Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

[Darg1911]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

Phantasmagoria ... Bugera uses adequate everything. The build is adequate. They work and they sound good, tone being subjective of course. However, there is a difference between adequate and higher quality, durability, etc. I think they are a great value if one likes the tone and features of the amp and accepts the fact that they aren't top of the food chain in terms of build. I can directly compare the Bugera to an original Peavey VK 112 combo in terms of build and parts and call them both standard, budget Chinese fare. I can do the same comparison to a Mesa and an older Peavey head. It would be unfair to the Bugera (and the VK).

I like my V22HD. I have no illusions in regard to the overall parts and build quality and how those factors will, most likely, ultimately translate to durability and reliability in the long haul. And related to that, and just as importantly, no illusions as to the value in repairing the amp, out of warranty, when the time comes. All I'm going to suggest is that you enjoy the hell out of the amp but consider removing those rose colored lenses you seem to be wearing. There is a middle ground where reality exists. :bigthumb:


I'm not bagging on Bugera, I just accept them for what they are. Hell, I'm even considering a Trirec that I don't need but may be too good of a deal to pass up (I may ask in another thread).

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

Well, what you describe as "adequate" is good enough for me

There are plenty of highly prized "vintage" amps with (to put it kindly) very pedestrian components, anaemic underpowered tranny's prone to failure, atrociously messy wiring/build quality, laughable & often potentially deadly quirks and design flaws etc..etc..that have lasted 50+ years, most spent on the road, and are still going strong with general maintenance. Moreover, people are constantly paying obscene amounts of money to buy them..so maybe "adequate" is all that's needed (as opposed to unessary overkill just to justify exhorbitant prices)?

To me it just sounds like you have a bit of unresolved guilt about your Chinese (as opposed to US-made) amp sounding & working as great as it does ...so you're
practically hoping for it to crap out instead of just enjoying yourself & playing the thing. In your own words it's not given you cause for concern as far as either reliability or sound quality are concerned.

As I said I've had three years with my amp now and have'nt even had to change a tube. (I guess the Infinium thing's doing it's job fine too...)...it sounds great and works great...that's all I expect ..there's no cause for complaint.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

Well, what you describe as "adequate" is good enough for me

There are plenty of highly prized "vintage" amps with (to put it kindly) very pedestrian components, anaemic underpowered tranny's prone to failure, atrociously messy wiring/build quality, laughable & often potentially deadly quirks and design flaws etc..etc..that have lasted 50+ years, most spent on the road, and are still going strong with general maintenance. Moreover, people are constantly paying obscene amounts of money to buy them..so maybe "adequate" is all that's needed (as opposed to unessary overkill just to justify exhorbitant prices)?

To me it just sounds like you have a bit of unresolved guilt about your Chinese (as opposed to US-made) amp sounding & working as great as it does ...so you're
practically hoping for it to crap out instead of just enjoying yourself & playing the thing. In your own words it's not given you cause for concern as far as either reliability or sound quality are concerned.

As I said I've had three years with my amp now and have'nt even had to change a tube. (I guess the Infinium thing's doing it's job fine too...)...it sounds great and works great...that's all I expect ..there's no cause for complaint.

That's not what the discussion was about either. I entered the fray because of your claims of bigger = better. I didn't bash the product, I own one that I clearly stated, more than once, I like. I tried to add some perspective from a realistic standpoint.

There is no cause for your psychobabble analysis. I could claim that you are being overly defensive in your justification and that shows an insecurity in the product and your purchase of it ... but then I'd be guilty of the same thing.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

Fair enough..

and I came in to the discussion because of this post (which I assumed to be current)

Putting $$$ into a Bugera is like putting lipstick on a pig! It's still a pig, and it still ain't pretty.

I don't think one needs to be 'insecure' about one's amp to respond to something like that.. pretty tough to let it slide.

If I was going to be insecure I'd need a reason ..which is something I don't have

 

[Wormhelmet]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

Best just to ignore any of these types:

http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/18-types-of-internet-trolls

 

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

Once you go Mesa, each component is already tricked out for you. They have already spec'd out the Mercury versions and have decided to go with their own designs.

Mesa doesn't have a back room full of transformers that they grab for every amp. Each amp (line) gets its own tuned transformer.

Any Mesa rep will tell you straight up...if Mercury transformers sounded better, they'd use them.

This was one of the first things I asked my regional rep when I first met him.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

Best just to ignore any of these types:

http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/18-types-of-internet-trolls

Yep, doing just that.........................starting.................................................NOW!

Over & out...

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

It was just a few seconds on both occasions it happened..there's no change in sound or performance..I think it's fine.



I'm sure it was cheaper just to solder the wires together than to use clips ..so cost cutting is very unlikely to be a factor. Once again they did'nt repair anything...it's was an aspect of the design. What exactly their thinking was behind it ..who knows? When They did realize it was a problem they repaired it by hardwiring the tranny wires & getting rid of the clips ..how is that a "hastily made/laughable solution" lol??



My views on that are different..




Condescending haha....but water off a ducks back

Btw, play one sometime ..I think you'll like it.

You're not understanding me. I'll try to put it in words that even someone like me can understand:

- When initially designing amp in its beginning stages, the manufacturers ask, "How to connect point A to point B?".
- Solution to connecting point A to point B? Clips. This is an unconventionally crap solution.
- Amps start failing, because power emits heat, power goes through clip terminals, heat melts clips, causes burns to amp and creates fire hazard. Could have been easily avoided by not using clips in the first place, but designers probably showed up to work hammered that day (hyperbole).
- Bugera realizes they f'ed up, decides to do what they should've done in the first place and solder the wires.
- I know the clips weren't a repair. But the decision to use the clips is still as stupid as duct tape repairs. Maybe a better analogy would be a plumber installing pipes for the first time and connecting them with duct tape - there that's not a repair, but still stupid decision making, which is the point.

I also don't think it's condescending to say Bugera are more disposable like a camera because they use objectively inferior parts for a much lower price point...like disposable cameras. Take any old hand wired turret board amp with chassis mounted tube sockets, Drake transformers, quality jacks/switches/caps/resistors, etc, and tell me a Bugera is just as serviceable/reliable/rugged/etc.

Enjoy your amp.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

OK, guys, let's get back to talking about Mercury transformers.

I think they're a bit overpriced to be honest. They're good stuff, but you can get similarly constructed transformers for less money. Heyboer and Classic Tone are two names that pop to mind immediately.

Sent from my XT1096 using Tapatalk

 

[uOpt]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

**** it I'm winding my own transformers.

Blindfolded to avoid confirmation bias.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

**** it I'm winding my own transformers.

Blindfolded to avoid confirmation bias.

Make sure you use a paper bobbin.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

but what kind of paper? european paper has more clarity but seems to lack something in the low mids with single coils and can sound thin

 

[uOpt]

Re: Worth upgrading your output and power transformers to Mercury Magnetics?

Ceramic carbon fiber is what the cool kids use today instead of paper.