The PRS Archon vs EVH 5150 III comparison.
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- I compare the PAul Reed Smith Archon to the EVH Fender 5150 III 50 watt head and go through each channel and see how they stack up.
Note. I have the bass knob in the back of the EVH head on 10 the whole time
EVH 5150 III Amps paired with the appropriate EVH Cab is really the weapon of choice for metal tones. You'll be hard pressed to find a professional recording studio anywhere in the world that does not have one or two 5150 III on hand at all times. Modern Metal guitarists may not tour with a 5150 III behind them on stage but most fans would be very surprised that some form of the 5150 III was used on the album. Right now the 5150 III is the definitive hard rock/heavy metal studio amp. Congrats to King Edward and AVH/Fender Musical Instruments for perfecting this killer range of amps.
Watched your Archon videos several times will I was trying to decide what my next amp was going to be. Ended up with a Archon 25/13 combo. I only play at home and didn't need anything too large. It too is an awesome sounding amp. I'm really impressed with the sound and stellar build quality. Thanks for the videos. They really helped with the decision process.
Yea thats what I have coming. I read so many things that 25 to 30 watts is really all you need if your not gigging in huge arenas lol. I can't wait to get it! I was so sick of lugging around half stacks all the time.
They are both very good sounding amps. I do agree that the Archon has the slight edge. Really splitting hairs though. It's more of a preference thing. Nice review.
The 6L6 5150 iii is one of the best amps I’ve played. It loses a little with the effects loop, but I have found putting a Timmy pedal in front brings it right back, so the loop can be used with no loss in tone. Given that, any amp loses a bit with the loop. It has some hiss but a Decimator in the loop takes care of that as well. The blue channel is just so good, absolutely amazing.
As someone who has both...I can confirm that the archon is pretty much superior on every aspect. Not to say that the EVH isn’t great, but the archon is much tighter and much easier to dial in. I also find the EVH to have a thinner clean channel.
The EVH 50 watt is a killer amp that really does everything. This only thing i did not like was the channel 1/2 on the EVH share the volume knob and there is a huge jump when switching to distortion. Other than that it was a great amp....you can play the clean all day...
Check this out! I just had the pots they use on the new 5150III 50w 6L6 installed in my '17 5150III 50w. Completely solves the volume drop issue. One and two now only share the eq. Now, on 1, you can the volume all the way up and the gain, on 1, all the way down, gradually raising the gain to get that quintessential Fender clean tone. It cost me about $170. It really changes the game.
Call Fender.
Whoa... Just happened upon this video, and am shocked. I'm a 5150 III owner, and have owned 5150's going all the way back to Peavy days; love em. But wow... That PRS sounds, to me, simply amazing. It may be that I'm just used to the 5150's. I am loving that PRS!!!! I just bought the Tremonti amp (waiting for the mailman), and will now have to go and look into an Archon... Thanks for this Philip!
Brian Oravetz how do you like your new Tremonti amp?
Mt15 and the Archon are basically the same amp aside from the wattage IMO, same sound. I own both MT15 and the EVH 5150
the evh. very easy to understand and eddies work and tone is something that's been recomended for years.
Evh for me all the way
No doubt. Sounds fatter. Fat bottom amps make the rockin' world go round. Thin overdrive blows. Keep metal beefy and listen to Motorhead
The PRS amps are specially designed to work with only PRS guitars. (I'm kiddin')
Cool comparison. The 50W EVH is a killer amp for the price. I'd say price wise the 100W EVH would be a more fitting comparison to the Archon, and the 3 channels are all separate on that version of the EVH. I'm thinking about getting the 50W version sometime in the future. A little easier on the wallet that way haha.
i prefer the Archon to be sincere but the evh its awesome too
WHY DID IT LOOK LIKE THE EVH AMP WAS MOVING WHEN YOU WERE SWITCHING CHANNELS AND SWITCHING BETWEEN AMPS/ CAMERA AUTO FOCUS?
The Archon is a far better amp. Better build and quality. Own both and that's my honest opinion.
That’s very true. The 100 watt archon is what I want so bad
I have both as well....the archon 100 and the EVH 50 watt....the archon destroys the EVH.
I'll be number 3 saying that here. I also own both. The EVH is okay, but the Archon outclasses it in sound and build.
Not for metal.
just played the evh 50 watt..clean sounded good..lead channel sounded great for solos...other than that..was not impressed..im thinkin bout getting the prs archon 50/25 watt..cant find it locally to try it out though...I play alice in chains..pantera..danzig..type of music...whats my best choice out there..???
I’m using these two amps blended on my bands record in progress
I love my EVH but sounds a little bit thinner like you hear in this video.
now let's run them in stereo....
Been looking at the combo versions of these amps, the 5150 lll 1x12 and PRS Archon although the 25/13 PRS. Just curious if this review is close to the combos? I know the EVH combo is huge AND heavy where is the PRS is much smaller and lighter. The other thing is what you brought up the sharing channel 1 and 2 eq. Yes insanely stupid! And the EVH is seemingly much louder as far as hiss. Thanks for all the great video's I really enjoy your channel!
prs sounds a lot more warmer and the evh sounds much bright
Yes, I agree
I think it sounded dimer or darker, not necessary better.
Evh sounded better all around but that doesn't mean is better either, it's just my opinion.
folks...it is what it is. money talks. no, scratch that. money sings in the music industry. put some time in tone searching at your local music store, play some music with your buddys. and you will not be disappointed in the end. pick a guitar that feels good, play clean and learn every sound it makes on every fret and every string. with every pickup in every position including your tone control.then add gain. or any other effect you desire. the first thing to concentrate on is the last thing your fingers touched. the rest is up to you
eq in the loop of evh blows everything away except in tandem with a dsl with a eq in the loop
Hey Phil, really nice comparison. But might I suggest having a demo comparison using a guitar that's down tuned? To something like Drop C? I feel like playing metal in standard tuning gives a very limited comparison and these amps' distortion channels would really be comfortable with downtuning, plus you can really test how each amp handles the low-end notes. I dunno. Keep up the good work. Papa bless.
Archon wins.
great review as always
It's funny, I heard the tone of the amps exactly the opposite of what you described (ie: modern sound vs. "Marshall on steroids", especially when you were playing the No More Heroes riff). I'm sure it has to do with the recorded sound, and the live tone is much different. Other videos I've heard of the Archon are amazing, so I'm sure it's a great amp. I was really looking forward to seeing/hearing the PRS walk all over the EVH, but with the sound from your video, I actually preferred the EVH in all facets of the playing styles. Thanks for the video. Even if I was hearing something completely different than everyone else, it was still really informative, and makes me want to try out the EVH for myself, as I am really jonesing for an Archon. I have a 100w Marshall Vintage Modern first run head, and I figure the PRS would be a nice complement to it, tonally. I really liked everything I heard from that EVH, though. Again, great video.
I own this amp.The PRS Archon has only 1 problem....NOISEY EFFECTS LOOP. Having said that, this amp is SUPER versatile with a clean channel to die for......
Email PRS about it. There were some Archons that went out with a noisey effects loop. There's an easy fix for it. My loop is silent.
That was a great video!!! Loved it :)
Great playing!!! Subscribed to your channel!!!
I like the intention of your video reviews and enjoy the message and information you relay but you really gotta invest in some good audio equipment because the audio quality is so bad and gives the wrong impression of what these amps sound like in the flesh.
I owned that same EVH and the blue and red channels are just great, the quality is great as well as the price but like you said the tone is very very modern and unless you're looking for that I wouldn't recommend it.
Johnny Utah too bad there’s a huge volume jump between the green and blue channel. Made it unusable for me. I also found the blue channel was just meatier and chunkier than the red channel but I couldn’t use it for the volume jump
I like the PRS better, you need to review a Rivera Fandango guitar amp.
Both are real gain monsters, i think the EVH is more agressive...meanwhile...the Archon is refined...but keeping the good gain tone...very good for Djent...Mark Holcomb uses it 😎
Thanks for the comparison man :)
I have stock Mira pick ups in the guitar
it could be cool to compare the Archon 50 to the Friedman runt 50
Try jumping the effects loop on the evh 3.the tone and clarity improvement is huge due to the pre amp that engages in the effects loop.i also put two vintage bugle boy 12ax7s in the preamp and I swear it sounds like a train wreck amp on steroids.
I'LL TAKE THE ARCHON ANYDAY,IT'S REAL NICE FOR METAL!NOT KNOCKIN; THE EVH.
Too...many....variables!!!
You have to remember folks, that the speakers and cabs Phillip used MIGHT not have been the most synergenic for each amp. So it makes it even harder to discern each amps tone through the whole YT experience.
Hey Phil, love the channel. Quick question: how would you compare the Archon to a Mesa Lonestar Classic (blue bronco cover). I know they're different beasts but I own the Lonestar and am thinking about the Archon. Love the Lonestar but it weighs as much as a Twin Reverb. Wondering if the Archon can do comparable OD tones? Thanks
I'm guessing the evh is noisier because it has way more gain than the PRS. I own an evh and compared to how much gain at has it's really not super noisy.
Why would you compare price between the archon when its 100 watts and the evh 5150 when its 50 watts the evh 5150 100 is $1700 so there is not really a big price difference
+alex bamvye Well, 600 bucks is still a price difference
+Thor The EVH is not made in the U.S, but if it was it would of cost the same or a little more.
The Archon has a switch to make it 50w......
The notes are better heard on the Archon. 550 is a bit thinner in tone, but that probably is just an EQ thing.. More "color" in overdrive tones.
Evh 5153 is a better overall amp in my opinion, and its clean channel sounds like a Fender clean that are the best cleans IMO, great crunch and killer lead channel.
Prs archon is great too, but is not my cup of tea.
Great review. Thanks!
PRS or EVH? My pick is Bad Cat! Hot Cat 30R. Full class A, more spendy admittedly but tone ended my search for the ultimate tone.
Prs all day and im a metal player
the prs guitar seems to sound bad through both amps for some reason? is it the recording method or the pickups?
maybe its just youtube doing its magic and making everything sound muddy and craptacular
Wow the noise factor is significant... But.... I just bought a PRS Archon 50 head today... Already have an EVH 5150iii 50w head .. can't wait to Pepsi Challenge them myself at home!!
So which one are you keeping?
@@brunomo123 5150 .. Archon is up in the air.. great amp but just not sure
50/25 archon safe for home use on 25w setting? Which would you choose. Archon 50, Mesa Rectoverb 25, Evh 50, Marshall DSL 40 Creamback?
What pickups do you have in your Mira? I see they are newer PRS pickups because of the square shape.
man its a tough choice!!! i think i prefer the PRS Archon. especially if it was the EVH 100w
***** Especially used in this context is saying that if it was the 100w version of the EVH that i would still prefer the Archon. The prices would be more similar and I like the Archon more for its price compared to the 100w EVH.
Does the EVH has tube bias pots like Archon?
+Zhorell Ski I do not know. I do know that it is bias able.
Unfortunately the EVH head does not and will have to be removed from the head cabinet in order to be biased. Also a big plus on the Archon is that the preamp and power amp tubes both are chassis mounted unlike the EVH tube sockets are directly mounted to the PCB. PRS used a Turret board style instead of a PCB board like in the EVH. PRS uses Belton tube sockets and not generic tube sockets like the EVH. PRS uses USA Made Classic Tone transformers instead of generic transformers like the EVH.
There’s a REASON most studios are EVH equipped ! If you know how to dial one in ; they’re amazing sounding amps ! I don’t get PRS amps ; but hey , you do you ! Just my HO
the only way i can dial out the mid, harsh, compressed tone is by putting a 12ay7, 5751 or any less gainy tube in the first 4 positions. it still sounds sterile. cant stand it. prs archon sounds like the way to go. plus u can swap tube on the archon (6l6 or el34). or friedman runt 50. either way, the evh unless modded is harsh
check out 5150clone's snippets.....not that the dude is badass player enough.....he has great tone!!
People don't buy these amps for their clean sound.
gregg4164 I disagree, I'm specifically looking at the archon for an amp that has heavy and tight distortion for modern metal and also cleans for ambient sections to contrast the breakdowns
That is the point. These amps are primarily looked at for their distortion tone, not their clean tone. Just because you want a do it all amp has nothing to do with what these amps where built for, which is their distortion tone.
LloydTheHuman
Get a triamp then lol mk2 you can find used for the same price
5:20 Is that Slash riff? I think I've heard that somewhere before...
Riku Falck no more heroes off of apocalyptic love!
i know prs sounds great in studios but for live situation i would choose evh over prs and also evh has resonance knob if you want that fullness or low end.
Ray Bantawa Archon has that same knob it’s just labeled as depth. I’m exact opposite lol I think the archon is better live and the evh blended with it for studio. That’s actually my amp rig too lol
Archon has the same knob and not only that but the Archon has Presence and Depth both unlike the EVH having only a Resonance/Depth knob alone.
hey Phil - The 5150 50w seems to be such a versatile amp. Sounds good even at bedroom volume. Why did you eventually sell it?
because at home, I have so many good amps, but once I got the 5150 pedal. I could get this tone and play through another amp. If it had reverb I would have kept it.
+Phillip McKnight You should have bought a reverb pedal for your EVH 5153 IMO brother, but that was your choice.
+Metalgears1968 If the EVH 5153 was made in the U.S it would of cost the same as the PRS archon, no doubt.
which one is you favorite? it is a bit difficult to get the real experience via youtube.
Archon is a work of art. I sold the EVH and I'm getting the EVH LBX 15 watt head for that sound.
You prefer the archon than right?
can the Archon get a good modern metal tone at bedroom volumes?
yes, it retains a lot at low volumes
Phillip McKnight great! thanks for the feedback. any chance the Archon can stand against the 5150 III?
man that evh is noisy....must use j j's in the pre-amp or a rebranded j j tube....they are harsh and add a lot of hiss the prs was great could use an overdrive in front to get you a bit more saturation
I think the Arxhon can do it all. I play in a Tool meets Deftones meets Slipknot band and the Arxhon nails it all. Plus, pedals love it!
5150 is definitely more versatile than the Archon
What is your favorite small amp so far?
5150iii clean is better!
Yes, the EVH clean is great. I have a 6505 mini coming this week so I'm going to A/B them.
5150 lll hands down....I own 5150ll...best amp EVER!!!!
Totally agree, and is and all around better amp with three channels.
Very versatile amp.
Totally agree.
Couple people said the cleans aren't as good as people say? Is there a way to get around the volume shift problem between channels? Wish they could've went the extra mile and gave each channel its own master.
not sure why they dont do that
Brian Mcgonigal
The clean channel volume drop in the 5150 III is a big problem for playing in a gig setting. I've owned one for a year now, great overdrive, can't stand the volume difference.
EVH stacked st channel could be because the next model will have the 2 and 3 channel stacked....marketing
I love the 5150 but I own one.
roger carson, me as well. I just had those pots from the new 5150III 50W 6L6 model installed in my '17 5150III. Completely solves the volume drop between channels 1 and 2. Now it's the perfect head for me.
Prs all day
EVH iii 50 6L6 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
That's a 100 watt Archon right?
Also to my ears the EVH has much more gain right? How's it sound in the room? And as always thanks for your vids! Love em
Does the prs have el34 or 6L6 in it
6L6 tubes.
is that the 50 watt version of the archon?
It's the 100 watt version. But in 50 watt mode
ook gotcha. both those amps are awesome. but i really want an archon. :( lol
That's not your best demo ! The recording sucks, I have to turn up to hear you and turn down when you play... It's impossible to judge the sound of the amp in this video at any volume ...Just Sayin
Ones 1500 dollars and the other is 1000. Gee I wonder why the 1500 dollar one is better. Also, if you put it against the 100 watt EVH, it would blow it out of the water. (PS, the lead on the 5150 sounded better to me, and the rhythm was similar enough, not gonna spend 500 dollars extra)
EVH !!!!!!!!
i think PRS amps suck that's my opinion who the fuck this guy think he is charging so much only a sucker would buy them especially when you have other greater amps at that price and ive owned an Archon 50 watt head and returned it
For the money id go with Splawn, Mesa or Blackstar. That prs sounds surprisingly terrible for what it is. All of the channels sound like theyre under a blanket and theres no distinction of the individual notes in each chord.
If you think that PRS amp sounded terrible then you need your ears cleaning out
+TheBlisterer I think the EVH sounded better but that's just me.
Mike Tuggle h
I've owned a quick rod a blackstar series one and several dual and triple rectifiers. I play everything from Johnny Cash and surf music to hardcore metal. I own an evh 5150 6l6 50w and wouldn't trade it for any of those amps. I played the PRS amps and don't think they're all that great. Side by side my quick rod beat up on them pretty bad