NAD (Archon 50 MKII)

Phantasmagoria

Phantasmagoria

watch where you point that sabre
Picked this up almost a week ago. The store I tried it in only had the one demo piece & I wanted a new one but they were backordered & would take at least a month to get here so I ordered one online from another store. But when I cranked it up I was disappointed to hear that the (dimed) dirt channel sounded like a Vox or Fender....just some lite "edge of breakup" chimey kinda distortion (ie. weak) The clean channel sounded/worked fine though.

Anyway I was pretty sure it was a bad preamp tube for the dirt channel but did'nt want to open it up in case that voided the returns policy or something. When I contacted the store I bought it from they said to send it back as it was and that would have been a long drawn out PIA process since it was located in another town...was'nt looking forward to it.

In the end I just said to hell with it and took off the back this morning . It turned out that one of the preamp tubes had come loose/was'nt seated properly so I pushed that sucker back in .. & voila....the sweet strains of brutality shook the room :D

First I plugged it into my Peavey 6505 4x12 & it sounded monstrous but since that's right across the room and makes mic'ing/recording a drag, I popped it on top of my Celestion Creamback 65 loaded oversized 1x12 cab & stuck a condenser in front of it...


Everything @ around 6 'oclock (666 \m/)

Sounds really fat & thick. The mids are huge, though really clear (not cloudy/congested) It can be dialed in to sound pretty much any way you want it to though...

So far I'm loving it....as fat as it sounds it cuts through a mix like butter and stays clear & clean no matter what..

Fantastic rhythm tones as well. Thick/meaty & punchy. All in all a great new addition to the stable. Can't wait to try it w/ my Laney 2x12's (V30's & Eminence's) bigthumb:
 
Sorry I meant everything @ position "6" ....not "6 o'clock" for the clip. It's early in the AM today & I will soon be fiddling around w/ it some more :bigthumb:

The amp has a strong mid-emphasis (low & mid-mids especially) but can get pretty bright with the treble up, even more so w/ more presence dialed in & the bright switch engaged so I would'nt say it's a "dark" sounding amp at all..although it can easily be dialed in to sound that way if required.

It's in the 5150/6505 camp but with a more granular/open texture to the mids. It also seems to be EQ'd to perfectly sit in a mix, no matter what setting. Smooth yet gritty without being overly edgy or harsh. Not 'compressed to hell/wall of sound' -ish like 6505 can be either & none of the fizz. I really like the grain/character of the distortion...it's it's own thing.

I thought I might want to swap out the stock JJ 6CA7 tubes for 6L6's but I'm going to leave them in there..at least for a while. They definitely add their their own character to the amp & I like that (don't sound like 6l6's or EL34's)..
 
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You know I love PRS amps, man. Glad that you found your tone. Levels were so low on the recording were so low, really couldn't hear the amp. Want to hear more, though!
 
Thanks! I like that it has it's own kinda thing going on tonewise. Does'nt really sound (or feel) like any of my other amps. Maybe it's the 6CA7's, but it has this different kind of 'feel' to it under my fingers..nothing drastic but 'subtle yet noticeable'..

I have'nt had the opportunity to play around w/ it much yet, but on the couple of times I've been able to it's been fun. I shifted it over to my V30 cab late last night but have'nt hooked it up yet...

Sorry about the clip. I'll do something with a better mix soon..
 
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With my Ibby SA460MBW (stock bridge Quantum pup) -> Laney 2x12 w/ V30's. Everything @ noon on the amp.


Ideally I'd like the gain up at about 1:00-2:00 o'clock for solo's w/o a boost...
 
I'm reading a lot of user reviews that recommend G12T 75's over V30's for this amp cuz they're slightly scooped and balance well with the massive mids this thing has. Personally I think it sounds good w/ the V30's too..

I guess I could try it with the 1x12 I have w/ an Electro-Harmonix driver cuz those are kinda G12T 75-ish or w/ my Swamp Thang/Manowar loaded 2x12... It sounded pretty glorious plugged into my Peavey 4x12 w/ WGS ET65's...

I love the experimentation that comes with new amps, though technically this one is just the appetizer for what's to follow ;). The main course is back-ordered & will hopefully be here in a month...just in time for my bands first post-retirement 'reunion' show.

Lol that was quick :laugh2:

I've spent a fair bit of time w/ it (incoming NAD) over the years and always wanted one and while it is'nt actually a 'dream amp' of mine....it's pretty close :D
 
And some eastern-tinged neoclassical w/ the bright switch on.


Would'nt say this is the amp to buy for versatility. It very much has it's own sound & will give one some sweet variations on that core tone it has. The EQ is pretty effective. But look elsewhere for Marshall-esque tones etc (unless you're that Swedish dude on YT ...Johann something...he can make anything sound like a Plexi :laugh2:).

It does what it does REALLY well though. If you want modern shred tones like Loomis/Petrucci/The Amott bro's etc this will get you there all day long. Likewise for massive riffing, anything from modern prog to Thrash, Doom and Death Metal. It even does great classic/80's metal tones.. Priest Maiden & the like.. but with a bit of an updated modern edge.
 
And you can add Scorpions/Micheal Schenker/UFO/Grand Funk Railroad/Skynrd/Morse/Ted Nugent etc to that list as well. It does those heavier 70's tones really nice too with the gain down to about 4-5..
 
Nice song & killer tone. You really do have great vibrato. I would've liked you to have cut loose for an extended Yngwie-length solo in the middle there though..tear things up a bit :D

The moment I heard your lead tone I recognized it (imo) to be really similar to mine, ie what I recorded up there... The same smooth fat sweet 3D sounding mids. I mean it's definitely a recognizable sound that these amp's have...

How does your new one compare to your first gen Archon would you say?
 
Actually I do think Vintage 30's pair pretty well with these amp's. The WGS ET65's in my Peavey 4x12 sounded really great with it too ..sweet & bright w/ those fatass mids & fantastic highs :bigthumb:

The Creamback 65 was ok but probably not an ideal pairing cuz it's really thick/middy itself w/ rolled off highs ..overkill maybe :laugh2:


I really should hook it up to my EH speaker (G12T 75 clone) and see what that sounds like...
 
And going into my other Laney 2x12 (Emi Manowar/Swamp Thang) Mic'd in stereo -> recorded onto a stereo track.

Just The amp. No boost or Fx. Bright Switch OFF :bigthumb:


I'd be lying if I did'nt say I think this beast is chock full of absolutely incredible tones :D
 
Re-recorded the power chord/rhythm clip after tuning my guitar :bigthumb:

..some groove, some doom, some chugging..


No processing/FX (settings in the video)..


EDIT: Forgot to put the settings in the video...so:

Gain 5.5

Treble 7

Mids 5

Bass 6.5

Master: 1 <

Presence: 6.5

Depth: 6

Recorded w/ the Eminence Manowar mic'd in my Laney 2x12
 
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Actually when I pushed the mids & gain a bit more.... it got that chainsaw Swedish kinda sound and I played some sloppy Entombed/Seance/Dismember riffs that sounded pretty sweet w/ it yesterday..

+ Pure Bolt Thrower when I tuned down to C#...

Also gets the newer Candlemass tones down pat (Candlemass-Candlemass onwards to the Rob Lowe stuff...) & all the newer Sabbath tones..

And Obituary with an SD-1 in front ..probably even closer w/ a Rat of some sort (have one of those around somewhere but I'll have to hunt for it)

Man , that is all sonic Nirvana to me....what a killer amp! :D​
 
Here is my first gen Archon at the house with my solid Koa 93 Carvin DC 127. Playing over at rack more, trying to let the amp bloom and sing rather than trying to play clean, to show just how organic and fluid the solo tones are with this amp. No effects of any kind, just amp cable guitar and tone. These amps are special, the way they feel to play and how liquid the sustain is!
 
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