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I have read somewhere that 40% of an amps tone is down to the output transformer. Interleaved windings being a strong feature in quality transformers. Does anyone know if the iron used in Hot Rod Deluxe amps is of good quality? I rebuilt mine a couple of years back re-using the stock iron but is it worth buying a Heyboer OT as an upgrade?
Paging T.J. :D
Actually, I think 38.7% of the tone comes from the OT, not the full 40%
:D
The stock iron is of good quality. The PT might be ripe for some improvement if your voltage needs change, but keep in mind that once these are re-built in to classic tweed circuits, all the demands for the SS stuff is gone; foot-switching, channel-switching, reverb opamps, drive and more drive opamps...all gone, so it's really reducing a lot of the demands on the iron.
The stock OT is actually kind of cool, what with the 8ohm and 4ohm switching capabilities depending on speaker jack configuration. You can run a true 8ohm internal with 8ohm external at the same time (can't do that as well with a classic Fender), and you can do the dummy-plug-external jack thing to run off the 4ohm tap on the OT.
PLUS, the primary/secondary works out well with the reflected impedance ratios to properly run 6V6 tubes off the 4ohm tap with an 8ohm speaker load.
I honestly don't believe there is enough sonic improvement that would warrant the cost. But hey, you could give it a try...Heyboers are great transformers.
Thanks for that TJ. I was thinking that as Fender economised on just about everything else they might have sourced cheap chinese wound transformers as well. I don't think I'll bother with the Heyboer iron now. My last order from the States was $51 for a Heyboer reverb transformer and a reverb tank. Weber charged $60 for postage and Customs and excise charged 14 GBP. I hate to think what a heavy transformer would cost.
Maybe I'll just opt for a couple of real good Output tubes instead.
Pete
I think you'll find that the re-build is very responsive to tube experiments and changes. Much more so than a new OT.
The PT might fall in the 'cheap' category, but as I mentioned, you've removed a significant demand on it with the re-build.
Posted bt NTBlues>
And about to add 2 extra tubes and a reverb circuit!! :DQuote:
The PT might fall in the 'cheap' category, but as I mentioned, you've removed a significant demand on it with the re-build.
Reverb with a tweed? :wah:
:D
Posted by hippiebob01 >
I was waiting for that :laughing: Sacriledge !!!!!!Quote:
Reverb with a tweed?
I'm not much of a purist. I like the 5F6A but I really miss reverb.
Hey Pete - I'll tell you this - if I could get that Fender iron for my amps at a reasonable price I would - problem is we here in the EU have to pay a fortune for them to ship it - so I get my iron from a company in Poole, Dorset called Majestic... they make trannies that are as good or better that Heyboer or Mercury... I'd say in fairness that the Merc stuff looks cooler cause they go to such lengths to make it so but the thing that gets you straight away about the Majestic iron is the lack of hum or mechanical vibration when you switch the thing on (they're that well lacquered they look like a candy apple and must be screened exceptionally well)... but the Fender iron is as good as it's ever been as far as I can make out... for that matter I have had occasion to replace a Heyboer that didn't cut the mustard in long term use... they're probably better than many stock trannies but they're not god-like...
What I can tell you is the heater supply on that Dx PT is not up to heating another coupla bottles - especially if you're already pushing the boat out with a S/R circuit... and that adding reverb in a tweed circuit will definitely add more noise than is worth it... we've looked at it and have decided that if we're going to bring out an amp with reverb it will definitely not be in a tweed style circuit - not for the sake of 'purity' but purely because our dealers will definitely be moaning they're too noisy... I also think you'd be dissappointed with the change in tone such a mod would make...
Email me - there's been a lot of water under our bridge here in Yorkshire that I don't mind sharing... :D :D