Anybody here using a Brownbox voltage regulator?

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rooster
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Anybody here using a Brownbox voltage regulator?

Post by rooster »

I just purchased one after spending some time playing a few amps over the past few weeks on my Variac set to 117VAC. My house wall current is 122VAC. I think this will be a good thing to have for a few reasons, one of them being that I would never lug a Variac to a gig. My Variac can deliver 141VAC on it's max setting, BTW, so I just couldn't trust that somehow the knob would not get turned up for some reason. The Brownbox gives me a quick accurate digital readout of the voltage in and out, with four lower voltage adjustments possible, and no option to 'over-volt' the amp. I have read some ppl say they think dropping the voltage to a guitar amp is just BS but I have to disagree. I know R.G. has a build plan for a simple but nice voltage reduction box using a stepped 6/12 volt reduction transformer but I like the meter on the Brownbox. Sweetwater seems to be the big seller of these things, (I'm not sure why that is?), and I bought a blem (shipped) for $314.

Comments by owners or those of you who have run your Wrecks on a Variac are welcome.
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RJ Guitars
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Re: Anybody here using a Brownbox voltage regulator?

Post by RJ Guitars »

I have not used one of those but in addition to having a clean and reliable power source it also brings up an interesting issue. If you have a vintage amp that was perfectly tweaked to operate at 117 volts back in the day when it was a standard, do you need to dial things back to have the equivalent amp these days with ~122 volt mains? Or maybe put it this way -- When we clone to perfection do we consider what the mains voltage was when the original was built?
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stephenl
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Re: Anybody here using a Brownbox voltage regulator?

Post by stephenl »

http://ampgarage.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 52#p353352

Here is a project I did a while back.

It lowers the line a little bit and cancels out the line noise.

Works well.
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M Fowler
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Re: Anybody here using a Brownbox voltage regulator?

Post by M Fowler »

I have not used one of these but sure can see how it would be beneficial to have.

I have seen a few professional guitar players using one of these Brown box on their touring rig so it must be good and passing the test.

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Re: Anybody here using a Brownbox voltage regulator?

Post by Mark »

Hi Steve

Which KOC book had the circuit?
Yours Sincerely

Mark Abbott
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Winder
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Re: Anybody here using a Brownbox voltage regulator?

Post by Winder »

I run my Wreck at wall voltage ... about 127 VAC here. Tried it with a Variac set to 110, and it didn't seem to make a difference.

That said, I have a '73 Marshall Super Lead that registers 510 VDC on the plates at regular wall voltage. I think they tend to have higher plate voltage, but I was worried about it. Since, at least to my ears, 100 W Marshalls (at least those I have) sound better at about 440 VDC on the plates I knock the wall voltage down to get that for that particular amp. Coincidentally, that happens at around 110 VAC. I have a 100 W "Plexi" clone that sits at 440 VDC at regular wall voltage - it was built in 2004.

It's good to have options when you need them.
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RJ Guitars
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Re: Anybody here using a Brownbox voltage regulator?

Post by RJ Guitars »

Here is one of the more interesting reads I've found that helps me understand why it isn't just the measured voltage from the wall that determines the actual DC voltage coming out of the rectifier in a tube amp... a very cool article that will give you some additional things to think about: http://www.merrenaudio.com/power_quality
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