Are the Archon 100, Archon 25 combo (Purple) & MT15 tubes exchangeable? . Asking for a friend.

[Deedsoftommy]

I have an ARCHON 100 WATT (2015), an ARCHON 25 WATT COMBO (purple of course 2016). And! I'm waiting for an ARCHON 15, I mean an MT15 to be shipped.

I'm not much a tube guy but the 6L6 sounds great for what I'm doing. Drop F tuned metal 8 string.

My question is. Can tubes from these three amps be interchangeable? In pairs of course.

I would greatly appreciate any advice, do's & don'ts, past experiences, benefits. Thanks in advance!

 

[elvis]

The 100 and 15 both use 6L6, so exchanging power tubes would be appropriate. Bias required, of course.

The 25 uses 5881, a derated 6L6. I wouldn't think you could swap with that one.

Why would you want to?

 

[TroyBaer]

The history of the 6L6 is a bit convoluted. Most modern 6L6s are the 6L6GC variety, which has higher max voltage and power ratings that the 5881 (a 6L6GB variant with some milspec ruggedness improvements that aren't likely to matter in a guitar amp, unless it's aboard a fighter jet). The heater current draw and bias voltage range should be more or less the same.

TL;DR: It should be safe to use regular 6L6GCs in all three amps, but it is probably not safe to use 5881s in the Archon 100 or the MT-15.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

DeedsofTommyboy,

You have three versions of the Archon! That’s more rock than most people can even handle. Are you adequately prepared to rock? (Assuming you answered “yes, DTR, I’m ready to rock)” then just enjoy those amps! Don’t worry about tubes until they need to be replaced. If my Archon gets even better when I change tubes, then that’s a bonus. I believe the higher the gain, the less each individual tube matters. Not that they don’t matter! But “good” should be “great” in these amps.

Who knows... maybe I’ll drop some NOS Mullards in the Archon and change my answer.

 

[elvis]

I don't think the 25 will hurt a 6L6GC, but the 6L6 might put too much power into the output transformer.

 

[László]

I’m sure PRS Customer Service will give you the correct answer.