FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 1.  Why would I need an Amp Maniac or Tone Preserver for my vintage amp.  Its sounds just fine to me.  

Aside from the dramatic change in tone you will get from your  amplifier, your amplifier's components are now running at their  designed voltage.  The result is longer life for your NOS tubes,  resistors, filter caps, and especially the power transformer.  So you are  preserving the life of your vintage tube amp.   

 2.  Why can't I just use a Variac or variable transformer to get the same results as the Amp Preserver.
 

There are actually three reasons. First, a Variac weighs about 5-6 times as much as the Amp Maniac.  As a gigging musician, who needs to carry yet another piece of heavy gear?  Try putting a Variac in you gig bag sometime.  Second,  a Variac usually does not have a voltmeter.   So you need to wire up some sort of jig to connect  to your voltmeter.  More gear to carry.  Third,  a Variac can be dangerous to the health of your vintage amp.  All you  need is some nerd to come up to the variac and give the dial a twirl to  see what happens.  What could happen is that the voltage your amp now  gets is 135 volts or more.  With that, you can kiss your output tubes or  power transformer good-bye.
 

3.   Can't I just build my own unit with about thirty dollars worth of parts  and accomplish the same thing?  I think I saw the circuit on  the internet somewhere. 
 

If you believe that, then you have not priced quality parts and  components lately.  You could build your own if you have the technical  know-how, experience, and the proper tools to do so.  The Amp Preserver is built with top quality components and is built for the gigging musician, not your average basement experimenter. 
 

4.  Can I plug a power strip into the Amp Preserver and use it with
more than one amplifier?
 

Of course.  You can use any quality surge protector power strip.  Just be sure you do not exceed the Amp Preserver's current capability or you will blow the fuse on the preserver.  
 

5.  Will I need to re-bias my output tubes when I start to use the
Amp Preserver?
 

Yes, you should check the bias again now that your amplifier is
operating at the proper voltage.
 

6.  Will the Tone Preserver or Amp Maniac protect my amplifier from power surges or spikes?
 

No, if you are concerned about power surges or spikes, you should always use a surge protector.
 

7.  Will the Tone Preserver or Amp Maniac maintain a constant voltage regardless of my line voltage?
 

No, if the line voltage fluctuates then you may need to adjust the Tone  Preserver or Amp Maniac accordingly.  There are 'constant voltage'  regulators on the market, but of course their output is 120 volts.
 

8.  Is a power cord included with the Tone Preserver or Amp Maniac?
 

Yes, a power cord is included.

 

Restore that vintage tone today with the Amp Preserver