Archon preamp tube layout chart?

rockridge98

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I like getting more use out of the gain knob in high-gain amps by putting a 5751 instead of a 12ax7 in the right position of the overdrive channel.
I'd like to do this with my Archon 25 combo.
Anybody have an Archon preamp tube layout chart or know which tube position this would be in the Archon?
 
Here's the Archon 100 pre-tube layout, per PRS. I suspect the 25 is the same.
V1 - Input
V2 - Lead gain
V3 - Lead gain
V4 - Clean gain
V5 - Phase inverter
V6 - Effects loop (located closest to power tubes)
 
Here's the Archon 100 pre-tube layout, per PRS. I suspect the 25 is the same.
V1 - Input
V2 - Lead gain
V3 - Lead gain
V4 - Clean gain
V5 - Phase inverter
V6 - Effects loop (located closest to power tubes)

Awesome, thanks!
Stupid question, but V1 is the tube closest to the input jack, right?
 
I don't understand why all tube amps don't come with a chart. Could be a simple 1/2 sheet of copy paper diagram. The kinda tricky one on this amp is V4 being the clean gain.
 
You bring up a mega sore point here. And it's been discussed at length by the community over several posts and months with no satisfactory conclusion:

PRS Support still doesn't have online manuals for either the Archon or the HXDA amps.
 
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Quick question. Are all the preamp tubes in the Archon 12ax7's?

I'm not sure if the phase inverter, for example, should be a 12at7....
 
For some reason I recall my HXDA and DG amps coming with tube charts stickered to the inside of the head box.

Edit: I just took a look at the back of the amps, and saw the tube chart for the HXDA peeking through the bottom. I know the DG30 has one as well, I just don't remember where they put it.

Anyway, I'd be surprised if the Archon came without one.
 
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Quick question. Are all the preamp tubes in the Archon 12ax7's?

I'm not sure if the phase inverter, for example, should be a 12at7....
I'm 99% certain all are 12ax7 in the Archon.
 
Yeah, I felt silly making this same post a few weeks after I got my H, only to look inside the back and see the tube layout on the inside of the amp. When all else fails, take the back cover off and look! :)
 
I don't think there is a chart inside the Archon. Seems to me there was a similar post about a year ago. Someone was looking for the layout and said there was no chart inside. Can't seem to find it now.
 
PRS Support still doesn't have online manuals for either the Archon or the HXDA amps.

I think it would be a good idea if they had manuals, too, even very brief ones, like the one for the Grissom amps.

Granted, most stuff is fairly self-explanatory if you know your way around amps, but there are helpful details that players might like to know.
 
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I think you are right. The Archon preamp tubes are all 12ax7's. But I tried a long plate 12at7 for the phase inverter and really like the effect. The distortion is smoother than with the ECC83 that was in there. I like JJ ECC83's for all the other positions though....
 
I like getting more use out of the gain knob in high-gain amps by putting a 5751 instead of a 12ax7 in the right position of the overdrive channel.
I'd like to do this with my Archon 25 combo.
Anybody have an Archon preamp tube layout chart or know which tube position this would be in the Archon?


Link should help below, follow the link and scroll down to Elvis’s post of the diagram.


https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/anyone-have-archon-tube-info.16973/
https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/anyone-have-archon-tube-info.16973/

This might help, if you scroll down you’ll see where Elvis posted a diagram of what PRS told him were the layout of the tubes and what tubes are used.

The preamp tube closest to the power tubes is the Phase Inverter (V5). The FX Loop tube (V6) is in the front left side according to the chart Elvis posted.
 
Btw curious but the preamp tubes can be swapped separately without matching or anything?

I looking to switch some of the preamp tubes. Any recommend anything besides 12ax7? Like 12at7? 12au7? 12ay7?

I wanna try different tubes for the FX Loop and maybe another tube or so.
 
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Preamp tubes are plug and play, and any of the tubes you mentioned, and a 5751, are all interchangeable, and each have different gain factors. Just be sure to power off the amp before swapping tubes.

Here is a good demonstration about the different gain factors:
https://www.thetubestore.com/gain-factor
 
From back in the day. Chart included.

Got this from PRS. Ruby power tubes and JJ preamp tubes. And 30mA is the recommended 6L6 bias.

PRS%20Archon%20Tube%20Locations.jpg
 
Preamp tubes are plug and play, and any of the tubes you mentioned, and a 5751, are all interchangeable, and each have different gain factors. Just be sure to power off the amp before swapping tubes.

Here is a good demonstration about the different gain factors:
https://www.thetubestore.com/gain-factor

Thank you

So if I what tube do you recommend for this:

I want my clean to stay clean clean of course but more smooth and not so ice picking like? I love lots of headroom on my Clean Channel and do not like early breakup which the Archon Clean Channel is great at plenty of great Clean headroom - which I love and wanna keep. I would just like the tone the highs down a little and make a little more mellow cleans with good hifi and keep the great clean headroom. Sometimes the clean channel is so ice picking shrill like it seems. Any recommendations?

And do you have any recommendations for the FX Loop tube replacement. I believe the FX Loop could be and would be better with a tube change.

Thanks
 
V 1 or V4... check and see what they are, and if not JJ, replace one or both with JJ (assuming we're talking only new tubes). JJ will tame the top end.

That was the answer to your question. Perhaps a better solution though is somewhere else in the chain... reduce presence or treble, make sure speakers are broken in, use good guitar cables...remove any pedals with bad buffers from in front of the amp, etc.
 
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