Question for all you amp guru's.

[Artie]

I have a pretty good handle on electronics. And a pretty good understanding of SS amps. Not so much so of tube amps and guitar amps per se. I know what the function of a rectifier is in a power supply.

So . . . what are the Mesa folks refering to when they talk about dual-rectifier and triple-rectifier amps? I can't imagine that there's a benefit to having multiple rectifiers in the power supply. Or is there?

What's the function and advantage. (Or is it "marketing"?)

Thanks all.

Artie

 

[Pierre]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

Single rectifier: 50W, 2 power tubes
Dual: 100W, 4 power tubes
Triple: 150W, 6 power tubes.
I believe the amount of rectifier tubes also increases in proportion. Single probably has one, dual 2 and I'm fairly certain the triple has 3. There also is a switchable SS rectifier circuit that some people prefer.

 

[Marcel]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

On the Dual and Triple Rectifier you can switch between SS and Tube Rectifier in the power supply ...
For the reason the tubes can not draw that much current (it's limited by the electron cloud on the cathode) - the amp feels spongier with tube rectifers... I don't like this feature...
i think you can imagine what happens if the power supply isn't able to give the circuit enough current... the volume drops... so it compresses but not like high gain pre tube compression
long time ago I played a recto ...


Mesa should build a rectifier with just the modern settings and not that many switching optons a real metal (cookie) monster

 

[Artie]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

Ah . . . so the power supply really does have extra rectifiers. Interesting.

Thanks.

 

[Marcel]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

Yeah (slicon?) diodes on the one side vacuum diodes on the other....

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

Basically, one rectifier tube per 50 watts in the poweramp, besides in the case of the Single Rectifier, which only has one rectifier mode (SS). It sounds better than the others, IMO, possibly because it doesn't have to go through that circuit at all, but I digress.

Dual = 100 watts = 2 Rectifier tubes.
Triple = 150 watts = 3 Rectifier tubes.

 

[Artie]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

Thanks again for the info guys. Its not like I was gonna buy one. My "tech" side just wanted to know.

Artie

 

[Pierre]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

Come on Art, you KNOW You NEED a 150W all tube metal monster.



...right..?

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

Come on Art, you KNOW You NEED a 150W all tube metal monster.



...right..?

People don't buy the Triple for the volume, they buy it because the added headroom or rectifier tube or something gives it a 'squash' the others don't have. It's actually really weird, there's only one way I know how to make a Triple not sound very Nickelbackish.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Question for all you amp guru's.

I never said it was for volume... read my article for the explanation about headroom if you wish I used the triplerect as an example to push the joke further as it's pretty obvious good Artie would have very limited use for an amp like this...