Hi Jea48,
Thanks for the great info. Yes, I'd feel far comfortable buying a new one, assuming it will work with the amps.
The 166volts recommended setting is likely because the momoblock amps are approximately 160 watts per channel into 8 ohms and the variac is driving both of them (Could that be it? - The setting recommendation is quite specific in the instruction manual). A friend of mine had the VZN-80 (which is essentially the stereo version, but half the power - like one monoblock with two sets of speaker outputs in inputs) and the voltage setting for his variac was essentially half mine.
My wall outlets are regular 15-amp.
I think a key reason an aftermarket variac may not work though is that the one that came with the Joule connects between each amp twice (an output power cable from the variac to the amp, and back from the amp to the variac, for each channel). Two of those connections are hard-wired from the variac and plug into the amp, and the other two connections are regular/removable power cords (plugging into the variac via male connection and into the amps via female connection, if that makes sense). I'm not sure why that 'feedback' loop is there...and I don't think other aftermarket variacs have that setup.
If it's useful I could send photos..
Thanks again for the great help. I certainly would feel more comfortable with a new variac, but would it work with the amps (especially given what I assume is some 'feedback cabling' that is employed with the Joule amps)?
Thanks for the great info. Yes, I'd feel far comfortable buying a new one, assuming it will work with the amps.
The 166volts recommended setting is likely because the momoblock amps are approximately 160 watts per channel into 8 ohms and the variac is driving both of them (Could that be it? - The setting recommendation is quite specific in the instruction manual). A friend of mine had the VZN-80 (which is essentially the stereo version, but half the power - like one monoblock with two sets of speaker outputs in inputs) and the voltage setting for his variac was essentially half mine.
My wall outlets are regular 15-amp.
I think a key reason an aftermarket variac may not work though is that the one that came with the Joule connects between each amp twice (an output power cable from the variac to the amp, and back from the amp to the variac, for each channel). Two of those connections are hard-wired from the variac and plug into the amp, and the other two connections are regular/removable power cords (plugging into the variac via male connection and into the amps via female connection, if that makes sense). I'm not sure why that 'feedback' loop is there...and I don't think other aftermarket variacs have that setup.
If it's useful I could send photos..
Thanks again for the great help. I certainly would feel more comfortable with a new variac, but would it work with the amps (especially given what I assume is some 'feedback cabling' that is employed with the Joule amps)?