what size variac transformer to use on vintage stereo receivers

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Variac to Protect a Vintage Amp?

• Thread starter Analogman88
• Commencement date Jun 12, 2015

• #one

Loftier Gearpage friends. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with using a Variac to keep Air-conditioning voltage regulated to a vintage amplifier. Some use Variacs to interruption in speakers, so I call back the term "variac" is not existent specific. If I get this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TDGC-2KM-Va...0A-/121581613434?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368 will I be able to run two amplifiers at 110 or 113 VAC at the aforementioned time even though this variac only plugs into one 110V outlet? I desire to make sure I get the correct thing earlier I order. Any assist appreciated.

• #2

Good question. I don't really have a adept reply for you. This is what I was thinking... I idea house voltages were lower when my 1968 Traynor amp was built. And then, business firm voltage was closer to 110V per circuit and today voltages are closer to 125V (I am an electrical lineman in northern California). I recently won an auction for a vintage variac on FleaBay. I thought information technology might be a good idea to utilize the variac to punch in a 110V to plug my amp into so it might audio more than like it was designed to audio. At present, I bought the variac considering i want to safely power upwardly the Traynor, which I am in the final stages of modifying. So I judge information technology'll never actually sound like information technology was designed to sound anyway. So, there is the bias of the tubes. I'thou installing a bias pot to get the DC voltages dialed in for my tubes. I'yard thinking, now, that the bias pot will mitigate the voltage discrepancies betwixt voltages of today and yesteryear.

That variac y'all're looking at is made in Communist china and I am very wary of pretty much anything made in Cathay. It might be a better idea to purchase a vintage Made in America variac and put a meter across it just to be sure of what you accept.

That'due south all I can give you on the topic. Good luck!

• #iii

If you merely want to make certain you're getting a constant, regulated voltage y'all might be meliorate off with a line regulator...something like an older/used Furman AR-1215 or a new (and expensive) Furman P-1800.

• #4

If yous merely want to brand sure y'all're getting a constant, regulated voltage you might exist better off with a line regulator...something like an older/used Furman AR-1215 or a new (and expensive) Furman P-1800.

Okay, would those be less beefy than the Variac I was looking at? If so, I could accept two to my gigs: one for my Marshall and one for my AC30. As much gear as I cram into my tiny motorcar, two of those Variacs would exist hard to fit in my rider seat with the other stuff.

• #5

Okay, would those be less bulky than the Variac I was looking at? If so, I could accept two to my gigs: one for my Marshall and one for my AC30. As much gear as I cram into my tiny car, two of those Variacs would be hard to fit in my passenger seat with the other stuff.

Yous got a true cat? Don't bring your cat.

• #6

High Gearpage friends. I was wondering if anyone has any feel with using a Variac to keep AC voltage regulated to a vintage amplifier. Some use Variacs to pause in speakers, so I call up the term "variac" is not existent specific. If I go this: http://world wide web.ebay.com/itm/TDGC-2KM-Va...0A-/121581613434?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368 will I be able to run two amplifiers at 110 or 113 VAC at the aforementioned time fifty-fifty though this variac just plugs into one 110V outlet? I want to make certain I get the correct matter before I lodge. Any aid appreciated.

Yep, that variac should piece of work. It says it can handle up to 20 amps, which is far more than your two amps will draw.

That beingness said, why exactly are you lot wanting a variac? The overwhelming majority of people who play vintage amps don't employ a variac and don't suffer whatsoever problems from it. Amps are unremarkably designed with some wide tolerances in mind, so they don't have to be presented with the verbal expected voltage to piece of work properly. Older amps peculiarly tended to be overbuilt. I would be more than concerned with power spikes than slightly higher than normal voltages that remain constant.

• #vii

Yeah, that variac should work. It says it can handle upwardly to 20 amps, which is far more your ii amps will draw.

That existence said, why exactly are yous wanting a variac? The overwhelming majority of people who play vintage amps don't use a variac and don't suffer whatever problems from it. Amps are usually designed with some wide tolerances in mind, so they don't have to be presented with the exact expected voltage to work properly. Older amps especially tended to be overbuilt. I would exist more concerned with power spikes than slightly college than normal voltages that remain constant.

Hmm good point. I didn't know that. For me the reason is I had very bad luck with my 1959HW Plexi blowing upward and Marshall USA is sending me a new one now as we speak. I'chiliad and then gun shy, I don't want another to blow new power tubes, output transformers and several fuses like the other did cuz they'd probably non believe I got a second lemon. JD Simo said he uses Variacs for all his vintage Marshall Plexi'south and runs them at a steady 113V so they don't blow up. He said common modernistic wall voltages can accident them up in the youtube rig rundown I saw. IDK

Last edited: Jun 12, 2015

• #viii

Hmm good bespeak. I didn't know that. For me the reason is I had very bad luck with my 1959HW Plexi bravado up and Marshall USA is sending me a new one now equally we speak. I'chiliad so gun shy, I don't want another to accident new power tubes, output transformers and several fuses like the other did cuz they'd probably not believe I got a second lemon. JD Simo said he uses Variacs for all his vintage Marshall Plexi'southward and runs them at a steady 113V and so they don't blow up. He said common modern wall voltages can in the youtube rig rundown I saw. IDK

"He said common modern wall voltages can in the youtube rig rundown I saw. " What? In fact, "WHAT?" to your entire postal service.

• #9

I am VERY interested if a vintage amp sounds whatsoever different on 110v vs whatsoever comes out of the wall today. Anybody?

• #ten

"He said common modern wall voltages can in the youtube rig rundown I saw. " What? In fact, "WHAT?" to your entire postal service.

Here, this is why I brought this up. Mind to what he says at 10:28-11:sixteen

Last edited: Jun 12, 2015

• #11

I don't think this is the intention with this box, but take a look at this:

http://www.amprx.cyberspace

No affiliation whatsoever.

• #13

Hither, this is why I brought this up. Heed to what he says at x:28-11:16

Does your wall voltage run high, if and then go a regulator. Want to drop it down for vintage 115v amp, run a variac later on the regulator.

• #15

I don't think this is the intention with this box, merely accept a look at this:

http://world wide web.amprx.net

No amalgamation whatever.

Is that Chocolate-brown Box like the Van Halen fox to get more clay out of a Plexi for like 800 blazon overdrive by starving the amp?

• #16

"Hmm good point. I didn't know that. For me the reason is I had very bad luck with my 1959HW Plexi blowing up and Marshall United states of america is sending me a new i now as we speak. I'm so gun shy, I don't want some other to accident new power tubes, output transformers and several fuses like the other did cuz they'd probably not believe I got a 2nd lemon.

I'm non trying to give you a hard fourth dimension, I'm trying to understand the whole matter. You bought a Marshall 1959HW Plexi and you lot "blew it up". Y'all blew power tubes, output trannies and fuses and all because you plugged information technology into a wall receptacle with output voltages of more than than 110V? That doesn't make any sense to me. I emphasize the "to me" part. What exercise I know of amplifier electronics?

I Practise know a little scrap almost logic, nevertheless. Marshall sells "X" amount of heads and combos destined for the US. The smallest percentage of those units are going to be run through voltage regulators, variacs being such. The residual are going to exist plugged direct into a normal residential wall receptacle with normal AC voltage. How many of those units are going to neglect with the slightly higher voltage being the culprit? If that number was loftier, Marshall would either effect a caviat saying to regulate your voltage down to "Y" or they would arrange the specs of their amps to compensate for the higher voltage.

Your amp did non blow up because you were running a voltage 15 volts higher than 110 volts. Y'all don't Demand a variac. On the other hand, if having your gear plugged into a variac makes you feel more secure and relaxed and you play better as a result, buy one.

• #17

Your amp did not blow upwards because you were running a voltage 15 volts college than 110 volts. Y'all don't NEED a variac. On the other mitt, if having your gear plugged into a variac makes you feel more secure and relaxed and you play better every bit a effect, buy ane.[/QUOTE]

Yeah all the problems I had with it probably had zero to practice with the wall voltage, especially since they were all apropos the output section of the amp. 1 time the output transformer had fried because the filter capacitor was just loose plenty from vibration to take slipped through the mount and shorted against the standby switch. This sent Air conditioning voltage to the eye tap of the output transformer and acquired it to curt. I think this specific incident caused other components to become compromised which lead to other issues afterward. Long story short: Information technology'southward but been a long headache and I'll do anything to not accept a flake of worry or have to go through any more than of the troubles I've had. What you say seems to brand sense though and I don't want to lug anymore gear around. Maybe I don't need a variac considering the unlikely hood of a voltage related trouble, but then again the problems I had with that top of the line amp were pretty unlikely.

Last edited: Jun 12, 2015

• #18

A Variac is NOT what you need.

Ive got a LTD ED Metro GMP45 and burned upward an NOS KT66 from irregular voltage. I got a Furman SPR 20i.

To Regulate the Voltage y'all demand a Voltage Regulator. NOT a Variac. The name speaks for itself, equally does the Variac. Variac means y'all tin VARI the Voltage. But it has to be Stable Voltage. Every bit DaveKS already stated..... If yous want to and then run it lower for vintage amps/tubes ect ?.... Get a Skillful Voltage Regulator and then..... Go the Variac..... The Variac wont exist stable if you are feeding it unstable voltage. Unproblematic logic. You need something that wont allow sags and spikes.

The Chocolate-brown Box is Like to but MUCH SURPERIOR than a Variac and much more than accurate.

I accept both the Tenma and the Parts Express Variacs and the Brown Box is a much better piece of equipment and there is no chance of accidently overloading the dial on the Variac by some unknown idiot that accidently just bumps information technology. But information technology aint inexpensive. Also the Chocolate-brown Box is a High Impedence Device that is Specifically made for Guitars and Amps ect.

If yous really desire to Regulate Voltage, and become Make clean Stable Power, that really does work and is reliable and proven and works BEST with High Impedence Devices ?????

At the minimum I would start with the
I would get the FURMAN M 8x AR Voltage Regulator and the Furman P 1800 PF Power Conditioner with

Clear Tone Technology
Clear Tone Technology provides tuned filtering circuits engineered for instrument amplifiers to provide a clean and consistent tone.

Power Cistron Engineering science
Power Factor Technology supplies 45+ amps of instantaneous reserve current, on demand, for ability starved amplifiers.

Fifty-fifty if you take the more than expensive P 1800 AR Voltage Regulator you lot still need the P 1800 PF for these same features.

I apply the Furman SPR 20i that has everything congenital in 1 unit and is more powerful.

If you want to add the Brown Box to farther VARI the Voltage it would be a great add-on and Meliorate than a Standard Variac.

None of these options are inexpensive but for me NOS KT66 pairs aint cheap either. Next information technology would be something else.

When I take my gear anyplace, I know its going to sound the same regardless.

• #19

I am VERY interested if a vintage amp sounds any different on 110v vs any comes out of the wall today. Anybody?

I accept an amp that was designed to encounter 115v, the wall voltage here is usually 124v. When I run the amp at @115v it's not as loud and it's not as bright.

• #20

I bet its not every bit hot either.

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