Do Marshalls sound "Better" on 220

bobtec · Post by **bobtec** » Fri Mar 07, 2014 2:17 pm

Living in the ol USA I always wondered if a Marshall amp sounded better on 220V and what about useing a variac..

Master of Sparks · Post by **Master of Sparks** » Fri Mar 07, 2014 8:57 pm

In my case it did not sound right until I corrected the heater voltage cause the old heads wanna have 220 volts and we got 230 coming from the power outlet so the heater voltage was always a tiny bit too high !

Master of Sparks · Post by **Master of Sparks** » Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:05 pm

....... and we also got 230 Volt at 50 Hz compared to the US 120 at 60 Hz ..... maybe that's important too

chrisom · Post by **chrisom** » Sat Mar 08, 2014 12:56 am

George Lynch from Dokken said re: early LP recording in Europe with 220VAC at 50Hz, a Marshall plexi never sounded better (paraphrasing). He couldn't get as good a sound with 220 here at 60 Hz...

Roe · Post by **Roe** » Sat Mar 08, 2014 1:58 am

I prefer the 240/250V primary

neikeel · Post by **neikeel** » Sat Mar 08, 2014 3:59 am

Roe wrote:I prefer the 240/250V primary

Me too - but of course that is our wall voltage (well strictly speaking 230v,+10 to -6% -allegedly!)

bobtec · Post by **bobtec** » Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:53 am

So could I go to Home Depot and get a plug for my washerdryers 220V...would it hurt if the power chord was 10 or 12 feet long to reach into my bedroom from the hallway...Also if you use a variac in the UK and take it down to 90v,is that hard on the OT? Hope this doesn't sound dumb

thanks

danman · Post by **danman** » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:06 am

I know here in the US most of your 220v house outlets will have two hot legs and a nuetral compared to 120v which has a single hot and a nuetral. I'm not sure you could power an amplifier from that type of arrangement at 220v but best to check with an electrician first.

demonufo · Post by **demonufo** » Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:09 am

If we used a variac in the UK down to 90VAC, the amp would not operate at all.

Post by **Brian Wallace** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 1:39 am

It's the 50Hz to 60Hz that is the real difference between the US and the UK.

When you change the input voltage higher or lower, you are making the amp react different. More headroom, less headroom, softer, harder.

demonufo · Post by **demonufo** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 7:55 am

Brian Wallace wrote:It's the 50Hz to 60Hz that is the real difference between the US and the UK.

Indeed.

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Do Marshalls sound "Better" on 220

Do Marshalls sound "Better" on 220

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