Well $%$# PRS just released the new Archon V2 line!

Ascension

Well-known member
Street price for the 50 retail is $999 down from the $1850 retail my US amp was. Released info and demos today and am speechless. What I heard was NOT inspiring the amp seems to have lost that 3 D tonal quality mine has sounding more like a higher powered MT 15. Also the 100 watt head is no more and they are now imports not hand wired US built amps.
https://prsguitars.com/amplifier/archon_50w_head
This fiasco is NOT the amp I own!!!!
 
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For reference this is the original Archon 50 like the one I own. Very different amp from this new thing!
 
Triggered? ;)

They were great while they lasted. Glad I have mine. Maybe the MT-100 will replace the Archon 100? I sure hope so.

Have no issue with PRS introducing a new import amp. The New V2 Archon may well be a cool amp but it's NOT a real Archon!! Just introduce it as the SE Version of the Archon and we are fine. What they did just destroyed the value of my amp for one the new import Archon line will retail for about $400 less than the going price of a used Archon 50 like mine so they just nuked the resale value of my amp should I choose to sell it (for the record have absolutely no intention of selling mine).
Bet money that the new one is a PC board amp and at half the retail price of the old Archon 50 they are cutting corners in quality they have to be!
The MT 15 is selling like crazy so doing this amp makes business sense for PRS just name it something other than a Archon V 2 is my thing and don't kill the legacy and reputation of amps like mine!!
I put the real Archon in the same category of a Soldana SLO and yes have spent time with a few real SLO's. Yes the real Archon is that good!
 
Made in Indonesia?

These should be called the "Archon SE" line!

AGREED! Keep at the least the real US Archon 100 as the premium amp and offer the new one as the SE version this i can agree to. In reality this is the Sonsera version of the Archon.
 
Triggered? ;)

They were great while they lasted. Glad I have mine. Maybe the MT-100 will replace the Archon 100? I sure hope so.

Never have asked do you have a 100 or a 50?
The "new" Archon 50 is pretty much a MT 50 from the sound of it I have heard in the demos. Cool amp but looses that openness and amazing 3 d tonal depth of the real Archon. Having both a MT 15 and the Archon and running them both on the same cab back to back I know the difference.
 
Wait, I thought you loved your MT-15 (sorry if I haven't totally kept up). So, it doesn't sound as good as your MIA Archon?
 
Never have asked do you have a 100 or a 50?
The "new" Archon 50 is pretty much a MT 50 from the sound of it I have heard in the demos. Cool amp but looses that openness and amazing 3 d tonal depth of the real Archon. Having both a MT 15 and the Archon and running them both on the same cab back to back I know the difference.

I have the MT-15, Archon 50 and Archon 100. All three are wonderful amps with my favorite being the Archon 100 overall. I personally don't expect the MT-15 to be in alignment with the Archon but I will say pound for pound, bang for the buck, the MT-15 is tough to beat for the money and a beautiful clean and a very high Gain channel in one box. Same being said on the Archon. Before this plandemic the Archon was very soft on the used market. I haven't heard a really good video of the Archon V2 yet but regardless, I can tell the amp is not like the original Archons. How could they be for the money? The MT-100 is coming so it possibly may have switched places with the Archon.....meaning the Archon is now the SE of PRS and the new MT series is the core lineup. Mark has done well for PRS, better than any other artist overall (amps, guitars, pickups) they have signed so I wouldn't be surprised if Paul gave him the crown for the amp line since Mark is a professed amp freak. I wouldn't expect Mark would be down for an import amp to tour with even though I know he is very price conscious in making stuff for the average player to afford and get hold of easily. I guess time will tell. I do look forward to the MT-100 being released though. I also wouldn't doubt if some of the Archon (original) DNA is not sprinkled throughout the MT-100.

Regarding the Archon build quality being as good or better than Soldano SLO 100.....I would lean towards Soldano on that one. Both amps are made well though.
 
What they did just destroyed the value of my amp for one the new import Archon line will retail for about $400 less than the going price of a used Archon 50 like mine so they just nuked the resale value of my amp should I choose to sell it (for the record have absolutely no intention of selling mine).

The Used Values won't be hurt any. People will be well aware of what prices are for each amp. You could buy a new 50 watt amp (full retail) for $1500 and the 100 watt Archon was full retailed at $2200. It wasn't initially uncommon to get a used 100 watt head used for under a grand or thereabouts at one time.
 
Wait, I thought you loved your MT-15 (sorry if I haven't totally kept up). So, it doesn't sound as good as your MIA Archon?

At a GRAND more the PTP Archon should sound better! That doesn't make the little MT 15 a bad amp just the Archon better. Plan to keep both as the MT 15 is more aggressive and raw while the Archon is more open and sophisticated in its tone. The Archo has a quality in the tone that nothing else I have played quite has it has a very unique character. If I had to choose just one it would be the Archon n doubt but make no mistake the MT 15 is no joke ether!
 
I have the MT-15, Archon 50 and Archon 100. All three are wonderful amps with my favorite being the Archon 100 overall. I personally don't expect the MT-15 to be in alignment with the Archon but I will say pound for pound, bang for the buck, the MT-15 is tough to beat for the money and a beautiful clean and a very high Gain channel in one box. Same being said on the Archon. Before this plandemic the Archon was very soft on the used market. I haven't heard a really good video of the Archon V2 yet but regardless, I can tell the amp is not like the original Archons. How could they be for the money? The MT-100 is coming so it possibly may have switched places with the Archon.....meaning the Archon is now the SE of PRS and the new MT series is the core lineup. Mark has done well for PRS, better than any other artist overall (amps, guitars, pickups) they have signed so I wouldn't be surprised if Paul gave him the crown for the amp line since Mark is a professed amp freak. I wouldn't expect Mark would be down for an import amp to tour with even though I know he is very price conscious in making stuff for the average player to afford and get hold of easily. I guess time will tell. I do look forward to the MT-100 being released though. I also wouldn't doubt if some of the Archon (original) DNA is not sprinkled throughout the MT-100.

Regarding the Archon build quality being as good or better than Soldano SLO 100.....I would lean towards Soldano on that one. Both amps are made well though.

Whats your take on the Archon 100 vs the 50 heads since you have both? Have thought about selling the MT 15 to help fund a 100 head. That extra bottom and headroom would be appealing if it responds like the Marshalls do between the 100 and the 50.
What you are talking on the MT 100 and it being a US flagship amp does make sense. Just wish they would have done a SE Archon 50 like they the guitars with the Core and the SE Tremonti guitars.
 
It is hard for me to make a judgement listening to YouTube videos, which don't come close to replicating the sound of the amp in the room. Not many amps sound good to me that way.
 
Whats your take on the Archon 100 vs the 50 heads since you have both? Have thought about selling the MT 15 to help fund a 100 head. That extra bottom and headroom would be appealing if it responds like the Marshalls do between the 100 and the 50.
What you are talking on the MT 100 and it being a US flagship amp does make sense. Just wish they would have done a SE Archon 50 like they the guitars with the Core and the SE Tremonti guitars.

The Archon 100 will give you the typical things that 100's always have over 50's. Both sound great IMO but if I had to pick one I would always take the higher wattage in the huge majority of any amp for that matter....but that is me. If you are doing it to have both the 50 and 100 I don't know if you will get the differences you get between a MT-15 and any Archon sonically. I guess it comes down to money and what you want to do. In the perfect world, if I was going to only have 2 of the 3 I would go Archon 100 and MT-15.

I love PRS and have been with them for a long time. In all honesty, Paul is the master of the marketing, take away, flip, spin, rebrand, re-introduce, (you get my point here) of whatever he is selling. All that being said, there is definitely something going on with the amp line. I think he is trying to find a way to expand it without taking too much risk and jumping all in. The SE line (and all it entails - now amps, guitars, etc) is solid and doing well. Private Stock is doing very well. the middle ground is ok but the area I feel is least successful though it is successful. Spinning things the way he "appears" to be doing may give him the juice to expand the USA amp line and not have to rebrand what is already being made (Archon) so his base market stays in tact. Think McCarty....MC-58, Modern Eagle, ME II, etc...all McCarty's with some fluff somewhere in some cases and not in other cases but it made people buy guitars because of the take away. The Archon has positive market familiarity, value and recognition. That becomes the "SE" line and Tremonti has the weight and familiarity and marketability to bring the USA line and expand on it. I could see "Artist amps being USA and their variants being the SE line......or something like that. Just my own idea and rant here. Based on Paul's methods in the past, it makes sense to me.

Additionally, Paul is in the guitar business, not the amp business. He makes a great guitar personally. I don't think he makes amps on the same level. :) Sewell has been involved and maybe they are looking to get paid so the lower price point/volume angle could be the way to go to help subsidize the future higher end line. Again, just my thoughts. It is interesting though. I do look forward to that MT-100.
 
Not sure that makes sense since the MT-15 is already an import, but I don't keep track of all things PRS. Not sure they change the MT-15 to a MIA with a higher price tag and do well. But, I'm not in marketing and no one asks my opinion.
 
Not sure that makes sense since the MT-15 is already an import, but I don't keep track of all things PRS. Not sure they change the MT-15 to a MIA with a higher price tag and do well. But, I'm not in marketing and no one asks my opinion.

The MT-15 isn't going to be changed to made in America. It is a budget amp (like the SE line) of guitars. It just happens to kick all kinds of ass and for the money is probably the best high gain, clean channel quality sounding amp for the money that is made. The MT-100 is the Signature amp they are making for Tremonti. It is 100 watts and may not officially even be called the MT-100 once/if it ends up coming out. We have been waiting for a while for a proper Tremonti 100 watt head that he will tour with which doesn't mean beefing up the MT-15 to have more power. The MT-100 or new Tremonti amp or whatever it will be called has been long awaited and with great anticipation and I would never expect it to be an import amp. I really believe it will take over the position of the original Archon line but with a new name.
 
Additionally, Paul is in the guitar business, not the amp business. He makes a great guitar personally. I don't think he makes amps on the same level. :) Sewell has been involved and maybe they are looking to get paid so the lower price point/volume angle could be the way to go to help subsidize the future higher end line. Again, just my thoughts. It is interesting though. I do look forward to that MT-100.

Kinda feel the opposite way. I prefer Carvin Kiesel guitars to PRS and own both. It's the PRS amps that I like better than the guitars. There is something about how a Sewell designed high gain amp responds to touch that just works for me. Own 6 amps right now, 2 PRS , 2 Mesa the old Carvin X amp and my little Zinky Blue Velvet. For me the amp I'm going to plug into just for the heck of playing is mostly the Archon if its something with some gain. My Boogie F 30 however is just breathtaking clean:wink: but sill the Archon and MT 15 are both no slouches at all. In fact I like the cleans on the MT 15 a little better with the boost pulled than I do the Archon.
 
Kinda feel the opposite way. I prefer Carvin Kiesel guitars to PRS and own both. It's the PRS amps that I like better than the guitars. There is something about how a Sewell designed high gain amp responds to touch that just works for me. Own 6 amps right now, 2 PRS , 2 Mesa the old Carvin X amp and my little Zinky Blue Velvet. For me the amp I'm going to plug into just for the heck of playing is mostly the Archon if its something with some gain. My Boogie F 30 however is just breathtaking clean:wink: but sill the Archon and MT 15 are both no slouches at all. In fact I like the cleans on the MT 15 a little better with the boost pulled than I do the Archon.

My point was that PRS (Paul specifically) is known for being a guitar builder, not an amp builder. IMO, PRS will always be a guitar company that sells amps. I can' see the reverse of that being true.

If we are talking guitar brands I like, heck, I can list a ton.
 
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