Saber Forum

I recently received my Emerald Archon and I'd like to introduce myself to the forum by posting my review of it.  I've been lurking here for quite a while now, but this saber deserves some show and tell.

I got this saber done with the works: Emerald, Obsidian, Covertec, Classic Pommel, Illuminated AV Switch, a d a Recharge Port (just think if I could get it nickel-plated!) This is my first Emerald saber so I took a good deal of time to dial-in my pulse for a good screen-accurate effect, but after that spent plenty of time making color presets for myself as it's a joy to play with.  I did find that it's a good idea to use all four of the timing sections to create a good flicker effect rather than just .02 and .02 for the high and low parts of the pulse.  If you set it more like .02, .02, .04, .02 or something like that, the LEDs will give less of an on/off effect and more of a very quick bump up and down between the colors.  It's smoother that way and I think makes it seem more natural.  Many people seem to just be going 0, .02, 0, .02.  To me, that looked less like a glowing saber and more like a broken light bulb.  But I digress...

Any way you cut it, the Emerald driver is a total JOY to own.  I got mine on special with the RGBW configuration.  I wired my red-illuminated AV switch in series with my red channel, which I thought would compliment any "red hue" color blade I happen to use.  But even if I wanted to have my switch illuminated for say, a pure green blade, I could still put about 5/255 or 10/255 of the red channel into the green blade.  That didn't affect the color of the blade so much, but then the AV switch could be illuminated.  To me, wiring the AV switch in series is the way to go.  I really didn't want to sacrifice the 4th channel, and to have it always on seemed like too much of a commitment.  Yes, I have a recharge port, but do I always want it on.  No.  Case closed I guess.  Series with channel 2- I love it.

Flash on clash with all 4 LEDs is BRIIIIIIIIIIGHT and it's beautiful.  Do it in the dark but consider sunglasses, haha.  It's even brighter than the standard FOC and can even be used with a silver-type blade.  The silver blade base color can be created using just the 4th channel, maybe even some of the other three colors together for more light.  Then they can be bumped up for a cool pulse feature.  Then you can max them out for FOC.  Don't forget that if you bought a standard stunt saber in AS you'd be getting one LED, so adding the other three LEDs together for pulse and FOC makes then even brighter than what you're used to.

My long, "um"-filled video review of this Archon, one of my favorite models from US, is posted below.  It's always fun to tinker with on the computer and swing around like all the other sabers we love.  One day I'll get myself some more moola and start adding more Emerald sabers into my collection.  Right now though I think US has outdone themselves with the Emerald Driver, which is a tremendous piece of tech.  I love my new Archon and anybody would!  Thank you Ultra Sabers!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A71RqypqyQI#ws (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A71RqypqyQI#ws)

MAAAAaaaate!  ;D Great review! Like you?! I LOVE my Archon, it truly is one of the most awesome sabers in the U.S. lineup!

Point! +1

Nice review.

Great video! I like the combination of purple blade and red AV switch. You don't see those colors too much together, especially on an Archon.

Brilliant review.  Archon is my FAVORITE hilt, mine is the same set up as yours(no recharge port for me) right down to the red AV and I love it.  Thanks for the tips on the pulse I will play with mine a little more with your suggestions.

Nice review, I can only agree having it myself in almost the same configuration (except for the red AV in series which is a green Always On switch for me and the Classic Pommel which is the regular Archon Pommel for me)! The Archon is one of US's best sabers and goes well with many colours. I have to try your Pulse settings, they really sound (as you said) a bit smoother than my current "on-off" setting :D

Thanks, folks.

I think my current pulse settings are .04, .02, .06, .02.  The numbers seem unbalanced but it looks natural on the saber.  Honestly though, I think each color has its own sweet spot on the timings.  Certain colors need different transition times I think.  There's also the issue of what two colors to pulse between to get the movie-like flicker.  Primary-color blades red, green, and blue were more tougher to perfect.  The pulsing between red 255 and red (let's just say) 240 definitely created a pulse effect, but I found that the two numbers averaged-out and I ended up with a blade that was dimmer overall.  What I did to get around this issue was make my first color red 255 and then add a bit of the green channel- about 15 or so.  Then my second color was Red 240, green 0.  This kind of playing with additional LEDs barely changed the base color of the blade, but can make for a more vibrant pulse. Colors that combine multiple LEDs (VA, PO, SY, et al) offered more control because I had more colors the alter for my pulse color.

Just play with it- can't really go wrong if you're happy.  Maybe I'm picky.  :P