Marmac XL 120

rusty999

Ok I just got told off for posting on an old thread about Marmac amps so hopefully I am in the right place this time---have not been on boards here for ages so I must have forgotten the rules and that appears to be one of them. I just wondered if anyone has any info on the Marmac amps from the late 60s and 70s that were so popular back then. They were often used with a Binson Echo connected via send /return on the front and as far as i know the Pa version was the Xl 120. Theres still a few of them knockin around but they seem to be pretty rare and i was curious to know if anyone still owns one. They were made in a factory in Sligo and were much sought after by bands in Ireland and I also saw them used in the Uk . Any info appreciated.
Thanks
Rusty

vinyvamos

And I bet I get busted now for digging up an old thread that was never answered :-P.

I have recently acquired two Marmac XL120 PA heads. One is for rebuild into a 2-channel guitar head for a friend and the other I hope to rebuild into a bass head for my own studio. If you are still looking for info, especially technical-wise, I will be drawing schematics in the coming months and can pass them onto you if they are of any use.

They look to be very well-built with heavy transformers so I expect pretty good results when I finally fire them up! Similar to the way the old HiWatts were built...

zafo

I know of two of them around. One's an XL 60 and not sure on the other but it's being used by a mate as a guitar amp.

TroutMask

Well-made valve amps in the style of Orange/HiWatt -ish!! The main issue I have with the guitar amps is that they have an IC input/EQ? stage - total meh. I'd buy one with a view towards ripping all of that solid state stuff out and putting some real valve electronics in there.

vinyvamos

Yes very much Hi-Watt build style inside and I bet when I manage to draw the Schematics a lot of things will match up :-). Yea the one I own myself is a later XL120 with solid-state PCB mixer pre-amp and it sounds awful when overdriven (as you'd expect!). There's plenty of room in there for a row of 12AX7's for a pre-amp so that would be my intention once I get the time. Gotta test it with new and matched O/P valves first as the ones that are in it look as old as the amp itself! :-P

As for the XL120 that I am rebuilding for someone else, it is all-valve so not as difficult to mod into a guitar amp. I hope to run it either with only 2 O/P valves to achieve O/P overdrive at non-ear-bleeding volumes or fit a "triode-pentode" switch...

TroutMask

Was the PA head used by showbands as a vocal PA?

seanvox

If anyone has any technical info/schematics for this I would be grateful to receive a copy!

iamnotme

I played guitar thru an old Marmac back in the 80s. With MXR distortion pedal. I knew a guy then that was connected with Marmac, I'll sus him out next time i'm in Sligo, can't promise.