Please explain about transformer size

[toneman335]

I have read several times how someone describes an amp as "built like a tank" or "has huge transformers" or "lots of iron". Anyway you get the idea...they seem to be saying "size matters" and "more is better". A good example are the older Traynor amps. On the other hand have read that the older Ampeg amps were undersized.
Please explain, in layman terms, what is going on here. Is there any truth to this perception and if so what exactly is the best setup in size as far as transformers go?

[donnyjaguar]

Well, given the limiting factor WRT how much power a pair of output tubes can present to the speaker is the transformer, the more efficient the better. Efficient transformers have lots of inductance so low frequencies aren't limited. Lots of inductance means lots of wire and a nice big lamination stack to handle all that wire. More metal means more magnetic permeability and more power transfer. Generally speaking the output powers of various amplifiers are rated at 1,000Hz. That works well for solid state but for tube amplifiers can be very misleading as many musical notes are well below that frequency where the amplifier is much more likely to suffer from reduced output. This is especially true if its a bass guitar amplifier. If you are comparing specifications on transformers themselves, you have to consider the bandwidth. Normally this would be stated in terms like, 30Watts, 30-20,000Hz.

Hope this helps!
DJ

[Old Tele man]

...read previous postings on same subject here:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=305146

[toneman335]

Checked out the reference to the other post. To me it got into technical information that was confusing to my simple layman mind.
Would it be "better" for tone to use a larger transformer. For example, use a 100 watt or perhaps a 80 watt transformer in a 50 watt amp?

[toneman335]

Checked out the reference to the other post. To me it got into technical information that was confusing to my simple layman mind.
Would it be "better" for tone to use a larger transformer. For example, use a 100 watt or perhaps a 80 watt transformer in a 50 watt amp?

[BLC]

Well, as a general rule bigger is better for clean and full frequency tone. However you must still match the transformer to the proper anode to anode ohms. What tubes are you dealing with and how many ??