The length of wires of primary makes no difference. But one factor is crucial when making tube amps which sounds right..
Send two signal bursts on a dummy load at 10 Watts and listen to the laminations singing, you can simply tell by ear if there is ringing or if the sound is pure and unpolluted by harmonics, especially mixing 50hz with 1000 hz or 100 hz with 2000 hz, most OT ring , it just sounds bad, so when you listen music it will have a shroud of noise and odd harmonics.
If you can send two signals and the OT rings clean like a bell without resonances or decay or metallic sounds you get a nice sound.
Just unbalance bias and you will hear that difference.
Send two signal bursts on a dummy load at 10 Watts and listen to the laminations singing, you can simply tell by ear if there is ringing or if the sound is pure and unpolluted by harmonics, especially mixing 50hz with 1000 hz or 100 hz with 2000 hz, most OT ring , it just sounds bad, so when you listen music it will have a shroud of noise and odd harmonics.
If you can send two signals and the OT rings clean like a bell without resonances or decay or metallic sounds you get a nice sound.
Just unbalance bias and you will hear that difference.
Is the secondary truly center tapped? Or is it 8 ohms with a 4 ohm tap? Didn’t see this clarified in the thread.
IMD, I figured you could easy pick ear the difference in the transformer laminations ringing sound, when the signal is loud enough.
If it sounds like a cymbal, you must have a lot of resonances and IMD.
Both signals need to excite odd harmonics and can be close to same power.
Sometimes the OT will also run into oscillations and produce a burst of noise. A good tube amp doesn't do that.
Maybe I've been here too many years, but still haven't been privileged to hear transformer lamination's ringing.
What brand of OPT or PT is recommended for the best ring? And what test frequencies are best to initiate the performance?
Is a hammer required as part of the test gear?🙂
What brand of OPT or PT is recommended for the best ring? And what test frequencies are best to initiate the performance?
Is a hammer required as part of the test gear?🙂
Yes!!! haha, to tell you the truth I don't know if it is the tube or the transformer ringing, but it does, a bit like a needle on a record, but louder.
I just noticed how clear I could hear what my eyes would tell me on the spectroscope. Since the first THD test I ever performed I can ear the signal in tube amp quite clear, I think both power tubes and OT sings like a needle.
Anyways.
I just noticed how clear I could hear what my eyes would tell me on the spectroscope. Since the first THD test I ever performed I can ear the signal in tube amp quite clear, I think both power tubes and OT sings like a needle.
Anyways.