Marinair LO1166 transformers

GroupDIY Audio Forum

Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ChrisA

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
86
Location
Los Angeles
I am about to get a pair of Marinair LO1166 transformers and I'm curious to hear just how the transformers themselves color the sound.

Is it possible to do this?

should dc be applied to the primary?

does anyone think this might be a potentially cool thing to try?
 
hmm, it's a neve output transformer...you can hang it after a single ended pre and try to drive it a bit harder to hear the effect of saturation...right?
I think the effect might not be that strong as if it was an input transformer... :roll:
 
What are you going to compare it with?

You have to have two transformers to make a comparrison.

Actually, two 1166's might sound different, as if the gap is off by .001 inches, you get a different transformer, the DC flux will add to the ac flux and hit the core harder if the gap is thinner. And reverse for a bigger gap. You have to use DC with that gapped model, otherwise when you put it in the circuit, your sound will be differnt at the low end.
 
you know what, we went thru this exact problem a while back with NY Dave trying to graph incremental inductance on some Edcors. Can't remember the thread.

the bottom line was it's easiest to do if the dc is running the ac circuit.
 
Thanks CJ, but I don't know what you mean by that exactly...please explain.

In this case all I need is the dc...what about a wallwart power supply?
 
so I have the transformers now, but I have no other information about them...one side has pins labeled 1,2,4,3 (2 and 4 have a jumper soldered between them)...the other side has pins labeled 7,5,6,8...

could anyone provide me the pin info for these?

thanks guys for your help with this!
 
neve_xfmr_pinout.jpg


Leave 2 and 4 jumpered, as the 3-4 pri is reverse wound, which wants a fwd wound 1-2 section to match up with.

Here is the output network- 1.5k in series with 0.01 cap, if you can hear that high. Fido might thank you for it.

1166_net.jpg


Anything else I can get you? Steak sandwich? Cold beer? :razz:
 
I'm not sure i understood the needed dc source specs from NYDaves "measuring impedances" problem thread (transformers are still a pretty unknown terrain to me it seems... :oops: )
I'm quite confused right now.. :? .
Could it be as simple as putting a dc source at the primary winding with a diode and resistor (pot?) in series to get around 10-40mA direct current?
Does it have to be a hv source or is it possible to use a simple common wallwart ps as ChrisA asked for?
I just want to figure out the most simple way to make the transformer "hearable", as we don't want to make reliable measurements of inductance here, but just a sound exploration...

Kind regards

Martin
 
Bumpity bump.

Martin, did you ever get anywhere with this DC source?

I have a Carnhill here that I want to play with for varying saturation. Appling a DC offset should push the BH loop to saturate on positive going cycles, generating lots of colour.

I was thinking about it and it seems the Neve circuit which works with the LO1166 runs some DC through the trafo @ about 60mA...

Some people have saturated transformers by just hooking a resistor up to a DC supply to inject some current. However on a 24 supply, with 60mA, you would load down the driving circuit quite a lot.

So I was thinking about a variable constant current source which seem to be higher Z and can sit in parallel.

Anyone have any thoughts? Can this be done. I'm wondering what happens to the driving stage if it is something other than a Neve BA283, like a Hardy 990C, surely that much current up its rear end is not a good thing?

I have also seen something similar mentioned in the tape emulation threads and it piqued my interest.

-Tom
 
Back
Top