J. Rockett Audio Designs Archer Ikon

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member

J. Rockett Audio Designs Archer Ikon

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The Klon Centaur has been cloned hundreds of times by as many companies since the DIY community managed to scrape the black goop off the circuit board. Each company’s “klone” sounds slightly different because there’s one component that nobody can seem to agree on: the diodes.

Players refer to them as “magic” because many diodes manufactured in this era didn’t come labeled, so many thought the actual value would remain a mystery forever.

Not anymore. We found some.

The crew here at PGS spent a great deal of time poring over the Klon circuit (including our own) and the diodes used therein. After much searching and prodding with direction from Rockett, we were able to cultivate our own magic for this, the Archer Ikon—the definitive transparent overdrive.

After finding this pocket of magic diodes, the next step is to fine tune the circuit so that it matches the source material: a real gold Klon Centaur. Rockett tuned the Ikon to its Centaur until the differences were 100 percent indistinguishable. The Ikon is quite simply the closest you’re going to get to authentic Centaur tone without draining the kids’ college fund.

The sound is a hair more compressed than the silver Archer and fuller sounding with the Gain knob dialed back—or “boost” mode—which is how a majority of players use their klones. Quite simply put, there is no finer tool for goosing your amp, be it tightroping the verge of breakup or simply dipping its toes into the juice pool. When set to full gain—or “drive” mode—the Ikon exhibits a smoother, gently compressed clipping section, indicative of the original Centaur tone but sorely lacking from the abundance of klones on the market. The Treble knob keeps all the frequencies in check, and is a godsend for players using a Les Paul or other humbucker-equipped axe.

Just like the original Centaur, a charge pump circuit is utilized to internally bump the voltage from the nine-volt input up to 18 volts. This helps create the legendary headroom for which the Klon is renowned, and it is also why the Klon stacks so well with other pedals.

J. Rockett Audio Designs Archer Ikon Features:

  • Features actual Klon “magic” diodes. That’s right—THE part
  • Legendary drive and boost tones—ultra-transparent
  • Internal charge pump circuit doubles the voltage
  • Hand-made in the USA
  • Standard 9v center-negative power
 
Somebody over at Duncan posted a comparison between a real Klon and a Soul Food.

Wanna know something wacky? I thought the Soul Food sounded better.

LOL
 
Somebody over at Duncan posted a comparison between a real Klon and a Soul Food.

Wanna know something wacky? I thought the Soul Food sounded better.

LOL

Then you have this video (coincidentally with an Archer), personally I didn't like the Soul Food to be honest.

 
I don't really get the current transparent OD pedal craze. I guess I prefer my OD/distortion pedals to bring a new voice to the mix.
 
I don't really get the current transparent OD pedal craze. I guess I prefer my OD/distortion pedals to bring a new voice to the mix.
If it's a boost I want it to be transparent. I'm not getting the whole dirty boost that isn't an OD craze. I'll use my OD for dirty boost and I want my boost transparent (TC Spark Mini).
 
I don't really get the current transparent OD pedal craze. I guess I prefer my OD/distortion pedals to bring a new voice to the mix.
For what I do now having the pedals work more like amp channels it a good thing for me. Plus managing levels in one of the bands I play in is a nightmare and I end up needing to adjusting things on the fly constantly.
 
For what I do now having the pedals work more like amp channels it a good thing for me. Plus managing levels in one of the bands I play in is a nightmare and I end up needing to adjusting things on the fly constantly.
I'm kinda there with you.

My basic dirty tone is my green MXR COD, volume at unity, dirt dimed, tone around noon. I also have the Pinnacle for the hotter, nastier stuff.

I have three pedals set up as boosts.
  • the Phase3 boost @warriorpoet built me in front of the dirt pedals to kick up the gain when needed
  • a cream MXR COD set to ZW mode, volume dimed, gain down low, tone set around 1:30. Usually used in conjunction with the green COD to just get nasty overdrive lead tones
  • TC Spark Mini, just purely for more volume
I also like my Uni-Vibe volume set a bit hot going into my green COD. It gets nasty swirlies going on.
 
For what I do now having the pedals work more like amp channels it a good thing for me. Plus managing levels in one of the bands I play in is a nightmare and I end up needing to adjusting things on the fly constantly.

I guess that makes some sense.
 
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