What difference in tone output transformers

[jezzbo]

What would be the difference in tone between an output transformer with:

A. 6K6 primary and 4R secondary windings
B. 8K primary and 4R secondary windings

All else being equal.

Thanks

[TUBEDUDE]

Generally speaking, a higher impedance gives less power and cleaner output and a lower impedance has a little more power and a higher distortion.

[Firestorm]

I don't think I could hear the difference between those two ratios, though I can usually hear the difference between 4K and 8K. People with better ears may disagree.

[Colossal]

Generally speaking, a higher impedance gives less power and cleaner output and a lower impedance has a little more power and a higher distortion.

Hmm, I think that is half right: increasing primary impedance reduces output power while distortion is increased. This is because as the slope of the load line decreases (rotating counterclockwise), the Vg=0 point drops further below the knee of the characteristic curve causing increased nonlinearity. And as Martha Stewart says: that's a good thing

[Bob S]

The same for me.
The biggest difference is construction.
OT's make the biggest difference.
Mercury get slammed for pricing, but they make great transformers.
Merren, Pacific, Heyboer, Edcor & Mag Comp all make good transformers.

[martin manning]

Mercury get slammed for pricing, but they make great transformers.

Maybe so, but they also won't provide basic specs for their products. Non-starter for me.

I think the difference in impedance being considered here is small enough that the other differences between the transformers would be as significant.

[jezzbo]

So if I understand correctly,
A 6K6 primary will sound a bit louder with less OT distortion than a 8K primary?

[jezzbo]

@ Martin, wat other differences?

[martin manning]

I'm thinking layering/interleaving of the windings, size of the core, core material, wire, etc... If the two are from different manufacturers there will be differences. You would basically have to have both transformers and listen to them to see which one you prefer. If you have an amp with an impedance selector, you can switch it up and down one click (say run an 8-ohm load at 16-ohm setting) and see what happens. You are talking 8/6.6 or 21% here, whereas 8 to 16 is 100%.

[jezzbo]

ah ok, thank you for explaining.
Now I need to buy two OT's