Not even close.
- The transformers in affordable amps is where the manufacturers really cut costs. Take an original JCM800 with Drake transformers and compare it to the stock Windsor transformers. Not even close.
Where exactly manufactures cut cost in either case? Most of much more expensive modern production Marshalls come with cheap sh_ty Chinese transformers. Why there is such a big market for replacement Marshall transformers in the first place?
- What makes the cathodyne PI designed correctly? Or are you going to plagiarize Edgecrusher (again)?
Use a grid stopper to avoid frequency doubling and pinching which can actually be a problem with Marshal's LTP PI as well. Sometimes it is not a factor. I am not plagiarizing anyone. I am learning from open sources such as this:http://www.valvewizard.co.uk/cathodyne.html.
- Tell me, how does having four EL34s affect the sound? You're listing specs, but I know you won't be able to correctly assert what these specs mean.
EL34 will have more mids when driven. This is if compared to 6L6. Emphasized mids is a characteristic Marshall feature.
- Rock solid soldering? Not at this price point. You'll get cold solder joints/overheated traces/joints that weaken after being exposed to the heat from regular usage. Not recommended for the road.
Check out all modern production Marshalls (apart from hand wired). They all have very flimsy PCBs which you don't want to touch. Much more so than what Peavey used for the Windsor. I know what I am saying, because I moded them.
- Same resistors and capacitors as the ones used for most other modern production amps? If you mean most other "affordable" production amps, then yes. They're all generally lower quality with a shorter life expectancy. Don't try and fool yourself though, they aren't using the same parts as mid-level or high-end amps. Modern or older amps. Just tell me the Windsor uses the same resistors/capacitors as Bogner. I dare you.
No, Peavey used the same Chinese resistors and capacitors which Marshall uses for all of their modern production amps which cost 3 to 5 times more. The only exception are reissues where Marshall tries to use at least some more or less authentic components.
- Easy to mod or repair if needed? HELL NO. PCBs are horrible if you need to actually service the amp. Rugged PTP wiring you'll find in older Fenders/Marshalls/Voxs/etc. is easy to mod and service. On the Windsor, if a pot fails, you need to remove the whole chassis, remove the PCB (which requires you to remove all knobs/jacks/switches/lights), desolder the pot from the board, hope you didn't F-up any of the traces, which are really thin and sit on a similarly thin board, and then do everything in reverse to put it back together. On handwired amps, you unsolder about 3 wires, unscrew the nut, pull the pot out, new one in, solder 3 wires back, done. Screw replacing filter caps on the Windsor (if the amp even survived long enough for those to fail). Much bigger PITA/more fragile to work with than higher-quality amps.
All modern production Marshalls feature sh_ty PCBs with tiny components. I worked on them, and I know what I am saying. http://www.marshallforum.com/showthread.php?t=53683 Peavey used large PCBs with easy to reach components.
- Another difference you missed is that the 2203 has a choke (an inductor). The Windsor doesn't - it uses a resistor instead. It makes a difference in filtering AC ripple in conjunction with the filter capacitors. This ripple causing fizzy/gritty/unpleasant distortion unless you filter it all out.
It does make a difference but not that much. Lots of great sounding, iconic amps don't have it. Besides it is extremely easy to incorporate one in place of that resistor.
Putting a JCM800 output transformer in the Windsor and saying it sounds the same doesn't prove that the previous transformer was a quality unit. An amp with that many cost-cutting measures isn't going to benefit from upgrading the transformers. The amp is only as strong as its weakest links. Conversely, put the Windsor transformer in the JCM800. Something tells me that won't turn out so great.
Disagree. A good aftermarket transformer should have made a difference.
