Structo wrote:dehughes,
I hope you don't mind me butting in, but have you checked out Magnetic Components Inc. transformers?
They seem to make a broad range of trannies.
On there vintage line, they use paper bobbins just like the old days.
They have a OT shootout on there as well.
They compare four major OT brands on a Granger 50 watt Plexi amp.
If the clips can be believed, I was surprised at how muddy the Merc Mag OT sounded compared to the others.
I liked the Weber and Mag Comp OT's the best with a slight nudge towards the Magnetic Component OT.
I suppose they could EQ the clips to favor the M.C. OT but if they are accurate, the MM OT was not nearly as clear as the others.
I prefer the sound of the Mercury Magnetics too.
To me me it doesn't sound muddier than the rest, it sounds bigger.
On the other hand, the way the amp is set, with low to medium gain, it benefits
from the overdrive other transformers seem to be adding when playing power chords.
Or maybe it's that the others are ignoring more bass frequencies than the MM.
Or both things.
It's difficult to say since I don't like the amps sound to begin with.
The kicker for me with the MM is over time hold's it's tone and balance very well... In many cases sonically matures with age!!.. Many of the off the shelf replacement Heybors, CE, Mojo, etc sound good as well and in some cases just as good as a fresh MM.. However to me come back sounding the same or in many cases lose a little something in the top end...The MM however hold their tone well and in some cases improve with age..
Will many notice this.. Not really and to be honest I didn't at first..It took quite a few tube changes, tweaks, and mods to our older amps before I started saying damn these Fralin's still kick why?
The only problem is that what sounds good or not as on the bench does or doesn't necessarily correlate to what sounds good on stage, on a good or bad nite, or the studio for that matter, it's a toss. I wouldn't spend any more $ than like what a weber xfmr costs , what r u spending $ on, hype? Some like to buy hype, advertising, and inflated dreams of sounding like so so. Hard to
recommend going in that direction.
butwhatif wrote:The only problem is that what sounds good or not as on the bench does or doesn't necessarily correlate to what sounds good on stage, on a good or bad nite, or the studio for that matter, it's a toss. I wouldn't spend any more $ than like what a weber xfmr costs , what r u spending $ on, hype? Some like to buy hype, advertising, and inflated dreams of sounding like so so. Hard to
recommend going in that direction.
The only problem is that what sounds good or not as on the bench does or doesn't necessarily correlate to what sounds good on stage, on a good or bad nite, or the studio for that matter, it's a toss. I wouldn't spend any more $ than like what a weber xfmr costs , what r u spending $ on, hype? Some like to buy hype, advertising, and inflated dreams of sounding like so so. Hard to
recommend going in that direction
One thing I like about this forum is most of the builders here see right through the hype and have no trouble expressing there opinion on someone selling Dumble style knobs for 30.00...
I admit purchasing a one off price tranny from MM is expensive...Being an amp manufacturer we get a much better price....At my cost they are very worth it...I wouldn't consider the Mercury Mags on the whole being a hyped up way over priced product... Just a higher quality consistently good sounding product with a 10 year warranty that's a little more expensive...and besides the consumer pays the justifiable higher cost
Tony VVT
Last edited by talbany on Sun Aug 30, 2009 5:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
talbany wrote:
Being an amp manufacturer we get a much better price....
Tony VVT
I would finish that sentence with "and besides the consumer pays the justifiable higher cost". I offer them as a $100 upgrade and it's rare when a customer doesn't opt for one.
I would finish that sentence with "and besides the consumer pays the justifiable higher cost". I offer them as a $100 upgrade and it's rare when a customer doesn't opt for one.
Agree!! Edited...
Same here 100.00 gets you the upgrade.. I Never!! have trouble talking people into the MM.. and don't feel a bit guilty about it...Hell the extra 5 year warranty is pratically worth that..
I liked them all, none best, -i guess i'm the wrong guy to ask, because i'm a lot into the player generating the tone/vibe aspect of it all, and we know where that goes. As you know, there are so many facets to a sound that the xfmr is only one of. You can have the 'best' in the world, and still not get it goin- not sayin anything new here, just voting for reality--
There are soooo many subtleties-- just boosting the sound of the same clip .2db can make you think it sounds 'better', if you get the idea-
Last edited by butwhatif on Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I thought the MM sounded somewhat muffled, cleaner and "drier" sounding. I much preferred the Heyboer and the Magnetic Components. Everyone hears things differently. I'm using Alesis powered monitors to listen to the clips. What you listen through makes a difference, too.
Dave
6 months ago I swapped my ceriatone OT for a Mercury Magnetics OT (custom specs). The MM is still in the amp and all sales pitches like: better note seperation bladiblabla....for me is true. It's a pity that good OT's do cost a lot.
The weber or the Heyboer for me 
