Mercury Magnetics OT in a Rectifier

[Micah]

Has anyone ever tried replacing their stock mesa Output Transformer in their rectifer with a Mercury Magnetics one? What did you notice different about your tone? Was it worth it?

 

[boogieslide]

I will tell you in a few weeks. JerrP of FJA mods has my 3ch DR and is putting an MMOT in it. He is also doing some other mods, but I expect the biggest difference will come from the MMOT.
Judging from what I heard it do in a 5150 it should be great for the DR!

 

[Guitarzan]

I've replaced a OT in my JCM 2K 50W DSL. The MM is awesome, it takes a couple of weeks for the tone to settle so just a heads up on that. Nice bloom and dynamics, I think you guys will be happy.

 

[Micah]

I've replaced a OT in my JCM 2K 50W DSL. The MM is awesome, it takes a couple of weeks for the tone to settle so just a heads up on that. Nice bloom and dynamics, I think you guys will be happy.

What do you mean when you say it takes a couple of weeks for that Tone to Settle? :?:

 

[Micah]

Has anyone ever personally installed one of these transformers in an amp before?

 

[Janglin_Jack]

Has anyone ever personally installed one of these transformers in an amp before?

I put one in my Marshall JTM45 and it was fairly confusing. You need to figure out which wire does what, then it is easier. I didn't have much information to go on. Just a transformer. I had to test the leads and figure out which ones to tie together and which get soldered where. It was a stressful event until I got it all figured out.

Jack

 

[Micah]

Has anyone ever personally installed one of these transformers in an amp before?

I put one in my Marshall JTM45 and it was fairly confusing. You need to figure out which wire does what, then it is easier. I didn't have much information to go on. Just a transformer. I had to test the leads and figure out which ones to tie together and which get soldered where. It was a stressful event until I got it all figured out.

Jack

Were the leads positioned the same or were they in different spots? Is it something that you can look @ the 2 OT's and see that when you take the red wire off (for instance) it goes back to the same location on the new OT? Or are they all different wiring locations between the Mesa and the Mercury?

 

[Guitarzan]

I've replaced a OT in my JCM 2K 50W DSL. The MM is awesome, it takes a couple of weeks for the tone to settle so just a heads up on that. Nice bloom and dynamics, I think you guys will be happy.

What do you mean when you say it takes a couple of weeks for that Tone to Settle? :?:

There is a break in time for your transformers to settle. The tone will change slightly (and for the better) after you have about 30 hours on the tx.

 

[Guitarzan]

Has anyone ever personally installed one of these transformers in an amp before?

I put one in my Marshall JTM45 and it was fairly confusing. You need to figure out which wire does what, then it is easier. I didn't have much information to go on. Just a transformer. I had to test the leads and figure out which ones to tie together and which get soldered where. It was a stressful event until I got it all figured out.

Jack

Were the leads positioned the same or were they in different spots? Is it something that you can look @ the 2 OT's and see that when you take the red wire off (for instance) it goes back to the same location on the new OT? Or are they all different wiring locations between the Mesa and the Mercury?

Just make a diagram of what goes where before you dismantle your amp. The Marshall OEM TX is labled according to color and the MM TX is labled with the ohms 16, 8 and 4 with voltage inputs. I'm not sure what your Mesa will be labled with so just draw it up.

 

[Micah]

I put one in my Marshall JTM45 and it was fairly confusing. You need to figure out which wire does what, then it is easier. I didn't have much information to go on. Just a transformer. I had to test the leads and figure out which ones to tie together and which get soldered where. It was a stressful event until I got it all figured out.

Jack

Were the leads positioned the same or were they in different spots? Is it something that you can look @ the 2 OT's and see that when you take the red wire off (for instance) it goes back to the same location on the new OT? Or are they all different wiring locations between the Mesa and the Mercury?

Just make a diagram of what goes where before you dismantle your amp. The Marshall OEM TX is labled according to color and the MM TX is labled with the ohms 16, 8 and 4 with voltage inputs. I'm not sure what your Mesa will be labled with so just draw it up.

Good advice! Im not sure if I'll do it yet but Im thinking about it--its $250 for the OT and then I have to put it in--we'll see what happens--

 

[MetalMatt]

Boogieslide... do you have an update?

 

[boogieslide]

Boogieslide... do you have an update?

Why, yes I do actually.

The modifications have made a big difference for this amp. Keep in mind there were more mods than just adding the MMOT, but I believe the biggest difference in the feel and tightness of the amp were made through the MMOT.
I played it with the band on Wed. Before the mods I often was left frustrated feeling like the amp was too muddy and almost felt tired. Hard to explain, but it just didn't punch and grind with the authority I thought it should. Well I am happy to say this has changed a lot. A lot less mud, more more tight punch and the crunch has more clarity to it. It is alive now....more dynamic. Clean channel is drastically improved as well.

Here is a link to another thread I started when I got the amp back last week.
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=8315

Also a link to my clips post
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=8367
I don't have the greatest recording setup or recording experience. They don't really do the amp much justice, but I thought I would try. Biggest problem is the recording is introducing what can be described as a blanket over the tone....definitely not there live and in the flesh with this amp.

I am really digging it a lot more now. The issues I had have been solved.

 

[jehu]

Boogieslide... do you have an update?

Why, yes I do actually.

The modifications have made a big difference for this amp. Keep in mind there were more mods than just adding the MMOT, but I believe the biggest difference in the feel and tightness of the amp were made through the MMOT.
I played it with the band on Wed. Before the mods I often was left frustrated feeling like the amp was too muddy and almost felt tired. Hard to explain, but it just didn't punch and grind with the authority I thought it should. Well I am happy to say this has changed a lot. A lot less mud, more more tight punch and the crunch has more clarity to it. It is alive now....more dynamic. Clean channel is drastically improved as well.

Here is a link to another thread I started when I got the amp back last week.
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=8315

Also a link to my clips post
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=8367
I don't have the greatest recording setup or recording experience. They don't really do the amp much justice, but I thought I would try. Biggest problem is the recording is introducing what can be described as a blanket over the tone....definitely not there live and in the flesh with this amp.

I am really digging it a lot more now. The issues I had have been solved.

this makes me want to possibly do the same thing w/ my 2 chan recto.