# PRS Archon vs. Mesa Rectifier - Go!



## guitarblade (Apr 10, 2015)

I've been a Mesa Boogie user for years...I owned several Rectifiers (Dual, Triple, Reborn, Mini) and always thought that those amps fit my musical taste the best. I play hard rock like Alter Bridge, Tremonti, Black Stone Cherry...But I always had trouble setting up the Rectifier exactly how I wanted them to be...I had a perfect sound in our rehearsal space, then on stage I had to tweak it again because it sounded completely different...Yeah I know, room etc. But that's not what I mean. I also had problems with getting my sound right at different volume levels. I never liked how the Rectos sound on stage volume...I missed some kind of punch, tightness and always had this fizziness going on. Then I heard the Archon....And was blown away!

I bought it right of the bat and since then I am finally happy with the sound of my amp. In my opinion the Archon sounds like the better version of the Rectifier...Tight as hell, cutting through the mix and a lot of deep bottom end. Just an awesome plug-and-play amp...This is the reason what kept me from selling the amp with regard to the noisy effects loop. And after all those years with my Rectifiers I am just a step away from selling my beloved Rectifiers. 

What are your opinions on the Archon compared to a Mesa Rectifier? Have you had a chance to compare them side by side?

Here are my thoughts...I know a lot of people want to know the differences of those amps so I thought let's gather the information 

- I like the 3 channel design of the Recto and the different voicings but I always had problems getting the sound right! It was just too much for me. The Archon has only two channels, but the lead channel is an amazing rhythm and lead channel.
- Turning the depth knob and the bright switches of the Archon are like getting different amps, amazing
- The Archon is definitely a player's amp, just plug and play! All set on noon and your good to go.
- The Recto is a pain in the arse regarding the flabbiness, I often had to use a boost to get it tight.
- compared to the Archon, the Recto is very easy to include into a rig...Normal latching type switches for channel switching, not those 5-pin custom cables of the Archon
- In my opinion the Archon sits better in a band situation, also with low tunings.

No you.....Shoot!


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## Hachetjoel (Apr 10, 2015)

Only ever played rectifiers hard to dial in but totally worth it. I feel like my opinions on the archon are invalid having only heard and never played.


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## Bearitone (Apr 10, 2015)

Bump. I want some more opinions on this as well. 
*Also to the OP i sent you a PM


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## Serenity (Apr 10, 2015)

Currently in the market for a high gain head, and the Archon is top of my list at the moment.


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## Blitzie (Apr 10, 2015)

I've owned a bunch of Rectifiers and I've spent a lot of time with the Archon.

I liked the Archon. The knobs are very responsive and the amp is easy to dial in. I like that they included bright switches, I really wish Rectifiers had those. There is a lot of gain on tap as well, but in my experience the amp never really saturated. There was plenty of gain but it was almost *too* tight. Maybe a boost would be the solution there but I couldn't get it into the chewy saturation of a Rectifier. The low end was there and it wasn't flubby. It doesn't punch you in the dick like a Rectifier but it's definitely there.

I think the Archon is a great amp. It was obviously supposed to be a more modern Rectifier but it just doesn't have the same feel. I think it will work great for a lot of guys but I believe just as many will find it to be inferior.


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## cwhitey2 (Apr 10, 2015)

Guess what??? I currently own both!!!!


I have a 2 channel recto and an Archon 50 combo.

To get a recto to sound good you need a few things/need know a few things:

1) these things are picky about cabs....... cab = .... tone - i have 2 diff cabs i run this through and it sounds like 2 diff amps.
2) the eq is very sensitive...may take you a while to find your tone
3) tone changes greatly with volume
4) most likely will need a TS or OD

The Archon overall is one of the best amps I have ever played. I'm impressed every time I plug into it (especially once you get the combo speaker broken in). You dont really _need_ a boost but i use one occasionally. 


As close as the tones sound I feel they are miles apart in how the amps feel. I can make my recto super sag or tighter than anything....the Archon can't get too loose and can get tighter than the recto. Gain structure wise I feel the recto has more grind to it. The Archon is smoother but can get you some grind.

I bought the Archon for black metal and it slays at it. Honestly its good for all styles of music from light gain to just noise 


The Archon clean channel will destroy most clean amps IMO


I honestly have played my recto 2 times since owning buying my Archon in January...but to be fair...its connected to my ....ty cab which = ....ty tone. If i had my Basson at the house i would bounce back between the 2.

Eventually when I get time I'm going to make a stereo rig out of them


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## jerm (Apr 10, 2015)

Other amps to consider since you like the Recto type sound:

Bogner Uberschall (tremonti and Alter bridge have used this)
Diezel VH4, Herbert, Hagen
H&K Triamp, Trilogy
Randall Satan
KSR Collossus, Gemini, Orthos


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## cwhitey2 (Apr 10, 2015)

jerm said:


> KSR Collossus, Gemini, Orthos



These are some amps I would love to side by side with my Archon


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## Jayd41 (Apr 10, 2015)

They both have their place.
I won't sell my rectifier or my archon. or my cobra for that matter.
They are all different flavors of the same gain structure. 

The Archon, as others have said, is very easy to dial in, yet there is a great level of tonal variety in the simple eq and switches. 
The Mesa takes much more work to get to sound how you want it, and it does change tone from day to day I swear.
The Framus Cobra is not as easy to dial as the Archon, but easier and more consistent than the Mesa. 

I recommend owning all three


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## Hachetjoel (Apr 11, 2015)

Ok so I actually got to play a dual, triple, 6l6 archon & el34 archon. Same guitar same cab! 
I used an rg652k with tone zone/air Norton into a Marshall 1960a cab
Thoughts 
Archon el34 instantly amazed with how tight this was, I actually played a 9 string with no boost and it handled the low string without ever sounding flubby, very defined, could actually handle drop c#? Power chords and still retain definition, character, and clarity. In love with this. 

Archon 6l6 not AS impressed, great clarity very nice great cleans. Not as tight gain flavor was not as interesting. This amps strength was leads it didn't matter what I played in what position, the notes jumped out, screamed at me, yet it was Suttle, refined, elegant. Very outstanding for leads but I feel like rhythms just got a little lost and weren't very interesting. 

Dual. Insane insane insane amounts of gain, still had some clarity very recognizable high gain sounds leads are good but not bring me to tears good, really felt like it needed a boost in front. But had lots of clarity despite being "loose" 
Triple even more gain, even harder to dial in. Leads felt a little better still not archon good, very loose but distinct and clear. Very punchy. 

Notes :
While the archon excelled in certain areas I didn't really want to take it home. I feel like the 6l6 lacks a recognizable voicing but was great for leads and I felt the el34 was fantastic but maybe not for me, I felt it was a little too compressed. I feel like the recs were cool but I can see why they're falling out of favor they sound less like a sledgehammer to the chest and more like a dump truck full of granite. Most people are looking for tight and responsive and I think the el34 is absolutely perfect for that. But I felt like it lacked a unique voicing that screamed archon, and while it cloud handle 9 strings just fine, with 6 it sounded almost boring like it was too tight and the 6 wasn't enough to unleash it's fury. But again this is all my opinion I'm sure someone thinks literally the exact opposite of me on this.


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## TRENCHLORD (Apr 11, 2015)

Hachetjoel said:


> Ok so I actually got to play a dual, triple, 6l6 archon & el34 archon. Same guitar same cab!
> I used an rg652k with tone zone/air Norton into a Marshall 1960a cab
> Thoughts
> Archon el34 instantly amazed with how tight this was, I actually played a 9 string with no boost and it handled the low string without ever sounding flubby, very defined, could actually handle drop c#? Power chords and still retain definition, character, and clarity. In love with this.
> ...



You didn't try them with a boost? Next time try them with an 808 up front (since most stores stock some kind of 808).
Recto with a vfe-focus in front is heaven (hell that is) for extreme metal! It can give you all the things that are good with a boosted recto AND the things good about a raw recto together at the same time.


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## Hachetjoel (Apr 11, 2015)

The archon didn't need it it was so tight and focused but I did prefer the classic sound of the rectos I agree with you I think a boosted recto is too savage for words. While the archon will piss in your tea the recto will rip your face off and deficate inside of you.


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## Carvinkook (Apr 14, 2015)

Hachetjoel said:


> While the archon will piss in your tea the recto will rip your face off and deficate inside of you.


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## col (Apr 14, 2015)

jerm said:


> Other amps to consider since you like the Recto type sound:
> 
> Diezel VH4, Herbert



Our other guitarist in my old band had a VH4 and I owned a Herbert for 2 years. Those amps sound nothing like a Recto. The Herbert is sort of in the ballpark in the thick wall of sound department, but it's very smooth, polite and hifi, a polar opposite to the Recto.


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## noob_pwn (Apr 14, 2015)

My band just recorded a new album and the Archon absolutely slayed. We used it for all of the high gain stuff, blended with either a MkV or Uberschall and it sounded great for clean & breakup tones too. The midrange it has is absolutely gorgeous


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