guitar speaker/was Re: Tube challenge!

[CCartCat at aol.com]

JH wrote:

<<BUT - I'm sure that there *is* some contribution to the overall sound
from a saturated output transformer, little "peaks" appearing on the
maxima of a sine wave, which is quite different from other types of
distortion. I always thought that this is part of "the" sound (not sure,
though). If so, wouldn't you loose something when you retrofit your
Marshall with a "better" transformer ??>>

Yeah, supposedly (not an expert here), the output transformer is part of the 
Marshall sound.  Those stressed out o.t.'s that as noted blow out so easily 
are part of what's happening.

Which seems analogous to the Louis & Bebe Barron self-destructing 
circuits--electronics (and in the case of the Marshall stack, eardrums) on 
the edge of or in the process of blowing up.  Tho' didn't someone observe the 
reverse during the recent thread on the Barron's work--their circuits not 
unlike overdriven guit. amps?

In any case, Marshall amps may be the most extreme version of guitar amps 
pushed toward the edge of their endurance.  They often enough go over that 
edge.