ARK Amps Model A-28: The Sound of a Deflowering Yes, I was indeed the first person to play through the A-28: a 2 6v6 monster of an amp with a refreshingly unique functionality. This amp is so new that its head box only exists on paper, though the sketches do look fantastic. For those of you who’ve never laid eyes on an Ark amp, they are works of art. Multiple exotic hardwoods in a variety of vibrant and subdued hues and grains. Patterns, shapes, inlays and cutouts, some soft and round, some hard and angular, others a remarkable blend of both. It’s a vibe that at once echos 30s art deco and 50s/60s sci fi atomic and presents an aesthetic all its own. And the workmanship is flawless—the artistry in the knobs alone will blow you away. So, with a naked chassis sitting before me, looking quite out of place among its stunning brothers, I went to work. Matt and Bill are two delightful individuals. The amp features some unique tone sculpting controls, and they were kind enough to work the knobs for me and walk me through what each did and how they interacted with one another. When I first plugged in, the amp was set for clean, and it was gorgeous. It’s an extremely warm and organic tone, with a full and buttery bottom end, ample mids, and super-smooth highs—made for a broad and even sound that filled the room beautifully. Much like the Red Iron Bronx, notes bloomed and decayed with spectral overtones and a natural reverb. When I had my fill of open chords and fluid melodies, Bill took the amp in a very interesting, and rather wicked, direction. I don’t quite understand how Bill has accomplished this, but there is a knob on the amp that purely overdrives the power tubes. From 1 to 10, it has zero effect on the preamp. Maybe this has been done before, maybe it hasn’t—it doesn’t matter. All I know is that hearing 2 6V6s grinding all on their own is a thing to behold. Gobs of fat, creamy goodness gushed from the speakers, with chunky lows, big broad growling mids, and high end so syrupy sweet it’ll give you a cavity. The clarity and punch were spectacular, and an appropriate measure of compression smoothed it all out without impacting definition and responsiveness. Bill then slowly dialed the preamp into the mix, and that’s where things really got crazy. Harmonic content and overtones swelled into action, bringing the upper mids to life. The top end started to sizzle and sing. More gain and girth and compression came into the mix, smoothing things out further, giving solos a wonderful vocal and violin-like quality with a bit of squishiness under the fingers—it did the sag and surge thing in spades. Even with the preamp and power section working hard, and delivering a sick amount of gain and grind, the amp held together extremely well, preserving dynamics and allowing the subtleties (though I’m hardly a subtle player) of my playing to come through. And at 28 watts, the volume was perfect. Matt and Bill, aside from being stellar guys, are a gifted couple of artisans for the eyes and ears, and this particular offering from them is a masterpiece in both sensory realms. In fact, the amps even feel great to the touch—their incredibly well-conceived side handles, while aesthetically attractive, are an ergonomic joy, allowing for easy transportation with one or both hands (trust me, your wrists will be very happy). I don’t know the exact price point (I’m not sure they do at this point either) but I remember their saying it will probably be in the low 2s. You’d be hard pressed to find another amp that does all this can do at any price. If only every first time were as rewarding…and humility-free. This amp is a Hefeweizen—lush, creamy, lively and distinct, misty in the glass, and sweet sweet sweet on the palate.

Recommendation: Ayinger’s Brau Weisse.

 Sample 

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