Rocket Builders: What OT did you use and why?

[Paultergeist]

Greetings!

I am building a Rocket -- need to pick an OT. I will buying from RJ -- I have already had some discussions with him regarding this, but I simply wanted to gather some opinions from other builders as well.

I wish I could afford to purchase multiple OTs and really develop some comparitive opinions, but that is not in my current budget. I need to buy one OT -- install it -- and hope to be happy with the final outcome.

For those of you who have built Rocket-inspired amps (quad of EL84s):

What OT did you use? (Or what OT did you not use?)

How does it sound / how happy are you with your OT choice?

Any relevant observations are much appreciated; I will be ordering soon.

Thanks!

[Blackburn]

Original Dynaco A-470. Fantastic OT. Can't go wrong with one of these.

[kwijabo]

i built three.

tweaks to the layout but schematically they were:
rocket with Dyna-clone A-470-S, 4.7k
zee-wreck. heyboer "liverpool" transformer from RJ, HTS-9633, 5.2k
rocket with RJ's new Pacific Rock-it transformer that is modeled after the dynaco. Listed as 5k.

i like all of them

[M Fowler]

I've built so darn many Rockets and they sound good no matter what.

I would have to say that right now I would use rjguitar's new Pacific transformers they sound great and the quality is very high. Most of all I think based on research these transformers are more correct then any other's I've seen compared to the original Trainwreck's.

Also, I think the PT to use is 270-0-270 and OT Dynaco style 4k3. rj can further help you choose a good set.

Mark

[KellyBass]

Let's see, as far as rockets go, I've used a Heyboer that was loud and proud, two of RJ's Edcor OT's that sound nice and smooth. On my bench now is a rocket style amp in which I'll finally get to try one of RJ's pacifics. I can't wait to hear it!!

[Paultergeist]

All,

Thanks for the useful replies. It doesn't really sound as though there are any bad choices from RJ, as he is quite familiar with the circuit and behavior of the 'wreck-style amps.

I have had one experience in the past with a *kit* where the included OT was just awful. I didn't realize just how much of an impact the (cheap, generic) OT was having upon the sound until -- in a leap of faith -- I gambled on a different *boutique* OT so I could just try something different. It was a night-and-day change for that amp with the new OT. In my current situation, I am building from a Ceriatone Rocket kit, and it seems like the OT is the single most-cited upgrade among those that have already been down this road. It will be a lot easier for me to build it with an optimized OT initially, rather than try and swap it out later.

In the end, I settled on the Pacific (brand) Dynaco-style 7-layer OT, as it reports to be pretty close to having the orginal 'wreck mojo, and it seems to be a model of OT which many builders have been happy using. It is a bit of coin, but I really don't want to build the amp, try to voice it, and then speculate as to "how much?" of an impact the (Ceriatone: OT might be having on the tone. By getting the upgrade OT now, I will at least know that I should be off to a good start and I won't be second-guessing the infuence of the OT on whatever tone I achieve from this build.

Thanks again for the replies.