Upgrading Hammond transformers, best budget/midrange options?

[paul-e-mann]

To me Hammond is above other brands because they provide the datasheets!

This is exactly why I went with Hammond over Heyboer!

 

[vivanchenko]

What? Upgrading Hammond transformers? They are the best. Don't waste your money!

 

[danfrank]

Hammond OPTs are better made than any crap that Marshall put in their amps, ever!
That is not to say that the Hammond will sound better in a Marshall, in fact it’s the piss poor wind quality of the OPTs that Marshall uses that plays a part in the “Marshall sound”. Hammonds will give you a wider frequency response than Drakes or Dagnalls, again because of the winds. That’s great for bass amps and PA amps but guitar amps take advantage of the limited frequency response of Dagnalls and Drakes. Heyboer transformers will be accurate repros of the old OPTs that Marshall traditionally used. I should also not that when I talk of the Hammonds, I’m referring to the 1650 series, which are very high quality. I don’t have much experience with the 1750 series, but my assumption would be that they are accurately wound to the originals they were made to replace.
The Marshall OPT that everyone salivates over is the Dagnall C1998. The wind geometry is quite simple on that one and there’s not too many turns on the primary. But it sounds super in a Marshall!
Whatever you do, don’t waste your money on Mercury transformers! Lol

 

[vivanchenko]

Hammond OPTs are better made than any crap that Marshall put in their amps, ever!
That is not to say that the Hammond will sound better in a Marshall, in fact it’s the piss poor wind quality of the OPTs that Marshall uses that plays a part in the “Marshall sound”. Hammonds will give you a wider frequency response than Drakes or Dagnalls, again because of the winds. That’s great for bass amps and PA amps but guitar amps take advantage of the limited frequency response of Dagnalls and Drakes. Heyboer transformers will be accurate repros of the old OPTs that Marshall traditionally used. I should also not that when I talk of the Hammonds, I’m referring to the 1650 series, which are very high quality. I don’t have much experience with the 1750 series, but my assumption would be that they are accurately wound to the originals they were made to replace.
The Marshall OPT that everyone salivates over is the Dagnall C1998. The wind geometry is quite simple on that one and there’s not too many turns on the primary. But it sounds super in a Marshall!
Whatever you do, don’t waste your money on Mercury transformers! Lol

I agree. In theory. In reality, Hammond sounds better. Here is a good comparison video. I understand the differences in circuits (though they should be pretty close) and staff like that, but transformers also play a role here. I much prefer the Traynor here (comes with Hammond transformers). The Marshall sounds way too boomy in this video. The Traynor has just the right amount of ... well, of everything.