From: Mike Curtis Date: Sat, 9 Mar 1996 15:06:18 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: Battery amps (was: Questions)
> and a real old Vega amp (both lack reverb). Also, when your battery > powered amp starts to run a little low on juice, the sound often gets nice > and rough. (But who wants to count on that?)
Simple enough to do electronically and dependably. If you insert silicon diodes into the battery line, you can drop about 0.6 volts per diode. Any type will do just fine as long as you're not drawing more than one amp. Radio shack sells bags of cheap silicon diodes for a buck or two. Put them in series, adding one at a time, until you get "that" sound. You can place a "distort" switch across the diodes to switch them out of line when you don't want that sound.
Another option for amps powered from AA, C, or D cells is to eliminate cells until you have the desired voltage. Just remove a cell at a time, and use an alligator clip lead to short out that section of the battery holder. Remove cells until you have the sound you want.
A third option is to use NiCd rechargeables. At 1.2 volts per cell (not 1.5 like alkaline, etc.), the reduced voltage may be just what you need. If it's still too high, use less cells per above.
NiCds don't "get weak" like regular batteries. They belly-up almost immediately.
