from real amps, and I was using modelers or small amps for every time I played live, and had a big sell-off. Still keep thinking I might pick up one more real amp some time, but the wife is getting really into the "downsizing of the toys" mode to prepare for retirement. Well, except for the motorhome she wants.

 

[Toolmaster Of Brainerd]

Sounds like I should start looking for a good deal. I almost bought one a couple months ago at $650 and just didn’t pull the trigger. Now $900 looks like the deal to be had. My wife may kill me. Then again she knows playing and accumulating gear makes me happy. That’s a much better response on things than wife #1 had for gear.

Here's one for $680, local pickup only in NH. Dunno if that's local for you but you never know. LINK

 

[CandidPicker]

I have been busy at church lately so I have been playing the AA12 at home for weeks. Between that and summer outdoor projects, I’ve only been playing after the wife goes to bed for over a month now. After posting that above, I went and played my ATMA for 30 minutes solid. There’s just nothing like a good tube amp!

Or tube-related stuff!

 

[nussbajh]

Throwing Blistertone into the conversation? Now I have to do more research. It is a great name and makes me want to play one too. With the Archon, I hope to get some of the modern, dual rectifier vibe. Is that accurate?

Also, what is an ATMA?

 

[László]

Throwing Blistertone into the conversation? Now I have to do more research. It is a great name and makes me want to play one too. With the Archon, I hope to get some of the modern, dual rectifier vibe. Is that accurate?

Also, what is an ATMA?

The ATMA is an interesting amp that may, or may not, be of interest. http://www.bogneramplification.com/atma

The Archon is different from a Dual Rectifier; it's actually got a tighter sound, or at least the ones I've heard have a tighter sound. The Recto is more girthy at the bottom, but that often translates to mud in a recording or live mix.

Blistertones are awesome if you need the extra gain they offer. As CAD amps, they also have more hand-wiring, thicker chassis and tag boards, slightly more exotic parts, etc. Beautiful sounding amps.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Also, what is an ATMA?

Les posted the link. Several of us hear have of have owned them. I love mine. 1,5, and 20 watts, clean channel plus a gain channel that has 3 choices. 60s (JTM) 70s (JCM) and 80s (boosted JCM), a choice of SS or tube rectifier. It also has a cool feature where you get two volume controls for channel 2 that are footswitchable, PLUS, a gain reduction knob for the first one on the back of the amp. So, you can choose your voice on channel 2, and have one with just more volume for solos, or literally have one with more gain and volume.

Very cool amps that sounds great and scratches my Marshall itch. Really dig this amp a lot. But if I could only have one, my 50 watt Archon is better!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

I have a lead on an Archon 25 combo if anyone needs.