The Broughton Audio Quicksilver is a tube preamp and overdrive pedal that uses high voltage transistors and a vintage 12AT7 tube to amplify and shape your tone, which the maker describes as giving a classic tube amp feel in a small pedal. Although it can provide overdrive, Broughton Audio says it shines best on the edge of breakup, making it a pedal for players chasing touch-sensitive tube amp response rather than heavy distortion. It sits in the wider family of overdrive pedals and preamp pedals.1
Broughton Audio states that this design is archived and is not in current production.1
How it works
The Quicksilver's design centers on a vintage 12AT7 tube working alongside high voltage transistors. The transistors sit on the input of the pedal, where Broughton Audio says they significantly boost your signal while providing huge headroom. The 12AT7 is then configured similarly to the Broughton Archetype family of pedals and preamps: one triode directly feeds a heavily amplified signal into the other triode, which is biased for asymmetrical compression and harmonics.1
Because the pedal runs a real tube at high voltage internally, power matters. The pedal requires a 12V DC power supply, though 9V DC may be used at the cost of decreased headroom and volume. The supply should be a standard Boss style connector with center negative polarity, and the current draw is 300 mA. That draw is high enough that a battery is not an option, and a standard daisy chain supply may not keep up.1
The controls
The Quicksilver keeps its control layout simple, with three knobs:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Controls the output level of the pedal1 |
| Gain | Can be set to give clean and clear tones, or increased for more breakup1 |
| Bass and treble | Shelving controls, flat when at noon1 |
The shelving EQ is worth noting: with both tone controls at noon the circuit is flat, so the bass and treble knobs only shape the tone once you move them off center. Between the gain knob and the tube circuit, the pedal can go from clean and clear to the edge of breakup and into overdrive.1
Driving other gear
Broughton Audio notes that the Quicksilver can drive other pedals, preamps, or amps. Combined with the high voltage input stage that boosts the signal while providing huge headroom, this makes it usable not just as a dirt pedal in front of an amp, but as a signal builder deeper into a chain, pushing downstream gear harder.1
Questions
Is the Broughton Quicksilver true bypass?
Yes. The Quicksilver uses a soft touch stomp switch to actuate a relay, which provides true bypass operation. That means when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the pedal's circuitry loading it, and the relay switching keeps the mechanical action quiet and reliable underfoot.
Is the Broughton Quicksilver still in production?
No. Broughton Audio states that the Quicksilver design is archived and is not in current production. Any units available secondhand or from remaining dealer stock are the only way to find one.
What tube is in the Broughton Quicksilver?
The Quicksilver uses a vintage 12AT7 tube. One triode of the tube directly feeds a heavily amplified signal into the other triode, which is biased for asymmetrical compression and harmonics, in a configuration similar to the Broughton Archetype family of pedals and preamps.
Can the Broughton Quicksilver drive other pedals?
Yes. According to Broughton Audio, the Quicksilver can drive other pedals, preamps, or amps. Its high voltage input transistors significantly boost the signal while providing large headroom, which gives it the push needed to drive downstream gear.
Sources (1)
- Quicksilver, Broughton Audio
