Marshall DSL output transformer question and choke.

jasonp · Post by **jasonp** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 7:47 pm

Well I don't know if I'm under the section...

I like to play with high gain and quite a bit of bass. As I use the deep switch and really push the amp hard with either a boost in the front end or just use the distortion channel for my sound.
I had a replacement Voodoo Mercury output transformer in there that was a drop in replacement. I thought it gave the amp more detail and less bass. It lost a little balls to the sound I felt and also gave me more top end. Almost a sliver wire type of sound.
What I'm looking to do to this amp is make it a little tighter on the bottom end. Give more a little more feel when I really hit a note or chord. I would also like to give it more clairty and have it sing a little more. I don't know if any of this is possible with these two mods.
I've also read on this forum that a 10H would be better for higher gain as it would keep the power section tighter and help not get so mushy?
I'm looking at a Marstran tranny or Georges Heyboer OT's. I don't mind one bit having to drill holes, having to solder wires...
Any help would be great and all thoughts welcome.
Thank you.

GUITARmole · Post by **GUITARmole** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 4:07 am

What speakers do you have?

Others can chime in if they disagree, but my experience with Marshalls is that they lean heavily toward mid-high tones and that's what gives them the crunch and bite.

If you tweak them to add more bass you end up with mush (or a mushaboogie type tone). If that's your thing, cool...but if you want the note definition and the killer distorted tone I think you'd be better off trying to add the thump and bass overtones with the speaker cabinet.

jasonp · Post by **jasonp** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 9:53 am

GUITARmole wrote:What speakers do you have?

Others can chime in if they disagree, but my experience with Marshalls is that they lean heavily toward mid-high tones and that's what gives them the crunch and bite.

If you tweak them to add more bass you end up with mush (or a mushaboogie type tone). If that's your thing, cool...but if you want the note definition and the killer distorted tone I think you'd be better off trying to add the thump and bass overtones with the speaker cabinet.

I run a w/d/w setup with three 4x12's with a Mesa boogie 395 simul class power amp.
Lead 80's on the sides and v30's for the dry.

jasonp · Post by **jasonp** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 7:41 pm

Well I did it. Got the C1998 OT from Brian at Marstran. Had to drill two holes in the chassis and then solder some wires up. Pretty easy and well worth the effort to put it in. This tranny sounds unbelievable. Warm, complex, definded, come to mind in compared to the MM or stock tranny. Amp just feels so alive and wants to be played now. Awesome tone improvement.
I installed the 3H choke after talking to some people. Adds a touch of smoothness to the sound and a lot tighter bottom end. Excalty what I was looking for.

jasonp · Post by **jasonp** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:31 pm

heres what it looks like.