Archon 50 Mk II Clean Channel Volume

[BonanzaEric]

I just bought a new Archon 50 Combo late last week. I love the sound of both channels. However, the clean channel volume is quite a bit lower than the lead channel volume at similar settings. For example, if I just set all knobs at 12 o'clock, bright channel switches off, no pedals before or in the effects loop, the clean channel loudness is very comfortable (just a bit loud) in a studio-sized room but the lead channel is overpoweringly loud (yum). The tone of both channels is nice. There's not anything obviously wrong other than the loudness. Even turning the clean channel up all the way, it's loud but nowhere near the lead channel loudness. Is this normal? How do others' amps compare with all knobs at 12 o'clock? Thanks in advance.

 

[andy474x]

It’s common for the PRS amps to be a lot louder on the lead channel at similar MV settings. I think due to the lead channel being a maxed out preamp signal in terms of amplitude, where the clean isn’t, and the MV pot values don’t compensate for it.

 

[BonanzaEric]

Hmm, thanks! It really is a lot more quiet on clean though. Like at max Master Volume the clean channel doesn't sound like a 50W amp. Maybe 5W. Unfortunately there's not a good demo I've found to confirm it.

 

[László]

Hmm, thanks! It really is a lot more quiet on clean though. Like at max Master Volume the clean channel doesn't sound like a 50W amp. Maybe 5W. Unfortunately there's not a good demo I've found to confirm it.

Sounds like there's something wrong.

I don't own one, and have no dog in this hunt, but the clean channel of any 50 Watt amp shouldn't sound like 5W.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

Mine isn't V2, but this isn't right. My clean channel is loud! Hit it with a pedal and even at 10:00 on the master it will knock you backwards. Check the tube chart for the pre-amp tube that drives the clean channel and check it.

 

[BonanzaEric]

Mine isn't V2, but this isn't right. My clean channel is loud! Hit it with a pedal and even at 10:00 on the master it will knock you backwards. Check the tube chart for the pre-amp tube that drives the clean channel and check it.

Thanks. This is helpful. I'll see if I can track down the tube. Strange that it sounds good, just not all that loud.

 

[BonanzaEric]

PRS support recommended swapping the lead & clean preamp tubes to check if that resolved anything. Of course the tube diagram on the PRS site doesn't indicate which is which... He said V1 & V2 were the clean channel tubes, but I noted for the Mk I Archon, someone on these forums said V1 is input, V2 & V3 are lead channel and V4 is clean channel (only one tube). Anyway, I swapped V2<->V4, no difference, and then also swapped V1<-V3, no difference. The tubes all look fine. I'd post a link to a video clip I did for tech support showing the difference, but I can't post links here quite yet... Anyway, does anyone know which tube is which on the Mk II?

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

The clean channel is very clean. That means that if you’re picking lightly or don’t have your volume knob all the way up, it’s not very loud, but whack a chord and it is PLENTY loud. How loud is it when you hit the clean channel with an OD pedal?

 

[Dasher]

I have an Archon 50 V2 Combo. Something's not right. I mainly use the clean and it's plenty loud enough. I don't see a lot of difference between the volumes on the lead and clean channels unless I really drive the gain on the lead channel. I do use the clean both with and without effects. When using effects it's almost always with a reverb of some form in there (my one gripe about the Archon is it's lack of a spring reverb) and often some form of drive (but quite light). I tend to use my effects in front of the amp - not in the loop. When pushed hard the clean will roughen up a little - but it's no classic fender or Peavey clean (and nor is it intended to be). The clean is a great pedal platform - to the point where I only use the lead when I want something very driven.

 

[BonanzaEric]

FWIW I had some back and forth with PRS tech support; he listened to a video of the difference and compared to an Archon of theirs and said theirs was similar, so I guess it is normal. It really is a striking difference in loudness though, and I never saw that mentioned anywhere. Anyway, maybe this thread will help anyone else who notices the big difference.

 

[DreamTheaterRules]

They redid the taper of the volume control on at least one channel. Comparing this to any V1 is not going to be similar in results.

Perhaps this is a result of complaints that it came on too fast