Variac for 100 watt Friedman good/bad idea?

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Adambomb

Adambomb

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I've talked to Dave about this a couple years ago when we were discussing my high voltage in my house. He's all for using a variac and says it's totally safe for the BE100. Now my question is about tone.

Would a variac from online work right outta the box without any modifications? Saw one today in NASHVILLE that was modded for 1/4 inputs. Would a variac give the amp a softer more compressed feel? Not wanting that since I think there is enough compression on the overdrive ch. I've always LOVED the variac settings on other amps for home use so hoping one will sound good with the BE. Any advice or opinions appreciated.
 
U want to plug the 115vac plug from your amp into the variac & plug the variac into the wall.

Variable AC transformers don't have 1/4 inch jacks.
 
Kinda redundant IMO. They are (generally) modern sounding amps and sound great at low vol.

I like the "sounds like a plexi" comments on Freidmsns. Getting 5150 III mixed up with a plexi is prime internet. Where 99% have not played a Friedman or a Plexi.

Amazing amps though. Just a touch too dark/huge for me. They are as Mesa as they are masrshall. Which is a good thing.
 
you can use a variac after the amp and before the speaker, i remember talk of it on the metro forums. never tried it.
 
Chester Nimitz":6djkzmiy said:
U want to plug the 115vac plug from your amp into the variac & plug the variac into the wall.

Variable AC transformers don't have 1/4 inch jacks.
Click to expand...

Yes I understand the hookups. Was talking about the variac I saw today in Nashville that had the ins and outs modded to 1/4. I was asking more about the tone.
 
I think you want something more like the BrownBox or a Furman Voltage Regulator if the voltage in your house is too high.
 
The Variac is the best and cheapest option to do that. Set it to the proper voltage level and it will alter the voltage from the wall to that.
All the fancy named gadgets and stabilizers are doing the same on a fixed value, with some working/nonworking extras and bright leds. At home you don't really need that if your electrical system is fine.
The BE will not sound significantly different and I'm pretty positive it will not like voltage starving to 90 volts, Eddie style.
 
You will need to drop the voltage to at least 90 volts to feel the difference in any sag, just make sure you re-bias the tubes at that voltage otherwise you will risk prematurely wearing out your tubes! I run my Marshall SLP between 70 and 90 volts
 
You want the Brown Box (AMP RX)..It reads the Wall current, and you can set the wall current higher if its running higher than 120..so if your at 126, which it has a position for, you set it there, and then you can drop the voltage..In bypass, it drops it 1 volt, and the other increments are 3,4 6 and 10% reduction..its super cool, Im getting familiar with it for a few days, as a buddy just dropped it off tonight. Searching just like you : )
 
BE-100 is manufactured for modern wiring.

You won't see a difference +/- 5 to 10 vac.

The whole reason EVH used a variac in the first place is because he had a UK made 230 volt Marshall & no way to drop voltage to 115vac so he used a variable transformer.

That was 45 years & 700 amps ago.

And if you do notice a difference how do you measure that ? With a brown meter ? your ear ? Your brain ?

In your dreams ?

Dropping line voltage in a BE-100 or other modern amps is going to cause un-intended consequences.
 
Chester Nimitz":1og5tctv said:
BE-100 is manufactured for modern wiring.

You won't see a difference +/- 5 to 10 vac.

The whole reason EVH used a variac in the first place is because he had a UK made 230 volt Marshall & no way to drop voltage to 115vac so he used a variable transformer.

That was 45 years & 700 amps ago.

And if you do notice a difference how do you measure that ? With a brown meter ? your ear ? Your brain ?

In your dreams ?

Dropping line voltage in a BE-100 or other modern amps is going to cause un-intended consequences.
Click to expand...

Well it was highly recommended by the guy you call genius, Dave Friedman. This topic seems to make people grumpy? lol
 
A variac can be very cool for dialing in a tone.
 
RACKSYSTEMS":3kebhy5p said:
A variac can be very cool for dialing in a tone.
Click to expand...
Couple years ago we had rehearsal..our drummer owns a hobby farm, and we practice in a seperate garage. My tone that day out of my Jubilee was warmer, definitely different. After breaking down I noticed the power transformer was very warm, I asked Matt about power there and he said it usually was around 100-105.
 
Chester Nimitz":1ed1905t said:
The whole reason EVH used a variac in the first place is because he had a UK made 230 volt Marshall & no way to drop voltage to 115vac so he used a variable transformer.
.
Click to expand...

Eds story is a bit wack..
I believe he said that's how he got the idea to use the variac. He had a 230 volt amp, he plugged into 120, it would take for ever for the amp to turn on at that voltage but when it did it sounded awesome.

I think what he meant was that the amp's power switch in the back was set to 220, he set it to 120, then used the variac to step it down.
 
Could a Variac be cool to use? Sure. Is it necessary? Not really. What I don't get is the repeated references to 1/4" inputs. A Variac is a variable transformer that sits between your amplifier and the outlet. You know, the A/C line. Plugs and outlets. 1/4" inputs :confused: :confused:
 
I'm thinking the 1/4" inputs were to turn it into some kind of attenuator to go between the amp and cab.

Nobody would put 120 volts on 1/4" plugs, would they????

Actually, maybe it was a Blades "Firebolt" variac :lol: :LOL: :lol: :LOL: :lol: :LOL:
 
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