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Tragedy - Mark Levinson hanging about a charity shop!

I have no knowledge to current Mark Levinson kit.
The original stuff by ML himself and John Curl was pretty impressive one could dream of.
Completely out of reach finansially back then.
 
No the ‘caravan lead’ is just to draw more power (think it’s 20 or 30 amp). Quite a few of the big American power houses use them, I had a Boulder power amp that had one....
 
Thetiminator said:
No the ‘caravan lead’ is just to draw more power (think it’s 20 or 30 amp). Quite a few of the big American power houses use them, I had a Boulder power amp that had one....
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They’re called commando plugs and come in various voltage and current varieties including a three phase version (red), 110v are yellow and 220-250v are blue, the one fitted to this amp, will more than likely be a 16 amp variety.

They should never be necessary on any domestic kit, my main PA rig uses them but that has the power to upset people in the next village... literally.
 
Thanks Linn
Can’t remember exact figures but my Boulder has the potential to draw (I think) 3000W for dynamic swings...apparently that was the reason for the bigger power inlet.....

Edit; They might’ve had 2 3000w transformers too...a long time ago and I have no idea what transformers do :p
 
There’s no fuse in these blue plugs to limit current either and it’s probably a 20A connector on the amp but tbh that’s probably more to do with US 110V supply where current is doubled for the same power level as UK.

I imagine it’s the initial transformer magnetising current at switch-on which is the issue more so than the dynamic peaks.

According to Stereophile there’s 2 x 800VA transformers in the power amp which *should* be OK with a 13A fuse at 240V. Will probably dim the lights for a moment though! Maybe there’s a staged switch-on, one channel at a time.

Very interested to hear your thoughts on these with Tannoys if you end up buying them Frank.

Good shout from the OP for the heads-up!
 
Johnjo said:
There’s no fuse in these blue plugs to limit current either and it’s probably a 20A connector on the amp but tbh that’s probably more to do with US 110V supply where current is doubled for the same power level as UK.

I imagine it’s the initial transformer magnetising current at switch-on which is the issue more so than the dynamic peaks.

According to Stereophile there’s 2 x 800VA transformers in the power amp which *should* be OK with a 13A fuse at 240V. Will probably dim the lights for a moment though! Maybe there’s a staged switch-on, one channel at a time.

Very interested to hear your thoughts on these with Tannoys if you end up buying them Frank.

Good shout from the OP for the heads-up!
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It’s reservoir caps charging up that causes the inrush current at startup... but with large caps and non restrictive transformers, that inrush current can be big. The transformer effectively magnetises and demagnetises 100 times every second.
 
linnfomaniac83 said:
It’s reservoir caps charging up that causes the inrush current at startup... but with large caps and non restrictive transformers, that inrush current can be big. The transformer effectively magnetises and demagnetises 100 times every second.
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I don’t think that’s completely correct.

In my amp the main capacitors don’t discharge when the power’s off so I suspect they add little to the start up current. There’s still a mighty “thump” when it’s turned on.

AFAIK this is due to the initial magnetising of the transformer core.
 
Johnjo said:
I don’t think that’s completely correct.

In my amp the main capacitors don’t discharge when the power’s off so I suspect they add little to the start up current. There’s still a mighty “thump” when it’s turned on.

AFAIK this is due to the initial magnetising of the transformer core.
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The voltage will decay over time, even if they are somehow taken out of circuit when the amp it switched off, which I doubt. A transformer does “magnetise” and “demagnetise”, or rather, it’s field rises and collapses 100 times a second (on 50Hz AC), that’s how they work. They can “kick” a little if mains is applied whilst at peak voltage but the most significant cause of inrush current is large caps charging.
 
linnfomaniac83 said:
They’re called commando plugs and come in various voltage and current varieties including a three phase version (red), 110v are yellow and 220-250v are blue, the one fitted to this amp, will more than likely be a 16 amp variety.

They should never be necessary on any domestic kit, my main PA rig uses them but that has the power to upset people in the next village... literally.
Click to expand...
Yep, it's blue, hopefully its installation may be indicative of an obsessive audiophile and the kit will have been maintained.....sadly there's no remote for the 380s a further reduction was negotiated, even the pre weighs a ton, the power amp is in the boot of my car and it's staying there till I get a hand to lift the thing out.
There was a bloke who came into store just behind me (@9.05am) and followed us out to the back storeroom to view the amps who on hearing "ok done" skulked off out the store....
 
cooky1257 said:
Yep, it's blue, hopefully its installation may be indicative of an obsessive audiophile and the kit will have been maintained.....sadly there's no remote for the 380s a further reduction was negotiated, even the pre weighs a ton, the power amp is in the boot of my car and it's staying there till I get a hand to lift the thing out.
There was a bloke who came into store just behind me (@9.05am) and followed us out to the back storeroom to view the amps who on hearing "ok done" skulked off out the store....
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Haha, you got there first. It’s seriously lovely kit, I’m sure you’re going to be delighted with it.
 
Well pre powers up...nice to see its the 340 's' version.

48923763951_969d38e7e5_c.jpg
 
Looks good!

I'm still confused as to why the power amp has a commando plug fitted if it is then converted into a standard 13amp mains plug anyway :?

I'm also amazed they've both ended up at a charity shop :eek:
 
Nice one Cooky, looks like that will fine, if so it's your insurance policy for getting your cash back should anything be wrong with the big fella. Everything crossed for you it all works spot on and sounds sublime!! I'm sure it will.
 
matt j said:
I'm also amazed they've both ended up at a charity shop :eek:
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Obviously I have no way of knowing, but I do find myself wondering whether a scenario involving a well heeled, married audiophile, another woman, and a discovery by furious wife might have something to do with it...
 
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