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Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:40 am
by Ade
Why hasn’t Orange employed a tone stack bypass circuit in more of their amp designs?

Lately I’ve really been enjoying my AD15 (after a new set of EL84s). But I can’t help think it would be even better if it had a footswitcable tone stack bypass like my AD50. In the AD50 it gives a great volume boost, great for leads, particularly useful live.

Actually this reminds me of Billy’s last post about the possibility of a twin channel AD15TC. I actually prefer the TSB to a second channel.

Any reason the TSB circuit isn’t employed more often? Could an AD15 be modded to include one?

Ade

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:46 am
by Jondog
Very easy mod. When I built my AD2, I included a bypass switch. Just need to putbthe tone stacks ground on a switch to lift it.

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:19 pm
by a.hun
To answer your ‘why not?’ question though, I just think too few people get the idea of keeping it as simple as possible. I’ve always ‘got’ the (volume control only) ‘Natural’ channel of the Rocker series amps, and often use other amps with just one tone control. But we may be in a minority there! ;)


Andy.

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:23 pm
by Les Paul Lover
a.hun wrote:
Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:19 pm
To answer your ‘why not?’ question though, I just think too few people get the idea of keeping it as simple as possible. I’ve always ‘got’ the (volume control only) ‘Natural’ channel of the Rocker series amps, and often use other amps with just one tone control. But we may be in a minority there! ;)


Andy.

Nice to see you here Andy!

I suppose a switch to bypass the tone stack would out it on an even keel with your R30 then..... ;)

The way the tone stack works on the AD15 (like the tone stack on the R30 dirty channel) you could get a significant boost too when bypassing the EQ depending on where you set it at.

Could be a pretty useful setting.

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:46 pm
by Ade
Les Paul Lover wrote:
Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:23 pm
The way the tone stack works on the AD15 (like the tone stack on the R30 dirty channel) you could get a significant boost too when bypassing the EQ depending on where you set it at.

Could be a pretty useful setting.
That’s what I was wondering and I suppose hoping. The volume jump on the AD50 when bypassing the tone stack is significant and I’d love to have that on the AD15. My only problem with the AD15 stock is the lack of headroom.

I don’t know if I’d have the guts to do it, but it sounds like it would be a fairly simple mod, yeah?

Ade

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 9:41 am
by Les Paul Lover
Ade wrote:
Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:46 pm
Les Paul Lover wrote:
Mon Jan 22, 2018 10:23 pm
The way the tone stack works on the AD15 (like the tone stack on the R30 dirty channel) you could get a significant boost too when bypassing the EQ depending on where you set it at.

Could be a pretty useful setting.
That’s what I was wondering and I suppose hoping. The volume jump on the AD50 when bypassing the tone stack is significant and I’d love to have that on the AD15. My only problem with the AD15 stock is the lack of headroom.

I don’t know if I’d have the guts to do it, but it sounds like it would be a fairly simple mod, yeah?

Ade
The mod would be fairly simple I believe, the difficulty would be where to fit it.

The AD15 chassis is pretty crammed, not sure there would be any space to fit that in. You might even need to fit that in an additional box outside the main chassis. It probably would make sense too, giving you more options to make the footswitchable Jack accessible.

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:18 pm
by Jondog
I fit the switch between the tone knobs.

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:13 pm
by Les Paul Lover
Jondog wrote:
Tue Jan 23, 2018 1:18 pm
I fit the switch between the tone knobs.
On your AD2?

Am I right to assume you had more space in that that in an AD15 combo?

Relays need power, right? Thinking about what it would take to make it footswitchable.

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:47 pm
by Jondog
I built it in quite a small chassis. No relays needed if you want it footswitchable as it’s all just a ground connection being broke. That can happen at the footswitch and jack using the sleeve and tip as the ground connection. Requires a NC switching jack at the amp.

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:21 am
by Les Paul Lover
Jondog wrote:
Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:47 pm
I built it in quite a small chassis. No relays needed if you want it footswitchable as it’s all just a ground connection being broke. That can happen at the footswitch and jack using the sleeve and tip as the ground connection. Requires a NC switching jack at the amp.


Interesting.

The good thing on the AD15 is that the gain, tone stack and master volume are on a separate PCB. That would make the mod even easier.

Re: Tone Stack Bypass in AD15

Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 4:08 am
by Ade
I’m updating my own thread because I just stumbled on this very old thread about the AD15’s master volume where Ade E himself chips in about both the thread topic but also the question of modding an AD15/30 for tone stack bypass.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7459&sid=93ef1345ae ... 1a11de8b8d

Adrian