Abstract: A circuit for continuously directly or indirectly varying a combination of direct and alternating current flowing through a load supplied with a combination of direct and alternating voltage from a public utility mains, has a low-pass filter that serves for achieving a continuously flowing input current I.sub.in, a coil that is connected in series with the load or is inherently contained in the load, a first alternating current switch that is connected parallel to the load and to the coil, a second alternating current switch connected in series with the load that can be driven with a higher switching frequency compared to the network frequency f.sub.network, and a regulator for the direct or indirect regulation of the direct and/or alternating current I.sub.load flowing through the load. The regulator has an acquisition part for the direct and/or indirect acquisition of the actual direct and/or alternating current I.sub.