Metro 50w OT vs mag comp vs marstran

[rollyerown]

I suppose it may be hard to get an unbiased answer here considering this is the metro forum, but i'm hoping i can get some honest thoughts on this subject from anyone who has tried at least 2 of these OT's. I have a marshall style build similar to a 2204 but with a regular second stage instead of cold bias and a few other differences. I have a magnetic components OT and have used a 4k/50w heyboer (not made specifically for a marshall) and a hammond 1750n which is a marshall replacement. The heyboer sounded best. But none of them has a very pronounced midrange, at least not the kind i expect from a marshall. Thats the #1 consideration, but also just looking for the best sounding OT i can get. I read the dagnall clone post and it sounds like it would give me what i want, but it's very expensive and i don't want to use a 100w OT. So i'm looking at metro and marstran and wanted opinions about how those stack up together and also how those who've used the mag comp OT feel about it compared to the former two. I can really afford to do this right now but if it will be a huge improvement i'd be happy to starve for a while. I just don't want to plug it in and think damn, i just threw away $150. I've already done that too many times, so i'm hoping for some good unbiased comparisons. Thanks.

[EFK]

I honestly cannot hear much of a difference between the Marstran and Metro OT, whether for a JTM or for a 50W, given the same model number (ie 139 for 139 swap etc.) However, there is a decided difference between a 'standard' 139 OT and the slightly earlier 128 version that Marstran makes. I personally have come to favor the 128: to my ears there is a more solid sound, definitely more bass and low mid. Contrarily every MM transformer I have tried for *any* amp has been darker sounding. Not bad, just darker.