sevenfoxes
Well-Known Member
This is actually my second time owning the Archon mkii 50w. The first one I had several months back was defective, so I had to send it back.
Needless to say, I’ve sorely missed this amp ever since, and as much as I love my 5150 collection, the Archon sonically fills a void.
I also used the FM3 for a short period, and while the Archean model is excellent on that, it’s not exactly the same when it comes to the response and dynamics of the real deal. The tone of the FM3 is also influenced by the power amp you use, so again, just not entirely the same thing.
Overall, this amp is simply amazing. The gain structure is pretty unique in that it seems to posses the best qualities of a recto and a 5150, maybe there’s even a little Uberschall thrown in for good measure.
The Archon doesn’t have the aggression of a recto, as it’s much smoother, but It’s also much easier to dial in than a recto. You won’t find yourself fiddling with knobs all day chasing your tone. It’s much more like a 5150 in that sense: plug and play.
While not quite as tight as a 5150, it’s still plenty tight, and seems to possess that classic 5150 grind to a certain extent, which is awesome!
The only con I can think of is that the fx loop is noisy, and for whatever reason, all Archons, as well as the MT15 suffer from the noisy fx loop. It’s like pure hiss as soon as you engage a pedal. Fortunately, the easy remedy is to swap out the fx loop tube with a 12au7, and the problem is pretty much solved.
But overall, this amp is something special. Take the fat low mids of a recto, the near tightness and grind of a 5150, the cleans of a Twin Reverb, and the best attributes of a 6l6 and el34, and you’ve got yourself the Archon mkii 50w. It’s just one hell of amp, especially for the price.
Needless to say, I’ve sorely missed this amp ever since, and as much as I love my 5150 collection, the Archon sonically fills a void.
I also used the FM3 for a short period, and while the Archean model is excellent on that, it’s not exactly the same when it comes to the response and dynamics of the real deal. The tone of the FM3 is also influenced by the power amp you use, so again, just not entirely the same thing.
Overall, this amp is simply amazing. The gain structure is pretty unique in that it seems to posses the best qualities of a recto and a 5150, maybe there’s even a little Uberschall thrown in for good measure.
The Archon doesn’t have the aggression of a recto, as it’s much smoother, but It’s also much easier to dial in than a recto. You won’t find yourself fiddling with knobs all day chasing your tone. It’s much more like a 5150 in that sense: plug and play.
While not quite as tight as a 5150, it’s still plenty tight, and seems to possess that classic 5150 grind to a certain extent, which is awesome!
The only con I can think of is that the fx loop is noisy, and for whatever reason, all Archons, as well as the MT15 suffer from the noisy fx loop. It’s like pure hiss as soon as you engage a pedal. Fortunately, the easy remedy is to swap out the fx loop tube with a 12au7, and the problem is pretty much solved.
But overall, this amp is something special. Take the fat low mids of a recto, the near tightness and grind of a 5150, the cleans of a Twin Reverb, and the best attributes of a 6l6 and el34, and you’ve got yourself the Archon mkii 50w. It’s just one hell of amp, especially for the price.
