4 ohm only on Van Weelden Twinkeland?

[Billion81]

I was looking at the spec posted on an old TGP Thread on the Twinkleland and I noticed it was a 4 ohm only speaker jack.

Is this connected to the Eu Power and available Transformers? Just curious as to why only the 4 ohm tap?


ted

[FYL]

Maybe because Van Weelden uses OEM Fender Twin Reverb/Dual Showman iron designed for dual 8-ohm speakers in //.

[David Root]

Pardon my ignorance but WTF is a Twinkleland?

[FYL]

A high quality Dumble clone with some nice mods from a Dutch builder. Used by Joe Bonamassa and others.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0j2inGAEX0

[Billion81]

Maybe because Van Weelden uses OEM Fender Twin Reverb/Dual Showman iron designed for dual 8-ohm speakers in //.

Trying to understand the "Maybe" inflection- which makes your answer really confusing.

Are you unsure or are you sure and are trying to make me feel dumb for asking?

Thanks, if it's the former.

If it's the latter? well then...

[David Root]

Thanx FYL. I didn't know about him, however I do share the skepticism about tapped OTs.

At least to some extent. It's very difficult for me to understand how a 4 ohm tap off a 16 ohm OT winding can sound as good as a full 4 ohm winding which is presumably wound across the entire EI window, and I have seen comments to the effect that they don't. And I'm not talking about Gerald Weber's specious arguments either.

I do know that the '70s ODS I built using old Bassman iron currently sounds better than a 100W #124 I built with a 4-8-16 ohm tapped OT (not vintage so it's not a single parameter change) without snubbers on V2.

[FYL]

Trying to understand the "Maybe" inflection- which makes your answer really confusing.

I've not looked under the hood. As Howard D. used 4-ohm iron, I can presume that Van W. did the same in his clone. Hence the maybe.

[FYL]

It's very difficult for me to understand how a 4 ohm tap off a 16 ohm OT winding can sound as good as a full 4 ohm winding, and I have seen comments to the effect that they don't.

Using low-Z taps can be a problem with some poorly designed/sized OTs but has very little impact on quality iron.

A multisection OT is more costly and more difficult to implement, builders don't like them.

[jelle]

The Twinkleland was based on a pre goop ODS that Peter had in his shop according to an interview he did with a Dutch guitar mag.

I played his personal amp, it was very nice. As they are based on a pre goop 4x6L6GC Dumble ODS amp, it's not strange to see a twin OT or equivalent.

It also has the 20/20 can cap IIRC.

jelle

[ampdork]

I know what my ears like and for me....single tapped trafos sound best to me...
Ok... to be fair a single 4 ohm versus one with 4, 8 and 16 ... played into a 4 ohm load....the single, to me, sound better easy.

But that said users require multitapped outputs all the time and I can't say I'd kick them out of bed....just that if they were for me I'd go single every time.

Mileage varies.

[hitchcaster]

I know what my ears like and for me....single tapped trafos sound best to me...
Ok... to be fair a single 4 ohm versus one with 4, 8 and 16 ... played into a 4 ohm load....the single, to me, sound better easy.

But that said users require multitapped outputs all the time and I can't say I'd kick them out of bed....just that if they were for me I'd go single every time.

Mileage varies.

but what about a single tap 16ohm OT vs. a multi tap 4/8/16 and using the 16ohm tap? never been able to try that yet, or 3 identical single tap trannies with the same speakers but 4ohm, 8ohm, and 16ohm versions of each speaker and OT matched up

[Max]

I know what my ears like and for me....single tapped trafos sound best to me...
Ok... to be fair a single 4 ohm versus one with 4, 8 and 16 ... played into a 4 ohm load....the single, to me, sound better easy.

But that said users require multitapped outputs all the time and I can't say I'd kick them out of bed....just that if they were for me I'd go single every time.

Mileage varies.

Hi amdork,

of course different people have a different personal taste concerning "tone". And perhaps because of this Alexander Dumble used multi-tap output transformers in at least all these amps: Winterland, Dumbleland 150W for guitar and bass, Dumbleland 300SL, SSS 150W, ODS150W.

And he used multi-tap output transformers in at least around 120 of his Overdrive Specials, AFAIK starting around series numbers between 120 and 130 up to his most recent ones and including #001 (see the attached picture of the back of #001 with the 4/8/16 ohm pointer head switch). And AFAIK many of his amps are/have been used with one of his 2x12" cabinets with two Altec or EVM speakers and a total load of 4 ohm.

So his own personal taste concerning "tone" and/or the personal taste of his customers has been/is probably different from your personal taste concerning "tone".

Cheers,

Max

[Grog]

Max, what about his earlier combo's? Were they four ohm output to eight ohm speaker?

[Max]

Max, what about his earlier combo's? Were they four ohm output to eight ohm speaker?

Hi Grog,

yes, all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation "pre-classic" combo amps and all the transition generation "classic" combo amps I know of used a 4 ohm Fender OT and a single 8 ohm Altec/EVM speaker. #001 is the only exception I know of with a multi-tap OT.

Cheers,

Max

[Billion81]

I know what my ears like and for me....single tapped trafos sound best to me...
Ok... to be fair a single 4 ohm versus one with 4, 8 and 16 ... played into a 4 ohm load....the single, to me, sound better easy.

But that said users require multitapped outputs all the time and I can't say I'd kick them out of bed....just that if they were for me I'd go single every time.

Mileage varies.

Assuming there is noticeable difference in the 4 ohm, single tap- what's the ideal speaker config? Not actual speaker recommendation but just from wiring scheme to match the load.